This list includes 72 SAT words that start with H, from “habitat” to “hypothetical”. These entries are high-value vocabulary used in reading passages, essays, and multiple-choice questions.
SAT words that start with H are concise, exam-focused vocabulary items that often appear in reading and writing sections. Many derive from Latin or Greek roots and include examples like “habitat” and “hypothetical”.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Difficulty, Definition, and Example.
Word: The vocabulary entry itself; you see the headword to recognize and memorize the target term.
Difficulty: A simple tag (easy, medium, hard) that helps you prioritize study time and gauge likely SAT challenge.
Definition: A concise, one-line dictionary-style meaning that helps you grasp core usage and nuance quickly and confidently.
Example: A clear sample sentence showing natural context, so you see how to use the word correctly in writing.
SAT words that start with H
| Word | Part of speech | Difficulty | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| hackneyed | adjective | medium | The essay relied on hackneyed arguments and worn-out clichés. |
| haggard | adjective | medium | After exams, she looked haggard and very tired. |
| halcyon | adjective | hard | He remembered the halcyon days of his childhood summers. |
| hale | adjective | medium | Despite his age, he remained remarkably hale and active. |
| hallmark | noun | medium | Curiosity is a hallmark of effective scientific inquiry. |
| haphazard | adjective | medium | Their haphazard planning led to many avoidable mistakes. |
| harangue | verb | medium | The coach harangued the team after the poor performance. |
| harass | verb | medium | Employees complained that the manager would harass them unfairly. |
| harbor | verb | medium | She refused to harbor doubts about the project’s success. |
| harbinger | noun | medium | The first crocus is a harbinger of spring. |
| hardy | adjective | medium | Those plants are hardy and tolerate cold winters well. |
| harrowing | adjective | medium | He described the harrowing experience of being lost at sea. |
| haughty | adjective | medium | Her haughty manner alienated many classmates. |
| haunt | verb | medium | The memory of failure continued to haunt him years later. |
| heed | verb | easy | You should heed the teacher’s advice for improvement. |
| heedless | adjective | medium | He drove heedless of traffic laws and caused danger. |
| heinous | adjective | medium | The court condemned the crime as particularly heinous. |
| herald | verb | medium | The reform would herald a new era for education. |
| heresy | noun | hard | Challenging the accepted theory was labeled intellectual heresy. |
| heretic | noun | hard | As a scientific heretic, she challenged the prevailing model. |
| heretical | adjective | hard | His heretical view provoked strong reactions from conservatives. |
| heritage | noun | medium | Protecting cultural heritage matters to many communities. |
| heterogeneous | adjective | hard | The class was heterogeneous, with students from many backgrounds. |
| homogeneous | adjective | hard | The sample was homogeneous, so results were consistent. |
| hiatus | noun | medium | The author took a yearlong hiatus from publishing fiction. |
| hideous | adjective | medium | The report revealed a hideous pattern of corruption. |
| hierarchy | noun | medium | The corporate hierarchy affected decisions at every level. |
| hierarchical | adjective | medium | They adopted a hierarchical structure for clearer decision-making. |
| hinder | verb | medium | Bad weather can hinder rescue operations significantly. |
| hindrance | noun | medium | A lack of funding was the main hindrance to research. |
| hitherto | adverb | medium | Hitherto, no scholar had noticed the manuscript’s error. |
| hoard | verb | medium | People began to hoard supplies as the storm approached. |
| hoax | noun | medium | The viral story turned out to be an elaborate hoax. |
| homage | noun | medium | The film paid homage to classic noir cinema. |
| honorable | adjective | easy | She made an honorable choice despite personal cost. |
| horde | noun | medium | A horde of fans surrounded the celebrity’s car. |
| horizon | noun | easy | New technologies expanded the horizon of medical research. |
| hostile | adjective | medium | Relations between the countries became increasingly hostile. |
| hostility | noun | medium | Hostility rose after the controversial policy announcement. |
| hound | verb | medium | Reporters hounded the politician with persistent questions. |
| hubris | noun | hard | His hubris led to risky choices and eventual downfall. |
| humane | adjective | medium | The shelter was praised for its humane treatment of animals. |
| humanitarian | adjective | medium | They launched a humanitarian relief effort after the disaster. |
| humble | adjective | easy | Despite success, she remained humble and approachable. |
| humility | noun | medium | Leadership requires humility as well as confidence. |
| humdrum | adjective | medium | He resented the humdrum routine of office life. |
| humiliate | verb | medium | Public criticism served only to humiliate the young athlete. |
| hunch | noun | easy | I have a hunch we’ll finish ahead of schedule. |
| hurdle | noun | medium | Funding was the biggest hurdle to completing the project. |
| hurtle | verb | medium | The cyclist hurtled down the hill at dangerous speed. |
| hybrid | noun | medium | The plant is a hybrid, combining two different species. |
| hyperbole | noun | medium | Saying the book changed his life was likely hyperbole. |
| hyperbolic | adjective | hard | Critics called the review unnecessarily hyperbolic and emotional. |
| hypocrisy | noun | medium | Accusations of hypocrisy damaged public trust in leaders. |
| hypocrite | noun | medium | He called her a hypocrite for breaking her own rule. |
| hypocritical | adjective | medium | His hypocritical stance undermined his credibility. |
| hypothesis | noun | medium | The scientist proposed a hypothesis to explain the data. |
| hypothetical | adjective | medium | In a hypothetical scenario, costs could double next year. |
| hegemony | noun | hard | The empire’s cultural hegemony shaped the region’s institutions. |
| hegemonic | adjective | hard | The hegemonic power controlled trade across the region. |
| herculean | adjective | hard | Completing the project required herculean effort from the team. |
| heuristic | adjective | hard | They used a heuristic approach to simplify complex problems. |
| habitual | adjective | medium | He displayed habitual punctuality, rarely arriving late. |
| habitat | noun | medium | Conservation efforts focus on protecting the species’ native habitat. |
| hallowed | adjective | medium | The battlefield is considered a hallowed historic site. |
| hasty | adjective | medium | A hasty decision can lead to costly mistakes. |
| hedonism | noun | hard | Some philosophers criticize hedonism as an incomplete moral theory. |
| hedonistic | adjective | hard | His hedonistic lifestyle prioritized pleasure over responsibility. |
| heretofore | adverb | hard | Heretofore, the technique had only been used in small trials. |
| holistic | adjective | medium | The program adopted a holistic view of student development. |
| hospitable | adjective | medium | The town was hospitable to visitors and newcomers. |
| honorary | adjective | medium | She received an honorary degree for community service. |
Descriptions
hackneyed
Overused and stale; lacking originality, often used to criticize predictable language or ideas.
haggard
Appearing exhausted or gaunt, usually from fatigue, stress, or illness.
halcyon
Denoting an idyllic, peaceful, or prosperous period, often nostalgically recalled.
hale
Healthy and robust, especially used of older people.
hallmark
A distinctive feature or characteristic that signals quality or identity.
haphazard
Lacking order or planning; random and careless.
harangue
To lecture or criticize angrily and at length.
harass
To repeatedly disturb, bother, or subject someone to aggressive pressure.
harbor
To give shelter to, or to hold (an idea or feeling) secretly.
harbinger
A sign or indicator that something is about to happen; a forerunner.
hardy
Robust and able to withstand difficult conditions.
harrowing
Extremely distressing, frightening, or disturbing.
haughty
Arrogantly superior and disdainful toward others.
haunt
To repeatedly come to mind or trouble someone, often in a disturbing way.
heed
To pay close attention to and act on advice or warnings.
heedless
Ignoring consequences; not taking care or paying attention.
heinous
Extremely wicked or shockingly evil.
herald
To announce or signal the coming of something significant.
heresy
A belief or opinion that goes against established or accepted doctrines.
heretic
Someone who holds unorthodox or controversial opinions, especially against accepted doctrine.
heretical
Contrary to accepted beliefs or standards; dissenting from orthodoxy.
heritage
Inherited traditions, property, or cultural legacy from the past.
heterogeneous
Composed of diverse or dissimilar elements; varied in character.
homogeneous
Uniform in composition or character; made up of similar parts.
hiatus
A pause or gap in activity, continuity, or sequence.
hideous
Extremely unpleasant or ugly, often provoking shock or disgust.
hierarchy
A system of organization with ranked levels of authority or status.
hierarchical
Arranged in levels of rank or authority; structured by tiers.
hinder
To create obstacles that delay or prevent progress.
hindrance
Something that obstructs or impedes progress or achievement.
hitherto
Up to this point in time; until now.
hoard
To accumulate and store away a large amount, often secretly.
hoax
A deliberate deception or trick intended to mislead people.
homage
A public expression of respect, tribute, or honor.
honorable
Deserving respect because of integrity, ethics, or noble behavior.
horde
A large crowd or throng, often disorderly or overwhelming.
horizon
The limit of a person’s knowledge or experience; figurative scope.
hostile
Unfriendly, antagonistic, or opposed.
hostility
Aggression, unfriendliness, or opposition toward someone or something.
hound
To pursue relentlessly or harass persistently.
hubris
Excessive pride or self-confidence that often leads to ruin.
humane
Showing compassion, kindness, and consideration for others’ suffering.
humanitarian
Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare and alleviate suffering.
humble
Modest about one’s importance; not arrogant.
humility
A modest view of one’s own importance; lack of arrogance.
humdrum
Dull, monotonous, and lacking variety or interest.
humiliate
To cause someone to feel ashamed or publicly embarrassed.
hunch
A feeling or intuition about something without firm evidence.
hurdle
An obstacle or difficulty that must be overcome.
hurtle
To move rapidly and uncontrollably, often with force.
hybrid
A mix of two distinct elements; a crossbred organism or idea.
hyperbole
Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.
hyperbolic
Excessively exaggerated in expression or effect.
hypocrisy
The practice of claiming moral standards while acting contrary to them.
hypocrite
Someone who acts in contradiction to stated beliefs or values.
hypocritical
Pretending to have virtues or moral beliefs one does not actually possess.
hypothesis
A tentative explanation or proposition put forward for testing.
hypothetical
Based on or involving a suggested idea or possibility, not reality.
hegemony
Dominant influence or leadership of one group or state over others.
hegemonic
Relating to or exercising dominant influence or control.
herculean
Extremely difficult and demanding great strength or effort.
heuristic
Serving as a practical method for problem-solving or discovery, often approximate.
habitual
Done regularly or repeatedly; customary.
habitat
The natural environment where a plant or animal lives.
hallowed
Regarded as holy, highly respected, or venerated.
hasty
Done quickly without careful thought; rushed.
hedonism
The pursuit of pleasure as the primary goal of life.
hedonistic
Devoted to seeking pleasure and self-gratification.
heretofore
Until now; up to this point previously referred to.
holistic
Considering the whole system rather than just individual parts.
hospitable
Friendly and welcoming to guests or strangers.
honorary
Conferred as a special recognition, without the usual requirements.