SSAT Vocabulary Practice: List 29

Twenty-word practice set from the Ubiquitous Essentials SSAT/SAT academic glossary.

Vocabulary List 29: DE-DI Words

1. DeferenceSSAT vocabularyRespectful submission to another person's judgment or wishes.
2. DefinitiveSSAT vocabularyFinal, authoritative, and not needing further change.
3. DegenerateSSAT vocabularyTo decline in quality, morals, or condition.
4. DeleteriousSSAT vocabularyHarmful or damaging.
5. DelineateSSAT vocabularyTo describe, outline, or portray clearly.
6. DeludeSSAT vocabularyTo mislead or deceive someone.
7. DelugeSSAT vocabularyA flood or overwhelming amount.
8. DemagogueSSAT vocabularyA leader who appeals to fear or prejudice rather than reason.
9. DenizenSSAT vocabularyAn inhabitant or regular resident of a place.
10. DepravitySSAT vocabularyMoral corruption or wickedness.
11. DeprecateSSAT vocabularyTo express disapproval of or criticize mildly.
12. DerideSSAT vocabularyTo mock or ridicule.
13. DerogatorySSAT vocabularyInsulting or showing disrespect.
14. DesiccateSSAT vocabularyTo dry out completely.
15. DespondentSSAT vocabularyDeeply discouraged or hopeless.
16. DespotSSAT vocabularyA ruler with absolute, often cruel, power.
17. DestituteSSAT vocabularyExtremely poor or lacking necessities.
18. DesultorySSAT vocabularyLacking a plan, purpose, or steady connection.
19. DextrousSSAT vocabularySkillful and quick with the hands or mind.
20. DialecticalSSAT vocabularyRelated to logical discussion of opposing ideas.

Exercise 1: Matching

Match each word with the correct definition.

Words

  1. Deference _____
  2. Definitive _____
  3. Degenerate _____
  4. Deleterious _____
  5. Delineate _____
  6. Delude _____
  7. Deluge _____
  8. Demagogue _____
  9. Denizen _____
  10. Depravity _____
  11. Deprecate _____
  12. Deride _____
  13. Derogatory _____
  14. Desiccate _____
  15. Despondent _____
  16. Despot _____
  17. Destitute _____
  18. Desultory _____
  19. Dextrous _____
  20. Dialectical _____
A. Harmful or damaging.
B. To describe, outline, or portray clearly.
C. Related to logical discussion of opposing ideas.
D. Extremely poor or lacking necessities.
E. A ruler with absolute, often cruel, power.
F. Deeply discouraged or hopeless.
G. To dry out completely.
H. A leader who appeals to fear or prejudice rather than reason.
I. Final, authoritative, and not needing further change.
J. To express disapproval of or criticize mildly.
K. Respectful submission to another person's judgment or wishes.
L. Insulting or showing disrespect.
M. A flood or overwhelming amount.
N. To mislead or deceive someone.
O. An inhabitant or regular resident of a place.
P. Skillful and quick with the hands or mind.
Q. Moral corruption or wickedness.
R. To mock or ridicule.
S. To decline in quality, morals, or condition.
T. Lacking a plan, purpose, or steady connection.
Show Matching Answer Key

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

Exercise 2: Gap Filling

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

deference, degenerate, deride, denizen, deluge, despot, deprecate, depravity, delineate, demagogue, delude, dialectical, derogatory, despondent, definitive, destitute, desultory, dextrous, desiccate, deleterious
  1. The candidate acted like a _____ by stirring fear instead of offering facts.
  2. After checking every source, the teacher gave a _____ answer to the disputed question.
  3. After the announcement, the office received a _____ of emails from parents.
  4. The advertisement tried to _____ shoppers with tiny print and exaggerated promises.
  5. The old turtle was a familiar _____ of the school garden pond.
  6. Without clear rules, the friendly discussion can _____ into shouting.
  7. After losing the final match, the team felt _____ until their coach encouraged them.
  8. Left in the sun all weekend, the wet clay began to _____.
  9. The editor had to _____ the careless headline without embarrassing the young reporter.
  10. The novel shows the villain's _____ through his cruelty and lies.
  11. His _____ study habits jumped from math to music to cartoons in ten minutes.
  12. The pianist was so _____ that her fingers seemed to fly over the keys.
  13. The comment sounded _____, so the captain apologized immediately.
  14. The teacher reminded students not to _____ a classmate's accent or mistake.
  15. The student showed _____ to the judge by accepting the final score politely.
  16. The seminar was _____, with students testing each claim against an opposing idea.
  17. The charity collected coats for families left _____ after the fire.
  18. In the history chapter, the king ruled like a _____ who ignored every law.
  19. Before starting the project, Maya had to _____ each step for her group.
  20. The coach warned that skipping meals could be _____ to an athlete's health.
Show Gap Filling Answer Key

1. Demagogue, 2. Definitive, 3. Deluge, 4. Delude, 5. Denizen, 6. Degenerate, 7. Despondent, 8. Desiccate, 9. Deprecate, 10. Depravity, 11. Desultory, 12. Dextrous, 13. Derogatory, 14. Deride, 15. Deference, 16. Dialectical, 17. Destitute, 18. Despot, 19. Delineate, 20. Deleterious

Exercise 3: Paragraph Using All Words

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

In one busy school week, every conversation seemed to introduce a new vocabulary word. Before starting the project, Maya had to Delineate each step for her group. After losing the final match, the team felt Despondent until their coach encouraged them. The charity collected coats for families left Destitute after the fire. The pianist was so Dextrous that her fingers seemed to fly over the keys. After the announcement, the office received a Deluge of emails from parents. Without clear rules, the friendly discussion can Degenerate into shouting. His Desultory study habits jumped from math to music to cartoons in ten minutes. In the history chapter, the king ruled like a Despot who ignored every law. The editor had to Deprecate the careless headline without embarrassing the young reporter. The old turtle was a familiar Denizen of the school garden pond. Left in the sun all weekend, the wet clay began to Desiccate. The seminar was Dialectical, with students testing each claim against an opposing idea. The candidate acted like a Demagogue by stirring fear instead of offering facts. The comment sounded Derogatory, so the captain apologized immediately. The advertisement tried to Delude shoppers with tiny print and exaggerated promises. The coach warned that skipping meals could be Deleterious to an athlete's health. After checking every source, the teacher gave a Definitive answer to the disputed question. The teacher reminded students not to Deride a classmate's accent or mistake. The novel shows the villain's Depravity through his cruelty and lies. The student showed Deference to the judge by accepting the final score politely.

Back to Vocabulary List 28-30 Next: Vocabulary List 30 Practice in Vocabulary Builder