C – MultiHubEdu

Mastering “Vocabulary Word List” for SAT Success

Words	Pronunciation (part of speech)	Word Charge	Word Group
Cacophony	\ke KOF o nee\ (n.)	– charge SOUND	jarring, unpleasant noise
	The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments.
Cadence	\KAYD ns\ (n.)	+ charge SOUND	rhythmic flow; marching beat
	Perhaps because he was also an accomplished musician, Pierre spoke with a lovely cadence, enchanting all of hiss listeners,
Cajole	\ka JOL\ (v.)	– charge BOSSY	flatter, coax, persuade
	The spoiled girl could cajole her father into buying her anything.
Calamity	\ka LAM uh tee\ (n.)	– charge HARMFUL	disaster, catastrophe
	Last year’s formal dance was a calamity; the band was an hour late and the food was spoiled.
Calculating	\KAL kyu lay ting\ (adj.)	+ charge EXPERIENCED	shrewd, crafty
	The calculating lawyer put the mother of his client on the witness stand in order to garner sympathy.
Calumny	\KAL um nee\ (n.)	– charge COMMUNICATION	false and malicious accusation, misrepresentation, slander
	The unscrupulous politician used calumny to bring down his opponent in the senatorial race.
Camaraderie	\kahm RAH da ree\ (n.)	+ charge GROUPED	trust, sociability amongst friends
	The photo, taken of the whole group as they sat in a circle joking comfortably, clearly shows their camaraderie.
Cantankerous	\kan TANK uh russ\ (adj.)	– charge HOSTILE	disagreeable, quarrelsome
	The cantankerous old man grumbled at the waitress and sent his soup back to the kitchen.
Carnivorous	\kar NIV uh riss\ (adj.)	– charge ORGANISMS	meat-eating
	Dogs, since they are carnivorous animals, generally do not do well on purely vegetarian diets.
Cartographer	\kar TOG ruh fer\ (n.)	= charge PEOPLE	someone who makes maps
	Early cartographers had a hard time making maps because many parts of the world were not yet explored.
Castigate	\KASS ti GAYTI (v.)	– charge CRITICIZE	to punish, chastise, criticize severely
	Michelle was afraid her father would castigate her if he caught her sneaking home late at night.
Catalyst	\KAT uh list\ (n.)	= charge HELPFUL	something that causes change
Catalyst	The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on a full-scale revolution.
Catastrophic	\kat uh STROF ik\ (adj.)	– charge HARMFUL	of, or relating to, a terrible event or complete failure
	If the train conductor can’t stop the out-of-control train before it reaches the broken bridge, the results will be catastrophic.
Catnap	\KAT nap\ (n.)	+ charge LAZY	short, light sleep
	Since she had twenty minutes before her next appointment, Cheryl decided to take a catnap in her office.
Caustic	\KAW stik\ (adj.)	– charge HARMFUL	biting, sarcastic; able to burn
	Walt gained his reputation for caustic wit from his cutting, yet clever, comments.
Celebrated	\SELL uh bray ted\ (adj.)	+ charge PRAISE	known and praised widely
	The class quivered with excitement in anticipation of the celebrated author’s upcoming speech.
Censor	\SEN sur\ (n.)	– charge STOP	someone who examines and suppresses information
	One of the characteristics of a totalitarian regime is the appointment of censors to ensure that nothing bad is printed about the rulers.
Censure	\SEN sher\ (v.)	– charge CRITICIZE	to find fault with and condemn as wrong; blame
	The president was formally censured by Congress for his wrongdoing.
Cerebral	\suh REE brell\ (adj.)	+ charge INTELLIGENT	intellectual
	Though a star athlete, Paul defied stereotypes by reading difficult books, playing chess, and engaging in other cerebral pursuits.
Challenge	\CHAL enj\ (v.)	= charge BOLD	take exception to, call into question
	As soon as the new CEO began working, he set up policies and goals that challenged the way the company had been operating for the past twenty years.
Chapped	\CHAP d\ (adj.)	– charge HARMFUL	rough, cracked, or reddened by cold or exposure
	After cycling through heavy winter winds all day, Sean’s lips and cheeks were severely chapped.
Cherish	\CHER ish\ (v.)	+ charge LIKE	to remember fondly, treat with affection
	Despite the fact that Esther and Lily have barely had a chance to talk since college, they will always cherish their deep childhood friendship.
Circuitous	\sir KYOO ih tuss\ (adj.)	– charge INDECISIVE	indirect, taking the longest route
	The cab driver took a circuitous route to the airport, making me miss my plane.
Circumlocution	\SIR kuhm low KYOO shin\ (n.)	– charge COMMUNICATION	roundabout, lengthy way of saying something
	He avoided discussing the real issues with endless circumlocutions.
Circumscribe	\sir kum SKRIYB\ (v.)	= charge RIGID	to encircle; set limits on, confine
	The principal’s duties were carefully circumscribed by the standards set by the school board.
Civility	\sih VILL ih tee\ (n.)	+ charge FRIENDLY	courtesy, politeness
	The subway ticket seller treated his customers with the utmost civility, which they appreciated.
Clairvoyance	\klayr VOY ens\ (adj.)	+ charge TIME	exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future
	His clairvoyance allowed him a clear vision of the company’s imminent success.
Clamp	\KLAMP\ (v.)	= charge GROUPED	establish by authority, impose
	The new mayor hopes to clamp down on people who litter or disturb the quiet in the town.
Clandestine	\klan DES tin\ (adj.)	– charge HIDDEN	secretive, concealed for a darker purpose
	The double agent paid many clandestine visits to the president’s office in the dead of the night.
Clarity	\KLAR it ee\ (n.)	+ charge CLEAR	clearness; clear understanding
Clarity	Henrietta explained the plan to Greg with the utmost clarity, but he still failed to understand.
Cliché	\klee SHAY\ (n.)	– charge ORDINARY	overused expression or idea
	Audiences moaned audibly during the movie as the characters kept repeating clichés instead of saying anything novel and interesting.
Clientele	\kly en TELL\ (n.)	= charge PEOPLE	body of customers of patrons
	Le Caravelle, one of the most expensive restaurants in the city, caters to a wealthy clientele.
Clique	\KLIK\ (n.)	– charge GROUPED	small exclusive group
	Roberto’s clique, the most fashionable group of students in the school, refused to associate with any other students.
Cloying	\KLOY ing\ (adj.)	– charge FOOLISH	overly sweet
	Television viewers today find the cloying shows of the 1950s like Leave it to Beaver to be too unrealistic for their tastes.
Cluttered	\KLUT erd\ (adj.)	– charge MESSY	messy, disorderly
	Jeffrey could no longer manage working in such a cluttered environment, so he spent half the day cleaning up the mess around his office.
Cognizant	\KOG ni zent\ (adj.)	+ charge INTELLIGENT	fully informed, conscious
	Principal Davies kept posting signs around the school about the new dress code until he was sure that the students were cognizant of the changed regulations.
Coherent	\ko HEE rent\ (adj.)	+ charge CLEAR	intelligible, lucid, understandable
	Cathy was so tired that her speech was barely coherent.
Cohesion	\ko HEE zhun\ (n.)	+ charge GROUPED	act or state of sticking together; close union
	Under its new leadership, the team’s cohesion of spirit led them to believe they could win the championship game.
Collaborator	\ku LAB u RAY tor\ (n.)	+ charge GROUPED	someone who helps on a task
	Lucy was Chuck’s collaborator on the file; he did the research and she wrote the briefs.
Collage	\ko LAZH\ (n.)	= charge COLLECTED	assemblage of diverse elements
	Dean Wintner used a collage of newspaper clippings to decorate the wall of her office.
Colloquial	\Ka LOW kwee al\ (adj.)	– charge COMMUNICATION	characteristic of informal speech
	The book was written in colloquial style so that the information in it would be more user-friendly.
Collusion	\ku LOO zhen\ (n.)	– charge GROUPED	collaboration, complicity, conspiracy
	It came to light that the police chief and the mafia were in collusion in running the numbers racket.
Colossal	\kuh LOS us\ (adj.)	= charge SIZE	immense, enormous
	Joseph made a colossal error by skipping school; he failed the final and was forced to retake the course.
Combative	\kom BAT iv\ (adj.)	– charge AGGRESSIVE	eager to fight
	The combative prisoner was put into solitary confinement after starting a third fight.
Combustion	\kom BUS chen\ (n.)	= charge AGGRESSIVE	the process of burning
	It’s important to keep the flames low when studying the combustion of certain chemicals; if the fire gets too hot they can explode.
Commemorate	\ku MEM uh rayt\ (v.)	+ charge PRAISE	to serve as a memorial to
	Independence Day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Commentary	\KOM un teh ree\ (n.)	= charge COMMUNICATION	series of explanations or interpretations
	Following the president’s speech, students will be asked to write a commentary discussing their views on his new policies.
Comparable	\KOM pur uh bul\ (adj.)	= charge TYPICAL	similar or equivalent
	Sarah and Sally’s admiration of Professor Lang are not comparable; Sally’s is based on his genius, while Sarah’s is ba on his good looks.
Compassion	\kum PASH in\ (n.)	+ charge HELPFUL	sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
	In a touching show of compassion, the little girl presented the grieving widow with a flower.
Compelling	\kom PELL ing\ (adj.)	+ charge STRONG	urgently requiring attention, forceful
	“Although the plaintiff has offered compelling evidence of wrongdoing by the defendant,” said the seasoned judge, “I have no choice but to side with the defense in this matter.”
Compensate	\KOMP en sayt\ (v.)	+ charge MONEY	to repay or reimburse
	The moving company compensated me for the broken furniture.
Complacence	\kom PLAY senss\ (n.)	+ charge LAZY	self-satisfaction, lack of concern
	The artist’s growing complacence was surprising, since her early work was characterized by exacting and ruthless self-critique.
Complement	\KOMP leh ment\ (v.)	+ charge HELPFUL	to complete or perfect
	Gina’s pink sweater complemented her red hair perfectly.
Complex	\kom PLEKS\ (adj.)	– charge DETAILED	intricate, complicated
	Critics hailed J.R.R. Tolkien for creating a complex and complete world within the framework of a popular novel.
Compliant	\kom PLY int\ (adj.)	+ charge SUBSERVIENT	submissive and yielding
	Lowell always fights with his stubborn siblings, but his friends have more compliant personalities.
Composed	\kom POS d\ (adj.)	+ charge PEACEABLE	serene, calm
	Friends noticed the valedictorian’s composed appearance as he walked confidently up to the podium to address the crowd.
Comprehensible	\kom pree HEN sih bul\ (adj.)	+ charge INTELLIGENT	readily understood
	The publisher had to reject the author’s latest novel because it was too complicated to be comprehensible.
Comprehensive	\kom pree HEN siv\ (adj.)	+ charge SIZE	very large in scope
	The class was duly impressed by the guest lecturer’s comprehensive knowledge of popular music.
Compulsion	\kom PUL shin\ (n.)	= charge STUBBORN	an irresistible impulse to act
	John’s compulsion to begin elaborating projects in the middle of the night explains his pallor and fatigue.
Compute	\kom PYOOT\ (v.)	= charge INTELLIGENT	to determine by mathematics
	In many math classes, failure to compute the correct answer is not as essential as using the appropriate approach.
Conceited	\kon SEET id\ (adj.)	– charge PROUD	holding an unduly high opinion of oneself, vain
	The author was too conceited to acknowledge that any revision to the novel was necessary.
Conceivable	\kon SEEV uh bull\ (adj.)	= charge INTELLIGENT	capable of being understood or imagined
	It’s conceivable that technology will advance to a point at which cars will drive themselves.
Conciliatory	\kon SILL ee ah tory\ (adj.)	+ charge FRIENDLY	overcoming distrust or hostility
	Fred made the conciliatory gesture of buying Abby flowers after their big fight.
Concoct	\kon KOKT\ (v.)	+ charge ABLE	to devise, using skill and intelligence
	When pressed for an excuse for his weeklong absence, Richard concocted a story so outrageous that his teacher knew he was lying.
Concordant	\kon KOR dint\ (adj.)	+ charge APPROPRIATE	harmonious, agreeing
	Bruce, concordant with his mother’s wishes, didn’t follow his friends to the rally.
Condemnation	\kon dem NAY shun\ (n.)	– charge CRITICIZE	an expression of strong disapproval
	The president’s condemnation of the scandal followed allegations that he himself had been involved.
Condense	\kon DENS\ (v.)	= charge DECREASE	to reduce, make more concise
	One of the major challenges of transferring a book to film is choosing how to condense hundreds of pages worth of narrative into two hours.
Condescending	\con di SEHN ding\ (adj.)	– charge PROUD	possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing
	The arrogant trainer always adopted a condescending tone when talking to his pitchers, despite the fact that they were among the best players in the game.
Condolence	\kon DOH lens\ (n.)	+ charge SAD	sympathy for a person’s misfortune
	After Fred’s grandmother passed away we visited his house to offer our condolences.
Condone	\kon DOH n\ (v.)	+ charge FORGIVE	to pardon or forgive; overlook, justify, or excuse a fault
	“We cannot condone your behavior,” said Raj’s parents after he missed his curfew.
Conduit	\KON doo it\ (n.)	= charge ORGANIZED	tube, pipe, or similar passage
	The conduit carried excess rainwater down to the ocean, preventing flooding.
Confident	\KON fi dent\ (adj.)	+ charge PROUD	self-assured
	Confident that she was going to ace the exam, Cynthia strode into class with a broad smile across her face.
Configuration	\kon fig yu RAY shun\ (n.)	= charge GROUPED	arrangement of parts or elements
	Each year’s yearbook centerfold has the class in a different configuration; this year they are arranged to spell out “SENIORS.”
Confirm	\kon FIRM\ (v.)	= charge BELIEF	verify
	Many airlines require their passengers to call a day in advance and confirm their reservation for their flight.
Confiscation	\kon fis KAY shun\ (n.)	– charge TAKE AWAY	seizure by authorities
	The confiscation of Bethany’s cell phone was the first step in a campaign to stop students from calling each other during class.
Conflict	\KON flikt\ (n.)	– charge HOSTILE	a clash, a battle
	The conflict between Debbie and Gerry heightened as the former friends began to insult each other publicly.
Conformity	\kon FORM ih tee\ (n.)	= charge GROUPED	similarity in form or character
	Bruce acted in conformity with the rules set down by the governing board of the school.
Confound	\kun FOWND\ (v.)	– charge FOOLISH	to baffle, perplex
	Vince, confounded by the difficult algebra problems, threw his math book at the wall in utter frustration.
Confrontational	\kon fron TAY shun al\ (adj.)	– charge HOSTILE	eager to defy, especially in a face-to-face encounter
	Known by his coworkers to be confrontational, J.B. was elected to discuss the upcoming budget cuts with the company’s president.
Congeal	\kun JEEL\ (v.)	= charge COLLECTED	to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing
	The melted butter congealed in the container after a few minutes in the refrigerator.
Consecrate	\KON si krayt\ (v.)	+ charge SPIRITUAL	to declare sacred; dedicate to a goal
	The priest consecrated the marriage under the cover of night, fearing that the long-standing family dispute would prevent the couple from taking their vows.
Consensus	\kon SEN suss\ (n.)	+ charge APPROPRIATE	unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude
	The jurors finally reached a consensus and declared the defendant guilty as charged.
Conservatism	\kon SER va tizm\ (n.)	= charge STABLE	inclination to maintain traditional rules
	The governor favored conservatism in government and chose not to reexamine many of the long-standing statutes.
Conserve	\kon SERV\ (v.)	+ charge SAVING	use sparingly; protect from loss or harm
	The government urged citizens to conserve water in the midst of the drought.
Consolation	\kon so LAY shun\ (n.)	+ charge SAD	the act of providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship
	The vast inheritance offered little consolation to the grief-stricken widow.
Constellation	\kon stuh LAY shun\ (n.)	= charge GROUPED	a collection of stars with a perceived design
	Some astrologers believe that the placement of different constellations in the sky affects one’s luck at a given time.
Consummate	\KON suh mit\ (adj.)	+ charge INTELLIGENT	accomplished, complete, perfect
	The skater delivered a consummate performance, perfect in every aspect.
Consumption	\kon SUMP shun\ (n.)	= charge INDULGED	the act of eating or taking in
	Many teachers prohibit the consumption of food and drink during class because it disrupts the other students.
Contagious	\kon TAY jus\ (adj.)	– charge CHANGING	spreading from one to another
	Lucy was ordered by the doctor to stay home until her disease was no longer contagious.
Contaminate	\kon TAM uh nayt\ (v.)	– charge HARMFUL	to make impure by contact
	The scientists had to wear special rubber suits when working in the lab so they wouldn’t contaminate the delicate solution.
Contemplate	\KON tem playt\ (v.)	= charge INTELLIGENT	To consider carefully
	Before you decide on a possible solution, be sure to contemplate the problem from all sides.
Contemporary	\kon TEMP uh rery\ (adj.)	+ charge TIME	belonging to the same period of time
	Believing that only evidence from a contemporary source could confirm the information in her father’s letters, Mary researched news accounts from that period of time.
Contemptuous	\kon TEMP shoo us\ (adj.)	– charge CRITICIZE	scornful, disdainful
	Roger shot Mary a contemptuous look after she insulted him repeatedly without cause.
Content	\kon TENT\ (adj.)	+ charge HAPPY	satisfied
	Regine was content to let Amanda handle the presentation, as long as it was clear that both of them had done research.
Contract	\kon TRAKT\ (v.)	= charge DECREASE	acquire, incur
	Libby was hesitant to visit her uncle in the hospital out of a fear that she would contract a serious illness.
Contradiction	\kon tra DIK shun\ (n.)	– charge DISAGREE	statement opposite to what was already said
	The general’s order to attack the fort was a contradiction of the president’s order to surrender.
Contrite	\kon TRYT\ (adj.)	– charge PEACEABLE	deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong
	While Max appeared contrite before the court and even shed tears, the judge showed no leniency at the sentencing.
Controversial	\kon tro VER shul\ (adj.)	– charge DISAGREE	producing or marked by heated dispute
	Many people are very upset by the controversial increase in gasoline taxes that the government has authorized.
Conundrum	\ka NUN drum\ (n.)	– charge UNCLEAR	riddle, puzzle or problem with no solution
	The man puzzled over the conundrum for hours, but eventually gave up in despair.
Convenient	\kon VEEN yent\ (adj.)	+ charge HELPFUL	favorable to one’s comfort or needs
	The hardest part about working with a big group is finding a time that is convenient for everyone.
Convention	\kon VEN shen\ (n.)	+ charge TYPICAL	general acceptance of practices or attitudes
	It’s important when writing essays and letters to always follow the conventions of standard written English.
Conventional	\kon VEN sheh nul\ (adj.)	+ charge TYPICAL	typical, customary, commonplace
	Conventional wisdom holds that hard work and honesty pays off in the end.
Convergence	\kun VER jinss\ (n.)	+ charge GROUPED	the state of separate elements joining or coming together
	No one in the quiet neighborhood could have predicted the mass convergence of artists, writers, and musicians, and the birth of a miniature renaissance.
Convey	\kon VAY\ (v.)	= charge COMMUNICATION	to transport; to make known
	The goal of the game is to convey a phrase to your teammates without using words.
Convict	\kon VICT\ (v.)	– charge DISAPPROVE	to find guilty of a crime
	If the jury chooses to convict the defendant, the attorney will appeal to a higher court.
Conviction	\kon VIC shin\ (n.)	+ charge BELIEF	fixed or strong belief
	Sally would not be swayed from her conviction that the best color for a sports car is red.
Convoluted	\KON vuh loo tid\ (adj.)	– charge ORNATE	twisted, complicated, involved
	Although many people bought the well-known philosopher’s text, few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.
Cordial	\KOR jel\ (adj.)	+ charge FRIENDLY	warm and sincere, friendly
	“How have you been, Walt?” exclaimed Matthew as he extended his arm for a cordial handshake.
Corrective	\koh REK tiv\ (adj.)	+ charge HELPFUL	intended to fix, remedy
	Paul wears corrective lenses to help with his far-sightedness.
Corroborate	\ke ROB uh rayt\ (v.)	+ charge TRUE	to confirm, verify
	Fingerprints corroborated the witness’ testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim’s apartment.
Corrosive	\ku ROW siv\ (adj.)	– charge HARMFUL	gradually destructive, steadily harmful
	The Mothers Against Television coalition protests that today’s programs have a corrosive influence on children.
Cosmopolitan	\kos muh POL i tun\ (adj.)	+ charge EXPERIENCED	pertinent or common to the whole world
	The small dinner party considered itself quite cosmopolitan, as the guests discussed European business trends and South American politics.
Counteract	\kown ter ACT\ (v.)	+ charge STOP	to oppose the effects by contrary action
	Dr. Byron started administering antibiotics to counteract the effects of the virus sweeping through the town.
Crafty	\KRAF tee\ (adj.)	– charge INTELLIGENT	underhanded, devious, or deceptive
	In her latest story, the author devised a crafty tale where the reader is kept guessing at the outcome until the final sentences.
Crass	\KRASS\ (adj.)	– charge CLUMSY	crude, unrefined
	Miss Manner watched in horror as her crass date belched loudly and snapped his fingers at the waiter.
Credo	\KREE doh\ (n.)	+ charge BELIEF	system of principles of beliefs
	As part of the initiation process, new members of the club must learn to repeat the club’s credo backwards from memory.
Crescendo	\kruh SHEN do\ (n.)	+ charge SOUND	gradual increase in volume, force, or intensity
	The volume of the music grew to such a crescendo that the young child clapped his hands over his ears.
Crude	\KROOD\ (adj.)	– charge CLUMSY	unrefined, natural; blunt, offensive
	After two months of ignoring Billy’s crude remarks, Denise summoned the courage to ask him to stop.
Cue	\KYOO\ (n.)	= charge HELPFUL	reminder, prompting
	Sally nervously sat backstage waiting for the director to give her the cue to start singing.
Culpable	\KUL puh bull\ (adj.)	– charge BLAME	guilty, responsible for wrong
	The CEO is culpable for the company’s bankruptcy, as the beginning of his new initiatives marked the end of profits.
Cumulative	\KYOOM yuh lah tiv\ (adj.)	= charge INCREASE	resulting from gradual increase
	“The cumulative effect of all this downsizing will be that one day, there won’t be enough staff to do the u here!” exclaimed the exasperated manager.
Cunning	\KUN ing\ (adj.)	+ charge INTELLIGENT	given to artful deception
	The cunning general devised a way to outsmart both his opponents and force them to fight each other.
Curator	\kyoo RAY ter\ (n.)	= charge PEOPLE	caretaker and overseer of an exhibition, especially in a museum
	The curator resigned when he could no longer bear begging for donations to keep his museum open.
Curtail	\ker TAYL\ (v.)	– charge DECREASE	to shorten
	I had to curtail my vacation in the Bahamas after I ran out of money.