After hearing the news of her friend's accident, she was utterly distraught and could hardly speak.
synonyms
upsetdistressedagitated
word origin — from Middle English distrauht, from Old French destroite, from Latin distrahere 'to pull apart'
SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 93
Set 93 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: distraught, clairvoyant, facile, genial, aloof. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
distraught · adjective/dɪˈstrɔt/
deeply upset and agitated
After hearing the news of her friend's accident, she was utterly distraught and could hardly speak.
Synonyms: upset, distressed, agitated
Origin: from Middle English distrauht, from Old French destroite, from Latin distrahere 'to pull apart'
clairvoyant · noun/klɛrˈvɔɪənt/
a person who claims to have the ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact
The clairvoyant claimed she could see into the future and provide detailed readings about her clients' lives.
Synonyms: psychic, seer, medium
Origin: The word 'clairvoyant' comes from the French 'clairvoyant', which means 'clear-sighted', originating from 'clair' (clear) and 'voyant' (seeing).
facile · adjective/ˈfæsəl/
easily achieved or attained often without care or depth
His facile explanations often oversimplified complex issues, leaving important details unaddressed.
Synonyms: easy, simple, uncomplicated
Origin: from Latin 'facilis', meaning 'easy, agreeable'
genial · adjective/ˈdʒiː.ni.əl/
friendly and cheerful
Her genial smile instantly put everyone at ease during the meeting.
Synonyms: friendly, cheerful, amiable
Origin: from Latin 'genialis' meaning 'of marriage, festive, jovial', from 'genius' meaning 'spirit, guardian deity'.
aloof · adjective/əˈluf/
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant
Despite being in the center of attention, she remained aloof, giving off an air of indifference that kept others at a distance.
Synonyms: distant, detached, indifferent
Origin: The word 'aloof' comes from the early 17th century, originally as a nautical term meaning 'to keep at a distance,' derived from the phrase 'a loaf' which referred to the act of keeping a ship off from the shore.