SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 84

Set 84 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: stymie, cheapen, waylay, reverberate, enervate. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. stymie · verb/ˈstaɪ.mi/

   to prevent someone from accomplishing something

   The unexpected budget cuts stymied the project's progress, leaving the team scrambling for solutions.

   Synonyms: hinder, obstruct, impede

   Origin: Early 20th century; originally a golf term meaning to obstruct a player's ball.

2. cheapen · verb/ˈtʃiːpən/

   to make something of less value or quality

   The company decided to cheapen the production process, resulting in a significant decline in product quality.

   Synonyms: devalue, discount, lower

   Origin: The word 'cheapen' originates from the Old English 'cēapian', meaning 'to buy or bargain', which is related to 'cheap', deriving from the Proto-Germanic '*kaupōną'.

3. waylay · verb/weɪˈleɪ/

   to intercept or ambush someone unexpectedly

   The thieves planned to waylay the delivery truck as it made its routine stop.

   Synonyms: ambush, intercept, surprise

   Origin: From Middle English 'weyleien', from Old English 'wealh' meaning 'to lie in wait'

4. reverberate · verb/rɪˈvɜr.bə.reɪt/

   to echo or resound repeatedly

   The sound of the thunder began to reverberate through the valley, creating a haunting atmosphere.

   Synonyms: resound, echo, rebound

   Origin: from Latin 'reverberare', meaning 'to strike back, to reflect', from 'verberare', meaning 'to beat, to whip'.

5. enervate · verb/ˈɛn.ər.veɪt/

   to weaken or drain of energy or vitality

   The long hours of studying each night began to enervate her, leaving her exhausted and unable to concentrate during the day.

   Synonyms: weaken, debilitate, drain

   Origin: from Latin 'enervare', meaning 'to weaken, remove the sinews of'