SSAT Vocabulary Practice: List 36

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

Vocabulary List 36: GE-HE Words

1. GesticulateSSAT vocabularyTo make expressive gestures while speaking.
2. GlutSSAT vocabularyAn excessive supply; to overfill.
3. DearthSSAT vocabularyA scarcity or serious lack of something.
4. GrandiloquentSSAT vocabularyPompous or overly lofty in speech.
5. PompousSSAT vocabularySelf-important and overly grand.
6. GrandioseSSAT vocabularyOverly ambitious, impressive, or exaggerated.
7. GratuitousSSAT vocabularyUncalled for or given freely without cause.
8. GratuitySSAT vocabularyA tip or gift of money for service.
9. GravitySSAT vocabularySeriousness; or physical force pulling objects together.
10. GregariousSSAT vocabularySociable and fond of company.
11. GuileSSAT vocabularyClever deceit or trickery.
12. ArtfulnessSSAT vocabularyClever skill, often with craftiness.
13. HackneyedSSAT vocabularyOverused and lacking freshness.
14. TriteSSAT vocabularyOverused and lacking originality.
15. HaplessSSAT vocabularyUnlucky or unfortunate.
16. HarbingerSSAT vocabularyA sign or messenger of what is to come.
17. ForerunnerSSAT vocabularySomething or someone that comes before and signals another.
18. HedonismSSAT vocabularyThe pursuit of pleasure as a chief goal.
19. HegemonySSAT vocabularyDominance or leadership by one group over others.
20. HeresySSAT vocabularyAn opinion contrary to accepted belief.

Exercise 1: Matching

Match each word with the correct definition.

Words

  1. Gesticulate _____
  2. Glut _____
  3. Dearth _____
  4. Grandiloquent _____
  5. Pompous _____
  6. Grandiose _____
  7. Gratuitous _____
  8. Gratuity _____
  9. Gravity _____
  10. Gregarious _____
  11. Guile _____
  12. Artfulness _____
  13. Hackneyed _____
  14. Trite _____
  15. Hapless _____
  16. Harbinger _____
  17. Forerunner _____
  18. Hedonism _____
  19. Hegemony _____
  20. Heresy _____
A. Overused and lacking freshness.
B. Dominance or leadership by one group over others.
C. A tip or gift of money for service.
D. Unlucky or unfortunate.
E. Overused and lacking originality.
F. Clever skill, often with craftiness.
G. Something or someone that comes before and signals another.
H. Overly ambitious, impressive, or exaggerated.
I. Uncalled for or given freely without cause.
J. Self-important and overly grand.
K. Pompous or overly lofty in speech.
L. A sign or messenger of what is to come.
M. An opinion contrary to accepted belief.
N. Seriousness; or physical force pulling objects together.
O. The pursuit of pleasure as a chief goal.
P. A scarcity or serious lack of something.
Q. Sociable and fond of company.
R. To make expressive gestures while speaking.
S. An excessive supply; to overfill.
T. Clever deceit or trickery.
Show Matching Answer Key

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

Exercise 2: Gap Filling

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

dearth, heresy, gravity, gregarious, grandiose, pompous, artfulness, gesticulate, harbinger, hackneyed, trite, gratuity, guile, forerunner, glut, hapless, hegemony, gratuitous, grandiloquent, hedonism
  1. The trick worked because of the thief's _____.
  2. There was a _____ of pencils on test day.
  3. The _____ camper forgot a raincoat during the storm.
  4. The waiter thanked the family for leaving a generous _____.
  5. The novel criticizes _____ when comfort becomes the only goal.
  6. The speech sounded _____, as if the student were trying to impress judges with fancy words.
  7. At first, saying Earth moved around the sun was treated as _____.
  8. The first cough was a _____ of a long cold.
  9. When excited, the actor would _____ with both hands.
  10. Dark clouds were a _____ of the coming storm.
  11. The phrase "better late than never" felt _____ in the essay.
  12. The empire maintained _____ over neighboring states.
  13. The poster showed _____ in the way every color guided the viewer's eye.
  14. The phrase "follow your dreams" sounded _____ without a fresh example.
  15. The warning carried enough _____ that everyone listened.
  16. The _____ student made friends on the first day.
  17. The market had a _____ of apples after the harvest.
  18. The plan to build a theater in one weekend was _____.
  19. The captain sounded _____ when he called himself the only reason the team won.
  20. The movie included a _____ insult that added nothing to the story.
Show Gap Filling Answer Key

1. Guile, 2. Dearth, 3. Hapless, 4. Gratuity, 5. Hedonism, 6. Grandiloquent, 7. Heresy, 8. Forerunner, 9. Gesticulate, 10. Harbinger, 11. Hackneyed, 12. Hegemony, 13. Artfulness, 14. Trite, 15. Gravity, 16. Gregarious, 17. Glut, 18. Grandiose, 19. Pompous, 20. Gratuitous

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. The novel criticizes Hedonism when comfort becomes the only goal. The market had a Glut of apples after the harvest. The first cough was a Forerunner of a long cold. The Hapless camper forgot a raincoat during the storm. The movie included a Gratuitous insult that added nothing to the story. The waiter thanked the family for leaving a generous Gratuity. The captain sounded Pompous when he called himself the only reason the team won. The trick worked because of the thief's Guile. When excited, the actor would Gesticulate with both hands. The poster showed Artfulness in the way every color guided the viewer's eye. Dark clouds were a Harbinger of the coming storm. There was a Dearth of pencils on test day. The phrase "follow your dreams" sounded Trite without a fresh example. The Gregarious student made friends on the first day. The warning carried enough Gravity that everyone listened. The phrase "better late than never" felt Hackneyed in the essay. The speech sounded Grandiloquent, as if the student were trying to impress judges with fancy words. The plan to build a theater in one weekend was Grandiose. At first, saying Earth moved around the sun was treated as Heresy. The empire maintained Hegemony over neighboring states.

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