Memory Trick Vocabulary
*this section divides words into groups to help remember meanings*

***DOUBLE PARTS OF SPEECH: some words, depending on context, can be two different parts of speech.

CONSUMMATE (v & adj) = COMPLETE - SUPERB - QUINTESSENTIAL
He CONSUMMATED the deal.
He is the CONSUMMATE professional.

ARTICULATE (v&adj.) = CLEAR - LUCID - UNDERSTANDABLE
I ARTICULATED my point.
I am a highly ARTICULATE speaker.

MANIFEST (v&adj.) = APPARENT - REVEAL - OBSERVABLE
Her feelings MANIFESTED themselves in her expression.
Her feelings were MANIFEST in her expression.

CORRUPT (v&adj.) = DISHONEST - IMPURE - IMMORAL
Power CORRUPTED the innocent ruler.
The CORRUPT dictator was ruled oppressively.

ABSTRACT (v&adj.) = THEORETICAL - CONCEPTUAL - ABSTRUSE
Do not ABSTRACT the truth with vague descriptions.
ABSTRACT modern art depicts ideas rather than objects.

NOTE: On the SAT ABSTRACT is frequently used as a NOUN, in which case it means a "Formal academic document summarizing a particular study."

ADVOCATE (n&v) = SUPPORT - SPEAK IN FAVOR OF - UPHOLD
She ADVOCATES human rights.
She is an ADVOCATE of gun control.

ALLURE (n&v) = ENTICE - FASCINATE - ENTRANCE
Her innate ALLURE drew men in.
He was ALLURED by her beauty and charm.

ATTRIBUTE (n&v) = ASCRIBE - ASSIGN - ASSOCIATE
His best ATTRIBUTES were his good-looks and sharp wit.
He ATTRIBUTED his good looks and sharp wit to his mother.

BALK (n&v) = STOP - REFUSE - HALT
Charles BALKED at the idea of taking the car when he saw there was no gas.
The umpire called a BALK on the baseball pitcher.

BUTTRESS (n&v) = SUPPORT - PROP UP - REINFORCE
The BUTTRESSES support the cathedral.
Plato's theory BUTTRESSED her argument.

CACHE (n&v) = HIDING PLACE - CONCEALED THING - SECTION
The gun's CACHE was out of sight.
The criminal was in haste to CACHE the murder weapon.

CLAMOR (n&v) = UPROAR - DIN - COMMOTION
He CLAMORED for attention.
The CLAMOR among the crowd was overwhelming.

DELUGE (n&v) = FLOOD - INUNDATION - OVERFLOW
The DELUGE of jelly beans nearly drowned her.
Rain waters DELUGED the town.

MUSE (n&v) = MEDITATE - CONTEMPLATE - REFLECT
The writer's MUSE was an elf named Lula.
I MUSED over concepts of time and space.

PURGE (n&v) = CLEANSE - EXPUNGE - CLEAR
The king's PURGE of unloyal subjects was successful.
He PURGED himself of all sins and impurities.

REPRIMAND (n&v) = REPROOF - REPROVAL - REPROACH
The principal's REPRIMAND of the girl left her ashamed.
The principal REPRIMANDED the girl for talking out of turn.

RIDICULE (n&v) = DERISION - MOCKERY - LAMPOON
Her constant RIDICULE is demeaning.
She RIDICULED him for being a slob.

SAW (n&v) = MAXIM - ADAGE - PROVERB
The SAW was an enlightening conclusion to his lecture.
He SAWED the tree.

SHROUD (n&v) = COVER - SHIELD - VEIL
The SHROUD of smoke made for a mysterious ambiance.
He SHROUDED the truth with lies and deception.

TAUNT (n&v) = REPROACH - JEER - CHAFF
The TAUNTS never stopped coming for the little weird girl.
Her classmates always TAUNTED her for being weird.

***OPPOSITES: The following words mean the opposite of what you would think.

APOCRYPHA = FALSE - DUBIOUS - FICTITIOUS
--APOCRYPHA sounds like APOCALYPSE, or a revelation of truth, but that's FALSE.

APPOSITE = APPROPRIATE - GERMANE - RELEVANT
--APPOSITE sounds like an OPPOSITE thing to say, but really it is ESSENTIAL.

AVER = DECLARE - AVOW - PROCLAIM
--AVER is not like AVERSE or opposed; instead think about the word VERIFY.

BENIGHTED = IGNORANT - DIM - DARK
--Being BENIGHTED sounds like an honorable occasion, but really it's just STUPID.

CUPIDITY = AVARICE - GREED - MISERLINESS
--Forget that CUPID is the god of LOVE; he's actually really GREEDY.

CYNOSURE = CENTER OF ATTENTION - CELEBRITY - STAR
-Disregard the CYN which Also begins cynical…..there is no relation.

ENERVATED = WEAKENED - ENFEEBLED - DEBILITATED
--If you're ENERVATED, you might think you're ENERGIZED and INVIGORATED, but that's really WEAK.

GAINSAY = DENY - DISPUTE - DISAVOW
--GAINSAY looks like a positive word, implying that to gainsay would be to endorse or advocate something.

RAZE = DEMOLISH - TEAR DOWN - DESTROY
--RAZE sounds just like RAISE or lift up, but it really DESTROYS like a BLAZE would.

SANGUINE = CHEERFUL - HOPEFUL - UPBEAT
--SANGUINE sounds SAD and SOMBER, but really means HAPPY and OPTIMISTIC.

VOLUBLE = FLUENT - ELOQUENT - TALKATIVE
--Don't be VOLATILE: being described as VOLUBLE is a compliment.

***MNEMONIC: remember these words with certain memory tricks.

ABRIDGE = SHORTEN - CONTRACT - CONDENSE
--Build A BRIDGE and SHORTEN the walk.

ASPERITY = HARSHNESS - SEVERITY - ASCERBIC
-- A rhyme of good reason to remember:
If you treat others with ASPERITY
they'll come back at you with SEVERITY.

CACOPHONY = DISSONANCE - DISCORD - STRIDENCY
--CACOPHONY sounds pretty UGLY like a phlegmy COUGH.

CALLOUS = HARDENED - UNCARING - INSENSITIVE
--Once your feet get CALLOUSES, you could walk on nails without feeling a thing.

CANDID = OPEN - FRANK - SINCERE
--You can't hide anything when you're on CANDID CAMERA!

CANTANKEROUS = IRRITABLE - FEISTY - IRASCIBLE
--If you had a canker sore you would be unhappy, cranky, or cantankerous.

COPIOUS = ABUNDANT - PLENTIFUL - BOUNTIFUL
--When you drink a lot of CUPS you are drinking a COPIUS amount.

DECADENT = DECAYING - WITHERING - WASTED
--Look at the DEC, and you'll see the word DECAYING.

DEMEANOR = CONDUCT - BEHAVIOR - DEPORTMENT
--No one likes a person with a MEAN DEMEANOR.

DISPARATE = DIFFERENT - DISSIMILAR - UNLIKE
--If I have DIS PARROT on one shoulder, and DIS PARROT on the other, they're not the same.
DISPARITY = DIFFERENCE - DISSIMILARITY - DIFFERENCE
--"DISPARROTY" : noun: the state of existence described above.

EGALITARIAN = DEMOCRATIC - EQUAL - PROVIDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
--All the patriotic EAGLES in America get full DEMOCRATIC freedoms.

EMBED = FIX - LOCATE - INSTALL
--Only when you're EMBEDDED IN BED, can you hear your bed-time story.

ENJOIN = COMMAND - ORDER - IMPRESS
--If you ENJOY being in COMMAND, then JOIN the others as their LEADER.

EQUIVOCATE = PREVARICATE - QUIBBLE - LIE
--I VOCALIZE EQUALLY about anything, whether it's true or not.

ESPOUSE = ADVOCATE - EMBRACE - AVOW
--EMBRACE your SPOUSE, and your SPOUSE will EMBRACE you.

FLOUNDER = SINK - FAIL - STUMBLE
-If a FLOUNDER can't swim, you know it'll SINK.

HEADLONG = HEADFOREMOST - QUICKLY - SPEEDILY
--Let your HEAD lead you LONG, and you'll get there QUICKLY.

IMBIBE = DRINK - GULP - SWALLOW
-You need a BIB if you drink too much.

MEANDER = WANDER - RAMBLE - STRAY
--MEOW-NDER away from home, and you'll wind up a STRAY CAT in the streets.

MESMERIZE = ENCHANT - HYPNOTIZE - CAPTIVATE
--Anton MESMER invented hypnotism.

OSCILLATE = VACILLATE - FLUCTUATE - SWING
--another reasonable rhyme to remember:
Let the music, with your hips, OSCILLATE,
And your hips will, with the music, VASCILATE.

PARIAH = SOCIAL OUTCAST - EXILE - EXPATRIATE
--All the fish avoid PIRANNAHS like all the people avoid PARIAHS.

PERSPICACIOUS = PERCEPTIVE - ASTUTE - DISCERNING
--Put on your SPIC-TACLES and alert your snout: you'll be the most PERSPICACIOUS Private Investigator ever.

PERSPICACITY = KEENNESS - ACUTENESS - SHARPNESS
_You have to be SMART, SHARP, or KEEN to use the word.

PIQUANT = SPICY - LIVELY - TART
--A PIQUANT food causes your taste buds to reach their PEAK.

PIQUE = IRRITATE - EXCITE - ATTRACT
--You interest or temper reaches its PEAK when someone PIQUES you.

PROLIFIC = FERTILE - PRODUCTIVE - ABUNDANT
--If you're PRO-LIFE, you want FERTILITY to abound.

PSEUDONYM = FICTITIOUS NAME - NICKNAME - ALIAS
--NYM stands for name and a PSUEDO name would be a false one.

PURBLIND = STUPID - DENSE - SLOW
--If you walk around BLIND to the world, you'll be pretty DENSE about the goings-on.

QUIXOTIC = VISIONARY - FANCIFUL - IDEALISTIC
--The world of the QUIXOTIC can be quite QUIZZICAL and EXOTIC.
--The gallant DON QUIXOTE was the most QUIXOTIC of all.

RAUCOUS = STRIDENT - SHRILL - NOISY
--Bark the word RAUCOUS like it should be barked, and you'll hear quite the NOISY and HARSH sound.

SOPORIFIC = SLEEP INDUCING - SOMNIFEROUS - DROWSY
--Warm SOUP before bed is a TERRIFIC way to fall asleep.

STATELY = AUGUST - DIGNIFIED - DISTINGUISHED
--Representatives of the STATES are quite DISTINGUISHED and STATELY Americans.

STUPEFACTION = STUPOR - AMAZEMENT - ASTONISHMENT
--People who are a little bit STUPID can find themselves in STUPEFACTION over almost anything.

TESTY = IRASCIBLE - SURLY - IRRITABLE
--Taking too many TESTS can make one slightly TESTY.

UNDERMINE = SUBVERT - IMPAIR -SABOTAGE
--Watch what you MINE UNDER, because you just might SABOTAGE something valuable.

VACUOUS = EMPTY - IDLE - VOID
--Sometimes the VACUUM can just suck life right out of a person.

WINSOME = PLEASING - ENGAGING - DELIGHTFUL
--You'll be an absolutely DELIGHTFUL person if you would just WIN SOME games.