This collection presents 63 SAT words that start with C, spanning from “Cacophony” to “Cynical”. These words tend to be precise, tone-sensitive vocabulary items you’ll meet in passages, sentence completions, and essay writing.
SAT words that start with C are exam-focused vocabulary items that improve your reading and writing precision and help you choose the best answers. Many of these words trace to Latin or Greek roots; for example, “cynical” comes from the Greek word for “dog-like,” reflecting a long history of expressive root words.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Difficulty, Definition, and Example sentence.
Word: A single vocabulary entry exactly as it appears on exams, so you can recognize it quickly.
Difficulty: A concise tag — easy, medium, or hard — that helps you prioritize study and practice time.
Definition: One-line dictionary-style meaning that helps you understand the word and recall it under test conditions.
Example sentence: A single clear sentence showing typical usage, so you see how the word functions in context.
SAT words that start with C
| Word | Part of speech | Difficulty | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cacophony | n. | hard | A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. |
| Cajole | v. | medium | To persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery. |
| Callow | adj. | medium | Inexperienced and immature, especially of a young person. |
| Candor | n. | medium | The quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness. |
| Capacious | adj. | medium | Having a lot of space inside; roomy. |
| Capitulate | v. | hard | To cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender. |
| Capricious | adj. | medium | Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior. |
| Castigate | v. | hard | To reprimand someone severely. |
| Caustic | adj. | hard | Sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way. |
| Censure | v. | medium | To express severe disapproval, typically in a formal statement. |
| Charlatan | n. | medium | A person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud. |
| Chastise | v. | medium | To rebuke or reprimand severely. |
| Chicanery | n. | hard | The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose. |
| Chronicle | v. | easy | To record a series of events in a factual and detailed way. |
| Circuitous | adj. | hard | Longer than the most direct way; indirect. |
| Circumlocution | n. | medium | The use of many words where fewer would do, especially to be vague. |
| Circumscribe | v. | hard | To restrict something within limits. |
| Circumspect | adj. | medium | Wary and unwilling to take risks; cautious. |
| Clandestine | adj. | medium | Kept secret or done secretively, especially because it is illicit. |
| Clarity | n. | easy | The quality of being clear, coherent, and intelligible. |
| Clemency | n. | medium | Mercy; lenience. |
| Coalesce | v. | medium | To come together and form one mass or whole. |
| Coerce | v. | medium | To persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats. |
| Cogent | adj. | medium | Clear, logical, and convincing (of an argument or case). |
| Cogitate | v. | hard | To think deeply about something; meditate or reflect. |
| Cognizant | adj. | hard | Having knowledge or being aware of. |
| Coherent | adj. | easy | Logical and consistent; able to be understood. |
| Collusion | n. | hard | Secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy to deceive others. |
| Commensurate | adj. | hard | Corresponding in size or degree; in proportion. |
| Complacent | adj. | medium | Showing smug satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements. |
| Compliant | adj. | medium | Inclined to agree with others or obey rules. |
| Complicity | n. | hard | The state of being involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing. |
| Composure | n. | easy | The state or feeling of being calm and in control of oneself. |
| Comprehensive | adj. | easy | Complete; including all or nearly all elements of something. |
| Concede | v. | easy | To admit that something is true or valid after first denying it. |
| Conciliatory | adj. | hard | Intended or likely to placate or pacify. |
| Concise | adj. | easy | Giving information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive. |
| Concur | v. | easy | To be of the same opinion; to agree. |
| Condescending | adj. | medium | Having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority. |
| Condone | v. | medium | To accept or allow behavior that is considered morally wrong to continue. |
| Conflagration | n. | hard | An extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property. |
| Confluence | n. | hard | The junction of two rivers; a place where things merge or flow together. |
| Confound | v. | medium | To cause surprise or confusion, especially by acting against expectations. |
| Congenial | adj. | hard | Pleasant because of a personality, qualities, or interests similar to one’s own. |
| Conjecture | n. | medium | An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information. |
| Connoisseur | n. | medium | An expert judge in matters of taste. |
| Consecrate | v. | hard | To make or declare something sacred; dedicate formally to a religious purpose. |
| Consensus | n. | easy | A general agreement. |
| Construe | v. | medium | To interpret a word or action in a particular way. |
| Contentious | adj. | medium | Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial. |
| Contrite | adj. | medium | Feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt. |
| Conundrum | n. | medium | A confusing and difficult problem or question. |
| Convivial | adj. | medium | Friendly, lively, and enjoyable (of an atmosphere or event). |
| Convoluted | adj. | hard | Extremely complex and difficult to follow (especially of an argument or story). |
| Copious | adj. | medium | Abundant in supply or quantity. |
| Corroborate | v. | medium | To confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding. |
| Cosmopolitan | adj. | medium | Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures. |
| Credence | n. | hard | Belief in or acceptance of something as true. |
| Credulous | adj. | hard | Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things; gullible. |
| Culpable | adj. | medium | Deserving blame; guilty. |
| Culminate | v. | hard | To reach a climax or point of highest development. |
| Cursory | adj. | medium | Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed. |
| Cynical | adj. | easy | Believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of sincerity. |
Descriptions
Cacophony
Used to describe unpleasant noise, literal or figurative. The cacophony of city traffic at rush hour gave me a headache.
Cajole
Implies gentle but persistent persuasion, often against someone’s initial reluctance. He cajoled his friend into helping with the project.
Callow
Describes a lack of adult sophistication or life experience. The callow intern made several silly mistakes on his first day.
Candor
A highly valued trait in leaders and friends. She was praised for her candor during the difficult meeting.
Capacious
A more formal word for large or spacious, often used to describe containers or rooms. Her capacious handbag seemed to hold everything she owned.
Capitulate
A formal term for giving in, often used in military or political contexts. The outnumbered army had no choice but to capitulate.
Capricious
Describes someone or something that is unpredictable and whimsical. The capricious weather went from sunny to snowing in an hour.
Castigate
A very strong word for scolding or criticizing harshly. The coach castigated the team for their lazy, uninspired performance.
Caustic
Describes words or a personality that “burns” with harsh wit. Her caustic comments about his appearance were completely uncalled for.
Censure
Stronger than simple criticism and often done in an official capacity. The senate voted to censure the official for his unethical actions.
Charlatan
Often used for fake doctors, psychics, or other experts. The charlatan sold “miracle cures” that were just sugar water.
Chastise
Similar to castigate, this word often implies that punishment is involved. The mother chastised her child for drawing on the walls.
Chicanery
Refers to clever but dishonest scheming and deception. He won the election through bribery and chicanery.
Chronicle
Often used for historical accounts or biographies. The book chronicles the rise and fall of the ancient civilization.
Circuitous
Can describe a physical path or a way of speaking or writing. We took a circuitous route to avoid the traffic jam.
Circumlocution
A key concept for the SAT. The politician’s circumlocution avoided giving a direct answer to the question.
Circumscribe
A formal word for ‘limit’ or ‘confine’. The new rules were meant to circumscribe the principal’s authority.
Circumspect
Describes a careful and thoughtful person who considers all outcomes. A circumspect investor, she avoided risky stocks.
Clandestine
Implies secrecy for a hidden, often illegal, purpose. They held clandestine meetings to plan the rebellion.
Clarity
A common goal in writing and speaking, and a frequent topic on the SAT. The professor’s clarity made the complex subject easy to understand.
Clemency
Often used in legal contexts, especially regarding a pardon or reduced sentence. The prisoner begged the governor for clemency.
Coalesce
Describes a merging or uniting process, for ideas or groups. The small groups coalesced into a single, powerful movement.
Coerce
A strong word for forcing someone to act against their will. The bully coerced the smaller children into giving him their lunch money.
Cogent
A great word to describe a strong, well-reasoned argument. He presented a cogent argument for changing the school policy.
Cogitate
A formal, almost humorous, word for deep thought. He sat by the fire to cogitate on the meaning of life.
Cognizant
A formal way to say ‘aware’. She was cognizant of the risks involved in the investment.
Coherent
A key quality for effective writing, especially on the SAT essay. Her essay was well-organized and coherent.
Collusion
Often used in business or politics. The companies were accused of collusion to illegally fix prices.
Commensurate
A formal word used to show that two things are balanced or equal. His salary was commensurate with his extensive experience.
Complacent
A negative trait implying a dangerous lack of ambition or awareness. After winning three games, the team became complacent and lost.
Compliant
Can be positive (cooperative) or negative (too submissive). The manager wanted a compliant workforce that wouldn’t question his decisions.
Complicity
Implies shared guilt, even if one’s role was passive. Her silence was seen as complicity in the crime.
Composure
A desirable quality under pressure. He maintained his composure despite the heckling from the crowd.
Comprehensive
A common word on the SAT itself. The study guide provided a comprehensive review of the material.
Concede
Often used in debates or arguments. He finally conceded that she was right about the directions.
Conciliatory
Describes actions or a tone meant to soothe anger and restore goodwill. He made a conciliatory gesture by offering to apologize.
Concise
A key skill for SAT essays and a word you need to know. Your summary should be clear and concise.
Concur
A formal way to say ‘agree’. The board of directors concurred with the CEO’s decision.
Condescending
A negative word for looking down on others. His condescending tone made everyone in the room feel foolish.
Condone
Implies tacit approval through inaction. The school does not condone bullying in any form.
Conflagration
A dramatic word for a large, destructive fire. The conflagration raged through the forest for days.
Confluence
Can be literal or figurative, like a confluence of ideas. The city is at the confluence of two major rivers.
Confound
To utterly confuse or perplex someone. The magician’s final trick completely confounded the audience.
Congenial
Describes a friendly, agreeable person or atmosphere. We spent the evening in congenial company.
Conjecture
Basically, an educated guess or a hypothesis. Her theory about the author’s intent was pure conjecture.
Connoisseur
Often used for art, food, or wine. He was a connoisseur of fine cheese.
Consecrate
A deeply religious or serious word for dedication. The new church was consecrated by the bishop.
Consensus
A key concept in group decision-making. The committee reached a consensus on the new budget.
Construe
A formal word for interpret. His silence was construed as agreement.
Contentious
Describes a person or topic that is argumentative. The plan to build a new highway is a highly contentious issue.
Contrite
A deep and sincere form of regret. The contrite student apologized for cheating on the test.
Conundrum
A puzzle or riddle, often with no easy answer. How to solve the budget crisis is a real conundrum for the government.
Convivial
Describes a festive and sociable gathering. The holiday party had a convivial atmosphere.
Convoluted
More than just complicated, it implies many twists and turns. His convoluted explanation left us more confused than before.
Copious
A formal word for ‘a lot of’ or ‘plentiful’. She took copious notes during the lecture.
Corroborate
A key word in legal and scientific contexts. The witness was able to corroborate the victim’s story.
Cosmopolitan
Describes a worldly and sophisticated person or place. New York is a very cosmopolitan city.
Credence
To give credence to something is to believe it. The new evidence lends credence to his theory.
Credulous
Describes someone who is easily fooled. The credulous man gave his money to a scam artist.
Culpable
A formal, legal-sounding word. The driver was found culpable for the accident.
Culminate
Often followed by the preposition ‘in’. The years of hard work culminated in her winning the championship.
Cursory
A cursory glance is a quick, superficial look. He gave the report only a cursory review before the meeting.
Cynical
A common personality trait marked by skepticism. Her cynical attitude made it hard for her to trust anyone.