SAT Vocabulary Ep. 29: 10 High-Frequency Words, Definitions & Practice Quiz

SAT high-frequency vocabulary Set 29: aberration, bane, chagrin, debacle, hindrance, 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.29 Words in Context - Set 29

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words Digital SAT

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Word List

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	SAT Context
Aberration Negative	noun	Something that deviates from what is normal or expected	"Statisticians initially dismissed the spike in the data as an aberration, though later analysis suggested it reflected a real shift."
Bane Negative	noun	A source of harm, ruin, or persistent annoyance	"Invasive weeds have become the bane of the region's farmers, spreading faster than any control method can manage."
Chagrin Negative	noun	A feeling of distress or embarrassment caused by failure or disappointment	"Much to his chagrin, the professor discovered a typo on the very first page of his newly published book."
Debacle Negative	noun	A sudden, humiliating failure or collapse	"The product launch turned into a public debacle after the app crashed during the live demonstration."
Hindrance Negative	noun	Something that gets in the way of progress or action	"Outdated software proved to be a major hindrance to the team's efforts to modernize the filing system."
Jettison Neutral	verb	To discard or abandon something no longer wanted or needed	"Facing a tight deadline, the studio decided to jettison the film's original ending in favor of a faster resolution."
Muse Neutral	verb	To think deeply or reflect on something	"The essay opens with the narrator musing on how a single decision reshaped the rest of her life."
Obviate Positive	verb	To remove a need or difficulty in advance; to make unnecessary	"Installing the new filtration system obviated the need for weekly water testing."
Travesty Negative	noun	A distorted or grossly inferior imitation of something; a mockery	"Critics called the film adaptation a travesty of the original novel, arguing it abandoned every meaningful theme."
Zest Positive	noun	Great enthusiasm and energy	"Even after four decades in the field, the researcher approached each new project with the same zest she'd had as a graduate student."

Look-Alike Words

Opposite Charge · Contrast Pair

Zest

Great enthusiasm and energy toward something.

Chagrin

Distress or embarrassment caused by failure or disappointment.

Tip: Zest is the feeling of diving in with excitement. Chagrin is the feeling of wincing after something goes wrong.

Commonly Confused · Similar Meaning

Debacle

A sudden, humiliating failure or collapse.

Travesty

A distorted, grossly inferior imitation of something; a mockery.

Tip: A debacle is about an event failing badly. A travesty is about a result that mocks or betrays what it was supposed to be.

Commonly Confused · Similar Function

Hindrance

Something that gets in the way of progress.

Obviate

To remove a need or difficulty before it becomes a problem.

Tip: A hindrance blocks your path. To obviate something is to clear that kind of obstacle out of the way in advance.

Vocabulary Video

Watch - SAT Vocabulary Ep.29

Practice Quiz

SAT Vocab Ep.29 - Practice Quiz

Question 1 of 13

Scientists first assumed the unusual reading was an __________, but repeated tests showed the same result.

Question 2 of 13

Traffic on that particular stretch of highway has become the __________ of everyone's morning commute.

Question 3 of 13

Much to her __________, she realized she'd sent the email to the wrong client.

Question 4 of 13

The fundraiser turned into a __________ when the caterer canceled just hours before guests arrived.

Question 5 of 13

A slow internet connection proved to be a constant __________ during the online exam.

Question 6 of 13

Running low on time, the team decided to __________ two of the smaller features to focus on the main launch.

Question 7 of 13

She spent the train ride __________ over what she might say in tomorrow's interview.

Question 8 of 13

A single shared calendar __________ the need for constant scheduling emails between departments.

Question 9 of 13

Fans called the remake a __________ of the original show, stripped of everything that made it memorable.

Question 10 of 13

Despite retiring years ago, she still gardens with the same __________ she had as a young farmer.

Question 11 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A chef who dives into a new recipe with excitement and energy is approaching it with __________, not chagrin.

Question 12 of 13

Look-Alike Check: A movie so different from its source material that longtime fans feel it mocks everything they loved is a __________, rather than simply a debacle at the box office.

Question 13 of 13

Look-Alike Check: Automatic software updates that fix a security flaw before anyone even notices it __________ the need for a manual patch, rather than simply becoming a hindrance.

out of 13 correct

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

Answer Key & Explanations

1Aberration. An unusual reading first assumed to be a fluke, then repeated in later tests, is exactly what aberration means, something that deviates from the norm.

2Bane. Traffic becoming the constant, dreaded source of annoyance for a commute is exactly what bane describes.

3Chagrin. Feeling embarrassed distress after sending an email to the wrong person is exactly what chagrin describes.

4Debacle. A fundraiser collapsing into humiliating failure is exactly what debacle means.

5Hindrance. A slow connection getting in the way of progress during an exam is exactly what hindrance describes.

6Jettison. Deciding to abandon smaller features to focus on the main launch is exactly what jettison means.

7Muse. Reflecting thoughtfully on what to say in an interview is exactly what muse describes.

8Obviate. A shared calendar removing the need for constant scheduling emails is exactly what obviate means, eliminating a need in advance.

9Travesty. A remake stripped of everything that made the original meaningful is exactly what travesty describes, a mocking, inferior imitation.

10Zest. Approaching a hobby with the same enthusiasm and energy after decades is exactly what zest means.

11Zest. A chef diving into a new recipe with excitement is showing zest, not chagrin, which describes embarrassed disappointment.

12Travesty. A movie so different that fans feel it mocks the original is a travesty, a distorted imitation, rather than a debacle, which describes just a failed event.

13Obviate. Fixing a flaw before anyone notices removes the need for a manual patch, which is obviate, rather than becoming a hindrance, which would describe getting in the way.

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