25 Vocabulary Words in Pictures and Sample Sentences
Here are 25 vocabulary words taken from Barron’s SAT vocabulary flashcards. I have added my own example sentences and found photos to illustrate the sentence concepts. Hopefully, this visualization will help you to understand and recall the definitions. Even if you are not preparing for the SAT, this list might help keep your vocabulary sharp.
There are only 25 words in this list, and not 26, because there are no words beginning with X in this flashcard set.
Apprehension
[ˌaprəˈhenSHən] 1) fear of future evil; 2) understanding; 3) arrest (of a criminal)
Jake was filled with apprehension when he thought about tomorrow’s exam.
Benevolent
[bəˈnevələnt] disposed to do good
He truly was a benevolent man and often found ways to help the homeless in his city.
Consensus
[kənˈsensəs] agreement arrived at by a group as a whole
Chris talked to his coworkers, mentioning three local restaurants where they could get take-out, but the group couldn’t come up with a consensus.
Detrimental
[detrəˈmen(t)l] causing injury or damage
Everyone knows that smoking is detrimental to your health.
Erudite
[ˈer(y)əˌdīt] possessing great knowledge
She had a reputation for being erudite and had an impressive two-story home library.
Fluctuate
[ˈfləkCHəˌwāt] waver
All day, the weather fluctuated between snow, sleet and rain.
Genre
[ˈZHänrə] particular variety of art or literature
Mystery is my favorite genre in both books and TV shows.
Hyperbole
[hīˈpərbəlē] extravagant statement (usually not meant to be taken literally)
Ann was prone to hyperbole. She said she was “hungry enough to eat a cow” but felt full after eating three White Castle burgers.
Idiosyncrasy
[ˌidēəˈsiNGkrəsē] individual trait, usually odd in nature
The fictional detective, Hercule Poirot, is known for his idiosyncrasies like straightening objects and laying down a napkin on a public bench before sitting on it.
Juxtaposition
[ˌjəkstəpəˈziSH(ə)n] state of being placed side by side or close together
The green building looked even brighter when viewed in juxtaposition to an adjoining one, nearly identical but in a dull beige.
Kindle
[ˈkindl] 1) set on fire 2) inspire (an emotion)
Listening to music kindled her creativity while painting.
Labyrinth
[ˈlab(ə)ˌrinTH] 1) something very intricate or bewildering in structure; 2) place made up of twisting passages and blind alleys
She soon felt lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets in this foreign city.
Meticulous
[məˈtikyələs] excessively careful
Hannah was a meticulous housekeeper and would notice if an item on her kitchen shelves was an inch out of place.
Nefarious
[nəˈferēəs] very wicked
The cat looked to me like it was scheming a nefarious little plan, probably involving a mouse.
Obscure
[əbˈskyo͝or 1) make unclear 2) conceal
Fog obscured his view of the road.
Pragmatic
[praɡˈmadik] concerned with the practical worth or impact of something; dealing with facts
Erin browsed the shop with her friend but was too pragmatic to buy anything she didn’t need.
Quandary
[ˈkwänd(ə)rē] state of perplexity
Faced with so many vending machines and beverage options, Jose was in a quandary over which to choose.
Retract
[rəˈtrakt] 1) take back 2) draw back
The woman accused her neighbor, at first, thinking she recognized his shadowy figure by the fallen body, but she later retracted her accusation.
Somber
[ˈsämbər] 1) dark in color 2) depressing in nature
The fog over the castle ruins created a somber atmosphere.
Trite
[trīt] not fresh or original
After everything she had been through, she felt her friend’s advice to “keep her chin up” sounded trite.
Usurp
[yo͞oˈsərp] seize another’s power, rank, or authority
In the Old Testament, King David’s son Absalom plotted to usurp the throne from his father.
Vacillate
[ˈvasəˌlāt] hesitate in making a choice
The politician seemed to vacillate on the issues, changing his position to please different factions of voters.
Warrant
[ˈwôrənt] 1) give adequate grounds for 2) give a warranty for a product
He was angry about being the brunt of a prank, but that didn’t warrant giving the prankster a sound beating.
Zealot
[ˈzelət] person who shows excessive religious or political fervor
(Note — The word is sometimes used in other contexts where someone can be fanatical.)
Sarah’s roommate did most of the cooking but was a zealot of healthy eating, sometimes going as far as tossing Sarah’s junk food snacks in the trash.