Vocabulary College Prep Advanced — Set 1: Meanings flashcards
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The 100 most common of the 400 College Prep Advanced words, from fiat and patronage to proviso and vernal: pronunciation, a precise plain definition and three example sentences, the most common use first.
Learn deck · part of Vocabulary Level 9 · College Prep Advanced · written against: Our own grade placement (VOCABULARY-PLAN.md): word frequency (wordfreq, CC BY-SA 4.0) and editorial review; no publisher's grade or word list is reproduced. Updated 2026-10-10.
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autocratic (adj.) · aw-tuh-KRAT-ikruling with total power that no law or vote can check; making all decisions alone and expecting obedienceCharacter & Behavior
The autocratic regime banned opposition parties and shut down independent newspapers.
Our autocratic manager decided every schedule without asking anyone.
As the company grew, its founder became autocratic and stopped taking advice. -
pique (v., n.) · PEEKto stir up interest or curiosity; annoyance that flares briefly when your pride is stung; to irritate or offendFeelings & Attitudes
The mysterious trailer piqued my interest in the film.
In a fit of pique, Leo deleted the group chat after losing the vote.
Piqued by a harsh review, the chef pulled the dish from his menu.
Don't confuse with: peak and peek; you pique, not peak, someone's interest. -
apostasy (n.) · uh-PAHS-tuh-seeturning your back on the faith you once followed, or on a political party or deeply held beliefThinking & Knowing
In a few countries, apostasy is still punished as a crime.
The novel follows a preacher's son whose apostasy splits his family.
To his Red Sox-loving family, Tom's Yankees cap was apostasy.
Root: Middle English apostasie, ultimately from Greek apostasía, "defection, revolt." -
oblique (adj.) · oh-BLEEKindirect in speech or action; slanting, neither vertical nor horizontalSpeaking & Arguing
Without naming names, the coach took an oblique jab at the referees.
His answer was so oblique that nobody knew whether he agreed.
The carpenter sawed the board along an oblique line, not straight across.
Watch out: in geometry, an oblique angle is acute or obtuse, not a right angle. -
conducive (adj.) · kuhn-DOO-sivhelping to bring about or make possible a particular resultActions & Effort
Blackout curtains and a cool temperature make a bedroom conducive to sleep.
Tax breaks created a climate conducive to new businesses.
Constant interruptions are hardly conducive to clear thinking.
Watch out: conducive is usually followed by to: "conducive to learning." -
crucible (n.) · KROO-suh-buhla severe test or situation that shapes or changes people or ideas; a heatproof vessel that holds melting metalChange & Growth
The war became the crucible in which a generation of leaders was forged.
For the rookie lawyer, her first big trial was a crucible.
The metalworker melted bronze in a clay crucible. -
acme (n.) · AK-meethe highest level of quality, skill or perfection that something can reachSize & Amount
For many historians, the Gothic cathedral is the acme of medieval building.
The Swiss watch was long considered the acme of precision.
Her final performance was the acme of a long career.
Root: Greek akmḗ, "point, highest point, culmination." -
unconscionable (adj.) · uhn-KAHN-shuh-nuh-buhlso unfair or wrong that a person with a conscience could not accept it; far beyond what is reasonableQuality & Judgment
Tripling the price of medicine during a crisis is unconscionable.
Courts can refuse to enforce an unconscionable contract.
Passengers sat on the runway for an unconscionable six hours. -
fiat (n.) · FEE-uht or FEE-ata command imposed by whoever holds power, often issued with no consultation or voteSociety & Power
The governor imposed the curfew by fiat, without a vote.
A parent can't end a sibling feud by fiat.
Most modern currencies are fiat money, backed by no gold or silver.
Root: Latin fiat, "let it be done." -
confluence (n.) · KAHN-floo-uhnsthe spot where one river joins another; a coming together of people, events or ideasNature & Time
Pittsburgh grew up where the Allegheny and Monongahela meet, a confluence forming the Ohio.
A confluence of bad weather and old equipment caused the blackout.
Jazz grew from a confluence of African and European musical traditions.
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- Senses, parts of speech and sense order checked against Merriam-Webster.com, the American Heritage Dictionary and the frequency-ordered Oxford, Longman and Cambridge learner's dictionaries; all definitions, notes and example sentences are original.
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