SAT Vocabulary Ep. 24: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

Learn 10 SAT words about manner and scorn - Disdain, Erratic, Pompous, Terse & more - with a free practice quiz.

CRAMBOOKNOTES SAT Vocab Series

SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

Ep.24 Words in Context - Set 24

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Amass Neutral	verb	To gather or accumulate something, especially in large quantities over time	"Over three decades, the collector amassed one of the largest private archives of early aviation photographs in the country."
Bland Negative	adjective	Lacking strong flavor, character, or interest; dull	"Critics found the sequel's dialogue bland compared to the sharp, memorable lines that defined the original film."
Circuitous Negative	adjective	Longer and less direct than a straight path; roundabout	"The negotiator took a circuitous path toward the final agreement, raising and dropping several smaller issues along the way."
Disdain Negative	noun	A feeling of contempt for someone or something considered unworthy of respect	"The essay argues that the character's disdain for tradition ultimately isolates him from the community he claims to want to help."
Erratic Negative	adjective	Not consistent or regular in pattern or behavior; unpredictable	"The patient's erratic heartbeat prompted doctors to run additional tests before clearing her for surgery."
Foment Negative	verb	To instigate or encourage the development of something, usually trouble or conflict	"Historians argue that the pamphlet was specifically written to foment discontent among factory workers."
Gauche Negative	adjective	Lacking social grace or tact; awkward and unsophisticated	"The etiquette columnist called it gauche to check a phone repeatedly during a formal dinner."
Pompous Negative	adjective	Excessively self-important or grand in manner	"Reviewers criticized the professor's pompous introduction, which spent ten minutes praising his own credentials before the lecture even began."
Scoff Negative	verb	To speak of something in a mocking or contemptuous way, dismissing it	"Early critics scoffed at the invention, dismissing it as a passing novelty with no real future."
Terse Neutral	adjective	Brief and to the point, sometimes to the point of rudeness	"The CEO's terse response to the reporter's question left little room for follow-up."

Look-Alike Words

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Circuitous

Taking a long, roundabout path instead of a direct one.

Terse

Brief and to the point, sometimes bluntly so.

Tip: Circuitous takes the long way around. Terse cuts straight to the point.

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Disdain

A feeling of contempt toward something seen as beneath respect.

Scoff

To openly mock or dismiss something in a contemptuous way.

Tip: Disdain is the feeling itself. Scoff is disdain put into action - out loud, in front of others.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Gauche

Socially awkward, often without realizing it.

Pompous

Excessively self-important, often very aware of it.

Tip: Gauche is an accidental social misstep. Pompous is a deliberate display of self-importance.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.24

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.24 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Over the course of her career, the artist __________ an impressive collection of rare vinyl records.

Question 2 of 13

The soup tasted __________ until she added a bit of salt and pepper.

Question 3 of 13

Construction forced drivers onto a __________ detour that added twenty minutes to the commute.

Question 4 of 13

His obvious __________ for the interns' questions made them reluctant to ask for help.

Question 5 of 13

The stock's __________ performance made it difficult for analysts to offer any confident predictions.

Question 6 of 13

The leaked memo appeared designed to __________ distrust between the two departments.

Question 7 of 13

Bringing up salaries at the dinner party struck several guests as __________.

Question 8 of 13

His __________ acceptance speech thanked almost no one but himself.

Question 9 of 13

Critics __________ at the low-budget film, but it went on to become a cult classic.

Question 10 of 13

Her __________ email left no doubt about how quickly she wanted the report finished.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A tour guide who takes visitors down three unnecessary side streets before reaching the museum is giving a __________ route, not a terse one.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A critic who stands up and laughs loudly at the actors mid-performance is choosing to __________ them outright, rather than quietly feeling disdain.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A guest who spends the entire toast listing his own accomplishments instead of celebrating the couple is being __________, rather than simply gauche.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Amassed. Steadily building a large collection over decades is exactly what amass means, gathering something over time.

2Bland. Plain toast and watery coffee lacking any real flavor is exactly what bland describes.

3Circuitous. A detour that takes drivers the long way around is exactly what circuitous means, roundabout rather than direct.

4Disdain. Obvious contempt for the interns' questions is exactly what disdain describes.

5Erratic. Performance that makes confident predictions impossible is exactly what erratic means, unpredictable and inconsistent.

6Foment. A memo apparently designed to stir up distrust is exactly what foment means, to instigate conflict.

7Gauche. Bringing up salaries at a dinner party is exactly the kind of social misstep gauche describes.

8Pompous. A speech that only thanks yourself is exactly what pompous describes, excessive self-importance.

9Scoffed. Critics dismissing something that later succeeded is exactly what scoff means, mocking dismissal.

10Terse. An email that leaves no doubt about urgency in very few words is exactly what terse describes.

11Circuitous. Extra unnecessary stops on a tour is a circuitous route, distinct from terse, which describes brevity, not distance.

12Scoff. Laughing loudly and openly at performers is to scoff at them, going further than the quiet feeling of disdain.

13Pompous. A toast that centers entirely on the speaker's own achievements is pompous, distinct from gauche, which describes an accidental social misstep.

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