SAT Vocabulary Lesson 11
Words like cacophony, obfuscate, and sagacious — 25 challenging vocabulary words with definitions, exercises, and an answer key.
A free account is enough for the complete SAT word list and the full-length practice test.
Word List with Definitions
Study these 25 vocabulary words. Each word includes its part of speech and definition. Use the printable worksheet to practice recalling each word from its meaning.
| Word | Part of Speech | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| abate | (v) | to lessen in force, amount, or intensity |
| benevolent | (adj) | kind and generous; wishing good for others |
| cacophony | (n) | a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds |
| capricious | (adj) | given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mind |
| deference | (n) | respectful yielding to the judgment or wishes of another |
| ebullient | (adj) | overflowing with enthusiasm and high spirits |
| facade | (n) | the front of a building; a deceptive outward appearance |
| garrulous | (adj) | excessively talkative, especially about unimportant things |
| harangue | (n) | a long, forceful, scolding speech |
| iconoclast | (n) | a person who attacks widely accepted beliefs or institutions |
| intransigent | (adj) | refusing to change one’s views or to compromise |
| jettison | (v) | to throw overboard or cast off as unwanted |
| laconic | (adj) | using very few words |
| magnanimous | (adj) | generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival |
| nadir | (n) | the lowest point of something |
| obfuscate | (v) | to make unclear or confusing, often on purpose |
| panacea | (n) | a supposed remedy for all problems or diseases |
| quandary | (n) | a state of uncertainty about what to do |
| rancor | (n) | bitter, long-lasting ill will |
| sagacious | (adj) | showing keen judgment and practical wisdom |
| squander | (v) | to spend or use wastefully |
| taciturn | (adj) | habitually silent; saying little |
| ubiquitous | (adj) | seeming to be present everywhere at the same time |
| venerate | (v) | to regard with deep respect or reverence |
| wanton | (adj) | deliberately cruel or reckless and without cause |
Practice Exercises
The printable worksheet includes two types of exercises, covering every word on the list:
- Write the Word — A meaning is given; write the word from the list that matches it.
- Choose the Best Word — A meaning is given with four choices; circle the word that matches.
Printable Worksheet
The printable PDF includes the word list, both exercises, and a full answer key. Every word on the list is practiced exactly once across the two exercises.
The other half of the test: SAT Writing and Language
Twelve printable worksheets on the conventions the SAT checks — commas, semicolons and dashes, apostrophes, sentence boundaries, agreement, pronouns, verb tense, modifiers, parallel structure, transitions, rhetorical synthesis, and conciseness. Each teaches the rule, then drills it as four-choice questions with a key that explains every answer. The Commas worksheet needs only a free account.
New: SAT Reading worksheets
Seven printable worksheets on the Reading skills the test scores — words in context, central ideas, command of evidence in text and in data, inferences, text structure and purpose, and cross-text connections. Each teaches the skill and the wrong-answer types the test relies on, then asks about two original passages. The Words in Context worksheet needs only a free account.
SAT Vocabulary Quiz — Lesson 11
Test your knowledge of the Lesson 11 words. Select the best answer for each question and submit to see your score.
SAT Vocabulary Quiz — Lesson 11
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Which word means 'a harsh, jarring mixture of sounds'?
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Which word means 'using very few words'?
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Which word means 'the lowest point'?
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Which word means 'to make something unclear on purpose'?
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Which word describes someone who changes their mind suddenly and often?