reasonprep.com – [email protected] 1 Reason Prep’s SAT VOCAB LIST v. 2.1 This is a 2500+ word list of the most important vocab on the SAT. This list was generated not from my idea of what vocab is important but from what’s actually on the SAT. I sifted through dozens of SATs to bring you the most common vocabulary words in the sentence completion and passage- based reading questions. I organized them by frequency – Level 1 is the most common, with words that appeared on many tests, and Level 5 is the least common, with words that appeared on only one test. Note that base words can appear in different forms in standard usage, for example: magnanimity, magnanimous; cynical, cynicism, cynic, cynically; zealot, zealous, overzealous; etc. I did not include definitions because 1) it’s a lot of work f or me to write 2500+ definitions and 2) it’s better for you to get the definitions yourself. It’s part of the learning process Some words have different definitions depending on their part of speech (e.g. articulate as a verb and adjective), so be thorough when researching definitions to capture the relevant shades of meaning. I will update this list regularly, so check back often! How to Use: Start with Level 1 vocab. When you learn those words, move on to Level 2, and so on. The lists get longer as you gain levels, so focus on learning the more important words (Levels 1- 3) before worrying about the rarer words. LEVEL 1 SAT VOCAB abstract absurd aesthetic ambivalence analysis anecdote apathetic arbitrary articulate assert assume bewilder bolster characterize claim clarify condemn connotation conscious contradict contrast critique cynical deductive define demonstrate depict deride describe digress discredit discuss disdain disparage distinguish downplay dramatize eclectic emphasize enumerate ethical evidence evoke fallacy farce flourish futile general generalization genre grounds of highlight hypothesis idiosyncratic illustrate implicit imply incredulous indignant inductive indulge