SAT Vocabulary Lesson 10
Words like ameliorate, nefarious, and zenith — 24 challenging vocabulary words with definitions, exercises, and an answer key.
Word List with Definitions
Study these 24 vocabulary words. Each word includes its part of speech and definition. Use the printable worksheet to practice synonyms, antonyms, analogies, and sentence completion.
| Word | Part of Speech | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| ameliorate | (v) | to make something better, particularly a bad situation or condition; to improve |
| banal | (adj) | overused or common |
| bibliophile | (n) | one who loves or collects books |
| culprit | (n) | the person responsible for an unlawful or unallowable act; the guilty party |
| discomfort | (n) | physical or mental pain or distress |
| exhume | (v) | to remove from the ground something that was buried, especially removing a body from a grave |
| fray | (v) | to tear, cut, or pull the edges of a cloth or rope, so that the strings separate from each other |
| granule | (n) | a small particle; a single grain, as of salt |
| habitual | (adj) | usual; done by custom or habit |
| horde | (n) | a large group or crowd; a mass of people or living things |
| inundate | (v) | to overwhelm as if being bombarded by a large quantity of water |
| jovial | (adj) | cheerful and joyous |
| loathe | (v) | to hate or despise |
| monomania | (n) | an obsession with a single thing or idea |
| nefarious | (adj) | exceedingly or undeniably evil |
| outrage | (n) | an action that is outlandishly offensive or vicious |
| philosophize | (v) | to express an attitude or moral position; to espouse a philosophy |
| purloin | (v) | to steal |
| resilience | (n) | the ability to quickly or easily recover or regain a former state |
| suffrage | (n) | the legal right to vote |
| tremulous | (adj) | unsteady and shaking |
| unison | (n) | a state of acting together as one |
| voluble | (adj) | easily and readily speaking; fluent |
| zenith | (n) | the highest point; a peak of achievement |
Practice Exercises
The printable worksheet includes four types of exercises to reinforce each word:
- Synonyms — Write the word from the list that means the same as the word given.
- Antonyms — Write the word from the list that means the opposite of the word given.
- Analogies — Choose the word that best completes the word-relationship pattern.
- Sentence Completion — Write the correct word to complete each sentence.
Printable Worksheet
The printable PDF includes the word list, all four exercises, and a full answer key.
SAT Vocabulary Quiz — Lesson 10
Test your knowledge of the Lesson 10 words. Select the best answer for each question and submit to see your score.
SAT Vocabulary Quiz — Lesson 10
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Which word means 'to improve or make better'?
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Which word means 'wicked or criminal'?
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Which word means 'cheerful and good-humored'?
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Which word means 'to steal'?
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Which word means 'the highest point'?