SAT Vocabulary Ep. 14: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

SAT high-frequency vocabulary Set 14: amiable, bombastic, denounce, elaborate, frugal, and 5 more words with definitions, look-alike word pairs, and a 13-question practice quiz.

CRAMBOOKNOTES SAT Vocab Series

SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

Ep.14 Words in Context - Set 14

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Amiable Positive	adjective	Friendly and pleasant in manner	"The new ambassador's amiable demeanor helped ease tensions during the first round of negotiations."
Bombastic Negative	adjective	Using inflated, showy language meant to sound impressive	"Critics dismissed the senator's bombastic speech as long on dramatic language but short on actual policy."
Denounce Negative	verb	To publicly criticize or condemn something as wrong	"International leaders quickly denounced the decision, calling it a clear violation of the original treaty."
Elaborate Neutral	adjective	Highly detailed and complicated in design or planning	"The heist in the film relied on an elaborate plan involving three separate teams and a forged identity."
Frugal Positive	adjective	Careful and economical with money or resources	"Raised during a period of economic hardship, the businessman remained frugal even after his company became successful."
Impervious Neutral	adjective	Not able to be affected, harmed, or penetrated by something	"The coating made the material impervious to water, allowing it to survive even the heaviest storms."
Laudable Positive	adjective	Deserving praise and admiration	"The committee called the volunteer's decade of unpaid service a laudable commitment to the community."
Sanguine Positive	adjective	Optimistic or positive, especially in a difficult situation	"Despite three rounds of layoffs, the CEO remained sanguine about the company's chances of recovery."
Sparse Neutral	adjective	Thinly scattered or distributed; not dense	"Vegetation in the region was so sparse that early explorers struggled to find enough firewood."
Vindictive Negative	adjective	Having a strong desire for revenge; spiteful	"The play portrays a vindictive ruler who spends the entire second act plotting revenge against a former advisor."

Look-Alike Words

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Amiable

Friendly, warm, and easy to get along with.

Vindictive

Driven by a desire to get revenge; spiteful.

Tip: Amiable describes someone easygoing and kind. Vindictive describes someone actively seeking to hurt others back.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Frugal

Careful and economical, especially with money.

Sparse

Thin, scattered, or existing in small amounts.

Tip: Frugal describes a careful choice to use less. Sparse describes something that simply exists in small amounts, by choice or not.

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Bombastic

Full of inflated, showy language meant to impress.

Elaborate

Highly detailed and complicated in design or planning.

Tip: Bombastic is about how something sounds - grand and overblown. Elaborate is about how something is built - detailed and intricate.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.14

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.14 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Even after losing the debate, she remained __________ and thanked her opponent for a fair match.

Question 2 of 13

Reviewers mocked the trailer's __________ narration, which promised the greatest film ever made.

Question 3 of 13

Human rights groups moved quickly to __________ the new policy as soon as it was announced.

Question 4 of 13

The wedding featured an __________ set design with hand-painted backdrops for every table.

Question 5 of 13

Growing up with very little taught her to be __________ with every paycheck she earned.

Question 6 of 13

The new fabric is completely __________ to stains, even after repeated spills.

Question 7 of 13

Spending every weekend tutoring struggling students for free is a __________ use of her free time.

Question 8 of 13

Investors remained __________ about the startup's future, even after a rocky first quarter.

Question 9 of 13

The desert's __________ plant life made it difficult for the survey team to find any shade.

Question 10 of 13

His __________ response to the mild criticism surprised everyone who thought he had let the matter go.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A coworker who quietly sabotages a colleague's project after being passed over for a promotion is being __________, not simply amiable.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A family that deliberately chooses to spend less and save more each month is being __________, which is different from a town that simply has few resources to begin with.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A politician who fills a short speech with grand, exaggerated claims is being __________, rather than simply elaborate in explaining a complex policy.

out of 13 correct

Full explanations for every question appear below after you check your answers.

Answer Key & Explanations

1Amiable. Staying friendly and thanking an opponent even after losing a debate is exactly what amiable describes.

2Bombastic. Showy, inflated narration promising the greatest film ever made is exactly what bombastic describes.

3Denounce. Publicly criticizing a new policy the moment it is announced is exactly what denounce means.

4Elaborate. A highly detailed set design with hand-painted backdrops for every table is exactly what elaborate describes.

5Frugal. Learning to be careful and economical with every paycheck is exactly what frugal describes.

6Impervious. A fabric completely unaffected by repeated stains is exactly what impervious describes.

7Laudable. Spending every weekend tutoring struggling students for free is exactly what laudable describes.

8Sanguine. Staying optimistic about a startup's future even after a rocky quarter is exactly what sanguine describes.

9Sparse. Plant life thin enough that a survey team could find no shade is exactly what sparse describes.

10Vindictive. A surprisingly harsh response to mild criticism, showing a desire for revenge, is exactly what vindictive describes.

11Vindictive. Quietly sabotaging a colleague out of a desire for revenge is vindictive, distinct from being simply amiable.

12Frugal. Deliberately choosing to spend less and save more is frugal, an active choice, distinct from sparse, which can simply describe scarcity with no choice involved.

13Bombastic. Filling a short speech with grand, exaggerated claims is bombastic, about how something sounds, distinct from elaborate, which is about detailed complexity.

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