SSAT Vocabulary Practice: Lists 14–16

One complete module for BA, BE, and BL words.

Vocabulary List 14–16

1. BanaladjectiveCommonplace, predictable, or lacking originality.
2. BanenounA cause of great trouble, harm, or ruin.
3. BastionnounA stronghold or place that protects a principle or group.
4. BegetverbTo cause, produce, or give rise to.
5. BelaborverbTo explain or discuss repeatedly and excessively.
6. BeleaguerverbTo trouble persistently or surround with difficulties.
7. BelieverbTo contradict, disguise, or give a false impression of.
8. BelittleverbTo make someone or something seem unimportant.
9. BelligerentadjectiveHostile, aggressive, and eager to fight.
10. BemusedadjectiveConfused or puzzled.
11. BenefactornounA person who gives help, especially money.
12. BenevolentadjectiveKind, generous, and wishing to do good.
13. BenignadjectiveHarmless, gentle, or not dangerous.
14. BequestnounMoney or property left to someone in a will.
15. BereavedadjectiveGrieving after the death of a loved one.
16. BesetverbTo trouble or attack from all sides.
17. BlasphemynounSpeech or action showing disrespect for what is sacred.
18. BlatantadjectiveCompletely obvious, often in an offensive way.
19. Blightnoun/verbA disease or destructive influence; to damage severely.
20. BlitheadjectiveCheerful and carefree, sometimes without proper concern.

Exercise 1: Matching

Match each word with the correct definition.

Words

  1. Banal _____
  2. Bane _____
  3. Bastion _____
  4. Beget _____
  5. Belabor _____
  6. Beleaguer _____
  7. Belie _____
  8. Belittle _____
  9. Belligerent _____
  10. Bemused _____
  11. Benefactor _____
  12. Benevolent _____
  13. Benign _____
  14. Bequest _____
  15. Bereaved _____
  16. Beset _____
  17. Blasphemy _____
  18. Blatant _____
  19. Blight _____
  20. Blithe _____
A. a person who provides help or money
B. obvious in an offensive way
C. grieving after a death
D. harmless or gentle
E. hostile and aggressive
F. to contradict or give a false impression
G. cheerful and carefree
H. a cause of harm or ruin
I. to make something seem unimportant
J. a stronghold or source of protection
K. a gift left in a will
L. to cause or produce
M. commonplace and unoriginal
N. kind and generous
O. confused or puzzled
P. disrespect toward what is sacred
Q. to trouble persistently
R. a destructive disease or influence
S. to discuss excessively
T. to trouble or attack from all sides
Show Matching Answer Key

1-M, 2-H, 3-J, 4-L, 5-S, 6-Q, 7-F, 8-I, 9-E, 10-O, 11-A, 12-N, 13-D, 14-K, 15-C, 16-T, 17-P, 18-B, 19-R, 20-G

Exercise 2: Gap Filling

Choose the best word from the word bank to complete each sentence.

benefactor, blight, bemused, banal, bequest, belligerent, benign, belabor, blithe, bastion, bereaved, belie, bane, benevolent, blasphemy, beget, beset, belittle, blatant, beleaguer
  1. The film's plot was so _____ that viewers predicted every event.
  2. Constant traffic noise became the _____ of the neighborhood.
  3. The library remained a _____ of free inquiry.
  4. Careless rumors often _____ unnecessary conflict.
  5. There is no need to _____ the point after everyone understands it.
  6. Unexpected expenses continued to _____ the small organization.
  7. Her calm expression seemed to _____ her anxiety.
  8. A good teacher will correct students without trying to _____ them.
  9. The _____ customer threatened to start a fight.
  10. He looked _____ by the complicated instructions.
  11. An anonymous _____ donated new computers to the school.
  12. The _____ leader created programs to help struggling families.
  13. The doctor confirmed that the growth was _____.
  14. Her grandfather's _____ included a collection of rare books.
  15. The community offered support to the _____ family.
  16. The expedition was _____ by storms and equipment failures.
  17. The ancient law treated disrespect toward sacred objects as _____.
  18. The advertisement contained a _____ lie about the product.
  19. A fungal _____ destroyed much of the potato crop.
  20. She gave a _____ reply without considering the serious consequences.
Show Gap Filling Answer Key

1. banal, 2. bane, 3. bastion, 4. beget, 5. belabor, 6. beleaguer, 7. belie, 8. belittle, 9. belligerent, 10. bemused, 11. benefactor, 12. benevolent, 13. benign, 14. bequest, 15. bereaved, 16. beset, 17. blasphemy, 18. blatant, 19. blight, 20. blithe

Exercise 3: Paragraph Using All Words

Read the paragraph and notice how each vocabulary word is used in context.

A benevolent benefactor left a generous bequest to restore an old library, long considered a bastion of learning. The donor's bereaved niece looked bemused when a belligerent critic began to belittle the plan. His blatant accusations seemed to belie the project's careful research. He continued to belabor a banal complaint and even called the restoration an act of blasphemy. The committee, already beset by rising costs and delays that continued to beleaguer it, refused to let his hostility become the bane of the project. A plant blight had damaged the courtyard, but experts confirmed that a stain inside the building was benign. Meanwhile, several blithe volunteers worked with cheerful confidence. Their effort would beget renewed hope for the entire neighborhood.

Back to Vocabulary Lists 6–13 Back to SSAT