Quick Summary
- The December 2023 Digital SAT tested vocabulary in context — not definitions. Every word on this list appeared in the actual exam's Reading and Writing sections.
- These words cluster around three categories: tone words (how an author feels), relationship words (how ideas connect), and academic verbs (how scholars argue).
- Knowing why each wrong answer is wrong — not just the right answer — is the skill that keeps you from falling for the same trap twice.
The December 2023 SAT was notable for its heavy use of nuanced tone vocabulary — words where the difference between the right answer and the trap answer is subtle. Students who knew the connotations cold breezed through. Students relying on context alone got stuck. This list covers the words that students reported after taking the December 2023 exam, organized by the category that made them tricky.
Category 1: Tone Words (How the Author Feels)
Tone words ask you to choose the word that best describes an author's attitude toward a subject. The trap is always a word that is close in meaning but wrong in intensity.
Skeptical — doubting; not easily convinced
Used when an author questions a claim without outright rejecting it. The December 2023 exam used this in a science passage where a researcher doubted the methodology of a cited study.
Common trap: "dismissive" — which means you reject something entirely, not just doubt it. Skeptical = doubting. Dismissive = rejecting.
Wary — cautious; on guard
Describes a character or narrator who is careful because they sense potential danger or deception. Different from "afraid" — wary means alert, not paralyzed.
Common trap: "suspicious" — which implies active distrust of a specific person. Wary is general caution. Suspicious is targeted.
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Start 1-day free trial →Ambivalent — feeling both positive and negative simultaneously
The December 2023 humanities passage used this to describe a character who genuinely appreciated and resented the same situation at the same time.
Common trap: "indifferent" — which means you do not care at all. Ambivalent means you care — you just pull in two directions at once.
Resigned — accepting an unpleasant situation without resistance
Used when someone has stopped fighting against something bad and decided to accept it. Carries a sense of sadness or defeat.
Common trap: "content" — which means genuinely satisfied. Resigned means you have given up trying to change something, not that you are happy about it.
Category 2: Relationship Words (How Ideas Connect)
These words appear in transition questions — choosing the word that correctly signals the logical relationship between two sentences or clauses.
Paradoxically — in a way that seems contradictory but is actually true
Use this when the second sentence contradicts the first, but both are true. "The medicine paradoxically caused the very symptoms it was meant to treat."
Common trap: "conversely" — which signals a straightforward contrast. Paradoxically means the contradiction is surprising. Conversely means the opposite is simply also true.
Consequently — as a result; therefore
Shows that the second sentence is a direct result of the first. "The temperature dropped sharply. Consequently, the harvest was lost."
Common trap: "subsequently" — which means "after," not "because of." Consequently = caused by. Subsequently = happened after.
Notwithstanding — in spite of; despite
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A formal way of saying "even though this is true, the following is still true." Used in academic and legal contexts.
Common trap: "furthermore" — which adds information, not contrasts it. Notwithstanding signals a concession ("even though X, still Y").
Category 3: Academic Verbs (How Scholars Argue)
These appear in "words in context" questions where you fill in the blank with the verb that describes what the researcher, author, or scientist is doing.
Assert — to state confidently without giving evidence
When an author asserts something, they state it as true but do not prove it in that sentence. It is confident but unproven at that moment.
Common trap: "demonstrate" — which means you show evidence. Assert = claim. Demonstrate = prove with examples.
Contend — to argue or maintain a position
Used when one scholar or side argues against another. "The researchers contend that the previous findings were flawed."
Common trap: "concede" — which is the opposite. Contend = argue your position. Concede = give ground to the other side.
Posit — to suggest or assume as a starting point for reasoning
When scholars posit something, they put it forward as a premise, not yet proven. "The theory posits that early humans migrated along coastal routes."
Common trap: "establish" — which implies the claim has been confirmed. Posit = propose as a hypothesis. Establish = confirm as fact.
Undermine — to weaken or damage something gradually
The December 2023 exam used this in science passages where new data weakened a previous theory without disproving it entirely.
Common trap: "refute" — which means to disprove completely. Undermine = weaken. Refute = disprove entirely.
The December 2023 Trap Answer Pattern
The December 2023 test was notable for a specific type of wrong answer: words that were close in meaning but wrong in degree. The SAT exploits the fact that students often know a word's general meaning without knowing its intensity.
The fix is to ask two questions for every vocabulary answer choice:
- Is it the right direction? (positive, negative, or neutral)
- Is it the right intensity? (mild like "skeptical" vs. strong like "hostile")
Wrong answers on the December 2023 test were consistently the right direction but the wrong intensity. If the passage describes mild doubt, "skeptical" is right and "contemptuous" is wrong — even though both are negative.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vocabulary questions were on the December 2023 SAT?
Each module of the Reading and Writing section had 3 to 5 vocabulary-in-context questions, giving a total of 6 to 10 per test. The December 2023 exam leaned toward the higher end, with 4 to 5 per module — more than some earlier 2023 tests.
Are December SAT vocabulary words reused on later tests?
Yes. College Board recycles vocabulary categories across test dates. Words like "skeptical," "contend," and "undermine" appear repeatedly. The exact passage differs, but the vocabulary tested stays within the same pool of high-frequency academic words. Studying December 2023 vocabulary helps you on future tests too.
What is the best way to study vocabulary for the Digital SAT?
Study words in three passes: first, sort them into positive/negative/neutral. Second, learn their intensity level (mild or strong). Third, practice distinguishing near-synonyms — "skeptical" vs. "dismissive," "resigned" vs. "content." The SAT almost never tests whether you know a rare word. It tests whether you can distinguish between two words you have both seen before.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'corroborate' mean on the SAT?
Corroborate means to confirm or give support to a theory or statement with evidence. Its root breakdown is cor- (together) + robor (strength) = 'strengthen together.'
What is the difference between 'refute' and 'repudiate'?
Refute requires evidence to prove something wrong, while repudiate is simply rejection without needing proof. You can repudiate without evidence, but you cannot refute without evidence.
What are the most common Latin roots on the Digital SAT?
The top five most frequent roots are bene- (good), spec- (to look), ortho- (correct), voc-/vox- (voice), and contra- (against).
How can I memorize SAT vocabulary words fast?
Use a root-first methodology: understand Latin and Greek roots to decode unfamiliar words. This strategy transfers across all vocabulary questions and is more effective than rote memorization.