TheorySAT Vocabulary Builder
Practice Test
Master SAT vocabulary with flashcard-style quizzes, spaced repetition drills, and 300+ high-frequency words for test day readiness.
Heads up: the app and the web exam use separate accounts — a web unlock and an in-app purchase do not carry over. Buy on the web to practice on the web.
30 free SAT Vocabulary Builder questions
Sampled across every topic area — not just the first page. Try them as a quiz or flip them as flashcards.
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SAT Vocabulary Builder
Aberrant
Correct — A. Aberrant means deviating from what is normal. 'The scientist's aberrant results puzzled the lab.' SAT context: aberrant behavior, aberrant data. -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Abstruse
Correct — A. Abstruse refers to things that are difficult to comprehend, especially due to deep complexity. 'The philosopher's abstruse arguments were incomprehensible to casual readers.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Acrimony
Correct — A. Acrimony is bitter, angry feeling or expression. 'The divorce proceedings were marked by considerable acrimony between the former spouses.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Admonish
Correct — A. To admonish is to give a warning or mild rebuke. 'The teacher admonished the students for arriving late, reminding them of class rules.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Adulterate
Correct — A. Adulterate means to corrupt or make impure. 'The scandal involved adulterating olive oil with cheaper vegetable oil and selling it as premium product.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Aesthetic
Correct — A. Aesthetic relates to beauty or the philosophy of art. 'She had a refined aesthetic sensibility, preferring minimalist designs over ornate decoration.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Affable
Correct — A. Affable means having a pleasant, approachable manner. 'The affable politician won votes with his warm smile and ability to connect with ordinary citizens.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Alacrity
Correct — A. Alacrity means prompt, enthusiastic willingness. 'She agreed to help with alacrity, jumping up immediately and volunteering for extra tasks.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Ambiguous
Correct — A. Ambiguous means open to multiple interpretations. 'The politician's ambiguous statement left voters unsure of her actual position on the issue.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Ambivalent
Correct — A. Ambivalent means feeling two contradictory emotions simultaneously. 'She was ambivalent about moving abroad — excited by the opportunity but sad to leave her family.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Ameliorate
Correct — A. Ameliorate means to improve a difficult situation. 'New policies were implemented to ameliorate the living conditions in the overcrowded prison.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Anachronism
Correct — A. An anachronism is something that doesn't belong to its time period. 'A clock in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is an anachronism — mechanical clocks didn't exist in ancient Rome.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Anecdote
Correct — A. An anecdote is a brief personal story. In SAT passages, anecdotes are often used to introduce a broader argument. 'The author opens with an amusing anecdote about her first day as a teacher.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Anomaly
Correct — A. An anomaly is an outlier or irregularity. 'The paleontologist noted an anomaly in the fossil record that challenged the accepted evolutionary timeline.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Antithesis
Correct — A. Antithesis means the exact opposite. 'Honesty is the antithesis of deception.' In rhetoric, it refers to juxtaposing contrasting ideas. -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Apathy
Correct — A. Apathy is a lack of interest or motivation. 'Voter apathy remained high despite efforts to increase civic engagement among young adults.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Appease
Correct — A. To appease is to calm someone, often by giving them what they want. 'The manager tried to appease the dissatisfied customer by offering a full refund.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Arduous
Correct — A. Arduous means physically or mentally demanding. 'The arduous climb to the mountain summit took three days and exhausted even experienced hikers.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Articulate
Correct — A. Articulate means expressing oneself clearly. 'The articulate spokesperson explained the company's complex policy in language that non-experts could understand.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Ascertain
Correct — A. To ascertain is to find out definitively. 'Investigators worked to ascertain the cause of the bridge collapse before issuing a public report.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Assiduous
Correct — A. Assiduous means hardworking and thorough. 'Her assiduous preparation for the exam — reading every source, reviewing every note — paid off with a top score.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Attenuate
Correct — A. To attenuate is to reduce in strength or intensity. 'The drug was found to attenuate the symptoms without fully curing the disease.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Audacious
Correct — A. Audacious means boldly daring, sometimes to the point of being shocking. 'The audacious plan to tunnel under the border seemed impossible, but it succeeded.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Austere
Correct — A. Austere can mean both stern in manner and lacking comfort or decoration. 'The monk lived an austere life: simple food, a bare cell, and daily labor.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Banal
Correct — A. Banal means tiresomely ordinary. 'The film's plot was criticized as banal — a predictable love story with no surprises.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Benevolent
Correct — A. Benevolent means generous and kind-hearted. 'The benevolent donor anonymously funded scholarships for hundreds of low-income students.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Brevity
Correct — A. Brevity means shortness or conciseness. 'She admired the author's brevity — he conveyed profound emotions in just a few well-chosen words.' As Shakespeare wrote: 'Brevity is the soul of wit.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Cacophony
Correct — A. Cacophony is a harsh, jarring noise. 'The construction site was a cacophony of drilling, hammering, and shouting that made conversation impossible.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Candid
Correct — A. Candid means direct and honest. 'I appreciate your candid feedback on my draft — I'd rather hear hard truths now than submit a flawed essay.' -
SAT Vocabulary Builder
Caustic
Correct — A. Caustic means sharply sarcastic or corrosive. 'The critic's caustic review of the novel — 'a masterpiece of mediocrity' — devastated the young author.'
SAT Vocabulary Builder sample questions
Tap any question below to reveal the answer and a plain-English explanation.
Social Science Circumspect
A. Wary and unwilling to take risks; carefully considering all circumstances and consequences ✓
B. Acting impulsively without considering consequences
C. Openly defiant and bold
D. Extremely detailed and methodical
Correct — A. Circumspect means cautious and careful. 'A circumspect investor, she never bought a stock without extensive research into the company's financials and competitive position.'
Social Science Coerce
A. To persuade someone to do something by using force or threats ✓
B. To persuade using logical arguments and evidence
C. To encourage and inspire voluntarily
D. To politely decline
Correct — A. To coerce is to use force, pressure, or threats to compel action. 'The confession was thrown out because it had been obtained by coercing the suspect through sleep deprivation.'
Social Science Cogent
A. Clear, logical, and convincing; compelling ✓
B. Vague and difficult to follow
C. Interesting but not particularly logical
D. Based on emotion rather than reason
Correct — A. Cogent means logically powerful and persuasive. 'The lawyer presented a cogent argument, connecting each piece of evidence to a clear conclusion that the jury could follow.'
Social Science Complacent
A. Self-satisfied with one's situation or achievements in a way that prevents improvement; smug ✓
B. Ambitious and constantly striving for improvement
C. Deeply dissatisfied and critical of the status quo
D. Genuinely confident based on past success
Correct — A. Complacent means dangerously self-satisfied. 'After three consecutive victories, the team became complacent and was upset by a lower-ranked opponent.'
About the SAT Vocabulary Builder test
Expand your vocabulary and boost your SAT Reading and Writing scores with 350+ carefully curated high-frequency SAT words.
What you get
- 350+ flashcards covering the most frequently tested SAT vocabulary words across all question types.
- Each card: the word, correct definition, three plausible distractors, and a usage example with explanation — so you remember words in context, not just in isolation.
- Study by category: Academic/Formal vocabulary, Social Sciences, Science & Nature, Literary & Rhetorical, and more.
- Quiz yourself: identify the correct definition from four options, just like the SAT.
Who it's for
High school students preparing for the SAT, ACT, GRE, or any standardized test that rewards strong vocabulary. Also great for college students and anyone who wants to read and write at a higher level.
You will be tested on
- The core topics and terminology you'll be tested on
- Rules, standards and best-practice procedures
- Real-world scenarios and how to respond
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
How TheoryPractice helps you pass
- Real exam-style questions with instant, detailed explanations
- Full timed mock exams that mirror the real test format
- Flashcards & quiz modes from the same question bank
- Progress tracking so you know exactly when you're ready
Topics in this question bank
The core topics and terminology you'll be tested on
Rules, standards and best-practice procedures
Real-world scenarios and how to respond
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Full SAT Vocabulary Builder bank + unlimited mocks
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