From Adulate to Agile: 30 Powerful SAT Vocabulary Words to Know by Theme (Week 3)

Master SAT Verbal With These Themed Vocabulary Gems

Tired of boring vocabulary drills? Here’s your chance to learn smarter.
This SAT vocab guide features 30 essential words, grouped by theme—from Psychology to Nature—making it easier to remember and apply them in real test scenarios.

---

🔢 Word List with Meanings & Context

Psychology & Behavior

1. Adulate
   • Meaning: To praise excessively
   • Sentence: Fans adulated the actor as if he were a god.
   
2. Adulation
   • Meaning: Excessive admiration or praise
   • Sentence: The adulation from his supporters made him overconfident.
   
3. Affable
   • Meaning: Friendly and easy to talk to
   • Sentence: The affable host made everyone feel at ease.
   
4. Affectation
   • Meaning: Artificial behavior or speech to impress
   • Sentence: His British accent was pure affectation.
   
5. Agitate
   • Meaning: To disturb or excite emotionally
   • Sentence: The protestors agitated for policy change.
   
6. Agog
   • Meaning: Very eager or curious
   • Sentence: The children were agog with excitement before the trip.
   
7. Agonize
   • Meaning: To undergo great mental anguish
   • Sentence: She agonized over which college to choose.
   
8. Aghast
   • Meaning: Filled with horror or shock
   • Sentence: He was aghast at the scene of destruction.
   
9. Adversarial
   • Meaning: Involving conflict or opposition
   • Sentence: The negotiations took on an adversarial tone.
   
10. Aggrieve
    • Meaning: To distress or cause grief
    • Sentence: The unfair dismissal aggrieved the employee.
    
11. Adroit
    • Meaning: Skillful or clever
    • Sentence: She gave an adroit response to the difficult question.
    

---

Art & Literature

12. Aesthetic
    • Meaning: Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty
    • Sentence: The painting’s aesthetic appeal was undeniable.
    
13. Aestheticism
    • Meaning: A belief in or emphasis on aesthetic values
    • Sentence: Aestheticism dominated much of 19th-century European art.
    

---

Law & Justice

14. Advocate
    • Meaning: To support or argue for a cause
    • Sentence: She advocated for free access to education.
    
15. Advocacy
    • Meaning: Active support of an idea or cause
    • Sentence: The charity’s advocacy for animal rights drew attention.
    
16. Adulterate
    • Meaning: To make something poorer in quality by adding inferior elements
    • Sentence: The company was fined for adulterating the food.
    
17. Adumbrate
    • Meaning: To foreshadow vaguely or sketch out in a shadowy way
    • Sentence: His speech adumbrated major policy changes.
    

---

Philosophy & Ethics

18. Agnostic
    • Meaning: One who believes nothing is known or can be known about God
    • Sentence: As an agnostic, she remained open but unconvinced.
    
19. Affinity
    • Meaning: A natural liking or connection
    • Sentence: He had a deep affinity for classical music.
    
20. Affectation (Ethical perspective)
    • Sentence: Ethicists often debate the morality of using affectation to gain favor.
    

---

Culture & Society

21. Adorn
    • Meaning: To decorate or add beauty
    • Sentence: The walls were adorned with colorful paintings.
    
22. Affluent
    • Meaning: Wealthy or rich
    • Sentence: She grew up in an affluent neighborhood.
    
23. Aggregate
    • Meaning: Total or combined amount
    • Sentence: The aggregate score determined the winner.
    
24. Aggrandize
    • Meaning: To make greater in power, influence, or reputation
    • Sentence: He tried to aggrandize his status by name-dropping.
    

---

Environment & Nature

25. Aerie
    • Meaning: A nest built high up (especially of birds of prey)
    • Sentence: The eagle’s aerie perched on a cliff was hard to spot.
    
26. Adventitious
    • Meaning: Arising accidentally or from an external source
    • Sentence: The plant’s adventitious roots grew from its stem.
    

---

History & Tradition

27. Advent
    • Meaning: Arrival of a notable person or event
    • Sentence: The advent of the internet changed everything.
    
28. Adversity
    • Meaning: Difficulties or misfortune
    • Sentence: He showed strength in the face of adversity.
    

---

Miscellaneous (General Use)

29. Agile
    • Meaning: Quick and light in movement or thought
    • Sentence: The gymnast was incredibly agile on the beam.
    

---

Practice Questions

1. Which word best describes someone who praises excessively?
   A) affable B) adorn C) adulate D) advocate
   Answer: C) adulate
   
2. Which term refers to difficulties or misfortunes?
   A) adversity B) affluence C) advent D) agility
   Answer: A) adversity
   
3. A person who supports a cause is a(n):
   A) adversary B) advocate C) agnostic D) aesthetic
   Answer: B) advocate
   

---

SAT Vocabulary Tip

The SAT loves to test nuance in words like advocate vs adulate or aesthetic vs aestheticism. Knowing not just the definitions but also the contexts in which these words are used gives you an edge.

---

Download Flashcards

📝 Download the Master Flashcard PDF A61 to A90 by clicking here

---

Explore More SAT Resources

• 30 Must-Know Vocabulary Words for the SAT Reading & Writing Section – Week 1
• 30 Must-Know Vocabulary Words for the SAT Reading & Writing Section