SAT Vocabulary

#401

obtuse

Adjective

Example sentences

1. He was too obtuse to understand the simple hint.
2. The student gave an obtuse answer.
3. The film's main character is stubborn and obtuse.

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#402

onerous

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The new rules placed an onerous burden on small businesses.
2. Caring for the large house became onerous.
3. The loan has onerous conditions.

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#403

opaque

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The bathroom window is opaque, so people cannot see through it.
2. The company's decision-making process was opaque.
3. His explanation was so opaque that I learned nothing.

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#404

ostensible

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The ostensible reason for the trip was business.
2. Her ostensible concern did not seem sincere.
3. The project's ostensible goal was to help local farmers.

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#405

ostentatious

Adjective

Example sentences

1. He wore an ostentatious gold watch.
2. The house was large and ostentatious.
3. She prefers simple clothes to ostentatious designs.

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#406

palpable

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The tension in the room was palpable.
2. Her excitement was almost palpable.
3. There was a palpable sense of relief after the news.

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#407

panacea

Noun

Example sentences

1. Technology is not a panacea for every problem.
2. Some people treat exercise as a panacea for all health issues.
3. There is no single panacea for poverty.

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#408

paucity

Noun

Example sentences

1. A paucity of evidence weakened the case.
2. The region has a paucity of doctors.
3. The book suffers from a paucity of useful examples.

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#409

pedantic

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The teacher became pedantic about small grammar rules.
2. His pedantic comments slowed the discussion.
3. The book is informative without being pedantic.

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#410

pejorative

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The term is often used in a pejorative way.
2. Avoid pejorative language when discussing other groups.
3. She objected to the pejorative description.

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#411

penchant

Noun

Example sentences

1. He has a penchant for spicy food.
2. She has a penchant for asking difficult questions.
3. The child showed a penchant for drawing.

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#412

perfunctory

Adjective

Example sentences

1. He gave the document a perfunctory review.
2. Her apology sounded perfunctory and insincere.
3. The guard made only a perfunctory check.

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#413

pernicious

Adjective

Example sentences

1. False rumors can have a pernicious effect.
2. The law had pernicious results for poor families.
3. Smoking is a pernicious habit.

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#414

perspicacious

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The perspicacious student quickly understood the hidden problem.
2. Her perspicacious comments improved the plan.
3. A perspicacious leader notices risks early.

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#415

pervasive

Adjective

Example sentences

1. The smell of smoke was pervasive.
2. Mobile technology has a pervasive influence on daily life.
3. Fear became pervasive throughout the town.

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#416

pithy

Adjective

Example sentences

1. She gave a pithy and memorable answer.
2. The article is short, pithy, and clear.
3. He is known for his pithy comments.

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#417

placate

Verb

Example sentences

1. The manager offered a refund to placate the customer.
2. She tried to placate the crying child.
3. The promise did not placate the angry workers.

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#418

plethora

Noun

Example sentences

1. The website offers a plethora of learning materials.
2. We had a plethora of choices.
3. The market sells a plethora of fresh fruits.

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#419

polemic

Noun

Example sentences

1. He wrote a polemic against the new law.
2. The article is more of a polemic than a balanced report.
3. Her speech became a strong political polemic.

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#420

postulate

Verb

Example sentences

1. Scientists postulate that the planet once had water.
2. Let us postulate that the figures are correct.
3. The theory postulates a connection between stress and sleep.

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