SAT Vocabulary Ep. 4: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

SAT high-frequency vocabulary Set 4: innate, feasible, prudent, reticent, volatile, 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.4 Words in Context - Set 4

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Innate Neutral	adjective	Existing in someone from birth; inborn rather than learned	"Some researchers argue that a basic sense of fairness may be innate, appearing in children before they receive any formal instruction."
Feasible Positive	adjective	Possible to do easily or practically	"The committee concluded that a shorter school week was feasible only if the district adjusted its transportation schedule."
Prudent Positive	adjective	Acting with care and thought for the future; sensible and cautious	"Financial advisors generally consider it prudent to set aside several months of expenses before making a major purchase."
Reticent Negative	adjective	Reluctant to speak about one's thoughts or feelings; reserved	"Despite repeated questions from reporters, the spokesperson remained reticent about the details of the merger."
Volatile Negative	adjective	Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse	"Analysts warned that the region's volatile currency made long-term investment planning unusually difficult."
Cogent Positive	adjective	Clear, logical, and convincing	"The lawyer's cogent closing argument tied every piece of evidence back to a single, coherent narrative."
Ambivalent Negative	adjective	Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something	"The survey revealed that residents felt ambivalent about the new development, valuing the jobs it promised but fearing the added traffic."
Plausible Neutral	adjective	Seeming reasonable or probable; believable	"The detective considered several plausible explanations before settling on the one supported by the strongest evidence."
Anomaly Neutral	noun	Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected	"The unusually high reading turned out to be an anomaly caused by a temporary sensor malfunction, not a real change in temperature."
Paradox Neutral	noun	A statement or situation that seems contradictory but may nonetheless be true	"The essay explores the paradox that stricter rules sometimes produce less discipline, not more."

Look-Alike Words

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Feasible

Describes whether something can practically be done.

Plausible

Describes whether something seems believable or likely to be true.

Tip: Feasible is about whether something can be done. Plausible is about whether something sounds true or believable.

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Prudent

Careful, stable decision-making focused on the future.

Volatile

Unstable and likely to change suddenly, often for the worse.

Tip: Prudent describes cautious, well-considered choices. Volatile describes conditions that shift unpredictably, with little warning.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Anomaly

A single unusual data point or event that breaks an expected pattern.

Paradox

A statement or situation that seems to contradict itself, yet may still be true.

Tip: An anomaly is an unexpected exception within data or events. A paradox is a logical contradiction within an idea or statement.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.4

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.4 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Some psychologists believe a preference for symmetrical faces may be __________, appearing even in very young infants.

Question 2 of 13

After reviewing the budget, the planners decided the expansion was __________ only if construction began before winter.

Question 3 of 13

Given the uncertain market, the board considered it __________ to delay the acquisition until next quarter.

Question 4 of 13

The witness remained __________ on the stand, answering only the questions asked and offering nothing further.

Question 5 of 13

Traders described the stock as __________, since its price swung sharply within a single trading session.

Question 6 of 13

The professor praised the student's __________ argument, noting that each point built logically on the last.

Question 7 of 13

Many employees felt __________ about the merger, drawn to the new benefits but wary of losing their current team.

Question 8 of 13

Of the three theories presented, only one remained __________ once the new data was taken into account.

Question 9 of 13

Scientists initially dismissed the reading as a mere __________, but repeated tests showed the pattern was real.

Question 10 of 13

The article examines the __________ that reducing study time sometimes leads to better test scores.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: An engineer confirms that a bridge design can actually be built within budget and on schedule. This is best described as confirming the design is __________, not simply that it sounds reasonable.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: An investor spreads money across several stable, well-researched accounts rather than chasing a single unpredictable stock. This approach is best described as __________, not volatile.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A single day of snow in a desert town that has not seen snow in decades is best described as an __________, rather than a paradox.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Innate. A preference appearing even in very young infants, before any learning could occur, is exactly what innate, existing from birth, describes.

2Feasible. An expansion that can practically be done, but only under a specific condition, is exactly what feasible describes.

3Prudent. Choosing to delay a decision until market conditions are clearer is careful, forward-thinking judgment, exactly what prudent means.

4Reticent. Answering only what is asked and offering nothing more describes someone reluctant to speak further, which is reticent.

5Volatile. A stock price swinging sharply within a single session describes something unpredictable and rapidly changing, which is volatile.

6Cogent. An argument where each point builds logically on the last is exactly what cogent, clear and convincing, describes.

7Ambivalent. Feeling drawn to new benefits while also wary of losing something valued is having mixed, contradictory feelings, which is ambivalent.

8Plausible. A theory that still seems reasonable once new data is considered is exactly what plausible describes.

9Anomaly. A single unusual reading later confirmed to be a real, repeating pattern is exactly what an anomaly describes, an exception within data.

10Paradox. An idea that reducing study time could lead to better test scores seems self-contradictory but may still be true, which is exactly what a paradox is.

11Feasible. Confirming a design can actually be built within budget and on schedule is confirming it is feasible, not simply that it sounds reasonable.

12Prudent. Choosing stable, well-researched accounts over one unpredictable stock is a prudent approach, distinct from a volatile one.

13Anomaly. A single unexpected event breaking an established pattern, like snow in a desert town, is exactly what an anomaly describes.

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