SAT Vocabulary Ep. 5: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

CRAMBOOKNOTES SAT Vocab Series

SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

Ep.5 Words in Context - Set 5

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Diligent Positive	adjective	Showing careful and persistent effort in one's work or duties	"The diligent research assistant cross-checked every citation before the paper was submitted for review."
Frivolous Negative	adjective	Not having any serious purpose or value; silly or trivial	"Critics dismissed the proposal as frivolous, arguing that it addressed a minor issue while ignoring the district's real budget problems."
Indifferent Negative	adjective	Having no particular interest, concern, or sympathy; unconcerned	"The committee seemed indifferent to the residents' complaints, moving on to the next agenda item without discussion."
Resilient Positive	adjective	Able to recover quickly from difficulties; tough and adaptable	"The region's resilient economy rebounded within a year of the factory closures, thanks to new investment in small businesses."
Subtle Neutral	adjective	So delicate or precise as to be difficult to detect or describe	"A subtle shift in the character's tone signals to careful readers that his loyalty has begun to waver."
Coherent Positive	adjective	Logical and consistent; easy to follow	"The final draft finally presented a coherent argument, after three earlier versions jumped between unrelated points."
Deference Neutral	noun	Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment or wishes of another	"Out of deference to the committee chair, the newer members waited until she had spoken before offering their own opinions."
Impartial Positive	adjective	Treating all sides or viewpoints equally; not favoring one over another	"An impartial referee is expected to enforce the same rules regardless of which team is ahead on the scoreboard."
Vindicate Positive	verb	To clear someone of blame or suspicion, especially after they have been proven right	"New evidence eventually vindicated the engineer, showing that the design flaw had been introduced after her plans were approved."
Zealous Neutral	adjective	Having or showing great energy and enthusiasm for a cause or objective	"The zealous volunteers arrived before dawn to set up the food drive, determined to serve every family on the list."

Look-Alike Words

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Indifferent

Simply not caring either way about an outcome.

Impartial

Caring about fairness and deliberately avoiding favoring either side.

Tip: Indifferent means someone does not care. Impartial means someone does care about fairness, and works to treat every side equally.

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Diligent

Careful, sustained effort toward something that matters.

Frivolous

Treated as unimportant, without serious effort or purpose.

Tip: Diligent work is careful and purposeful. A frivolous task or purchase is treated as trivial, without much thought behind it.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Resilient

Able to recover from hardship or setbacks.

Zealous

Showing intense enthusiasm or passion for a cause.

Tip: Both suggest strong character, but on different axes. Resilient is about bouncing back. Zealous is about how much energy and passion someone brings.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.5

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.5 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

The __________ intern arrived early to double-check every figure in the report before the client meeting.

Question 2 of 13

The board rejected the request as __________, since it would have used funds needed for essential repairs.

Question 3 of 13

He remained __________ to the debate happening around him, scrolling through his phone the entire time.

Question 4 of 13

Despite two failed harvests, the __________ farming community found new crops that could survive the drought.

Question 5 of 13

Only after several readings did she notice the __________ hints the author had planted about the ending.

Question 6 of 13

The recovering patient finally gave a __________ account of what had happened before the accident.

Question 7 of 13

Out of __________ to the founder's original vision, the new leadership kept the company's mission statement unchanged.

Question 8 of 13

As a judge for the science fair, she remained __________, scoring every project using the same rubric.

Question 9 of 13

Years later, the whistleblower was __________ when internal documents confirmed everything she had reported.

Question 10 of 13

The __________ fans lined up outside the stadium hours before the gates even opened.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A teacher grades every essay using the identical rubric, regardless of which student wrote it. This is best described as __________, not simply indifferent to the students' effort.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A student spends an extra hour each night reviewing notes before a difficult exam. This habit is best described as __________, not frivolous.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A team keeps recruiting new volunteers and rebuilding after every setback a nonprofit faces. This pattern is best described as __________, rather than zealous.

out of 13 correct

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