📘 30 Must-Know Vocabulary Words for the SAT Reading & Writing Section
Excel in SAT Vocabulary Across Psychology, Science, Finance, and More
Want to ace the SAT Reading and Writing section?
These 30 high-frequency SAT words often appear in comprehension passages, sentence completions, and vocabulary-in-context questions. Mastering them will make challenging texts much easier to tackle.
🔢 Word List with Meanings & Context
🧠 Psychology & Behavior
- Acquiesce
• Meaning: To accept reluctantly but without protest
• Sentence: She acquiesced to her parents’ wishes without argument. - Adamant
• Meaning: Firm and unyielding
• Sentence: Despite criticism, he remained adamant in his decision. - Admonish
• Meaning: To warn or reprimand firmly
• Sentence: The teacher admonished the students for being late. - Admonitory
• Meaning: Giving a warning
• Sentence: His admonitory tone indicated the seriousness of the issue. - Addle
• Meaning: To confuse
• Sentence: Complex instructions tend to addle inexperienced workers. - Addled
• Meaning: Confused, muddled
• Sentence: He was too addled to respond properly. - Acerbic
• Meaning: Harsh or severe (especially in speech or behavior)
• Sentence: Her acerbic comments silenced the room. - Acrimonious
• Meaning: Angry and bitter (typically in speech or debate)
• Sentence: The discussion turned acrimonious after the disagreement. - Acrimony
• Meaning: Bitterness or ill feeling
• Sentence: The acrimony between the rivals was evident. - Acute
• Meaning: Sharp, intense
• Sentence: She felt an acute pain in her shoulder. - Acuity
• Meaning: Sharpness of perception or mind
• Sentence: His acuity in solving puzzles was remarkable.
⚖️ Law & Justice
- Accomplice
• Meaning: A person who helps another commit a crime
• Sentence: The police arrested the accomplice along with the thief. - Adjudicate
• Meaning: To make a formal judgment or decision
• Sentence: The court adjudicated the dispute within a week. - Accord
• Meaning: Agreement or harmony
• Sentence: The two nations finally reached an accord.
🕊️ Philosophy & Ethics
- Adage
• Meaning: A short proverb expressing a general truth
• Sentence: He lived by the adage, “Honesty is the best policy.”
🔬 Science & Technology
- Accretion
• Meaning: Gradual growth or accumulation
• Sentence: The accretion of dust led to the formation of planets. - Accrue
• Meaning: To accumulate or be added periodically
• Sentence: Interest will accrue on the savings account. - Actuate
• Meaning: To put into mechanical motion or action
• Sentence: The switch actuates the machine.
💰 Economics & Finance
- Accrue (also fits here)
• Accumulation of benefits, profits, or interests. - Acquisitive
• Meaning: Excessively interested in acquiring money or things
• Sentence: His acquisitive nature led him to invest heavily in stocks.
🌍 Culture & Society
- Accost
• Meaning: To approach and address (someone) boldly
• Sentence: He was accosted by a stranger asking for money. - Adherent
• Meaning: A supporter or follower
• Sentence: The leader’s adherents gathered for the rally. - Adhesive
• Meaning: Something that sticks or bonds
• Sentence: Use a strong adhesive to fix the broken vase. - Adjunct
• Meaning: Something added but not essential
• Sentence: She served as an adjunct professor at the university.
🎓 Education & Learning
- Adept
• Meaning: Highly skilled
• Sentence: She is adept at solving complex math problems. - Adequate
• Meaning: Satisfactory or acceptable
• Sentence: His performance was adequate but not outstanding.
🔁 Miscellaneous (General Use)
- Acme
• Meaning: The highest point of achievement
• Sentence: Winning the Nobel Prize was the acme of his career. - Adapt
• Meaning: To adjust or modify
• Sentence: Animals adapt to their environment to survive. - Addendum
• Meaning: An addition or supplement to a document
• Sentence: An addendum was attached to the original agreement.
🎯 Practice Questions (SAT Style)
- Despite initial hesitation, she decided to ______ to the group’s decision.
A) accost B) acquiesce C) actuate D) adapt
Answer: B) acquiesce - Which word best describes someone who is excessively eager to acquire wealth?
A) adherent B) acquisitive C) acerbic D) acute
Answer: B) acquisitive - A person who helps another commit a crime is called an:
A) accomplice B) adjunct C) adherent D) adjudicator
Answer: A) accomplice
💬 SAT Vocabulary Tip
Always study words in clusters or themes like “psychology,” “law,” or “finance.” The SAT often tests how well you recognize subtle shades of meaning between words like absolve and adjudicate or acquiesce and adapt.
📄 Download Resources
👉 Click here to download Master Flashcards A31-A60
👉 Click here to download Master Flashcards A1-A30
📚 Explore More SAT Resources
•30 Must-Know Vocabulary Words for the SAT Reading & Writing Section – Week 1
• Index of all A Words
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