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100 Easy SAT Words to Start With (2026) — Definitions & Quiz

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1. Which meaning best matches adept?

2. Which meaning best matches notorious?

3. Which meaning best matches cultivate?

4. Which meaning best matches plausible?

5. Which meaning best matches conventional?

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  1. remote — (of a place) situated far from the main centers of population; distant.
    Example: The hikers set up camp in a remote mountain valley.
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  2. audible — Able to be heard.
    Example: Her voice was barely audible over the noise of the crowd.
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  3. anonymous — Of a person not identified by name; of unknown name.
    Example: No customer personal data will be retained unless it is rendered anonymous.
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  4. solid — Firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid.
    Example: The foundation of the building must be solid to bear the weight.
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  5. orthodox — (of a person or their views, especially religious or political ones, or other beliefs or practices) conforming to…
    Example: The church followed strictly orthodox traditions and rituals.
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  6. compliment — A polite expression of praise or admiration.
    Example: He gave her a sincere compliment about her writing.
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  7. confined — Restricted in area or volume; cramped.
    Example: The puppy was confined to the kitchen during meals.
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  8. foil — To prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding.
    Example: The detective's careful preparation foiled the suspect's attempt to flee.
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  9. compliant — Inclined to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree.
    Example: The company remained compliant with all safety regulations.
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  10. plausible — (of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable.
    Example: Her explanation was plausible but not entirely convincing.
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  11. obstacle — A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.
    Example: His lack of funding was the main obstacle to the project.
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  12. aesthetic — Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
    Example: Her most recent works have this quirky, half-serious 90's teen culture-inspired aesthetic.
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  13. compelling — Evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way.
    Example: Logic compels the wise, while fools feel compelled by emotions.
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  14. clergy — The body of all people ordained for religious duties.
    Example: The clergy gathered to lead the congregation in prayer.
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  15. consumption — The using up of a resource.
    Example: Reducing sugar consumption can improve long-term health outcomes.
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  16. arbitrary — Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
    Example: Benjamin Franklin's designation of "positive" and "negative" to different charges was arbitrary.
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  17. clumsy — Awkward in movement or in handling things.
    Example: He's very clumsy. I wouldn't trust him with carrying the dishes.
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  18. flexible — Capable of bending easily without breaking.
    Example: The schedule is flexible and can be adjusted if needed.
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  19. contradict — To deny the truth of (a statement), especially by asserting the opposite.
    Example: The new data appeared to contradict the researcher's earlier findings.
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  20. criteria — Principles or standards by which something may be judged or decided.
    Example: All candidates must meet the basic criteria to qualify.
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  21. conventional — Based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed.
    Example: They wear conventional clothes, eat conventional food, and keep conventional hours.
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  22. nurture — To care for and encourage the growth or development of.
    Example: Good teachers nurture curiosity and a love of learning.
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  23. demographic — Relating to the structure of populations.
    Example: The store adjusted its products to match the local demographic.
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  24. romantic — Conducive to or characterized by the expression of love.
    Example: Her romantic ideals were tested by the realities of daily life.
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  25. mandate — An official order or commission to do something.
    Example: The law created a mandate for cleaner vehicle emissions.
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  26. timid — Showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened.
    Example: The timid deer disappeared into the trees at the first sound.
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  27. inhibit — To hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process).
    Example: Cold temperatures inhibit the growth of bacteria.
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  28. disclose — To make (secret or new information) known.
    Example: The doctor must disclose all possible side effects.
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  29. attain — To succeed in achieving; to reach.
    Example: Years of hard work helped her attain her dream position.
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  30. discretion — The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private…
    Example: Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.
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  31. hardy — Robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions.
    Example: Hardy plants can survive frost without any special protection.
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  32. assess — To evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of.
    Example: Teachers must regularly assess students' progress throughout the year.
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  33. stable — (of an object or structure) not likely to give way or overturn; firmly fixed.
    Example: The patient's condition is now stable following the surgery.
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  34. vague — Of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning.
    Example: Her vague instructions left the team uncertain about how to proceed.
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  35. brittle — Hard but liable to break or shatter easily.
    Example: The old document had become brittle and crumbled at the edges.
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  36. foster — To encourage or promote the development of (something, typically something regarded as good).
    Example: The program was created to foster independent thinking among students.
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  37. advocate — To publicly recommend or support a particular cause or policy.
    Example: The lawyer was a passionate advocate for prisoners' rights.
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  38. grave — Giving cause for alarm; serious.
    Example: The doctor's expression told them the situation was grave.
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  39. obscure — Not discovered or known about; uncertain.
    Example: The obscure painting turned out to be enormously valuable.
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  40. measured — Having a slow, regular rhythm.
    Example: His measured response avoided any further escalation.
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  41. oblivion — The state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening.
    Example: His contributions to science had faded into oblivion.
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  42. dispatch — To send off to a destination or for a purpose.
    Example: We must act with dispatch in this matter.
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  43. elaborate — Involving many carefully arranged parts or details; detailed and complicated in design and planning.
    Example: Could you elaborate on the plot for your novel for me?
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  44. diverse — Showing a great deal of variety; very different.
    Example: The school welcomed students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
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  45. severe — (of something bad or undesirable) very great; intense.
    Example: The storm caused severe damage along the entire coast.
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  46. fragile — (of an object) easily broken or damaged.
    Example: The fragile peace between the two factions required constant diplomatic effort.
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  47. cunning — Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit.
    Example: The fox was known for its cunning in avoiding traps.
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  48. partisan — A strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.
    Example: They were blinded by partisan zeal.
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  49. aggravate — To make a problem or situation worse or more serious.
    Example: Constant interruptions aggravated the speaker during the presentation.
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  50. anxious — Experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness.
    Example: I could tell she was anxious as she was biting her nails.
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  51. careless — Not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.
    Example: Jessica was so careless that she put her shorts on backwards.
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  52. deceptive — Giving an appearance or impression different from the true one; misleading.
    Example: The deceptive simplicity of the question misled many test takers.
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  53. consequence — A result or effect of an action or condition.
    Example: Ignoring the warning had serious consequences for everyone.
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  54. uniform — Not changing in form or character; remaining the same in all cases and at all times.
    Example: The soldiers wore a uniform shade of green.
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  55. appropriate — Suitable or proper in the circumstances; to take something for one's own use.
    Example: His tone was appropriate given the seriousness of the situation.
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  56. hypocrisy — The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform;…
    Example: His public morality was later exposed as pure hypocrisy.
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  57. thorough — Complete with regard to every detail; not superficial or partial.
    Example: He is the most thorough worker I have ever seen.
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  58. extinction — The complete disappearance of a species or group from existence.
    Example: Many scientists warn that the species is near extinction.
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  59. chaos — Complete disorder and confusion.
    Example: The fire alarm caused chaos throughout the entire school.
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  60. insignificant — Too small or unimportant to be worth consideration.
    Example: Such things are insignificant details compared to the main goal.
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  61. anxiety — A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease.
    Example: She felt anxiety before giving her speech to the class.
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  62. adept — Very skilled or proficient at something.
    Example: He was adept at solving complex math problems quickly.
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  63. adverse — Preventing success or development; harmful; unfavorable.
    Example: The team played well despite adverse weather conditions.
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  64. accord — To give or grant someone power, status, or recognition; an official agreement.
    Example: She completed the task entirely of her own accord.
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  65. reckless — (of a person or their actions) without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.
    Example: The reckless driver ran three red lights in a row.
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  66. aerial — Existing, happening, or operating in the air.
    Example: The seabirds put on an astonishing aerial display.
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  67. dormant — Having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in…
    Example: The volcano had been dormant for over three centuries.
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  68. hierarchy — A system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status…
    Example: In the hierarchy of needs, shelter ranks above luxury.
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  69. dynamic — Characterized by constant change, activity, or progress.
    Example: The new coach brought a dynamic energy to the struggling team.
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  70. harsh — Unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses.
    Example: The harsh criticism discouraged the new writer.
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  71. oblivious — Not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one.
    Example: She walked past, oblivious to the chaos around her.
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  72. artifact — An object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical interest.
    Example: Archaeologists discovered an ancient artifact beneath the ruins.
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  73. concise — Giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive.
    Example: A good thesis statement should be clear and concise.
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  74. vulnerable — Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.
    Example: It's okay to get vulnerable every now and again.
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  75. daunting — Seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation; intimidating.
    Example: Climbing Everest is a daunting challenge even for experts.
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  76. indigenous — Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
    Example: Indigenous plants thrive in the local soil without extra care.
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  77. validate — To check or prove the validity or accuracy of (something).
    Example: The data file cannot be imported because it doesn't validate.
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  78. novice — A person new to and inexperienced in a job or situation.
    Example: As a novice, she asked a lot of questions during training.
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  79. aquatic — Relating to water.
    Example: Dolphins are highly intelligent aquatic mammals.
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  80. integral — Necessary to make a whole complete; essential or fundamental.
    Example: The integral of x\mapsto x^2 on [0,1] is \frac{1}{3}.
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  81. forage — To search widely for food or provisions.
    Example: The bear foraged for berries along the forest edge.
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  82. contemporary — Living or occurring at the same time.
    Example: Cervantes was a contemporary of Shakespeare.
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  83. abort — To end a process or activity before it is completed.
    Example: The mission was aborted due to severe weather conditions.
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  84. strenuous — Requiring or using great exertion.
    Example: Hiking up the mountain proved more strenuous than expected.
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  85. cautious — Careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.
    Example: He took a few cautious steps toward the cave.
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  86. oppose — To disapprove of and attempt to prevent, especially by argument.
    Example: There is still time to oppose this plan.
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  87. dependent — Contingent on or determined by.
    Example: Young children are entirely dependent on adults for their needs.
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  88. notorious — Famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.
    Example: The criminal was notorious for his elaborate escape plans.
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  89. cultivate — To try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill).
    Example: Most farmers in this region cultivate maize.
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  90. credible — Able to be believed; convincing.
    Example: The police need a credible witness to build their case.
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  91. effortless — Requiring no physical or mental exertion.
    Example: She made the difficult jump look completely effortless.
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  92. complicated — Consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate.
    Example: The directions were far too complicated for a simple task.
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  93. sovereignty — Supreme power or authority.
    Example: The treaty recognized the nation's full sovereignty at last.
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  94. certain — Able to be relied on to happen or be the case.
    Example: I was certain of my decision.
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  95. chronological — Starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occurred.
    Example: Present the events in chronological order for clarity.
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  96. authentic — Of undisputed origin; genuine.
    Example: The experts confirmed it was an authentic signature.
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  97. sovereign — A supreme ruler, especially a monarch.
    Example: Her voice was her sovereign talent.
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  98. anguish — Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
    Example: She could not hide the anguish she felt at the news.
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  99. outcome — The way a thing turns out; a consequence.
    Example: The outcome of the vote surprised almost every expert.
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  100. bias — Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another.
    Example: Confirmation bias can lead even careful researchers to flawed conclusions.
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