Vocabulary

HSPT word list

240 words at the level the test uses, drawn from our own practice questions. Each has a short meaning, a charge mark, and a sentence. The charge is the fastest thing to memorize: + is positive, − is negative, ○ is neutral. On a synonym or antonym item, the charge alone often eliminates two choices.

A

abateverb○: to become less strong; By evening the wind had abated and the boats went out.
abhorverb−: to hate deeply; She abhors cruelty to animals of any kind.
abruptadjective−: sudden and unexpected; curt; The meeting came to an abrupt end when the alarm sounded.
abstainverb○: to choose not to do something; Three members abstained from the vote.
abundantadjective+: present in large amounts; Rain was abundant that spring, and the fields turned green early.
acclaimnoun+: enthusiastic public praise; The novel won wide acclaim.
adamantadjective○: refusing to change one's mind; He was adamant that the trip should leave at dawn.
adeptadjective+: highly skilled; An adept mechanic found the problem in five minutes.
admonishverb−: to warn or scold gently; The librarian admonished the boys for shouting.
adversarynoun−: an opponent; The chess champion respected her adversary but did not fear him.
adverseadjective−: harmful or unfavorable; Adverse weather kept the planes on the ground.
affableadjective+: friendly and easy to talk to; The affable coach greeted every parent by name.
agileadjective+: able to move quickly and easily; The agile goalkeeper reached the corner of the net in time.
alleviateverb+: to make a problem less severe; An ice pack alleviated the swelling in his ankle.
aloofadjective−: distant and uninvolved; The new student seemed aloof, but she was only shy.
altruisticadjective+: unselfishly concerned for others; Her altruistic decision to donate the prize surprised everyone.
ambiguousadjective−: open to more than one meaning; The ambiguous instructions left half the class confused.
ambivalentadjective○: having mixed feelings; He felt ambivalent about moving: excited, but sad to leave friends.
amiableadjective+: friendly and pleasant; An amiable clerk helped us find the right size.
ampleadjective+: more than enough; There was ample time to finish before the bell.
anecdotenoun○: a short, interesting story; He opened the speech with an anecdote about his dog.
animositynoun−: strong dislike or hostility; Years of animosity between the rivals ended with a handshake.
apatheticadjective−: showing no interest or concern; An apathetic crowd barely clapped when the game ended.
apexnoun○: the highest point; The climbers reached the apex at noon.
apprehensiveadjective−: anxious about what may happen; She was apprehensive before her first solo performance.
arbitraryadjective−: based on whim rather than reason; The rule seemed arbitrary, since no one could explain it.
archaicadjective○: very old or old-fashioned; The letter used archaic spellings like 'olde.'
ardentadjective+: full of passion or enthusiasm; An ardent fan, he never missed a home game.
arduousadjective−: requiring great effort; The arduous climb took most of the day.
aridadjective○: very dry; Few plants survive in the arid stretch beyond the hills.
aspireverb+: to aim for a goal; She aspires to become a surgeon.
assiduousadjective+: showing steady, careful effort; Assiduous practice turned a weak free throw into a reliable one.
astuteadjective+: quick to see and understand; An astute reader noticed the clue in the first chapter.
audaciousadjective○: boldly daring; The audacious plan called for crossing the river at night.
austereadjective○: severely plain; strict; The monks lived in austere rooms with a bed and a table.
authenticadjective+: genuine, real; The museum confirmed the coin was authentic.
avertverb○: to turn away or prevent; A quick swerve averted the collision.

B

banaladjective−: dull from overuse; The speech was full of banal phrases everyone had heard before.
belittleverb−: to make seem unimportant; Do not belittle a small improvement; it is still progress.
belligerentadjective−: eager to fight; aggressive; A belligerent fan was escorted out.
benevolentadjective+: kind and generous; A benevolent neighbor paid for the team's new uniforms.
benignadjective+: gentle; not harmful; The doctor said the lump was benign and nothing to fear.
biasedadjective−: unfairly favoring one side; A biased referee is worse than a careless one.
blatantadjective−: obvious, in an offensive way; The blatant foul drew a red card.
boisterousadjective○: noisy and lively; A boisterous crowd filled the gym.
bolsterverb+: to support or strengthen; The win bolstered the team's confidence before the finals.
brevitynoun○: shortness in time or words; The brevity of his answer surprised the interviewer.
brusqueadjective−: abrupt in manner; blunt; Her brusque reply ended the conversation.

C

candidadjective+: honest and direct; He gave a candid account of what went wrong.
capriciousadjective−: changing suddenly without reason; Capricious weather ruined two picnics in one week.
cautiousadjective○: careful to avoid danger; A cautious driver slows down long before the curve.
censureverb−: to criticize severely and formally; The council censured the member for missing every meeting.
chronicadjective−: lasting a long time; recurring; His chronic lateness finally cost him the job.
circumspectadjective+: careful to consider all risks; Be circumspect about sharing details online.
clandestineadjective−: kept secret; The clandestine meeting was held after dark.
claritynoun+: the quality of being clear; The clarity of the map made the hike easy to follow.
coerceverb−: to force by pressure or threats; No one should be coerced into signing a contract.
coherentadjective+: logical and clearly connected; Her essay was coherent from the first sentence to the last.
compelverb○: to force; Bad weather compelled the pilot to land early.
complacentadjective−: smugly satisfied; not trying harder; A complacent champion is easy to beat.
conciseadjective+: saying much in few words; A concise summary fits on one index card.
concurverb○: to agree; Both doctors concurred with the diagnosis.
condoneverb−: to overlook or accept wrongdoing; The school does not condone cheating in any form.
congenialadjective+: pleasant and agreeable; The cabin had a congenial atmosphere after dinner.
conspicuousadjective○: easily seen; standing out; A conspicuous red hat made him easy to find in the crowd.
contriteadjective○: feeling sorry for wrongdoing; The contrite boy offered to repair the broken fence.
conundrumnoun○: a confusing problem; How to fit five people in a four-seat car was a conundrum.
conventionaladjective○: following accepted customs; She chose a conventional design over a daring one.
copiousadjective+: plentiful, in large amounts; He took copious notes during the lecture.
cordialadjective+: warm and friendly; The two coaches exchanged a cordial greeting.
counterfeitadjective−: fake, made to deceive; The counterfeit bill felt too smooth.
cunningadjective−: clever in a sly way; A cunning fox slipped past the dogs.
cursoryadjective−: quick and not thorough; A cursory glance at the map was not enough.
cynicaladjective−: believing people act only from self-interest; A cynical fan assumed the referee had been paid.

D

debilitatingadjective−: causing weakness; A debilitating illness kept her out of school for a month.
decipherverb○: to work out the meaning of; It took an hour to decipher his handwriting.
decisiveadjective+: settling a matter; firm in deciding; A decisive goal in the last minute won the match.
deferverb○: to put off; to yield to another; They deferred the decision until the full committee could meet.
deficientadjective−: lacking something needed; The diet was deficient in iron.
depleteverb−: to use up; The long drought depleted the reservoir.
despondentadjective−: deeply discouraged; He felt despondent after the third rejection letter.
deterverb○: to discourage from acting; A locked gate deters most trespassers.
detrimentaladjective−: causing harm; Skipping breakfast is detrimental to concentration.
deviousadjective−: sneaky and dishonest; A devious plan to skip the test backfired.
dilapidatedadjective−: falling apart from neglect; A dilapidated barn leaned toward the road.
diligentadjective+: working carefully and steadily; A diligent student checks every answer twice.
diminishverb○: to make or become smaller; Interest in the club diminished after the founder left.
discernverb+: to see or understand clearly; In the fog we could barely discern the shore.
disdainnoun−: the feeling that something is unworthy; He looked at the messy desk with disdain.
disheveledadjective−: messy, untidy; He arrived disheveled after running from the bus.
dismaladjective−: gloomy; very poor; A dismal score sent the team back to practice.
disparageverb−: to speak of as having little worth; It is easy to disparage a plan you did not write.
divulgeverb○: to reveal a secret; She would not divulge the surprise.
docileadjective○: easily led or taught; quiet; The docile puppy sat the first time it was asked.
dormantadjective○: inactive, as if asleep; The volcano has been dormant for centuries.
dubiousadjective−: doubtful; of uncertain quality; The dubious claim had no evidence behind it.
durableadjective+: able to last a long time; Durable boots are worth the extra cost.

E

eccentricadjective○: unusual in an odd way; The eccentric inventor kept a goat in his office.
elatedadjective+: extremely happy; She was elated when the acceptance letter arrived.
eloquentadjective+: speaking or writing with grace and force; An eloquent speech moved the audience.
elusiveadjective○: hard to find or catch; The elusive fox was seen only at dusk.
eminentadjective+: famous and respected; An eminent scientist opened the new lab.
emulateverb+: to imitate in order to match; Young players emulate the stars they watch on television.
enigmanoun○: a puzzle or mystery; The missing key remained an enigma all week.
ephemeraladjective○: lasting a very short time; Fame in a viral video is ephemeral.
erraticadjective−: irregular and unpredictable; His erratic driving worried the passengers.
evasiveadjective−: avoiding a direct answer; The evasive reply made the teacher more suspicious.
exemplaryadjective+: serving as a model of excellence; Her exemplary attendance earned an award.
explicitadjective○: stated clearly and in detail; The explicit directions listed every turn.
exuberantadjective+: full of energy and excitement; Exuberant fans chanted through the rain.

F

fallacynoun−: a mistaken belief or faulty argument; It is a fallacy that heavier objects always fall faster.
feasibleadjective+: possible to do; Finishing by Friday is feasible if we start today.
feebleadjective−: weak; A feeble excuse convinced no one.
feignverb−: to pretend; He feigned surprise at the party he had planned himself.
fickleadjective−: changing loyalties or moods often; Fickle fans cheered one week and booed the next.
flimsyadjective−: weak and easily broken; The flimsy tent collapsed in the first gust.
forageverb○: to search for food; Deer forage along the edge of the woods at dawn.
formidableadjective○: inspiring fear or respect through strength; The defending champions were a formidable opponent.
fortitudenoun+: courage in facing difficulty; It took fortitude to finish the race with a sprained ankle.
frivolousadjective−: not serious; silly; A frivolous complaint wasted the committee's time.
frugaladjective+: careful not to waste money; A frugal shopper waits for the sale.
furtiveadjective−: secretive and sly; A furtive glance at the answer key was noticed at once.
futileadjective−: having no useful result; Arguing with the umpire proved futile.

G

gauntadjective−: very thin and bony; The gaunt stray dog had not eaten in days.
genuineadjective+: real; sincere; Her genuine apology repaired the friendship.
gregariousadjective+: fond of company; sociable; A gregarious host makes sure no guest stands alone.
gullibleadjective−: easily fooled; A gullible buyer paid twice the real price.

H

hamperverb−: to hold back or hinder; Heavy snow hampered the rescue effort.
haughtyadjective−: proud in a scornful way; The haughty prince refused to speak to the servants.
hinderverb−: to get in the way of; Loose gravel hindered the runners.
hoaxnoun−: a trick meant to deceive; The photo of the monster turned out to be a hoax.
hostileadjective−: unfriendly; showing opposition; The hostile crowd booed the visiting team.

I

immaculateadjective+: perfectly clean or without fault; The kitchen was immaculate after the inspection.
impartialadjective+: treating all sides equally; An impartial judge does not favor either lawyer.
impedeverb−: to slow down or block progress; A fallen tree impeded traffic for an hour.
impetuousadjective−: acting quickly without thought; An impetuous decision to quit left him with no plan.
incessantadjective−: never stopping; The incessant drip kept him awake.
indifferentadjective−: having no interest either way; He was indifferent to which movie they chose.
indignantadjective−: angry at unfair treatment; She was indignant at being blamed for a mistake she did not make.
indolentadjective−: lazy; The indolent cat moved only when the sun did.
industriousadjective+: hardworking; Industrious ants built the mound in a single week.
ineptadjective−: clumsy; lacking skill; An inept repair left the faucet dripping faster.
inferverb○: to conclude from evidence; From the wet streets we inferred it had rained.
innovativeadjective+: introducing new ideas; An innovative design cut the bridge's cost in half.
insolentadjective−: rude and disrespectful; The insolent remark earned a detention.
intrepidadjective+: fearless; Intrepid explorers crossed the ice field on foot.
irateadjective−: very angry; An irate customer demanded to see the manager.

J

jovialadjective+: cheerful and good-humored; The jovial bus driver sang on the way to school.
jubilantadjective+: showing great joy; Jubilant fans poured onto the field.

L

laboriousadjective−: requiring much hard work; Sorting the archive by hand was laborious.
lamentverb−: to express deep sorrow; The town lamented the loss of its oldest tree.
lavishadjective○: generous or extravagant; A lavish feast covered three tables.
lenientadjective+: not strict; merciful; A lenient teacher accepted the late homework.
lethargicadjective−: sluggish; lacking energy; The heat left everyone lethargic by noon.
listlessadjective−: without energy or interest; A listless puppy may be sick.
lucidadjective+: clear and easy to understand; Her lucid explanation made the formula obvious.

M

maliciousadjective−: intending to do harm; A malicious rumor spread through the school.
meageradjective−: small in amount; barely enough; The meager harvest would not last the winter.
melancholyadjective−: sad and thoughtful; A melancholy tune drifted from the porch.
meticulousadjective+: extremely careful about details; A meticulous inspection found the hairline crack.
mitigateverb+: to make less severe; Sandbags mitigated the flood damage.
moroseadjective−: gloomy and sullen; He grew morose after the team lost the final.
mundaneadjective○: ordinary; dull; Washing dishes is a mundane but necessary chore.

N

nimbleadjective+: quick and light in movement; Nimble fingers finished the knot in seconds.
nonchalantadjective○: calmly unconcerned; He gave a nonchalant shrug when asked about the score.
notoriousadjective−: famous for something bad; The notorious pirate was captured at last.
novicenoun○: a beginner; Even a novice swimmer can float on her back.

O

obscureadjective○: not clear; little known; The poem's meaning stayed obscure after three readings.
obsoleteadjective○: no longer in use; Floppy disks are obsolete.
obstinateadjective−: stubbornly refusing to change; The obstinate mule would not cross the bridge.
ominousadjective−: suggesting that something bad will happen; Ominous clouds gathered over the stadium.
opaqueadjective○: not letting light through; hard to understand; The opaque window kept the room private.
ostentatiousadjective−: showy, meant to impress; An ostentatious gold watch drew stares.

P

pacifyverb+: to calm or soothe; A bottle pacified the crying baby.
perilousadjective−: full of danger; The perilous trail was closed after the rockslide.
pertinentadjective○: relevant to the matter at hand; Only pertinent questions were allowed at the hearing.
placateverb+: to make someone less angry; A refund placated the frustrated customer.
placidadjective+: calm and peaceful; The placid lake mirrored the mountains.
plausibleadjective○: seeming reasonable or likely; His story was plausible, so the coach believed it.
pompousadjective−: self-important; A pompous speech bored the graduates.
pragmaticadjective+: practical rather than idealistic; A pragmatic plan used the tools we already had.
precariousadjective−: not securely held; risky; The vase sat in a precarious spot on the shelf edge.
predicamentnoun−: a difficult situation; Missing the last bus left them in a predicament.
prevalentadjective○: widespread; Colds are prevalent in late winter.
proficientadjective+: skilled and competent; She is proficient in three languages.
prosperousadjective+: successful and wealthy; A prosperous town built a new library.
prudentadjective+: showing care and good judgment; It was prudent to pack a raincoat.
punctualadjective+: on time; The punctual bus arrived at 7:02 every day.

Q

quellverb○: to put an end to, suppress; A calm voice quelled the panic in the hallway.

R

recklessadjective−: careless of danger; Reckless skating on thin ice ended with a cold swim.
rectifyverb+: to correct; The bank rectified the error within a day.
relentlessadjective○: never letting up; Relentless rain flooded the lower fields.
reluctantadjective−: unwilling; hesitant; The reluctant volunteer stepped forward at last.
remedynoun+: a cure or solution; Rest is the best remedy for a sprain.
replenishverb+: to fill again; Rain replenished the dry creek.
reprimandverb−: to scold officially; The captain reprimanded the crew for the mess.
resilientadjective+: able to recover quickly; Resilient players shake off a loss by the next practice.
reticentadjective○: reserved; not saying much; He was reticent about his reasons for leaving.
robustadjective+: strong and healthy; A robust oak shaded the whole yard.

S

scantyadjective−: barely enough; Scanty rainfall left the well nearly dry.
scrutinizeverb○: to examine closely; The judges scrutinized every entry for errors.
sereneadjective+: calm and untroubled; The garden was serene in the early morning.
seververb○: to cut off; The storm severed the power line.
solitaryadjective○: alone; single; A solitary heron stood in the shallows.
somberadjective−: dark, gloomy, or serious; The mood was somber after the announcement.
sporadicadjective○: happening now and then; Sporadic showers fell through the afternoon.
squanderverb−: to waste; He squandered the whole allowance in an afternoon.
stagnantadjective−: not moving or developing; Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes.
steadfastadjective+: firm and unwavering; Her steadfast support never wavered.
submissiveadjective○: willing to obey; The submissive dog rolled over at once.
subtleadjective○: not obvious; delicate; A subtle change in tone told her he was upset.
superficialadjective−: on the surface only; shallow; A superficial scratch healed in a day.
superfluousadjective−: more than is needed; The superfluous paragraph was cut from the essay.
suppressverb○: to hold back or put down; She suppressed a laugh during the ceremony.

T

tacitadjective○: understood without being said; There was a tacit agreement not to mention the loss.
taciturnadjective○: habitually silent; The taciturn farmer answered in single words.
tactlessadjective−: careless of others' feelings; A tactless joke about her haircut ended the laughter.
tediousadjective−: long and boring; Copying the list by hand was tedious.
tenaciousadjective+: holding on firmly; persistent; A tenacious defender never gave up on the play.
tentativeadjective○: not final; hesitant; We set a tentative date for the trip.
tenuousadjective−: thin and weak; slight; The link between the two events was tenuous.
thriftyadjective+: careful with money; A thrifty cook wastes nothing.
timidadjective−: easily frightened; shy; The timid kitten hid under the couch.
tiradenoun−: a long angry speech; The coach's tirade lasted the whole halftime.
tranquiladjective+: peaceful and quiet; A tranquil evening followed the storm.
trivialadjective−: of little importance; They argued over a trivial detail for an hour.
tyrantnoun−: a cruel, absolute ruler; The tyrant jailed anyone who disagreed.

U

unanimousadjective+: agreed on by everyone; The vote was unanimous.
unkemptadjective−: untidy; An unkempt lawn hid the front steps.
unyieldingadjective○: not giving way; firm; The unyielding rock split the plow blade.

V

vagueadjective−: not clearly expressed; A vague answer told us nothing useful.
verboseadjective−: using too many words; The verbose report could have been one page.
versatileadjective+: able to do many things well; A versatile player can fill any position.
vigilantadjective+: keeping careful watch; Vigilant lifeguards spotted the swimmer in trouble.
vindicateverb+: to clear of blame; to prove right; The new evidence vindicated the accused clerk.
vividadjective+: bright; producing clear images; The vivid painting seemed to glow.
volatileadjective−: likely to change suddenly; A volatile temper made him hard to work with.

W

waryadjective○: cautious about danger; Be wary of offers that seem too good.
whimsicaladjective+: playfully odd; A whimsical mural covered the school wall.

Z

zealnoun+: great energy for a cause; She tackled the fundraiser with zeal.