English is the language of education and academia. Many of the world’s leading universities and academic institutions conduct their courses in English. This means that a good understanding of the language is necessary to excel in higher education.A strong vocabulary is also particularly important for standardised tests like the SAT, IELTS and TOEFL.
Additionally, English is the language of research, with most scientific papers and research studies published in English. As a result, a strong command of English is essential for anyone pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
Having a strong English vocabulary is crucial for success in the Reading and Writing section of the Scholastic Assessment Test. A strong vocabulary is a fundamental component of English proficiency and is essential for effective communication, cognitive function, and creativity. A strong vocabulary can also enhance one’s creativity and imagination, enabling individuals to express themselves in new and innovative ways.
List of top SAT Vocabulary Words:
| Word | Definition |
| abet | v. to encourage or help a person to do something, in particular, something wrong |
| abjure | v. formally renounce a formerly held belief or way of life |
| alacrity | n. lively, quick and eager; prompt and cheerful willingness |
| anomaly | n. unusual; a person or a thing that doesn’t fit in |
| benevolent | adj. expressing kindness or goodwill; friendly and helpful |
| bereft | adj. deprived of something or someone that you need or want |
| braggart | n. someone who constantly brags or boasts about themselves or their achievements |
| coax | v. persistently and gently influence or pursue someone to do something by flattery |
| contradict | v. to deny or say the opposite of what someone is stating or doing |
| confide | v. to share or entrust something secretive or personal with someone |
| devise | v. to form or invent a scheme, plan, or design using one’s intelligence or imagination |
| disparate | adj. incapable of being compared; different in every way; utterly dissimilar |
| dubious | adj. inclined to doubt; suspicious and questionable; wavering and uncertain |
| eccentric | adj. different and unusual or slightly strange; not perfectly circular |
| emend | v. to make corrections and improvements to a text |
| expend | v. to consume and exhaust something |
| facile | adj. easy to make, do or achieve; being ignorant about true or deeper issues |
| ferocity | n. state of being ferocious; violence or savagery |
| foreseeable | adj. able to predict or anticipate |
| garrulous | adj. excessively talkative or rambling, especially about unimportant matters |
| grandiloquent | adj. using extravagant or complicated language or manner, to impress |
| gregarious | adj. someone who enjoys socialising and being in crowds |
| hapless | adj. ill-fated; unlucky; unfortunate |
| hostile | adj. being unfriendly or aggressive; strongly opposing something |
| hypocrite | n. someone who preaches one belief, but their actions disagree with their beliefs |
| importunate | adj. overly persistent or relentless, especially to the point of annoyance |
| inchoate | adj. recently formed or just begun; yet to be fully completed |
| indulge | v. to allow yourself to have something enjoyable; not to oppose or restrain a habit |
| jeopardise | v. to expose someone or something to danger, harm, or risk; to endanger |
| jettison | v. to discard something that is no longer wanted or needed |
| jovial | adj. cheerful and good-humoured; pleasant, warm and friendly |
| kindle | v. to cause or start a fire; to catch fire or begin burning; to cause interest, passion |
| kismet | n. fate; destiny |
| knave | n. a dishonest and unreliable person; |
| labile | adj. likely to change or continually undergoing change; unstable |
| lament | n. an expression of grief, suffering, or sorrow |
| lexicon | n. the vocabulary or general dictionary of a language, a person |
| maudlin | adj. excessively sentimental; self-pitying |
| maxim | n. a short and self-evident statement expressing a general truth, moral teaching |
| modicum | n. a small and limited portion, particularly desirable or valuable |
| necessitate | v. to make something necessary or a requirement |
| nexus | n. a form of connection between two or more things; a centre of something |
| nonchalant | adj. casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned and detached |
| obsolete | adj. no longer in use or need; discarded or neglected |
| opine | n. to have or express an opinion |
| ornate | adj. elaborately decorated; finely finished |
| paragon | n. a person or object that is a perfect example of a particularly good quality |
| peculiar | adj. out of the ordinary; odd; strange |
| potent | adj. possessing great power, influence, strength,or authority |
| quell | v. to put an end to or suppress, by using force (usually unpleasant thoughts |
| quest | v. attempt to find or obtain something; search |
| quixotic | adj. unrealistic and exceedingly idealistic; admirable but impractical |
| rebuke | v. express harsh criticism or disapproval |
| recluse | n. a person who lives in self-imposed isolation and avoids other people; a hermit |
| renegade | n. a disloyal person who betrays, changes or deserts one allegiance |
| satiate | v. to satisfy to excess, to fill to satisfaction |
| sinecure | n. a position that requires little to no work but still pays an ample amount |
| stupendous | adj. extremely astonishing or impressive; of stunning excellence |
| tawdry | adj. cheap, gaudy and of low quality but showy and attractive |
| temperament | n. a person’s usual manner of thinking, behaving or reacting |
| tentative | adj. uncertain or not fixed; subject to future change |
| undulate | v. to cause to move in a wavelike motion; to cause to resemble a wave |
| usury | n. the practice of lending money at unfairly high-interest rates |
| vehemently | adv. expressing in a strong, intense or forceful manner |
| vilify | v. to say defamatory things or speak ill of someone or something |
| wayward | adj. difficult to control due to unpredictable behaviour |
| whim | n. a sudden unusual and unexplained desire or change of mind |
| xenophobia | n. dislike or fear of foreigners, their culture, etc. |
| yelp | n. a sudden, high-sound cry, usually when in pain |
| zest | n. enthusiasm, excitement, energy, pleasure and interest |