muster, infest, immunize, dither, loathe: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 100. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. muster · verb/ˈmʌstər/

   to assemble or gather people or things together

   The manager had to muster a team of experts to tackle the complex project.

   Synonyms: assemble, gather, convene

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'mustrer', from Latin 'monstrare' meaning 'to show, to demonstrate'

2. infest · verb/ɪnˈfɛst/

   to invade or overrun in large numbers, often causing harm or damage

   The old wooden house was infested with termites, causing significant damage to the structure.

   Synonyms: invade, overrun, plague

   Origin: from Latin 'infestare', meaning 'to trouble, disturb, or attack' (from 'in-' meaning 'upon' + 'festare', from 'festa', meaning 'to make a disturbance').

3. immunize · verb/ˈɪmjəˌnaɪz/

   to make (a person or animal) resistant to infection by a vaccine or antibody

   Doctors recommend that children be immunized against common diseases like measles and mumps.

   Synonyms: vaccinate, inoculate, protect

   Origin: Derived from the Latin word 'immunis', meaning 'exempt', and the prefix 'im-' which means 'not'.

4. dither · verb/ˈdɪðər/

   to be indecisive or hesitant in making a choice

   She continued to dither over which job offer to accept, unable to make a decision.

   Synonyms: hesitate, waver, vacillate

   Origin: The word 'dither' originates from the late 19th century, likely derived from the dialectal word 'dither', meaning to tremble or to be in a state of indecision.

5. loathe · verb/loʊð/

   to feel intense dislike or disgust for something or someone

   She loathed the idea of having to work late on a Friday night.

   Synonyms: detest, hate, abhor

   Origin: Middle English 'lothien', from Old English 'lōþian', which means to hate or feel intense dislike.