SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 90

Set 90 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: irksome, demure, unanticipated, frenetic, penurious. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. irksome · adjective/ˈɜrkəmsəm/

   annoying or bothersome

   The irksome habit of interrupting others during meetings made it difficult for anyone to express their opinions.

   Synonyms: annoying, bothersome, tedious

   Origin: Derived from the Middle English 'irksome', from 'irke' meaning to tire or vex, plus the suffix '-some' indicating 'causing or characterized by'.

2. demure · adjective/dɪˈmjʊr/

   reserved, modest, and shy in manner or appearance

   She wore a demure dress that reflected her modest personality during the formal event.

   Synonyms: modest, reserved, shy

   Origin: From Middle English 'demure', from Old French 'demour', from Latin 'demorari', meaning to delay or hesitate.

3. unanticipated · adjective/ˌʌn.ænˈtɪs.ɪˌpeɪ.tɪd/

   not expected or predicted

   The project faced unanticipated challenges that required immediate attention from the team.

   Synonyms: unforeseen, unexpected, surprising

   Origin: The word 'unanticipated' is composed of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not', the root word 'anticipate', which comes from the Latin 'anticipatus', the past participle of 'anticipare' meaning 'to take before', and the suffix '-ed' denoting an adjective form.

4. frenetic · adjective/frəˈnɛtɪk/

   marked by fast and energetic activity or emotion

   The frenetic pace of the city kept her on her toes, making it difficult to find a moment of peace.

   Synonyms: frantic, feverish, zealous

   Origin: from late Latin 'freneticus', meaning 'mad, frantic', from Greek 'phrenitikos', from 'phren', meaning 'mind'.

5. penurious · adjective/pəˈnjʊr.i.əs/

   extremely poor or lacking in resources

   Despite his penurious upbringing, he managed to excel academically and escape the cycle of poverty.

   Synonyms: impoverished, destitute, needy

   Origin: from Latin 'penuriosus', meaning 'poor, needy', derived from 'penuria' meaning 'poverty, want'