SAT Vocabulary Lesson 18
Words like abstruse, mercurial, and quixotic — 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 |
|---|---|---|
| abstruse | (adj) | difficult to understand; obscure |
| affluent | (adj) | wealthy; having plenty of money and possessions |
| ardent | (adj) | very enthusiastic or passionate |
| brevity | (n) | shortness of expression or of duration |
| cognizant | (adj) | aware of something |
| compelling | (adj) | evoking strong interest or conviction |
| conspicuous | (adj) | easily seen; attracting attention |
| deplete | (v) | to use up or reduce greatly |
| diverge | (v) | to move or extend in different directions |
| empirical | (adj) | based on observation or experiment rather than theory |
| frivolous | (adj) | not having any serious purpose or value |
| histrionic | (adj) | overly theatrical or dramatic |
| impasse | (n) | a situation in which no progress is possible |
| inherent | (adj) | existing as a natural and permanent part of something |
| lethargic | (adj) | sluggish and lacking energy |
| mercurial | (adj) | subject to sudden changes of mood |
| onerous | (adj) | involving a heavy burden or great effort |
| pariah | (n) | an outcast rejected by society |
| poignant | (adj) | evoking a keen sense of sadness |
| quixotic | (adj) | unrealistically idealistic and impractical |
| reverent | (adj) | feeling or showing deep respect |
| sordid | (adj) | morally degraded; dirty and unpleasant |
| tangential | (adj) | only slightly connected to the main subject |
| undulate | (v) | to move with a smooth, wavelike motion |
| verbose | (adj) | using more words than are needed |
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 18
Test your knowledge of the Lesson 18 words. Select the best answer for each question and submit to see your score.
SAT Vocabulary Quiz — Lesson 18
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Which word means 'a situation in which no progress is possible'?
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Which word means 'using more words than are needed'?
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Which word means 'subject to sudden changes of mood'?
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Which word means 'easily seen; attracting attention'?
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Which word means 'based on observation or experiment'?