SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 49

Set 49 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: callous, mundane, ascendant, imaginary, nonpartisan. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. callous · adjective/ˈkæləs/

   showing a cruel disregard for others; emotionally insensitive

   His callous disregard for the suffering of others shocked everyone at the charity event.

   Synonyms: insensitive, unfeeling, heartless

   Origin: From Latin 'callosus', meaning 'hard or tough', derived from 'callus', meaning 'thickened skin'.

2. mundane · adjective/mʌnˈdeɪn/

   lacking interest or excitement dull and ordinary

   Despite the beauty of the city, she found her daily routines to be quite mundane and unexciting.

   Synonyms: ordinary, dull, commonplace

   Origin: The word 'mundane' comes from the Latin 'mundanus', meaning 'belonging to the world', derived from 'mundus', meaning 'world'.

3. ascendant · adjective/əˈsɛndənt/

   rising in power or influence

   In today's political landscape, the ascendant party has begun to implement sweeping reforms that reflect their growing influence.

   Synonyms: rising, upward, emerging

   Origin: The word 'ascendant' comes from the Latin 'ascendens', the present participle of 'ascendere', which means 'to climb up'.

4. imaginary · adjective/ɪˈmædʒ.ɪ.nɛr.i/

   existing only in the imagination not real or tangible

   Children often create imaginary friends to play with when they feel lonely.

   Synonyms: fictitious, fanciful, unreal

   Origin: From Latin 'imaginarius', meaning 'pertaining to the imagination', derived from 'imaginari' which means 'to imagine'.

5. nonpartisan · adjective/nɑnˈpɑrtɪzən/

   not biased or partisan in favor of any particular political party or group

   The nonpartisan organization conducted a thorough analysis of the election to ensure that all viewpoints were represented fairly.

   Synonyms: neutral, impartial, unbiased

   Origin: Originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'partisan' from Middle French 'partisan', meaning 'a member of a political party'.