Practice quiz · by a Quizcard user

SAT Vocabulary: 40 High-Frequency Words — quiz

24 multiple-choice questions covering scrutinize, substantiate, tenacious, undermine, versatile. One answer each; you get a score at the end and the explanation for every question. No account needed.

Updated 2026-10-24. Keys 1–4 pick an answer, Enter moves on. Redo it any time, in order or shuffled.

The questions

Answers and explanations are shown after you finish.

1. scrutinize

   An editor rereads every line of a manuscript multiple times, hunting for even the smallest error before publication. Which verb best describes this behavior?

   • Mitigate
   • Reconcile
   • Undermine
   • Scrutinize
2. substantiate

   A scientist announces a bold claim but offers no data, experiments, or evidence to back it up. Critics say the claim has not been ___.

   • Prudent
   • Obsolete
   • Conspicuous
   • Substantiated
3. tenacious

   A reporter keeps digging for a story for months, refusing to quit even after being turned down dozens of times. Which word fits her best?

   • Ambivalent
   • Skeptical
   • Tenacious
   • Impartial
4. undermine

   After false rumors spread about an employee's work ethic, her coworkers begin to trust her far less. What has happened to her reputation?

   • It was refuted.
   • It was mitigated.
   • It was substantiated.
   • It was undermined.
5. versatile

   A single tool can function as a screwdriver, a hammer, and a wrench depending on how it's used. Which word best describes this tool?

   • Superfluous
   • Viable
   • Versatile
   • Frugal
6. viable

   Investors are deciding whether a new startup's business plan could realistically succeed and generate profit. They are evaluating whether it is ___.

   • Superfluous
   • Capricious
   • Viable
   • Hypothetical
7. obsolete

   A once-common piece of technology has been completely replaced and is no longer used by anyone. Which word describes it?

   • Unprecedented
   • Prevalent
   • Obsolete
   • Novel
8. pragmatic

   A manager rejects abstract theories and instead focuses only on solutions that will realistically work in the office. This manager is being ___.

   • Benevolent
   • Capricious
   • Pragmatic
   • Zealous
9. prevalent

   Surveys show that nearly every teenager in the country owns a smartphone. This usage pattern can be described as ___ among teens.

   • Inevitable
   • Prevalent
   • Conspicuous
   • Obsolete
10. prudent

    Before signing a major contract, a lawyer carefully reviews every clause to avoid any future legal risk. This careful, cautious behavior reflects which trait?

    • Prudent
    • Candid
    • Capricious
    • Zealous
11. reconcile

    After decades of conflict, two neighboring nations finally sign a treaty and restore friendly relations. What have they done?

    • Exacerbated
    • Deterred
    • Enervated
    • Reconciled
12. refute

    In a debate, one speaker presents strong counter-evidence that completely disproves her opponent's main argument. What did she do to the argument?

    • Mitigated it
    • Substantiated it
    • Reconciled it
    • Refuted it
13. mitigate

    A coastal city builds a seawall specifically to reduce the severity of flood damage during major storms. This construction is meant to ___ the damage.

    • Undermine
    • Mitigate
    • Exacerbate
    • Enervate
14. exacerbate

    Ignoring a small disagreement between two coworkers allowed it to grow into a major, office-wide dispute. The neglect ___ the conflict.

    • Reconciled
    • Mitigated
    • Exacerbated
    • Abated
15. fastidious

    A chef insists that every plate be arranged with exact precision and rejects any dish with even a minor flaw. This chef is best described as ___.

    • Ambivalent
    • Fastidious
    • Frugal
    • Candid
16. hypothetical

    In a philosophy class, students are asked to imagine a scenario that isn't real just to explore how they would respond to it. This kind of scenario is called ___.

    • Hypothetical
    • Prevalent
    • Inevitable
    • Empirical
17. impartial

    A judge presiding over a trial shows no favoritism toward either the defense or the prosecution. The judge is acting ___.

    • Diligent
    • Skeptical
    • Impartial
    • Zealous
18. lucid

    A professor explains a difficult scientific concept so clearly that every student in the room understands it immediately. The explanation is ___.

    • Lucid
    • Provocative
    • Superfluous
    • Capricious
19. ambivalent

    Someone feels both thrilled and anxious about accepting a job offer in a new country, unable to decide how she truly feels. This mix of emotions is called ___.

    • Diligent
    • Ambivalent
    • Benevolent
    • Resilient
20. candid

    A friend gives you a blunt, honest opinion about your business plan instead of softening the truth. This friend is being ___.

    • Superfluous
    • Candid
    • Conspicuous
    • Capricious
21. capricious

    A manager changes the office dress code, lunch policy, and work hours every week without warning, leaving employees unable to predict what comes next. This manager is ___.

    • Meticulous
    • Capricious
    • Resilient
    • Prudent
22. conspicuous

    Wearing a bright neon jacket while everyone else wears gray and black coats would make a person ___ in the crowd.

    • Zealous
    • Versatile
    • Conspicuous
    • Candid
23. diligent

    A student reviews class notes every single night and completes every assignment carefully, even when exhausted. This consistent work ethic shows the student is ___.

    • Zealous
    • Frugal
    • Diligent
    • Impartial
24. disparity

    City data shows that residents in one neighborhood live twenty years longer on average than residents in a neighborhood just a few miles away. This gap is an example of a health ___.

    • Zeal
    • Resilience
    • Candor
    • Disparity