Calling all SAT preppers! If you have landed here, odds are you are in the midst of studying for the big test, engrossing yourself in practice books galore. We here at College Transitions recommend you study often and early, a practice that will prove most advantageous to your score prospects. However, regardless of whether your test date is next week or three months away, you will need to brush up on those SAT vocabulary words. Have you heard of words like cacophony or loquacious? Can you identify them in a sentence? In this article, we will cover the top 455 vocab words you should know for the Digital SAT. For the complete vocabulary list, read on ahead. Or, as we might say, peruse the list below!
What Vocabulary Do I Need to Know for the Digital SAT?
Perhaps you have heard your parents talk about the good old days of pulling late-night study sessions, reviewing the most esoteric vocabulary words they could find. Do not worry, that will not be you. Since 2016, the College Board has revamped the SAT, and the oft-lamented SAT Vocabulary section has changed substantially. Now, the SAT tests your vocabulary within the context of reading passages.
So, while you might not need to look for the most arcane words out there, we recommend hitting the books and studying vocabulary lists to guarantee that you achieve the highest score possible. If you are wondering exactly how high that score needs to land you admission to the nation’s top colleges, check out our chart of admission rates and statistics. Once you have finished reviewing these vocabulary words, or, ideally, while studying them, check out our guide on the top math formulas for the SAT and ACT.
How to Prepare for Digital SAT Vocab
Create flashcards.
Make flashcards with the word on one side and the definition on the other. Include a sentence or two so you know how the term is used and what part of speech it occupies.
Focus on words you do not know.
Rather than reviewing every word, scan the list for unfamiliar ones and focus on those.
Take practice tests.
The College Board offers free Digital SAT practice tests via Bluebook. Here is where you can download the app.
Review, review, review.
Spaced repetition is the single most effective vocabulary-learning technique. Revisit difficult words 2-3 times per week rather than cramming once and forgetting.
In addition to these steps, we would also recommend getting in the habit of looking up new or unfamiliar words while you read (could be any book, for school or for pleasure). By doing this, you will naturally expand your vocabulary and become stronger at identifying context clues.
455 of the Best SAT Vocab Words to Know in 2026
1) abandon – v. give up completely
2) abase – v. humiliate or degrade
3) abate – v. lessen
4) aberration – n. deviation from the norm
5) abet – v. encourage or assist a wrongdoer
6) abject – adj. completely without pride or dignity
7) abjure – v. renounce a belief, cause, or claim
8) abnegation – n. renounce or reject something
9) abrogate – v. do away with (a law, right, or responsibility)
10) abscond – v. flee
11) abstruse – adj. dense or obscure
12) abysmal – adj. terrible
13) accede – v. agree to a demand
14) acerbic – adj. sharp or biting in tone
15) acquiesce – v. accept reluctantly
16) acrid – adj. sharp and bitter in smell or taste
17) acumen – n. ability to make good judgments
18) adamant – adj. stubborn
19) adapt – v. modify
20) admonish – v. reprimand someone
21) adroit – adj. clever or skillful
22) adulation – n. excessive admiration or praise
23) advantageous – adj. beneficial circumstances
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
24) affable – adj. friendly and easy to talk to
25) affluent – adj. wealthy
26) alacrity – n. brisk eagerness
27) allay – v. diminish or relieve
28) ambiguous – adj. unclear or open to interpretation
29) ambivalence – n. state of uncertainty
30) ameliorate – v. make better
31) amiable – adj. friendly and pleasant
32) anachronism – n. something out of place in time
33) anodyne – adj. inoffensive; bland
34) anomaly – n. outside of what is normal or expected
35) antipathy – n. strong dislike
36) antiseptic – adj. clean or pure
37) apocryphal – adj. of doubtful authenticity
38) apt – adj. accurate or appropriate
39) arcane – adj. mysterious or obscure
40) arduous – adj. involving great effort
41) articulate – adj. speaking clearly and effectively
42) ascetic – n. person who practices severe self-discipline
43) assertion – n. statement
44) assiduous – adj. showing great care
45) assuage – v. soothe or ease
46) audacious – adj. bold or daring
47) austere – adj. stern or plain
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
48) avarice – n. extreme greed
49) bane – n. source of distress or harm
50) beguile – v. charm or enchant
51) beneficial – adj. helpful
52) benevolent – adj. kind and generous
53) berate – v. scold or criticize
54) bereft – adj. deprived or lacking
55) bias – n. prejudice
56) blandishment – n. a flattering statement used to persuade someone
57) bolster – v. support
58) bombastic – adj. inflated
59) bovine – adj. cow-like
60) braggart – n. someone who boasts
61) brevity – n. concise
62) brusque – adj. abrupt or curt in manner
63) bucolic – adj. relating to the countryside
64) burgeon – v. grow or expand rapidly
65) cacophony – n. a discordant mixture of sounds
66) cajole – v. persuade someone via flattery
67) callous – adj. cruel disregard for others
68) calumny – n. slander
69) camaraderie – n. friendship
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
70) candid – adj. truthful
71) candor – n. quality of being honest
72) capricious – adj. unpredictable in mood or behavior
73) carouse – v. drink and party in a lively way
74) carp – v. complain about trivial matters
75) castigate – v. reprimand severely
76) catastrophic – adj. involving large-scale damage, usually sudden
77) cavort – v. dance around excitedly
78) censorious – adj. critical of others
79) chagrin – n. distress at being humiliated
80) chicanery – n. deception or trickery
81) circumlocution – n. using many words, particularly in an evasive way
82) circumscribe – v. restrict within limits
83) clamor – n. a loud and confused noise
84) clout – n. influence or power
85) coalesce – v. come together to form a whole
86) cogent – adj. clear and persuasive
87) cognizant – adj. having knowledge of
88) commensurate – adj. equal to
89) comparable – adj. similar to another thing
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
90) complement – v. add to or make complete
91) compunction – n. a feeling of guilt
92) concomitant – adj. naturally accompanying
93) conducive – adj. helps produce positive or desired results
94) conduit – n. a vessel or channel for transporting something
95) conflagration – n. a large fire
96) connive – v. trick; conspire
97) consign – v. assign or deliver something into someone else’s custody
98) constituent – adj. being part of a whole
99) constructive – adj. helpful, useful
100) construe – v. interpret
101) contend – v. reckon with; struggle against
102) contentious – adj. likely to cause an argument
103) contravene – v. violate the order of; conflict
104) contrite – adj. feeling of remorse or guilt
105) contusion – n. a bruise
106) convivial – adj. friendly and cheerful environment
107) copious – adj. abundant in quantity
108) corpulence – n. obesity; fatness
109) covet – v. want greatly
110) credulous – adj. easily deceived; gullible
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
111) cryptic – adj. mysterious or puzzling
112) cupidity – n. greed for money
113) cursory – adj. hasty and superficial
114) daunting – adj. intimidating or discouraging
115) dearth – n. a lack of something
116) debacle – n. a fiasco or failure
117) debauch – v. ruin or debase, particularly in a moral sense
118) decorum – n. proper behavior
119) deference – n. respectful submission
120) defunct – adj. no longer working
121) deleterious – adj. causing harm
122) demagogue – n. a political leader who appeals to the prejudices of the common people
123) demur – v. show reluctance; raise objections
124) denigrate – v. disparage
125) deride – v. mock or ridicule
126) despot – n. a tyrant
127) desultory – adj. lacking purpose or direction
128) diaphanous – adj. light and translucent
129) didactic – adj. intended to teach
130) diffident – adj. shy and lacking confidence
131) dirge – n. song of lament for the dead
132) discomfit – v. make someone uncomfortable
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
133) discordant – adj. in disagreement; harsh
134) discrepancy – n. lack of agreement
135) disdain – n. scorn or contempt
136) disparate – adj. different from one another
137) disrepute – n. state of disgrace
138) dissemble – v. conceal one’s true motives
139) dogmatic – adj. inclined to lay down opinions as facts
140) dubious – adj. doubtful; suspicious
141) duplicity – n. deceitfulness
142) duress – n. intimidation or coercion to force someone to perform an act
143) ebullient – adj. cheerful and lively
144) eclectic – adj. wide-ranging
145) edict – n. an official order
146) efficacious – adj. has the power to achieve a particular result
147) effluvia – n. unpleasant odor
148) effrontery – n. insolent or shameless behavior
149) egregious – adj. outstandingly bad
150) elegy – n. a poem of reflection, typically a lament for the dead
151) elicit – v. evoke or draw out
152) eloquent – adj. well-spoken
153) elude – v. escape one’s grasp
154) emollient – adj. soothing
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
155) empirical – adj. based on (as evidence)
156) emulate – v. imitate
157) enervate – v. weaken; drain of energy
158) engender – v. bring about
159) enmity – n. deep-seated hostility
160) ephemeral – adj. short-lived
161) equanimity – n. mental calmness
162) equivocal – adj. ambiguous
163) erudite – adj. scholarly; learned
164) esoteric – adj. understood by only a small group
165) estranged – adj. alienated from a former friend or family
166) eulogy – n. speech of high praise, often for the dead
167) evanescent – adj. fading quickly from sight
168) evince – v. reveal the presence of
169) exacerbate – v. make worse
170) execrable – adj. extremely bad or unpleasant
171) exhort – v. strongly encourage someone to do something
172) exigent – adj. pressing, demanding
173) expedient – adj. (of an action) convenient though possibly improper
174) expiate – v. atone for guilt or sin
175) expunge – v. get rid of
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
176) extol – v. praise
177) extraneous – adj. irrelevant
178) extricate – v. free from a difficulty
179) facilitate – v. make easier, guide forward
180) fallacious – adj. false; based on mistaken belief
181) fastidious – adj. very attentive to detail
182) fatuous – adj. silly and pointless
183) fervent – adj. showing intense emotion
184) flagrant – adj. obviously offensive
185) flippant – adj. not showing serious consideration
186) forbearance – n. restraint; self-control
187) fortuitous – adj. happening by chance
188) fractious – adj. irritable and difficult to control
189) frugal – adj. thrifty; sparing
190) furtive – adj. secretive; sly
191) futile – adj. pointless; useless
192) gainsay – v. deny or contradict
193) garrulous – adj. talkative
194) germane – adj. relevant to a subject
195) glib – adj. fluent but insincere
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
196) grandiloquent – adj. pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner
197) grapple – v. wrestle, physically or mentally
198) gratuitous – adj. uncalled for; unnecessary
199) gregarious – adj. sociable and outgoing
200) guile – n. sly cunning
201) hackneyed – adj. overused; clichéd
202) hapless – adj. unfortunate
203) harangue – n. lengthy aggressive speech
204) haughty – adj. arrogantly superior
205) hedonist – n. person devoted to pleasure
206) hegemony – n. leadership or dominance, particularly of one country over another
207) heresy – n. belief contrary to orthodox doctrine
208) heterogenous – adj. not uniform; varied
209) iconoclast – n. a person who veers from the norm; a person who attacks cherished beliefs
210) idiosyncratic – adj. peculiar to an individual
211) ignominious – adj. shameful or disgraceful
212) impecunious – adj. having little money; penniless
213) impede – v. prevent or hold back
214) impervious – adj. unable to be affected by
215) impetuous – adj. acting without care
216) impinge – v. encroach on
217) implacable – adj. unable to be appeased
218) impute – v. attribute to
219) inane – adj. ridiculous
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
220) inchoate – adj. just beginning; not fully formed
221) incongruous – adj. not fitting in
222) incontrovertible – adj. unable to be denied
223) indelible – adj. permanent; unable to be removed
224) indolent – adj. lazy
225) inexorable – adj. impossible to prevent
226) ingenuous – adj. innocent and unsuspecting
227) inimical – adj. tending to obstruct or harm; unfriendly
228) injunction – n. an authoritative order
229) innocuous – adj. benign, not harmful
230) inoculate – v. immunize someone against
231) insidious – adj. harmful
232) insipid – adj. lacking flavor or interest
233) instigate – v. bring about; incite
234) insurgent – n. rebel or revolutionary
235) interlocutor – n. someone engaged in conversation
236) intransigent – adj. stubborn; unwilling to change one’s views
237) intrepid – adj. fearless
238) inure – v. to be accustomed to something, particularly something unpleasant
239) invective – n. insulting or abusive language
240) inveterate – adj. long-established and unlikely to change (of a habit)
241) irreverence – n. lack of respect for
242) jocular – adj. humorous or playful
243) judicious – adj. showing good judgment
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
244) juxtapose – v. place side by side for comparison
245) laconic – adj. using few words
246) lambast – v. criticize harshly
247) largesse – n. generosity in bestowing money or gifts
248) latent – adj. hidden; not yet developed
249) laudable – adj. deserving praise
250) lethargic – adj. sluggish; lacking energy
251) licentious – adj. promiscuous
252) litigant – n. a person involved in a lawsuit
253) loquacious – adj. very talkative
254) lucid – adj. clear and easy to understand
255) lugubrious – adj. mournful; overly sad
256) luminous – adj. bright; shining
257) maelstrom – n. a powerful storm; turmoil
258) magnanimous – adj. generous in forgiving
259) malevolent – adj. wishing evil on others
260) malign – v. speak about in a harmful way
261) maudlin – adj. overly sentimental; self-pitying
262) maverick – n. independent-minded person; a nonconformist
263) mawkish – adj. sentimental in a sweet or sickly way
264) maxim – n. a short, pithy statement of truth
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
265) mendacious – adj. lying
266) mercurial – adj. subject to sudden mood changes
267) meretricious – adj. appearing attractive but having little value
268) meticulous – adj. extremely careful and precise
269) mitigate – v. make less severe
270) modicum – n. a small quantity of something
271) mollify – v. appease or pacify
272) momentous – adj. important or significant, typically in a positive way
273) morass – n. a mess; a complicated situation
274) mordant – adj. sharply sarcastic
275) morose – adj. sullen and ill-tempered
276) multifarious – adj. having many varied parts
277) mundane – adj. ordinary; lacking interest
278) munificent – adj. generous
279) nadir – n. lowest point
280) nascent – adj. just coming into existence
281) nebulous – adj. vague or unclear
282) nefarious – adj. wicked or criminal
283) negligent – adj. failing to do something; neglectful
284) neophyte – n. a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief
285) noisome – adj. disagreeable; having an offensive smell
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
286) nonchalant – adj. casually indifferent
287) noxious – adj. poisonous; harmful
288) obdurate – adj. stubborn
289) obfuscate – v. render unclear; bewilder someone
290) oblique – adj. indirect or evasive
291) obsequious – adj. excessively eager to please
292) obstinate – adj. stubbornly refusing to change
293) obstreperous – adj. noisy and difficult to control; disorderly
294) obtuse – adj. slow to understand
295) officious – adj. self-assertive, overbearing
296) onerous – adj. involving many obligations or effort
297) opaque – adj. not transparent; hard to understand
298) opulent – adj. rich and lavish
299) ostensible – adj. seemingly so
300) ostentatious – adj. showy; designed to impress
301) ostracism – n. exclusion from a group
302) palliate – v. make less severe
303) palpable – adj. able to be felt or perceived
304) panacea – n. a remedy for all diseases
305) paradigm – n. typical example or pattern of something; a model
306) pariah – n. an outcast
307) paucity – n. a lack of; scarcity
308) pedantic – adj. overly concerned with minor details
309) pejorative – adj. expressing contempt or disapproval
310) penchant – n. habitual liking for something; a tendency toward
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
311) penurious – adj. poverty-stricken
312) perfunctory – adj. done with minimal effort
313) pernicious – adj. having a harmful effect on
314) perspicacious – adj. having keen insight
315) pert – adj. attractive; impudent or saucy
316) pertinacious – adj. holding firmly to a course; determined
317) pervasive – adj. spreading widely throughout
318) philanthropic – adj. generous, particularly in a monetary sense
319) phlegmatic – adj. self-controlled; calm and stoic
320) pithy – adj. concise and expressive
321) placate – v. make less angry
322) plaudit – n. expression of praise
323) plenitude – n. an abundance; full or complete
324) plethora – n. an abundance of
325) polar – adj. directly opposite
326) polemic – n. strong written or verbal attack
327) postulate – v. to assume as true
328) potentate – n. monarch or ruler
329) pragmatic – adj. realistic, sensible
330) precarious – adj. uncertain; dangerous
331) preclude – v. prevent from taking place
332) precocious – adj. showing early development
333) predilection – n. preference or liking for something
334) prescient – adj. having foresight
335) probity – n. honesty; integrity
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
336) proclivity – n. the tendency toward
337) prodigal – adj. wastefully extravagant
338) profligate – adj. recklessly extravagant
339) profound – adj. showing deep knowledge or insight
340) profuse – adj. abundant; plentiful
341) proliferate – v. increase rapidly
342) promulgate – v. promote widely
343) propitious – adj. favorable; giving good signs
344) proscribe – v. forbid by law
345) protean – adj. able to change easily
346) prudent – adj. showing wise judgment
347) prurient – adj. overly sexual
348) puerile – adj. childishly silly
349) pugnacious – adj. quick to fight
350) punctilious – adj. paying attention to detail
351) pundit – n. expert who voices opinions publicly
352) quaint – adj. old-fashioned
353) quandary – n. state of perplexity; a dilemma
354) quell – v. suppress or put down
355) querulous – adj. complaining
356) quixotic – adj. idealistic
357) rancor – n. bitter resentment
358) rapacious – adj. greedy
359) recalcitrant – adj. uncooperative attitude
360) reconcile – v. restore friendly relations
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
361) redoubtable – adj. formidable; impressive
362) relegate – v. cast to a lower rank or role
363) remiss – adj. negligent
364) replete – adj. filled or well-supplied
365) reprieve – n. a cancellation or postponement of a punishment
366) reprobate – n. unprincipled person
367) repudiate – v. reject as invalid
368) rescind – v. take back
369) resolute – adj. firm and determined
370) reticent – adj. reserved; not revealing thoughts
371) ribald – adj. improper; lewd
372) rife – adj. filled with; widespread
373) rudimentary – adj. basic; undeveloped
374) ruse – n. a trick or deception
375) sacrosanct – adj. regarded as too important to be interfered with
376) sagacious – adj. wise; insightful
377) salient – adj. most notable or important
378) sanctimonious – adj. being morally superior to others
379) sanction – n. official approval or penalty
380) sanguine – adj. optimistic
381) sardonic – adj. grimly mocking
382) scurrilous – adj. spreading disparaging claims about someone; slanderous
383) sedulous – adj. diligent and persistent
384) serendipity – n. chance or good luck
385) servile – adj. excessively submissive
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
386) solicitous – adj. attentive to
387) sophistry – n. deceptive but plausible argument
388) soporific – adj. causing sleep
389) specious – adj. appearing true but actually false
390) sporadic – adj. occurring at irregular intervals
391) spurious – adj. statement that appears truthful but is false
392) staid – adj. sedate, respectable
393) stolid – adj. calm and dependable
394) strident – adj. loud and harsh
395) substantial – adj. large in size, amount, or importance
396) supercilious – adj. behaving in a haughty manner
397) superfluous – adj. unnecessary; more than required
398) supposition – n. assumption without proof
399) surfeit – n. excessive amount
400) surmise – v. guess without proof
401) surreptitious – adj. keep secret
402) sycophant – n. a person who flatters for personal gain
403) taciturn – adj. reserved in speech
404) tangential – adj. peripheral to the central matter
405) tenable – adj. reasonable, maintainable
406) tenacious – adj. holding firmly; persistent
407) tentative – adj. not certain; hesitant
408) terse – adj. brief
409) timorous – adj. showing fear or nervousness
410) torpid – adj. lethargic; inactive
Digital SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)
411) tractable – adj. easy to control
412) transient – adj. lasting only a short time
413) travesty – n. a false representation of something
414) trenchant – adj. vigorous in expression; sharp
415) trepidation – n. feeling of fear about something
416) trite – adj. overused and lacking originality
417) trounce – v. defeat heavily
418) truculent – adj. eager to argue or fight
419) turpitude – n. depravity, wickedness
420) ubiquitous – adj. present everywhere
421) umbrage – n. offense (i.e., to take umbrage at)
422) unconventional – adj. to act outside of the norm
423) undulate – v. move in a wave-like pattern
424) unmitigated – adj. not lessened; absolute
425) unveil – v. reveal
426) upbraid – v. scold or find fault with someone
427) upshot – n. the outcome or result of an action
428) urbane – adj. suave; sophisticated
429) usurp – v. take a position of power without right
430) usury – n. unethical money lending
431) validate – v. support the truth or value of
432) vapid – adj. dull; lacking liveliness
433) venerate – v. regard with great respect
434) veracity – n. truth or accuracy
435) verbose – adj. using more words than necessary
Digital SAT Vocab Words (Continued)
436) vestige – n. trace or remnant of something gone
437) vexation – n. state of being annoyed
438) viability – n. ability to work successfully
439) vicissitude – n. a change of circumstances
440) vilify – v. speak about in a disparaging manner
441) virtuoso – n. highly skilled person, particularly in the arts
442) vital – adj. necessary
443) vitriolic – adj. filled with hatred
444) vituperate – v. blame or insult someone strongly
445) vivacious – adj. lively and full of spirit
446) vociferous – adj. outspoken
447) wanton – adj. deliberate and unprovoked; sexually unrestrained
448) winsome – adj. attractive or charming
449) wistful – adj. filled with sad longing
450) wizened – adj. shriveled or wrinkled with age
451) yield – v. surrender, give way to pressure
452) yoke – v. tie two things together
453) zealous – adj. showing great enthusiasm
454) zenith – n. the peak
455) zephyr – n. a gentle breeze
455 SAT Vocabulary Words You Must Know – Final Thoughts
For more information on when the SAT is offered and when we recommend taking it, see our blog: When Are SAT Test Dates in 2026? Or if you are interested in the ACT instead, check out ACT Test Dates 2026.
Need additional test prep resources? You may also wish to peruse the following:
12 Strategies & Tips to Overcome Test Anxiety
