Ivy League Mentors

Presents

Essential Vocab for the

1
 Introduction
This isn't a list of obscure or difficult words. It's a list of words that come up often on the test.
Because these words are common, you probably know most of them already. However, I have
included them here because, in my many years of teaching, I have encountered intelligent
students like you who haven't known them and have lost points on the test as a result. Do you
want to lose points on the test too? Then make sure that you know them all by test day!

P.S. I’ve heard students tell me that these definitions look strange. Isn’t a “cause” something that
makes something happen? Well, yes, of course it can be. Then why is “cause” defined here as a
principle, goal, or movement that one is prepared to defend or advocate? Because that’s what it
meant on the test. The truth is that most words have more than one definition. The objective of
this list is to familiarize you with usages that are most likely to appear on the test rather than to
provide a comprehensive explanation of all the ways a particular word can be used. In some
cases, the most common usages on the test are not the usages you are most likely to encounter
in normal life. In fact, the College Board likes to use secondary meanings of everyday words to
force students to pay attention to context.

2
 The List
Abolish: To put an end to a system, practice, or institution. In a historical context, this often refers
specifically to the system of slavery. The noun form is abolition. A person involved in the abolition
movement is an abolitionist. In his newspaper, William Lloyd Garrison advocated to abolish slavery.

Advocate: To publicly recommend or support. The author advocated for greater freedom of press.
Related words: advocate (noun): a supporter or promoter of something.

Ambivalent: Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. Due to the
excitement about productivity increases, as well as fears of human job loss, many are ambivalent about
AI.

Analogous: similar, comparable in certain respects. The events of Orwell’s Animal Farm are analogous
to those of the Russian Revolution.

Anecdote: a brief story, often one of a personal or informal nature.

Anticipate: to predict or expect. The effect was stronger than the researchers had anticipated.

Apprehend: to understand or comprehend. She couldn’t apprehend how someone could believe such an
obvious lie.

Apprehensive: concerned, anxious. Many students feel apprehensive about the SAT.

Assertion: a confident and forceful claim. The verb form is to assert.

Bias: prejudice in favor of or against a thing, person, or group, usually in a way considered to be unfair. A
person or action that has bias is called biased.

Bolster: to strengthen or provide support.

Cause: a principle, goal, or movement that one is prepared to defend or advocate. She devoted her life to
the cause of deaf people.

Challenge: to dispute the truth or validity (of something). The author challenged the assumption that early
humans evolved exclusively in Africa.

Comparable: similar. Medieval Japan was comparable to Europe, in that both had a hierarchical feudal
system.

Compelling: convincing or persuasive. The new discovery provides compelling evidence that the early
settlers of North America arrived via a land bridge from Asia.

3
Comprehensive: complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something. Nathan has
provided dozens of students with comprehensive support on their college applications.

Compromise: to weaken or undermine. The lack of a strong federal government compromised the power
of the United States under the Articles of the Confederation.

Concede: to admit that something is true or valid, especially an opposing argument or counterpoint. The
noun form is concession. The author conceded that genetically modified foods are probably no more
dangerous than organic foods.

Conclusive: decisive or convincing; serving to prove a case. The antonym is inconclusive. Though
scientists believe that the moon was formed by fragments of the earth dislodged in a collision, the
evidence remains inconclusive.

Condemn: to express complete disapproval of something, typically in public. The noun form is
condemnation.

Conform: to match or follow. The results did not conform to his expectations.

Consensus: a general state of agreement. The consensus among modern paleontologists is that birds
are descendants of dinosaurs.

Contend: to assert. The noun version is contention. Feldman contends that the findings are consistent
with his theory.

Conventional: common or traditional. The noun form is convention.

Corroborate: to confirm or give support. His students’ high test results corroborated Nathan’s assertion
that he is the best teacher ever.

Counterclaim: a claim that goes against the main claim or argument.

Deceptive: Dishonest or misleading. The noun form is deceit and the verb form is deceive.

Decisive: conclusive or final; settling an issue. Decisive evidence has emerged, ending the debate about
the origins of the fossil.

Degrade: to deteriorate, weaken, or lower in dignity. Government corruption degrades our democracy.

Denounce: to publicly declare to be wrong or bad. Sanders denounced the U.S. military's use of
chemical weapons on children in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Despondent: depressed, sad, in low spirits.

Detrimental: harmful. Excessive smartphone usage is detrimental to sleep.

Discern: to perceive, notice, or distinguish between things. Only experts are able to discern the
difference between a genuine Vermeer and works by his apprentices.

4
Discredit: to prove false; to damage the reputation of someone or something. The author aimed to
discredit the theory that the manuscript was written by Ortega.

Disdain: contempt or strong disapproval.

Dismiss: to ignore or reject, often without serious consideration. The press dismissed the president’s
claims of voter fraud.

Disparage: to regard as being of little worth or inferior. Nathan disparaged the SAT textbook, which was
full of mistakes and bad advice.

Distinction: a difference or contrast between similar things or people. The verb form is distinguish. The
adjective form is distinct.

Elaborate: to develop or present in detail. The author elaborated on the proposal in her manifesto.

Employ: to use. The researchers employed an innovative technique to track the migrations of monarch
butterflies.

Entrenched: firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change.

Enumerate: to list or mention one by one. The noun form is enumeration. The author enumerated the
benefits of autonomous vehicles.

Explicit / Implicit: If something is explicit, it is stated clearly and directly. If something is implicit, it is
stated indirectly or implied.

Fabricate: to invent or make up, often in a dishonest way. The defendant fabricated an excuse.

Facilitate: to cause, encourage, or make easier. The internet has facilitated communication between
diverse populations.

Feasible: possible to do easily or without an unreasonable amount of effort. Nathan’s students

Fluctuate: to rise and fall or change, usually irregularly or unpredictably. My score on the practice tests
fluctuates from day to day.

Former / Latter: In a list of two, the term former refers to the first and the term latter refers to the second.

Foster: to encourage or promote the development (of something).

Frank: honest, direct, and blunt. The doctor gave a frank assessment and did not attempt to hide the
seriousness of her patient's condition.

Fundamental: basic or essential. The fundamental structure of the human brain is similar to that of other
primates.

5
Idealistic: involving noble or high-minded principles, but often not practical or realistic. Someone with
idealistic views can be called an idealist.

Impartial: unbiased; fair. A judge should remain impartial in his or her decisions.

Indifference: a lack of interest, opinion, or concern. The adjective form is indifferent.

Indignation: anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment. The adjective form
is indignant.

Inhibit: to hinder, restrain, or prevent. Cold inhibits plant growth.

Innate: inborn; arising naturally. Humans possess an innate propensity for music.

Irreconcilable: unable to coexist; unable to be resolved. The notion of time travel is irreconcilable with
our current laws of physics.

Ironic: contrary or opposite to expectations. The noun form is irony.

Ivy League Mentors: A useful resource for students. Nathan founded Ivy League Mentors to share his
experience with students all around the world.

Maintain: to assert. The senator maintains that legalization of recreational drugs will increase tax
revenue.

Mar: to spoil or damage, and thus render less perfect. Her happiness was marred by regret.

Misconception: an incorrect belief or attitude. It is a misconception that Columbus was the first European
to reach the Americas. In fact, the Vikings reached North America hundreds of years before him.

Mitigate: to make less severe, serious, or painful. The recession was mitigated by government policies to
assist poor families.

Novel: new or innovative. The researchers used a novel approach to extract the genome.

Optimism / Pessimism: optimism is a belief or hope that an outcome will be positive, favorable, or
desirable. Pessimism is a belief or hope that an outcome will be negative, unfavorable, or undesirable.the
adjective forms.are optimistic and pessimistic.

Outspoken: frank in stating one's opinions, especially if they are critical or controversial.

Overlook: to ignore or not pay attention (to something). Johnson overlooked a key factor in his analysis
of the situation.

Pragmatic: dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than
theoretical considerations.

6
Profess: to claim that one has (a quality or feeling), especially when this is not the case.

Prudent: marked by wisdom; showing consideration for the consequences of an action.

Qualify: to make (a statement or assertion) less absolute or extreme. The noun form is qualification.
The adjective form is qualified. The author qualified her argument by recognizing the validity of some
counterpoints.

Recall: to remember

Refute: to prove (a statement or theory) false.

Relate: to tell (a story). The author related an anecdote about her experiences in South Africa.

Reluctant: hesitant or unwilling (to do something). Many people are reluctant to try new foods.

Repudiate: to reject or renounce. The minister repudiated allegations of human rights abuses.

Reservations: hesitance or doubt about the appropriateness of an action. Some generals voiced
reservations about making air strikes on civilian neighborhoods.

Resignation: the acceptance of something undesirable but inevitable. The adjective form is resigned.
The verb form is resign. He expressed resignation about his loss in the upcoming election.

Revere: to deeply respect. Though condemned by the elite, Jackson was revered by uneducated
farmers.

Scrutinize: to examine carefully and critically, often in search of flaws. The noun form is scrutiny.

Skepticism: doubt or disbelief. The adjective form is skeptical. A skeptical person can be called a
skeptic.

Speculate: to make a guess or prediction. The noun form is speculation. The adjective form is
speculative. The author speculated about the future of AI.

Subjective / Objective: subjective means based on personal feelings, tastes, or opinions. Objective
means not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.

Substantial: large or significant. The impact of burning fossil fuels on the climate is substantial.

Substantiate: to support, often with evidence. The adjective form is substantiated, and its antonym is
unsubstantiated. Katz offered no evidence to substantiate his claim.

Tentative: uncertain, unconfirmed, or temporary. Until more studies can be conducted, the findings are
only tentative.

Undermine: to weaken or go against (a theory, argument, belief, etc). The new evidence undermined
traditional assumptions about language acquisition.

7
Underscore: to emphasize. The author underscored the need for bipartisanship.

Unfounded: having no basis in fact; unsupported by reason or logic. The beliefs of flat-earthers are
completely unfounded.