10 SAT Vocabulary Words in Pictures

And Sample Sentences

I hope this list will be beneficial to you if you are already thinking about and preparing for the verbal section of the SAT. It may perhaps be helpful to intermediate and advanced students studying English as a second or foreign language or those wanting to improve their vocabulary for other reasons. We all learn in different ways, and it might help you remember definitions to have a visual association with the word.

It’s hard to illustrate some more abstract words with a picture alone, but the picture and sample sentence together tell a story.

All vocabulary words and their definitions came from the Barron’s SAT Vocabulary Word flashcards. The sample sentences are my own.

1. Rancor

Photo by Raychan on Unsplash

Rancor — lasting resentment

Mei-li was filled with rancor as she pondered all of the events that had gone wrong in her life lately.

2. Confound

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Confound — throw into confusion or bewilder

Toby was confounded when he discovered his bicycle was not where he had left it.

3. Embellish

Photo by Lou Levit on Unsplash

Embellish — (1) make more beautiful (2) make a story more interesting by adding (generally fictitious) details.

The chessmen were embellished with intricate carvings.

4. Peripheral

Photo by Illumination Marketing on Unsplash

Peripheral — (1) related to the surface or outer part (2) of minor importance

Using his peripheral vision, Jean-Pierre, the French bulldog, watched as the neighbor’s ginger cat, Lola, approached.

5. Inadvertently

Photo from Freestocks on Unsplash

Inadvertently — In a manner exhibiting a lack of attention, unintentionally

While reaching to put the star on the top of the tree, Candace inadvertently knocked her elbow into a ball ornament, causing it to crash to the floor and break.

6. Frugality

Photo from Kevin McCutcheon on Unsplash

Frugality — carefulness in spending money or using resources

Emily was known for her frugality. While friends went out for pizza, she often had a cheap meal of packaged ramen noodles.

7. Obdurate

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathison on Unsplash

Obdurate — (1) stubbornly persistent in resisting persuasion (2) unsympathetic

No matter how his young mistress tugged at his leash, the pug remained obdurate, standing and staring at the hot dog stand across the street.

8. Antagonism

Photo by Morning Brew on Unsplash

Antagonism — active resistance, hostility

After the incident, Amber felt such antagonism towards everyone, she unfriended her entire friend list.

9. Emulate

Photo by Rifqi Ali Ridho on Unsplash

Emulate — attempt to equal or outdo, imitate

She tried to emulate the style of her favorite painters.

10. Lavish

Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

Lavish — occurring or produced in abundance, opulent, luxurious

The host lavished lavish desserts on his guests.

Stay At Home Book Tag

So, I wasn’t tagged exactly, but I saw this idea on Reading with Rendz blog and decided to play along.

RULES

  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • Answer all the questions down below
  • Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx
  • Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about, to do this tag

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading two books actually. I am reading a culinary comical mystery by Michael Bond, Paddington Bear’s writer. This is a series written for adults that I only just discovered. The series is called Monsieur Pamplemousse, and the particular title I’m reading is Monsieur Pamplemousse on Vacation.

I have a Kindle edition of this book. I recently had to accompany my father at his doctor’s appointment at the hospital. I wanted to read in the waiting room but had trouble charging my Kindle overnight. So, I picked up an unread physical book from my shelf, The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It’s a very different book from the other, but I am enjoying it so far. It’s a mystery, a romance and a Gothic novel.

What’s your favorite “can’t leave the house” activity?

I enjoy a lot of “can’t leave the house” activities. The top three would be creative writing, drawing/illustrating and reading. During the pandemic, I’ve been doing a lot of healthy cooking and in-home exercise (mostly some form of dance exercise.) I’ve also been doing a little more with my YouTube channels and would like to do more with filming.

A book you’ve been meaning to read forever

There are probably too many of these, but I looked at my Goodreads “to be read” list for inspiration. I’ll just give one example, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I saw a film version of it. It’s a YA novel about a teen girl who was raped and has difficulty confessing what happened to her. She’s also an artistic teen which I find interesting and relatable.

An intimidating book on your tbr list

I would say that would be War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. At a former job, I was carrying my big, fat physical copy of the book to work every day to read during my lunch break. For some reason, I had to set it aside for some time and then I lost my bookmark and my place in the book. I was about three quarters of the way through it. At this point, so much time has passed that I would need to start at the beginning again.

top 3 priority books on your tbr

I have so many that it’s possible I may change my mind before I get there. I would like to read Ahead of Her Time: An SAT Vocabulary Novel by Erica Abbett. This may seem like an interesting choice, but I am preparing for tutoring. It involves an archaeological dig and time travel. I also recently bought two new Kindle books, one from my Amazon recommendations, Mr. Finchley Discovers His England by Victor Canning. It’s a humorous book from the ’30s and, though the title doesn’t give it away, apparently involves all sorts of adventures and shenanigans and smugglers. I’ve just recently added a book from a blogger I discovered quite a while back, Veronica Brush of Themeless Writing. She has a humorous murder mystery set on Mars, First Grave on Mars. I don’t often venture into sci-fi, but I do occasionally, and I do enjoy humor and mysteries.

Recommend a short book

I did recently read a very short book, Einstein’s Cat by Tom Skinner. It’s a short book of light, humorous verse about Einstein’s cat and different lettuces and galahs on bicycles.

Recommend a long book

A somewhat recent read that was fairly long, 464 pages, is Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzch. It’s a mystery thriller involving an antiquarian book seller who finds an encoded diary of Ludwig II of Bavaria and an art detective.

Something you’d like to do while stuck at home

I think I mentioned several activities already, but I recently bought a Creative Bible with special pages for coloring and decorating verses. It would be nice to spend more time on this.

What do you plan on reading next?

I started to read Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin and interrupted to read another book. I do that sometimes. I plan to finish. Rosie leaves her job as a sous-chef to start a travelling tea shop in a pink campervan.

I tag …

Pam Webb Books, Baking and Blogging Kirstie Ellen Jar Full of Manna Corey Reads