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nurture (v.) to assist the development of (Although Serena had never watered the plant,
which was about to die, Javier was able to nurture it back to life.)
O
obdurate (adj.) unyielding to persuasion or moral influences (The obdurate old man
refused to take pity on the kittens.)
obfuscate (v.) to render incomprehensible (The detective did want to answer the
newspaperman s questions, so he obfuscated the truth.)
SAT Vocabulary
O
oblique (adj.) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward (Martin s
oblique language confused those who listened to him.)
oblivious (adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something (Oblivious to the
burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in
the oven were burned until much too late.)
obscure (adj.) unclear, partially hidden (Because he was standing in the shadows, his
features were obscure.)
obsequious (adj.) excessively compliant or submissive (Mark acted like Janet s servant,
obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.)
obsolete (adj.) no longer used, out of date (With the inventions of tape decks and CDs,
which both have better sound and are easier to use, eight-track players are now
entirely obsolete.)
obstinate (adj.) not yielding easily, stubborn (The obstinate child refused to leave the
store until his mother bought him a candy bar.)
obstreperous (adj.) noisy, unruly (Billy s obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian
to ask him to leave the reading room.)
obtuse (adj.) lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect (Political opponents warned
that the prime minister s obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation
in mindless war.)
odious (adj.) instilling hatred or intense displeasure (Mark was assigned the odious task
of cleaning the cat s litter box.)
officious (adj.) offering one s services when they are neither wanted nor needed
(Brenda resented Allan s officious behavior when he selected colors that might best
improve her artwork.)
ominous (adj.) foreboding or foreshadowing evil (The fortuneteller s ominous words
flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley.)
onerous (adj.) burdensome (My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a
beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the onerous mortgage payments.)
opulent (adj.) characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation (The opulent
furnishings of the dictator s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager
accommodations of her subjects.)
SAT Vocabulary
P
oration (n.) a speech delivered in a formal or ceremonious manner (The prime minister
was visibly shaken when the unruly parliament interrupted his oration about failed
domestic policies.)
ornate (adj.) highly elaborate, excessively decorated (The ornate styling of the new
model of luxury car could not compensate for the poor quality of its motor.)
orthodox (adj.) conventional, conforming to established protocol (The company s
profits dwindled because the management pursued orthodox business policies that
were incompatible with new industrial trends.)
oscillate (v.) to sway from one side to the other (My uncle oscillated between buying a
station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood
fantasies.)
ostensible (adj.) appearing as such, seemingly (Jack s ostensible reason for driving was
that airfare was too expensive, but in reality, he was afraid of flying.)
ostentatious (adj.) excessively showy, glitzy (On the palace tour, the guide focused on
the ostentatious decorations and spoke little of the royal family s history.)
ostracism (n.) exclusion from a group (Beth risked ostracism if her roommates
discovered her flatulence.)
P
pacific (adj.) soothing (The chemistry professor s pacific demeanor helped the class
remain calm after the experiment exploded.)
palatable (adj.) agreeable to the taste or sensibilities (Despite the unpleasant smell, the
exotic cheese was quite palatable.)
palette (adj.) a range of colors or qualities (The palette of colors utilized in the painting
was equaled only by the range of intense emotions the piece evoked.)
palliate (v.) to reduce the severity of (The doctor trusted that the new medication
would palliate her patient s discomfort.)
pallid (adj.) lacking color (Dr. Van Helsing feared that Lucy s pallid complexion was
due to an unexplained loss of blood.)
panacea (n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there was a single panacea
for every disease, but sadly there is not.)
paradigm (n.) an example that is a perfect pattern or model (Because the new SUV was
so popular, it became the paradigm upon which all others were modeled.)
SAT Vocabulary
P
paradox (n.) an apparently contradictory statement that is perhaps true (The diplomat
refused to acknowledge the paradox that negotiating a peace treaty would demand
more resources than waging war.)
paragon (n.) a model of excellence or perfection (The mythical Helen of Troy was
considered a paragon of female beauty.)
paramount (adj.) greatest in importance, rank, character (It was paramount that the
bomb squad disconnect the blue wire before removing the fuse.)
pariah (n.) an outcast (Following the discovery of his plagiarism, Professor Hurley was
made a pariah in all academic circles.)
parody (n.) a satirical imitation (A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher
returned to find Deborah acting out a parody of his teaching style.)
parsimony (n.) frugality, stinginess (Many relatives believed that my aunt s wealth
resulted from her parsimony.)
partisan (n.) a follower, adherent (The king did not believe that his rival could round up
enough partisans to overthrow the monarchy.)
patent (adj.) readily seen or understood, clear (The reason for Jim s abdominal pain
was made patent after the doctor performed a sonogram.)
pathology (n.) a deviation from the normal (Dr. Hastings had difficulty identifying the
precise nature of Brian s pathology.)
pathos (n.) an emotion of sympathy (Martha filled with pathos upon discovering the
scrawny, shivering kitten at her door.)
paucity (adj.) small in quantity (Gilbert lamented the paucity of twentieth century
literature courses available at the college.)
pejorative (adj.) derogatory, uncomplimentary (The evening s headline news covered
an international scandal caused by a pejorative statement the famous senator had
made in reference to a foreign leader.)
pellucid (adj.) easily intelligible, clear (Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common
man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The
Stranger.)
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