SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 119

Set 119 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: persevere, condone, shun, unravel, postpone. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. persevere · verb/ˌpɜrsɪˈvɪr/

   to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success

   Despite numerous setbacks, she decided to persevere through the challenges and complete her degree.

   Synonyms: persist, endure, continue

   Origin: From Latin 'perseverare', meaning 'to persist, to continue steadfastly'.

2. condone · verb/kənˈdoʊn/

   to accept and allow behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive to continue

   The school administration does not condone cheating during exams, and students face severe penalties if caught.

   Synonyms: overlook, tolerate, excuse

   Origin: from Latin 'condonare', meaning 'to give up, remit, forgive'; 'con-' meaning 'altogether' and 'donare' meaning 'to give'.

3. shun · verb/ʃʌn/

   to persistently avoid, ignore, or reject someone or something

   Despite his efforts to reach out, she decided to shun his invitations to social gatherings.

   Synonyms: avoid, ignore, reject

   Origin: From Old English 'scunian', meaning 'to reject, avoid'.

4. unravel · verb/ʌnˈrævəl/

   to separate or disentangle the threads of something

   As she sat down with the tangled yarn, she began to unravel the knots carefully to create her knitting project.

   Synonyms: untangle, disentangle, unwound

   Origin: The word 'unravel' comes from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' or 'the opposite of' and 'ravel', which derives from Middle English 'ravelen', meaning 'to tangle or entangle'.

5. postpone · verb/poʊsˈpoʊn/

   to delay or defer an event or action to a later time

   The meeting was postponed to next week because several key members were unavailable.

   Synonyms: delay, defer, reschedule

   Origin: from Latin 'postponere', meaning 'to put after'