SAT Vocabulary Ep. 2: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

SAT high-frequency vocabulary Set 2: refute, postulate, assert, contend, delineate, 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.2 Words in Context - Set 2

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Refute Negative	verb	To prove that a statement, theory, or accusation is false	"The defense attorney worked to refute the prosecution's central claim, presenting new evidence that undermined the timeline entirely."
Postulate Neutral	verb	To suggest a theory or idea as a basis for reasoning, without proof	"Early astronomers postulated that the planets moved in perfect circles, a theory later revised through more precise observation."
Assert Neutral	verb	To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully	"The author asserts that economic growth alone cannot explain the shift in voting patterns across the region."
Contend Neutral	verb	To argue that something is true, or to struggle to deal with a difficulty	"Historians contend that the treaty's vague language was intentional, designed to satisfy both sides only temporarily."
Delineate Positive	verb	To describe, indicate, or portray something precisely	"The report carefully delineates the boundaries between the two departments' responsibilities to avoid future conflict."
Enumerate Neutral	verb	To mention a number of things one by one; to list	"The committee enumerated seven specific concerns before voting to delay the proposal."
Elucidate Positive	verb	To make something clear; to explain	"The professor paused to elucidate a difficult passage before moving on to the next chapter."
Empirical Neutral	adjective	Based on observation or experiment rather than theory alone	"The study relied on empirical data gathered over five years, rather than assumptions drawn from earlier models."
Conjecture Negative	noun	An opinion or conclusion based on incomplete information; a guess	"Without excavation records, archaeologists could only offer conjecture about how the site was originally used."
Precarious Negative	adjective	Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fail	"The company's precarious financial position left investors uneasy heading into the next quarter."

Look-Alike Words

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Assert

To state something confidently as fact, generally without arguing against an opposing view.

Contend

To state a position while actively arguing it against an opposing view.

Tip: Assert usually means stating something as fact. Contend often implies stating a position within a debate or dispute.

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Empirical

Based on observation, data, or experiment.

Conjecture

Based on guesswork, with little or no supporting evidence.

Tip: Empirical conclusions are backed by evidence. Conjecture is an educated guess offered without it.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Delineate

To describe or outline something precisely, in detail.

Enumerate

To list items one by one, without necessarily describing them.

Tip: Delineate describes the shape or detail of something. Enumerate simply counts items off in a list.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.2

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.2 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

The scientist attempted to __________ the widely accepted theory by presenting contradictory experimental results.

Question 2 of 13

Physicists __________ the existence of a new particle long before it was ever detected in the lab.

Question 3 of 13

In her essay, the writer __________ that social media has fundamentally changed how teenagers communicate.

Question 4 of 13

Economists __________ that the policy will raise prices in the short term, even as it lowers them later.

Question 5 of 13

The map carefully __________ each district's boundary, leaving no room for confusion.

Question 6 of 13

Before the meeting ended, the chair __________ each action item so nothing would be forgotten.

Question 7 of 13

The tutor took extra time to __________ a confusing grammar rule that had stumped the whole class.

Question 8 of 13

Rather than relying on tradition, the new manager insisted on __________ evidence before changing any procedure.

Question 9 of 13

With no hard evidence available, the reporter's article was largely __________.

Question 10 of 13

Standing on the edge of the cliff, the climber found himself in a __________ position.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A speaker states an idea directly as fact, without arguing against anyone else's position. This is best described as choosing to __________ the idea, rather than argue it against opposition.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A team publishes findings based purely on speculation, with no supporting data ever collected. This is best described as __________, not empirical research.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A report lists five budget items in order, without describing any of them in detail. This is best described as an attempt to __________ the items, rather than delineate them.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Refute. Presenting contradictory experimental results to disprove a theory is exactly what refute means, distinct from simply elucidating or enumerating it.

2Postulated. Suggesting a theory as a basis for reasoning before any proof existed is exactly what postulate means.

3Asserts. Stating a claim confidently in an essay, without directly arguing against an opposing view, is asserting rather than contending it.

4Contend. Arguing a specific claim about how prices will move, especially one open to dispute, is exactly what contend means.

5Delineates. Precisely describing or outlining a district's boundary, in detail, is delineating, not simply enumerating it.

6Enumerated. Listing action items one by one so nothing is forgotten is exactly what enumerate means.

7Elucidate. Making a confusing grammar rule clear through explanation is exactly what elucidate means.

8Empirical. Insisting on evidence gathered through observation before acting is exactly what empirical describes, distinct from a precarious or conjectural approach.

9Conjecture. An article built on guesswork rather than hard evidence is conjecture, the opposite of empirical.

10Precarious. Standing at the edge of a cliff, in a position dangerously likely to fail, is exactly what precarious describes.

11Assert. Stating an idea directly as fact without arguing against opposition is choosing to assert it rather than contend it.

12Conjecture. Publishing findings based purely on speculation, with no supporting data collected, is conjecture, not empirical research.

13Enumerate. Listing items in order without describing any of them in detail is an attempt to enumerate them, rather than delineate them.

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