SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 299

Set 299 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: prate, wallow, commiserate, aggrandize, impel. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. prate · verb/preɪt/

   to talk excessively and aimlessly

   During the meeting, James tended to prate on about his weekend adventures instead of discussing the agenda.

   Synonyms: chatter, babble, ramble

   Origin: Middle English 'praten', from Old English 'prǣtan', which is of uncertain origin.

2. wallow · verb/ˈwɑːloʊ/

   to roll about or lie in water, mud, or snow for refreshment or enjoyment

   After a long run in the heat, the dog loved to wallow in the cool mud to cool off.

   Synonyms: rolling, basking, luxuriating

   Origin: Middle English, from Old English 'walwian', which means to roll or to wallow.

3. commiserate · verb/kəˈmɪz.əˌreɪt/

   to express sympathy or sorrow for someone else's misfortune

   After hearing about her friend's job loss, she took the time to commiserate with him over coffee, sharing stories of their past struggles.

   Synonyms: console, empathize, sympathize

   Origin: from Latin 'commiserari', meaning 'to pity, to have compassion'.

4. aggrandize · verb/əˈɡræn.daɪz/

   to increase the power, status, or wealth of something or someone

   The CEO implemented new strategies to aggrandize the company's reputation in the market.

   Synonyms: enhance, increase, exaggerate

   Origin: The word 'aggrandize' originates from the French 'agrandir', which means 'to enlarge', derived from the Latin 'grandis', meaning 'large'.

5. impel · verb/ɪmˈpɛl/

   to drive or urge someone to take action

   The urgency of the situation impelled her to take immediate action to resolve the issue.

   Synonyms: drive, urge, encourage

   Origin: from Latin 'impellere', meaning 'to push against'