SAT Vocabulary Lesson and Practice: Lesson 5
Word List with Definitions
1. absence (n) the fact of being gone or not present
2. ambiguous (adj) having two possible meanings; able to be understood in two different ways
3. askance (adj) with a sideways glance, as with distrust
4. botany (n) the scientific study of plants
5. clumsy (adj) moving awkwardly, especially causing collisions, accidents, or mishaps
6. converge (v) to come together; to meet
7. decrepit (adj) lacking in strength, especially due to old age or illness
8. diffidence (n) not trusting or believing in one’s self; self-doubt
9. enthrall (v) to hold in a rapt state; to have overpowering influence
10. foresight (n) the ability to anticipate future happenings or to plan for the future
11. hypocrisy (n) professing beliefs or acting in opposition to one’s true beliefs or actions; insincerity
12. inhospitable (adj) ill-disposed toward newcomers; unwelcoming
13. malign (v) to talk harshly or critically of, particularly to speak false criticisms
14. mollify (v) to calm or pacify
15. obsolete (adj) no longer used or useful
16. penitence (n) a desire to atone for wrongdoing
17. pommel (v) to strike repeatedly; to beat, as with a club
18. pyromania (n) an abnormal and unhealthy obsession with fire; often the obsessive desire to start fires
19. regress (v) to move backwards, especially to retreat to a former state
20. sediment (n) particles that fall to the bottom of a liquid
21. subsequent (adj) occurring afterward
22. tortuous (adj) having many twists and turns; intricate and difficult to follow
23. undermine (v) to work against a project or purpose; to subvert or sabotage
24. vapid (adj) lacking in liveliness and flavor; dull
25. waif (n) a person, especially a child, with no home or prospects
Synonyms:
In the space provided, write the word from the list above that means the same or about the
same as the word given.
1. insecurity 6. urchin
2. following 7. uncoordinated
3. archaic 8. join
4. spellbind 9. unfriendly
5. clobber 10. suspiciously
Antonyms:
In the space provided, write the word from the list above that means opposite of the word
given.
11. unequivocal 16. confidence
12. praise 17. upset
13. sincerity 18. presence
14. graceful 19. straight
15. progress 20. strong
Analogies:
Choose the word from the list that best completes the analogy, creating the same
relationship between the second set of words as exists between the first set of words.
21. kleptomania : steal :: : burn
22. astronomy : stars :: : plants
23. brat : obnoxious :: : penniless
24. indebtedness : loan :: : sin
25. previous : cause :: : consequence
26. help : succeed :: : fail
27. stale : bread :: : beer
28. hindsight : past :: : future
29. irritate : annoyed :: : calm
30. froth : top :: : bottom
In the space provided, write the word from the list above that best completes each given
sentence.
31. Mark would his enemies by spreading rumors about them.
32. The painting by Picasso could a viewer, and often museum visitors were seen
standing and gazing at it for hours.
33. He wanted to study because he found photosynthesis an amazing process.
34. Caroline called her sister for falling down the stairs.
35. She used to enjoy these parties, but now they seemed and joyless.
36. In order to her, he brought her flowers, hoping for forgiveness.
37. The of rain this season created a dry condition prone to forest fires.
38. His arrest and trial were in all the papers.
39. The environment on Venus is to life, with temperature of over 850° F.
40. The that settles at the bottom of a bottle of wine is bitter and should not be drunk.
41. The old house was , with its paint peeling and its ceiling falling in.
42. He could tell that she looked at him now, unsure whether he would cheat on her
again.
43. The child was a pitiful , without parents or home.
44. The boys joined together to the bully who had beaten them, repaying him in kind.
45. I can’t believe the of some politicians, who say one thing and then do another!
46. The road to the log cabin was , winding intricately up the mountain.
47. Her made her unsure of her ability to succeed in college.
48. The candidate did everything possible to his opponent’s campaign, including
negative TV and radio ads.
49. After learning a lot about playing the piano, the injury to her hand caused her to .
50. Her was clear when she offered to do extra chores for two weeks.
51. His began with watching matches burn and culminated when he started a fire.
52. The meaning of this passage is ; is it talking about the wife or the girlfriend?
53. New computers quickly become as more demanding software is released.
54. She had the to buy her house before the prices began rising.
55. The two roads that at the intersection meet again in about 35 miles.
