Here you’ll find 59 SAT words that start with M, organized from “Macabre” to “Myriad”. These terms range from common academic vocabulary to rarer, advanced words useful in reading passages and essays.
[SAT words that start with M] are vocabulary items beginning with the letter M that you encounter in formal texts and tests. Many come from varied roots like French and Greek; “macabre” and “myriad” illustrate these diverse origins.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Difficulty, Definition, and Example sentence.
Word: Each entry lists the vocabulary word so you can review spelling, form, and meaning quickly.
Difficulty: A tag shows easy, medium, or hard so you can prioritize study time and focus on challenging items.
Definition: A concise, dictionary-style line that gives a clear meaning you can memorize and use in context.
Example sentence: One clear sentence shows typical usage so you learn how the word fits into real writing.
SAT words that start with M
| Word | Part of Speech | Difficulty | Definition | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macabre | adj. | hard | Disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury. | A formal word used to describe things that are grim or gruesome. The macabre details of the crime scene were unsettling to the jury. |
| Machiavellian | adj. | hard | Cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics. | Describes someone who is politically manipulative and deceitful. His Machiavellian tactics helped him win the election, but they also earned him many enemies. |
| Magnanimous | adj. | hard | Very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful. | A highly positive, formal term. Synonyms include charitable, benevolent. The magnanimous winner congratulated his opponent and praised his efforts. |
| Malaise | n. | medium | A general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify. | Often describes a vague sense of unhappiness or physical discomfort. A feeling of malaise washed over the nation during the economic recession. |
| Maladroit | adj. | medium | Ineffective or clumsy. | A formal way to describe someone as awkward or inept. His maladroit handling of the situation only made things worse. |
| Malady | n. | medium | A disease or ailment. | A slightly formal or literary term for an illness. The doctor was unable to diagnose the mysterious malady affecting the patient. |
| Malediction | n. | hard | A magical word or phrase uttered with the intention of bringing about evil; a curse. | The opposite of a benediction (blessing). Synonyms include curse, imprecation. In the story, the witch cast a powerful malediction on the hero. |
| Malevolent | adj. | medium | Having or showing a wish to do evil to others. | A strong word for someone who is malicious or wicked. The villain’s malevolent laughter echoed through the castle. |
| Malice | n. | easy | The intention or desire to do evil; ill will. | Describes the motive behind a harmful act. A key legal and literary term. The prosecutor had to prove the defendant acted with malice. |
| Malign | v. | medium | To speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner. | A formal verb for slandering or defaming someone. She chose not to malign her former boss, despite their disagreements. |
| Malleable | adj. | medium | Easily influenced; pliable. | Can describe a person’s character or a physical substance like metal. A synonym is impressionable. Young children often have malleable minds. |
| Mandatory | adj. | easy | Required by law or rules; compulsory. | A common word in formal and official contexts. Synonyms include required, obligatory. Attendance at the safety meeting is mandatory for all employees. |
| Manifest | adj. | medium | Clear or obvious to the eye or mind. | Often used to describe something that is easily seen or understood. His relief was manifest on his face when he heard the good news. |
| Manifest | v. | medium | To display or show a quality or feeling by one’s acts or appearance. | To make something apparent or evident. Her anxiety began to manifest itself in a number of physical symptoms. |
| Marginal | adj. | medium | Relating to or situated at the edge or margin; of secondary or minor importance. | Often used to describe something that is insignificant or on the fringes. The changes made to the proposal were only marginal. |
| Martial | adj. | medium | Of or appropriate to war; warlike. | A formal word derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. The country was placed under martial law during the rebellion. |
| Materialistic | adj. | easy | Excessively concerned with material possessions; money-oriented. | A common term to describe a focus on wealth and possessions over spiritual values. He criticized the materialistic culture of modern society. |
| Maverick | n. | medium | An unorthodox or independent-minded person. | A term for a nonconformist or a rebel, often used in politics or business. She was a maverick who challenged the company’s traditional methods. |
| Meager | adj. | easy | Lacking in quantity or quality. | Describes something that is sparse, insufficient, or scanty. They survived on a meager diet of bread and water. |
| Meander | v. | medium | To wander at random; to follow a winding course. | Can describe a person walking aimlessly or a river’s path. We decided to meander through the old town’s narrow streets. |
| Mediocre | adj. | easy | Of only moderate quality; not very good. | A common word to describe something as average or ordinary. The film was a box-office success, but critics found it mediocre. |
| Melancholy | n. | medium | A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause. | A literary term for a deep, thoughtful sadness. A mood of melancholy descended upon him after he finished the sad novel. |
| Mellifluous | adj. | hard | (Of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear. | A sophisticated word used to praise a beautiful sound. The actor’s mellifluous voice captivated the audience. |
| Mendacious | adj. | hard | Not telling the truth; lying. | A strong, formal word for dishonest or untruthful. The mendacious politician was caught in a series of lies. |
| Mercenary | n. | medium | A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. | Can also be an adjective describing someone primarily concerned with making money. The king hired mercenaries to supplement his own army. |
| Mercurial | adj. | hard | Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind. | Describes a personality that is volatile or fickle. Her mercurial temperament made her exciting but also difficult to be around. |
| Merit | n. | easy | The quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward. | A word for value or worth. The committee will judge each application on its own merit. |
| Mesmerize | v. | medium | To hold the attention of someone to the exclusion of all else or so as to transfix them. | Describes being completely captivated or hypnotized. The dancer’s graceful movements mesmerized the audience. |
| Metamorphosis | n. | medium | A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one. | A term from biology (caterpillar to butterfly) often used figuratively. The city has undergone a complete metamorphosis over the last decade. |
| Meticulous | adj. | medium | Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise. | A positive word for someone who is thorough and diligent. The meticulous editor found every single typo in the manuscript. |
| Microcosm | n. | medium | A miniature representation of a larger world or system. | A concept where a small example reflects a larger reality. The high school was a microcosm of the entire city’s social dynamics. |
| Militant | adj. | easy | Combative and aggressive in support of a political or social cause. | Describes a person or group that is confrontational and forceful. The militant protesters refused to leave the building. |
| Mimic | v. | easy | To imitate someone’s actions or words, typically in order to entertain or ridicule. | A common word for copying or impersonating someone. The comedian was famous for his ability to mimic politicians. |
| Minuscule | adj. | medium | Extremely small; tiny. | A more formal and emphatic word than “tiny” or “small.” He noticed a minuscule crack in the antique vase. |
| Mirth | n. | medium | Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter. | A somewhat literary word for glee or merriment. The holiday party was filled with mirth and laughter. |
| Misanthrope | n. | hard | A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society. | A specific term for a hater of humanity. The reclusive author was a known misanthrope who rarely left his home. |
| Misconstrue | v. | medium | To interpret something, especially a person’s words or actions, wrongly. | A formal verb for misunderstand. I’m worried my silence might be misconstrued as agreement. |
| Misgiving | n. | medium | A feeling of doubt or apprehension about the outcome or consequences of something. | A sense of unease or worry about a future event. She had serious misgivings about her ability to complete the marathon. |
| Misnomer | n. | medium | A wrong or inaccurate name or designation. | A name that doesn’t fit the thing it describes. Calling the tiny park “Grand Plaza” is a complete misnomer. |
| Mitigate | v. | medium | To make less severe, serious, or painful. | A formal word common in academic and legal contexts. Synonyms include alleviate, lessen. The new policies were designed to mitigate the effects of the recession. |
| Modest | adj. | easy | Unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities or achievements. | Describes someone who is humble and not boastful. Despite her success, she remained a modest and down-to-earth person. |
| Modicum | n. | hard | A small quantity of a particular thing, especially something considered desirable or valuable. | A formal word for a small, token amount. He managed to maintain a modicum of dignity throughout the embarrassing ordeal. |
| Modify | v. | easy | To make partial or minor changes to something. | A common verb for altering or adjusting. We need to modify the plan to account for the new budget. |
| Mollify | v. | medium | To appease the anger or anxiety of someone. | A formal verb for calming or pacifying a person. The manager tried to mollify the angry customer with an apology. |
| Momentous | adj. | medium | Of great importance or significance, especially in its bearing on the future. | Describes a major, significant event. Synonyms include historic, crucial. The signing of the peace treaty was a momentous occasion. |
| Monotonous | adj. | easy | Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest. | Describes something that is boring because it never changes. The monotonous drone of the machinery made the workers sleepy. |
| Morbid | adj. | medium | Characterized by an abnormal and unhealthy interest in disturbing subjects, especially death. | A negative term describing a gruesome or unhealthy fascination. He had a morbid curiosity about accidents and disasters. |
| Moribund | adj. | hard | (Of a person) at the point of death; (of a thing) in terminal decline. | A formal word for something that is dying or failing. The moribund company was on the verge of bankruptcy. |
| Morose | adj. | medium | Sullen and ill-tempered. | Describes a person who is gloomy, sulky, and bad-tempered. He became morose and withdrawn after losing his job. |
| Mote | n. | hard | A tiny piece of a substance; a speck. | A small, often literary word for a particle of dust. A single mote of dust floated in the sunbeam. |
| Motley | adj. | medium | Incongruously varied in appearance or character. | Describes a diverse, disparate, or assorted group. The team was a motley crew of artists, engineers, and philosophers. |
| Muddle | v. | easy | To bring into a disordered or confusing state. | To mix up or confuse something. The new filing system only served to muddle the office’s records. |
| Multifaceted | adj. | medium | Having many facets or aspects. | Describes something that is complex and has many different sides. The problem is multifaceted and requires a comprehensive solution. |
| Multifarious | adj. | hard | Having many varied parts or aspects. | A more formal and sophisticated synonym for multifaceted or diverse. He had multifarious interests, ranging from astronomy to ancient history. |
| Mundane | adj. | medium | Lacking interest or excitement; dull. | A common SAT word for something ordinary, boring, or worldly. He wanted to escape the mundane routine of his nine-to-five job. |
| Munificent | adj. | hard | More generous than is usual or necessary. | A strong, formal word for extremely generous. Synonyms include lavish, bountiful. The munificent donor gave millions to the university. |
| Muse | v. | medium | To be absorbed in thought; to ponder. | A literary verb for thinking deeply or reflecting. She would often muse on the meaning of life while walking in the garden. |
| Mutable | adj. | hard | Liable to change. | A formal, scientific-sounding word for something that is changeable or inconstant. Synonyms include variable, fickle. The political landscape is mutable and can shift overnight. |
| Myriad | adj. | medium | Countless or extremely great in number. | Used to describe a very large, uncountable number of things. The night sky was filled with a myriad of stars. |
Descriptions
Macabre
Machiavellian
Magnanimous
Malaise
Maladroit
Malady
Malediction
Malevolent
Malice
Malign
Malleable
Mandatory
Manifest
Manifest
Marginal
Martial
Materialistic
Maverick
Meager
Meander
Mediocre
Melancholy
Mellifluous
Mendacious
Mercenary
Mercurial
Merit
Mesmerize
Metamorphosis
Meticulous
Microcosm
Militant
Mimic
Minuscule
Mirth
Misanthrope
Misconstrue
Misgiving
Misnomer
Mitigate
Modest
Modicum
Modify
Mollify
Momentous
Monotonous
Morbid
Moribund
Morose
Mote
Motley
Muddle
Multifaceted
Multifarious
Mundane
Munificent
Muse
Mutable
Myriad