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unfettered

adjective/ʌnˈfɛtərd/

not restrained or restricted

Her unfettered creativity allowed her to produce artworks that were truly unique and inspiring.

unrestrainedfreeliberated
word origin — The word 'unfettered' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' combined with 'fetter', which stems from the Old French 'fetre', meaning 'to bind' or 'a restraint', ultimately tracing back to the Proto-Germanic 'fetraz'.

SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 29

Set 29 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: unfettered, cathartic, shrewd, pungent, hardheaded. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. unfettered · adjective/ʌnˈfɛtərd/

    not restrained or restricted

    Her unfettered creativity allowed her to produce artworks that were truly unique and inspiring.

    Synonyms: unrestrained, free, liberated

    Origin: The word 'unfettered' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' combined with 'fetter', which stems from the Old French 'fetre', meaning 'to bind' or 'a restraint', ultimately tracing back to the Proto-Germanic 'fetraz'.

  2. cathartic · adjective/kəˈθɑr.tɪk/

    providing psychological relief through the expression of strong emotions

    Engaging in a cathartic release of emotions through writing helped her cope with the grief of losing her loved one.

    Synonyms: cleansing, purgative, relieving

    Origin: from the Greek 'kathartikos', meaning 'cleansing', derived from 'kathairein' meaning 'to cleanse'

  3. shrewd · adjective/ʃrud/

    having or showing sharp powers of judgment or insight

    Her shrewd analysis of the market trends helped the company make significant profits this quarter.

    Synonyms: astute, perceptive, insightful

    Origin: Middle English shrewd, of unknown origin, possibly related to the Old English 'scrēad' meaning 'shrewd' or 'shrude'.

  4. pungent · adjective/ˈpʌn.dʒənt/

    having a strong, sharp smell or taste

    The pungent aroma of garlic filled the kitchen as she prepared dinner.

    Synonyms: acrid, strong, sharp

    Origin: from Latin 'pungens', present participle of 'pungere', meaning 'to prick' or 'to sting'

  5. hardheaded · adjective/ˈhɑrdˌhɛd.ɪd/

    unwilling to change opinions or consider different ideas

    Despite the overwhelming evidence presented to him, his hardheaded refusal to accept new ideas made the discussion unproductive.

    Synonyms: stubborn, obstinate, inflexible

    Origin: The term 'hardheaded' is derived from the combination of 'hard' meaning solid or unyielding and 'headed' referring to the mind or attitude, indicating a stubborn or obstinate nature.