SAT Vocabulary Ep. 26: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

Study 10 SAT words about power and personality - Despot, Jovial, Magnanimous, Ruthless & more - with definitions and a free quiz.

CRAMBOOKNOTES SAT Vocab Series

SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

Ep.26 Words in Context - Set 26

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Despot Negative	noun	A ruler or person who holds absolute power and exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way	"The play portrays the once-beloved leader's slow transformation into a despot, ruling through fear rather than consent."
Hackneyed Negative	adjective	Used so often that it has become dull and unoriginal; clichéd	"The reviewer criticized the film's hackneyed plot twist, noting that audiences had seen the exact same reveal in a dozen other movies."
Jovial Positive	adjective	Cheerful and friendly in a warm, good-humored way	"Despite the tense negotiations happening behind closed doors, the ambassador maintained a jovial public demeanor throughout the summit."
Kindle Positive	verb	To arouse or inspire a feeling; also, to start a fire	"The professor's offhand comment about ancient trade routes kindled the student's lifelong interest in archaeology."
Magnanimous Positive	adjective	Generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful	"In a magnanimous gesture, the winning team publicly credited their rivals for pushing them to train harder all season."
Quaint Positive	adjective	Attractively unusual or old-fashioned in a charming way	"Travelers are drawn to the quaint fishing village, with its narrow cobblestone streets and centuries-old harbor."
Ruthless Negative	adjective	Having no pity or compassion; harsh and cruel in pursuing a goal	"The biography portrays the executive as ruthless in negotiations, willing to end decades-old partnerships over a fraction of a percentage point."
Taciturn Neutral	adjective	Reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little	"The taciturn witness answered every question with a single word, forcing the attorney to ask increasingly specific follow-ups."
Umbrage Negative	noun	A feeling of offense or annoyance	"Several senators took umbrage at the comment, viewing it as a direct insult to their committee's years of work."
Whimsical Positive	adjective	Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way	"The architect's whimsical design included a spiral staircase shaped like a seashell, delighting young visitors to the museum."

Look-Alike Words

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Magnanimous

Generous and forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone weaker.

Ruthless

Showing no pity or mercy while pursuing a goal.

Tip: Magnanimous chooses kindness even when it isn't required. Ruthless abandons kindness entirely to get results.

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Jovial

Warmly cheerful and good-humored.

Whimsical

Playfully fanciful and imaginative.

Tip: Jovial describes a warm, friendly mood. Whimsical describes a playful, imaginative style - the two often show up together, but they're not the same thing.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Kindle

To spark or ignite a feeling, like curiosity or passion.

Umbrage

A specific feeling of being offended or annoyed.

Tip: Kindle is the act of sparking any feeling, often a positive one. Umbrage is one particular feeling - offense - that someone takes, usually at a specific remark.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.26

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.26 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Historians describe the general's later years in power as those of a __________, ruling through fear and surveillance.

Question 2 of 13

The critic rolled her eyes at the __________ metaphor comparing love to a battlefield.

Question 3 of 13

The __________ host greeted every guest with a hug and a joke before dinner even started.

Question 4 of 13

A single class trip to the aquarium __________ her fascination with marine biology.

Question 5 of 13

In a __________ move, the CEO gave credit for the product's success to the entire engineering team.

Question 6 of 13

The town's __________ charm, with its old clock tower and cobblestone square, drew visitors from all over the region.

Question 7 of 13

The general's __________ tactics won the battle but cost him the loyalty of his own troops.

Question 8 of 13

His __________ replies during the interview made it hard for the reporter to build a full profile.

Question 9 of 13

She took __________ at the suggestion that her research had been rushed.

Question 10 of 13

The children's book was full of __________ illustrations, like a cat wearing a tiny umbrella hat.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A rival who publicly praises the winner's hard work instead of making excuses is being __________, not ruthless.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A storybook filled with talking teapots and floating umbrellas has a __________ style, which is different from simply having a jovial narrator.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A sarcastic comment about someone's accent that makes them feel insulted is likely to cause __________, rather than simply kindle their interest in language.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Despot. A ruler who ignored the council entirely and made every decision alone is exactly what despot describes.

2Hackneyed. A plot twist audiences had seen dozens of times before is exactly what hackneyed means, overused and unoriginal.

3Jovial. A host greeting every guest with a warm laugh is exactly what jovial describes.

4Kindled. A single conversation sparking a lifelong passion is exactly what kindle means, to ignite or spark something.

5Magnanimous. Publicly crediting a rival's contribution after winning is exactly what magnanimous describes, generous even toward a competitor.

6Quaint. A cobblestone village that looks frozen in an earlier century is exactly what quaint means.

7Ruthless. A negotiator who wouldn't budge no matter the human cost is exactly what ruthless describes.

8Taciturn. Someone who rarely spoke more than a sentence at a time is exactly what taciturn means.

9Umbrage. Being visibly offended at an offhand remark is exactly what umbrage describes, taking offense.

10Whimsical. A garden filled with unexpected, playful sculptures is exactly what whimsical means.

11Ruthless. Refusing to compromise regardless of the human cost is ruthless, distinct from taciturn, which just describes speaking very little.

12Magnanimous. Publicly praising the person who nearly beat you is magnanimous, distinct from jovial, which describes a cheerful mood rather than generosity.

13Hackneyed. A plot twist audiences have seen many times before is hackneyed, distinct from quaint, which describes old-fashioned charm rather than overuse.

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