SAT Vocabulary Ep. 18: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

Study 10 SAT words about persuasion and tone - Brusque, Cajole, Gullible, Quandary & more - with definitions and a free practice quiz.

CRAMBOOKNOTES SAT Vocab Series

SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

Ep.18 Words in Context - Set 18

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Brusque Negative	adjective	Abrupt or blunt in manner or speech; curt	"The new supervisor's brusque replies during the meeting left several employees unsure whether their questions had even been heard."
Cajole Neutral	verb	To persuade someone through flattery or gentle, persistent coaxing	"The younger diplomat spent the entire dinner trying to cajole the senator into supporting the amendment."
Chide Negative	verb	To scold or express mild disapproval of someone	"The coach gently chided the team for arriving late to practice, though he understood the traffic wasn't their fault."
Diffident Negative	adjective	Lacking confidence in oneself; shy and hesitant	"Despite years of research experience, the graduate student remained diffident during her first conference presentation."
Effusive Positive	adjective	Expressing feelings, especially approval or gratitude, in an unrestrained, heartfelt way	"The reviewer's effusive praise for the debut novel surprised critics who had expected a more measured response."
Flippant Negative	adjective	Not showing serious or respectful attention to a topic; casually disrespectful	"The senator's flippant remark about the budget crisis drew sharp criticism from constituents who felt the issue deserved a serious response."
Gullible Negative	adjective	Easily persuaded to believe something; too trusting	"The con artist specifically targeted gullible investors who rarely questioned promises of guaranteed returns."
Languid Neutral	adjective	Lacking energy or vitality; slow and relaxed	"The novel's languid pacing in the opening chapters gives way to a rapid, tense sequence of events by its conclusion."
Officious Negative	adjective	Excessively eager to assert authority or offer unwanted help	"The officious hall monitor wrote up students for offenses far outside his actual assigned duties."
Quandary Negative	noun	A state of uncertainty or difficulty over what to do in a particular situation	"The committee found itself in a quandary, torn between honoring the original agreement and addressing the community's new concerns."

Look-Alike Words

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Diffident

Shy, hesitant, and lacking confidence in oneself.

Officious

Excessively eager to assert authority or offer unwanted help.

Tip: Diffident describes someone who holds back out of shyness. Officious describes someone who pushes forward, often overstepping their role.

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Brusque

Abrupt and blunt, often coming across as rude without meaning to be.

Flippant

Casually disrespectful, especially about something serious.

Tip: Brusque is about tone - short and curt. Flippant is about attitude - not taking something seriously enough.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Chide

To scold someone, usually mildly, to correct their behavior.

Cajole

To persuade someone through flattery or gentle persistence.

Tip: Chide pushes someone toward correction through criticism. Cajole pulls someone toward agreement through charm.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.18

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.18 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Customers sometimes mistook the chef's __________ manner for rudeness, when he was really just focused on the next order.

Question 2 of 13

It took nearly an hour to __________ the toddler into putting on his shoes.

Question 3 of 13

Her older sister gently __________ her for forgetting the appointment again.

Question 4 of 13

Though he knew the answer, the __________ student waited until called on rather than volunteering.

Question 5 of 13

The audience gave an __________ standing ovation that lasted nearly five minutes.

Question 6 of 13

His __________ response to the safety warning suggested he hadn't taken the risk seriously at all.

Question 7 of 13

The prank only worked because the new intern was __________ enough to believe the fake memo.

Question 8 of 13

The cat stretched into a __________ pose on the windowsill and promptly fell asleep.

Question 9 of 13

The __________ committee member insisted on approving every minor decision, even ones outside her role.

Question 10 of 13

Choosing between the two scholarship offers put her in a real __________.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A volunteer who insists on reorganizing tasks that aren't hers to manage is being __________, not diffident.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A doctor who answers every question in one clipped sentence without ever seeming to joke around is being __________, rather than flippant.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A manager who softly compliments an employee's past work to convince them to take on extra hours is trying to __________ them, not chide them.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Brusque. A manner abrupt enough to be mistaken for rudeness, though only meant to stay efficient, is exactly what brusque describes.

2Cajole. Spending nearly an hour persuading a toddler through gentle coaxing is exactly what cajole means.

3Chided. Gently scolding a sister for forgetting an appointment again is exactly what chide means.

4Diffident. A student who knows the answer but waits to be called on rather than volunteering is exactly what diffident describes.

5Effusive. A standing ovation so unrestrained it lasts nearly five minutes is exactly what effusive describes.

6Flippant. A response to a safety warning that suggests the risk wasn't taken seriously is exactly what flippant describes.

7Gullible. Believing a fake memo easily enough for a prank to work is exactly what gullible describes.

8Languid. A cat stretching into a slow, relaxed pose before falling asleep is exactly what languid describes.

9Officious. Insisting on approving decisions outside one's actual role is exactly what officious describes.

10Quandary. Being torn between two scholarship offers with no clear right choice is exactly what quandary means.

11Officious. Reorganizing tasks that aren't yours to manage is being officious, excessively eager to assert authority, not diffident.

12Brusque. Answering every question in one clipped sentence without joking around is brusque, abrupt in tone, distinct from flippant, which is about not taking something seriously.

13Cajole. Softly complimenting someone to convince them to take on extra hours is trying to cajole them, persuading through flattery, not chiding them through criticism.

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