Sparknotes' Sat Vocabulary - D

Front 1

Dearth

Back 1

A lack, scarcity

Front 2

Debacle

Back 2

A disastrous failure, disruption

Front 3

Debase

Back 3

To lower the quality or esteem of something

Front 4

Debauch

Back 4

To corrupt by means of sensual pleasure

Front 5

Debunk

Back 5

To expose the falseness of something

Front 6

Decorous

Back 6

Socially proper, appropriate

Front 7

Decry

Back 7

To criticize openly

Front 8

Deface

Back 8

To injure or ruin something's appearance

Front 9

Defamatory

Back 9

Harmful to another's reputation

Front 10

Defer

Back 10

To postpone something; to yield to another's wisdom

Front 11

Deferential

Back 11

Showing respect to another's authority

Front 12

Defile

Back 12

To make unclean, impure

Front 13

Deft

Back 13

Skillful, capable

Front 14

Defunct

Back 14

No longer used or existing

Front 15

Delegate

Back 15

To hand over responsibility for something; consign

Front 16

Delineate

Back 16

To describe, outline, shed light on

Front 17

Demagogue

Back 17

A leader who appeals to a people's prejudices

Front 18

Demarcation

Back 18

The marking of boundaries or categories

Front 19

Demean

Back 19

To lower the status or stature of something

Front 20

Demure

Back 20

Quiet, modest, reserved

Front 21

Denigrate

Back 21

To belittle, diminish the opinion of

Front 22

Denounce

Back 22

To criticize publicly

Front 23

Deplore

Back 23

To feel or express sorrow, disapproval

Front 24

Depravity

Back 24

Wickedness

Front 25

Deprecate

Back 25

To belittle, depreciate

Front 26

Derelict

Back 26

Abandoned, worn-down

Front 27

Deride

Back 27

To laugh at mockingly, scorn

Front 28

Desiccated

Back 28

Dried up, dehydrated

Front 29

Despondent

Back 29

Feeling depressed, discouraged, hopeless

Front 30

Destitute

Back 30

Impoverished, utterly lacking

Front 31

Devious

Back 31

Not straightforward, deceitful, disingenuous

Front 32

Diaphonous

Back 32

Light, airy, transparent

Front 33

Didactic

Back 33

Intended to instruct OR overly moralistic

Front 34

Diffident

Back 34

Shy, quiet, modest, demure

Front 35

Diminutive

Back 35

Small or miniature

Front 36

Dirge

Back 36

A mournful song, especially for a funeral

Front 37

Disaffected

Back 37

Rebellious, resentful of authority

Front 38

Disavow

Back 38

To deny knowledge or responsibility for

Front 39

Discomfit

Back 39

To thwart, baffle

Front 40

Discordant

Back 40

Not agreeing, not in harmony with

Front 41

Discrepancy

Back 41

Difference, failure of things to correspond

Front 42

Discursive

Back 42

Rambling, lacking order

Front 43

Disgruntled

Back 43

Upset, not content

Front 44

Disrepute

Back 44

A state of being held in low regard

Front 45

Dissemble

Back 45

To conceal, fake

Front 46

Disseminate

Back 46

To spread widely

Front 47

Dissent

Back 47

To disagree OR the act of disagreeing

Front 48

Dissipate

Back 48

To disappear, cause disappear OR to waste

Front 49

Dissuade

Back 49

To persuade someone not to do something

Front 50

Distend

Back 50

To swell out

Front 51

Dither

Back 51

To be indecisive

Front 52

Divisive

Back 52

Causing dissent, discord

Front 53

Docile

Back 53

Easily taught or trained

Front 54

Dour

Back 54

Stern, joyless

Front 55

Duplicity

Back 55

Crafty dishonesty

Front 56

Duress

Back 56

Hardship, threat

Front 57

Dynamic

Back 57

Actively changing