11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Eleven

1. Autonomy n. self-rule; independence

Parents should grant their children autonomy once they get into high school.

2. Indolence n. laziness

Indolence is the worst disease a person can have; lazy people are rarely successful.

3. Ponderous adj. weighty; heavy

Big decisions in life, like what college to go to and who to marry, are very ponderous issues.

4. Coffer n. a strong box; a treasury

She kept her valuables in a locked coffer behind her dresser where no one would find it.

5. Surmount v. to overcome; conquer

He was able to surmount all the limitations of his handicap and function normally in life.

6.  Resplendent adj. dazzling; brilliant

The cubic zirconia necklace was resplendent in its appearance; it shone like real diamonds.

7. Precocious adj. premature; unusually early development

The precocious child amazed us with his intelligence, making it hard to believe he was only eight.

8. Renounce v. to reject or disown; to give up

I renounced all forms of caffeine on New Years Day, including coffee and soda.

9. Synchronize v. to be simultaneous; to operate in unison

The synchronized swimmers were amazing; they kept perfect time with each other.

10. Inadvertent adj. not attentive; marked by lack of care

He was inadvertent in the feeding of his goldfish, which led them to die of starvation.

11. Pontificate v. to express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic (stubborn/arrogant) way

My dad has a tendency to pontificate when he lectures us on the subject of morality and values.

12. Ungainly adj. clumsy; lacking in grace of movement

Ballerinas are not ungainly creatures; they must be light on their toes and graceful by nature.

13. Disparity n. unlikeness; incongruity

There was a disparity in the color of their hair, even though they were twins and both red heads.

14. Urbane adj. polite, refined and often elegant in manner

Mother insisted that we be raised with urbane manners, so as not to embarrass her public.

15. Bastion n. fortress; a strong hold

It will take a bastion to keep that boy-crazy, teenage girl away from the opposite sex.