Ten SAT-grade words that actually show up in real life
The best test-prep words are also real-life words. These ten appear in serious reading, journalism, work, and conversation long after the exam is over.
Test-prep lists are full of words you'll never meet again. These ten are the other kind. They may be SAT-grade, but you'll find them in the news, in meetings, and in books you actually want to read.
using very few words, often to the point of seeming terse
His laconic reply, just 'maybe,' told her everything and nothing at once.
to deliberately make something unclear or difficult to understand
The report used dense jargon that seemed designed to obfuscate rather than inform.
holding firmly to a course, purpose, or belief despite obstacles
The tenacious founder pitched investors seventeen times before securing funding.
the quality of being open and honest, without concealment
The critic's candor made enemies, but readers trusted every word she wrote.
severely plain or unadorned, without luxury or decoration
The architect's austere concrete facade gave no hint of the warm interior.
fond of company and inclined to seek out the society of others
He was the gregarious sort who could turn a grocery line into a conversation.
cheerful and full of energy; overflowing with enthusiasm
The coach was ebullient after the upset win, hugging anyone within reach.
based on observation or experiment rather than theory or pure logic alone
The claim sounds plausible, but where's the empirical evidence?
mental calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation
She received the difficult diagnosis with a calm equanimity that startled her doctors.
willing to take bold risks, especially ones that defy convention or caution
The startup's audacious plan to undercut the market leader by half seemed reckless until it worked.
If you're prepping for a test, cramming these the night before won't hold. Spaced exposure will: try a few a day, revisited right before you'd forget them.
