Middle School SAT Vocabulary

List 9

List 9 Words Anomaly Antagonistic Condescending Exasperated Illuminate

LacerationNurturePariah SavantVolatile

Study the definitions, synonyms, & antonyms, and know how to use them in a sentence.

Anomaly

(n) something that is noticeable because it is different from what is usual

The Incredible Hulk’s blood work is an anomaly. We’ve never seen DNA like this before.

Synonyms: irregularity, difference, variance

Antonym: consistency Also: anomalies

Antagonistic (adj) unfriendly; wanting to argue or

disagree My sister is always antagonizing me and

trying to get me to argue with her. Synonyms: hostile, opposed,

incompatible Antonym: friendly Also: antagonizing, antagonist

Condescending (adj) behaving as though you think you

are better, more intelligent, or more important than other people; used to show disapproval

Your condescending attitude makes you look like a snob.

Synonyms: patronizing, disdainful Antonyms: admiring, reverent Also: condescension, condescendingly

Exasperated (adj) very annoyed and upset The mother is completely

exasperated because she has been stuck in the house with three moody toddlers.

Synonyms: infuriated, maddened, frustrated

Antonym: unperturbed Also: exasperate

Illuminate (v) to make a light shine on something or to fill

a place with light; to make something much clearer and easier to understand

Can you illuminate the room with a candle please?

Synonyms: enlighten, explain, inform Antonym: confuse Also: luminary, illumination

Laceration (n) a cut in your skin The swordfight left a laceration on his

forearm. Synonyms: gash, slash Antonyms: n/a Also: lacerate

Nurture (v) to help a plan, idea, feeling,

etc. to develop; to feed and take care of a child or a plant while it’s growing

Nurses who work in the neonatal unit are usually very nurturing and take care of the babies.

Synonyms: cherish, encourage, foster

Antonym: abandon Also: nurturing, nurtured

Pariah (n) someone who everyone hates and

avoids The pariah was exiled from the

community. Synonyms: outsider, recluse, exile Antonym: insider Also: n/a

Savant (n) someone who knows a lot about a subject;

someone who has mental problems and may have lower intelligence than average but who can do one thing very well

They call him an idiot savant because he can name every area code in the U.S. and the state where it is located, but he can’t find his way home.

Synonyms: guru, sage, expert Antonym: ignoramus Also: n/a

Volatile (adj) a situation likely to change suddenly

and without warning; someone who is volatile can become suddenly violent

The students had to wear safety goggles because the chemicals were very volatile.

Synonyms: unstable, unpredictable, explosive

Antonym: docile Also: volatility, volatileness

Assignment-List 9

Using at least five of the words, write a short story about a character who is exiled from his community.

You MUST use them correctly in order to receive credit.

It’s best to choose the words that you need to study.

List 9 Review

Click on each synonym for the correct vocabulary word.

Click on the picture on the word slides to take you back to the review.

List 9 Review

enlighten unstable pompous sage hostile

slash variance infuriated outsider cherish