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150 Hardest SAT Words (2026) — Meanings, Examples, Quiz

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1. Which meaning best matches demur?

2. Which meaning best matches scurrilous?

3. Which meaning best matches tangential?

4. Which meaning best matches invective?

5. Which meaning best matches recalcitrant?

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  1. deprecate — To express disapproval of.
    Example: He deprecates any praise of his own merits.
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  2. prescient — Having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.
    Example: Her prescient warning went unheeded until it was too late.
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  3. preponderance — The quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance.
    Example: A preponderance of evidence pointed to the same conclusion.
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  4. presage — (of an event) to be a sign or warning that (typically something bad) will happen.
    Example: The early losses seemed to presage a difficult season ahead.
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  5. acrid — Having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell.
    Example: Sodium polyacrylate is an acrid salt.
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  6. truculent — Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.
    Example: The truculent soldiers gave us a steely-eyed stare.
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  7. obstreperous — Noisy and difficult to control.
    Example: The obstreperous audience members were asked to leave the theater.
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  8. affable — Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
    Example: The affable host made every guest feel immediately welcome.
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  9. furtive — Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.
    Example: He cast a furtive glance over his shoulder before entering.
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  10. corpulence — The state of being fat; obesity.
    Example: His corpulence made physical activity increasingly difficult.
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  11. ostensible — Stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.
    Example: His ostensible reason for leaving was the workload.
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  12. circumlocution — The use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or…
    Example: His long circumlocution made a simple point maddeningly unclear.
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  13. abscond — To leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection or arrest.
    Example: The thieves absconded with our property.
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  14. hedonist — A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important aspect of life.
    Example: The hedonist pursued pleasure above all else in life.
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  15. apocryphal — Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
    Example: The heroic story was widely believed but entirely apocryphal.
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  16. oration — A formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion.
    Example: His oration at the graduation moved the entire audience.
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  17. effervescent — Vivacious and enthusiastic; giving off bubbles (fizzy).
    Example: Her effervescent personality brightened every room she entered.
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  18. acerbic — Sharp and forthright (of a comment or style of speaking); tasting sour or bitter.
    Example: Her acerbic wit cut through the pretension in the room.
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  19. largess — Generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others.
    Example: The donor's largess funded an entire new school building.
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  20. bashful — Reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy.
    Example: The bashful child hid behind her mother at the party.
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  21. recalcitrant — Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.
    Example: The recalcitrant student refused to follow any classroom rules.
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  22. loquacious — Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.
    Example: The loquacious host could turn any question into a long story.
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  23. nebulous — In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
    Example: The plan was still nebulous and lacked any concrete steps.
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  24. profligate — Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
    Example: His profligate spending left him deeply in debt within a year.
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  25. alacrity — Brisk and cheerful readiness.
    Example: She accepted the challenge with surprising alacrity.
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  26. propitious — Giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable.
    Example: Calm weather made it a propitious day for the sailing race.
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  27. tremulous — Shaking or quivering slightly.
    Example: Her tremulous voice betrayed how frightened she truly was.
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  28. enthrall — To capture the fascinated attention of.
    Example: The storyteller managed to enthrall everyone in the room.
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  29. idolatrous — Relating to the worship of idols.
    Example: The priests of an idolatrous religion.
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  30. multifarious — Many and of various types.
    Example: The agency handles multifarious tasks from research to fundraising.
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  31. antediluvian — Ridiculously old-fashioned; belonging to the time before the biblical Flood.
    Example: His antediluvian views on education had not changed in decades.
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  32. refurbish — To renovate and redecorate (something, especially a building).
    Example: The hotel hired workers to refurbish the lobby before reopening.
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  33. conciliate — To stop someone from being angry or discontented; to placate.
    Example: She tried to conciliate the two feuding parties peacefully.
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  34. capricious — Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
    Example: The capricious weather made planning the outdoor event nearly impossible.
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  35. congenial — Pleasant because of a personality, qualities, or interests that are similar to one's own.
    Example: The congenial atmosphere encouraged open and honest discussion.
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  36. rhapsodize — To speak or write about someone or something with great enthusiasm and delight.
    Example: He rhapsodized about the view from the mountaintop for hours.
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  37. tangential — Diverging from a previous course or line; erratic.
    Example: Her comment was tangential and did not address the main question.
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  38. embezzle — To steal or misappropriate (money placed in one's trust or belonging to the organization for which one works).
    Example: The treasurer embezzled money from the charity for two years.
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  39. engender — To cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).
    Example: Shared struggle can engender a powerful sense of unity.
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  40. truncate — To shorten something by cutting off the top or the end.
    Example: She had to truncate her speech to fit within the time limit.
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  41. parsimony — Extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources.
    Example: His parsimony meant he refused to heat the house in winter.
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  42. disaffected — Dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them.
    Example: Disaffected youth turned away from mainstream institutions.
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  43. pulchritude — Beauty.
    Example: The model was celebrated for her extraordinary pulchritude.
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  44. captivate — To attract and hold the interest and attention of; to charm.
    Example: The magician managed to captivate children and adults alike.
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  45. contrite — Feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
    Example: He was genuinely contrite and apologized with obvious shame.
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  46. expurgate — To remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book or account).
    Example: The editor expurgated several controversial passages from the book.
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  47. deleterious — Causing harm or damage.
    Example: Excessive screen time can have deleterious effects on sleep.
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  48. sagacity — The quality of showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewdness.
    Example: His sagacity in business matters saved the firm from bankruptcy.
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  49. judicious — Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.
    Example: A judicious choice of words prevented an uncomfortable confrontation.
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  50. variegated — Exhibiting different colors, especially as irregular patches or streaks.
    Example: The variegated leaves of the plant added color to the garden.
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  51. pariah — An outcast.
    Example: After the scandal, he became a pariah in the business community.
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  52. vivacious — (especially of a woman) attractively lively and animated.
    Example: Her vivacious laughter lit up every corner of the room.
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  53. officious — Assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, especially with regard to petty or trivial matters.
    Example: The officious clerk demanded five forms before helping anyone.
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  54. invective — Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.
    Example: Politics can raise invective to a low art.
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  55. garish — Obtrusively bright and showy; lurid.
    Example: The dress fits her well, but the pattern is rather garish.
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  56. eschew — To deliberately avoid using; to abstain from.
    Example: She chose to eschew social media entirely after the scandal.
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  57. credulity — A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true.
    Example: His credulity made him an easy target for scammers online.
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  58. torrid — Very hot and dry.
    Example: The expedition crossed the torrid desert without any shelter.
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  59. transmute — To change in form, nature, or substance.
    Example: Did the base metals transmute to gold?
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  60. wistful — Having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.
    Example: His eyes grew wistful as he recalled his university days.
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  61. morose — Sullen and ill-tempered.
    Example: He sat morose and silent in the corner of the room.
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  62. deferential — Showing deference; respectful.
    Example: The junior staff were extremely deferential to senior managers.
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  63. connive — To secretly allow (a wrongdoing) to occur.
    Example: The officials connived to hide the true budget figures.
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  64. recapitulate — To summarize and state again the main points of.
    Example: The entire symphony was recapitulated in the last four bars.
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  65. promulgate — To promote or make widely known (an idea or cause).
    Example: The organization moved to promulgate new guidelines on safety.
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  66. chide — To scold or rebuke.
    Example: He chided her gently for arriving late again.
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  67. emollient — Having the quality of softening or soothing the skin; attempting to avoid confrontation or anger.
    Example: She used an emollient cream to soothe her dry skin.
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  68. cupidity — Greed for money or possessions.
    Example: Cupidity drove the manager to steal from the company fund.
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  69. forestall — To prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking action ahead of time.
    Example: Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.
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  70. goad — To provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate some action or reaction.
    Example: The taunts were designed to goad him into making a rash decision.
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  71. umbrage — Offense or annoyance.
    Example: He took umbrage at the suggestion that he was dishonest.
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  72. maudlin — Self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness.
    Example: He grew maudlin after his third drink and talked about regrets.
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  73. intimation — An indication or hint.
    Example: She gave no intimation of her true feelings during the meeting.
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  74. insinuate — To suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way.
    Example: She insinuated that her friends had betrayed her.
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  75. rebuff — To reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.
    Example: He was surprised by her quick rebuff to his proposal.
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  76. turgid — Swollen and distended or congested.
    Example: The professor criticized the essay's turgid prose as needlessly complex.
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  77. commodious — Roomy and comfortable.
    Example: Our house is much more commodious than our old apartment.
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  78. legerdemain — Skillful use of one's hands when performing conjuring tricks.
    Example: The conjurer's legerdemain left the audience completely baffled.
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  79. refract — (of water, air, or glass) to make (a ray of light) change direction when it enters at an…
    Example: A glass prism can refract white light into a visible spectrum of colors.
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  80. disparage — To regard or represent as being of little worth.
    Example: He disparaged her work as amateur and beneath criticism.
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  81. admonish — To warn or reprimand someone firmly.
    Example: The teacher admonished the student for disrupting the class.
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  82. inarticulate — Unable to speak distinctly or express oneself clearly.
    Example: He was inarticulate under pressure and often fumbled his words.
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  83. execrable — Extremely bad or unpleasant.
    Example: The execrable food at the inn left travelers still hungry.
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  84. clairvoyant — A person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal…
    Example: She claimed to be clairvoyant but could not predict the outcome.
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  85. discursive — Digressing from subject to subject.
    Example: His discursive essay wandered far from the central argument.
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  86. vapid — Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.
    Example: The vapid reality show offered nothing of substance.
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  87. conformist — A person who conforms to accepted behavior or established practices.
    Example: As a conformist, he followed every trend without question.
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  88. probity — The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
    Example: His long career of probity earned him the respect of his peers.
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  89. abet — To encourage or assist someone to do something wrong or illegal.
    Example: She was arrested for helping to abet the robbery.
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  90. deplore — To feel or express strong disapproval of (something).
    Example: I deplore my neighbour for having lost his job.
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  91. laudatory — (of speech or writing) expressing praise and commendation.
    Example: The speech was so laudatory it bordered on flattery.
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  92. deride — To express contempt for; to ridicule.
    Example: Critics derided the plan as naive and poorly conceived.
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  93. emote — To portray emotion in a theatrical manner.
    Example: The actor's ability to emote convincingly won him the role.
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  94. interlocutor — A person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation.
    Example: The skilled interlocutor kept the debate moving forward smoothly.
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  95. vitriolic — Filled with bitter criticism or malice.
    Example: His vitriolic response to the review made editors avoid him.
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  96. cacophony — A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
    Example: The construction site produced a cacophony of noise.
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  97. servile — Having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others.
    Example: The servile employee agreed to everything without raising a concern.
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  98. indomitable — Impossible to subdue or defeat.
    Example: Her indomitable will kept her going through years of recovery.
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  99. conflagration — An extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property.
    Example: It took sixty firefighters to put out the conflagration.
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  100. pliable — Easily bent; flexible.
    Example: Young children's minds are pliable and absorb new languages quickly.
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  101. somnolent — Sleepy; drowsy.
    Example: The somnolent audience struggled to stay awake through the lecture.
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  102. gluttony — Habitual greed or excess in eating.
    Example: His gluttony was evident from the dozens of empty plates.
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  103. tortuous — Full of twists and turns.
    Example: The tortuous mountain road was barely wide enough for one car.
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  104. arboreal — Living in or relating to trees.
    Example: Sloths are arboreal creatures that rarely descend from the trees.
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  105. pejorative — Expressing contempt or disapproval.
    Example: The word was used in a pejorative sense to insult the group.
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  106. congruity — The quality of being in agreement or harmony.
    Example: The design lacked congruity, with clashing colors and shapes.
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  107. protean — Tending or able to change frequently or easily.
    Example: Her protean talent allowed her to move between art forms easily.
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  108. balk — To hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.
    Example: The committee balked at the proposal's unexpectedly high costs.
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  109. surfeit — An excessive amount of something.
    Example: A surfeit of rain this spring has led to flooding.
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  110. oscillate — To move or swing back and forth at a regular speed.
    Example: A pendulum oscillates slower as it gets longer.
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  111. scintillating — Sparkling or shining brightly; brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful.
    Example: The lecture was scintillating and left the audience wanting more.
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  112. assiduous — Showing great care and perseverance.
    Example: The assiduous student reviewed notes every evening without fail.
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  113. stolid — (of a person) calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
    Example: The stolid sergeant showed no reaction to the chaos around him.
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  114. scurrilous — Making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.
    Example: The scurrilous article contained false and damaging claims.
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  115. trenchant — Vigorous or incisive in expression or style.
    Example: His trenchant analysis cut through the confusion quickly.
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  116. discomfit — To make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
    Example: Don't worry. Your joke did not really discomfit me.
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  117. subjugate — To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.
    Example: Conquerors often sought to subjugate the local population.
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  118. ruminate — To think deeply about something.
    Example: A camel will ruminate just as a cow will.
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  119. repentant — Expressing or feeling sincere regret and remorse; remorseful.
    Example: He was deeply repentant and asked for forgiveness in person.
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  120. unctuous — (of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily.
    Example: His unctuous flattery made everyone suspicious of his motives.
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  121. torpid — Mentally or physically inactive; lethargic.
    Example: The cold-blooded reptile was torpid on the cool autumn morning.
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  122. dissemble — To conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs.
    Example: The spy was trained to dissemble and hide all emotion.
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  123. petulance — The quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
    Example: His petulance when he lost made others reluctant to play with him.
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  124. repudiate — To refuse to accept or be associated with.
    Example: He publicly moved to repudiate the statements he had made before.
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  125. deface — To spoil the surface or appearance of (something).
    Example: Someone defaced the mural with spray paint overnight.
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  126. irrevocable — Not able to be changed, reversed, or recovered; final.
    Example: Once signed, the agreement would be irrevocable and binding.
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  127. knell — The sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.
    Example: The bell's slow knell signaled the end of the old era.
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  128. anathema — Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
    Example: Dishonesty was anathema to her strict moral code.
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  129. pertinacious — Holding firmly to an opinion or a course of action.
    Example: The pertinacious journalist refused to drop the investigation.
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  130. magnanimous — Very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself.
    Example: The magnanimous champion praised his rival after the match.
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  131. exigent — Pressing; demanding.
    Example: The exigent situation demanded an immediate and firm decision.
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  132. pallid — (of a person's face) pale, typically because of poor health.
    Example: His pallid complexion suggested he had not slept in days.
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  133. elegy — A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.
    Example: He composed a quiet elegy in honor of his fallen mentor.
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  134. genial — Friendly and cheerful.
    Example: The genial host welcomed every guest with warmth and humor.
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  135. inundate — To overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with.
    Example: The Dutch would sometimes inundate the land to hinder the Spanish army.
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  136. sensuous — Relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect.
    Example: The sensuous melody seemed to fill the air with emotion.
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  137. winsome — Attractive or appealing in appearance or character.
    Example: The child's winsome smile won the hearts of everyone she met.
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  138. pittance — A very small or inadequate amount of money paid to someone as an allowance or wage.
    Example: He worked twelve-hour days for a pittance.
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  139. amenity — A desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place.
    Example: We especially enjoyed the amenity of the climate on our last holiday.
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  140. elucidate — To make (something) clear; to explain.
    Example: The diagram helped elucidate the complex chemical reaction.
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  141. erudite — Having or showing great knowledge or learning.
    Example: The erudite professor could quote any author from memory.
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  142. sinuous — Having many curves and turns.
    Example: We followed every bend of the sinuous river.
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  143. requisition — An official order laying claim to the use of property or materials.
    Example: The army issued a requisition for all available vehicles.
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  144. obsequious — Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
    Example: The obsequious assistant agreed with everything the boss suggested.
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  145. lethargic — Affected by a lack of energy; sluggish and apathetic.
    Example: Extreme heat made the hikers feel sluggish and lethargic.
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  146. impertinent — Not showing proper respect; rude.
    Example: His impertinent questions during the interview cost him the job.
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  147. demur — To raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.
    Example: The attorney demurred at the suggestion that the clause was enforceable.
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  148. acquiesce — To accept something reluctantly but without protest.
    Example: He acquiesced to the decision, though he was not pleased.
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  149. phlegmatic — (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
    Example: His phlegmatic response to the crisis kept everyone calm.
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  150. reprove — To reprimand or censure (someone), for a fault.
    Example: She reproved him for speaking so harshly to the volunteers.
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