AP SAT Vocabulary Week #8
Example Sentence Pattern: (introductory series of appositives)
Gluttony, lust, envy – which is the worst sin?
The depressed, the stressed, the lonely – all have trouble coping with problems.
Mickey, Donald, Goofy – these mean Disneyland to children.
Hawaiians, Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese – these ethnic groups contribute to Hawaii’s diverse population.
Note – You must include a summary word to group your series – all, those, this, many, each, which, what, these,
something, someone, such. Then proceed with the subject/verb of the main clause.
Word
Definition
Example Sentence
Original Sentence
My mother began to admonish
1. Admonish
To caution or reprimand
me about my poor grades.
2. Aggrandize
To make larger or
greater in power
3. Baleful
Harmful, with evil
intentions
4. Banter
Playful conversation
5. Brusque
Rough and abrupt in
manner
6. Chary
Watchful, cautious,
extremely shy
7. Conjecture
Speculation, prediction
8. Daunt
To discourage,
intimidate
The eligible young man’s cheerful
banter was misinterpreted as
flirtation by the woman who
adored him.
The bank teller’s brusque
treatment of his customers soon
evoked several complaints.
Mindful of the fate of the Titanic,
the captain was chary of
navigating the iceberg-filled sea.
The actor refused to comment,
forcing gossip columnists to
make conjectures on his love life.
She was daunted by the enormity
of the task before her.
9. Emollient
Having soothing
qualities, especially for
skin
After using the emollient lotion for
a couple of weeks, Donna’s skin
changed from scaly to smooth.
10. Epitome
Representative of an
entire group; summary
11. Farcical
Absurd, ludicrous
12. Gargantuan
Giant, tremendous
The host was the epitome of
graciousness, making all of his
guests feel perfectly comfortable.
“The idea that I would burn down
my own house is completely
farcical,” sneered the arson
suspect.
Cleaning a teenager’s room can
often be a gargantuan task.
13. Impervious
Impossible to penetrate;
incapable of being
affected
Shining brightly
14. Incandescent
All the millionaire really wanted
was to aggrandize his personal
wealth as much as possible.
The sullen teenager gave his
nagging mother a baleful look.
A good raincoat should be
impervious to moisture.
The moon had an incandescent
glow on that romantic night we
met.
Theresa seemed indefatigable,
barely sweating after a 10-mile
run.
Her indolent ways got her fired
from many jobs.
15. Indefatigable
Never tired
16. Indolent
Habitually lazy, idle
17. Lapidary
Relating to precious
stones
18. Limpid
Clear, transparent
19. Lionize
To treat as a celebrity
20. Mettle
Courageousness;
endurance
21. Obtrusive
Pushy, too conspicuous
22. Pall (n.)
Covering that darkens or
obscures; coffin
A pall fell over the landscape as
the clouds obscured the moon in
the night sky.
23. Paradigm
Ideal example, model
24. Refectory
Room where meals are
served
The ribs restaurant owner used
McDonald’s as a paradigm for the
expansion of his business.
The students rushed down to the
refectory for their evening meal.
25. Resplendent
Splendid, brilliant
“The ring is of no lapidary value;
you could buy it at any cheap
department store,” sneered the
jeweler.
Shelley could see all the way to
the bottom through the pond’s
limpid water.
After the success of his novel, the
author was lionized by the press.
The helicopter pilot showed her
mettle as she landed in the
battlefield to rescue the wounded
soldiers.
I think that huge portrait of
yourself that you hung in the hall
is a bit obtrusive, don’t you?
The bride looked resplendent in
her long train and sparkling tiara.