This list includes 69 SAT words that start with T, from “tacit” to “tyranny”. Many entries cover abstract, academic, and political meanings you often encounter in literature and essays.
SAT words that start with T are useful vocabulary items beginning with T that sharpen your reading and writing. Historically, several tested items like “tacit” come from Latin roots common in academic English.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Difficulty, Definition, and Example.
Word: The SAT vocabulary item itself; use it to recognize the target form and practice spelling and pronunciation.
Difficulty: A simple easy/medium/hard tag showing typical test difficulty so you prioritize words you should study first.
Definition: A concise, dictionary-style meaning you can memorize and recall during reading and multiple-choice questions.
Example: A single clear sentence showing common usage so you see context and study realistic sentence structures.
SAT words that start with T
| Word | Part of Speech | Difficulty | Example Sentence | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tacit | adjective | medium | His silence was a tacit agreement to the plan. | Understood without being said; common on SAT to test implied meaning and inference. |
| taciturn | adjective | medium | The taciturn student rarely spoke in class. | Habitually silent or reserved; often appears to test tone and characterization. |
| tack | noun | easy | They changed tack after the meeting. | Course of action or approach; useful for reading passages about strategy or opinion shifts. |
| tackle | verb | easy | She tackled the difficult math problem calmly. | To confront or deal with; appears in contexts testing problem-solving or initiative. |
| tact | noun | medium | He handled the criticism with tact and respect. | Sensitivity in dealing with others; SAT passages often examine social nuance and diplomacy. |
| tactful | adjective | easy | Her tactful reply defused the tense conversation. | Showing skill and sensitivity; common for tone questions. |
| tactless | adjective | medium | His tactless comment offended many coworkers. | Lacking consideration or sensitivity; used in tone and character descriptions. |
| tangible | adjective | medium | The proposal showed tangible benefits for students. | Touchable or concrete; SAT often contrasts tangible vs abstract evidence. |
| tangential | adjective | hard | Her argument was tangential to the main issue. | Only slightly related; appears in critical-reading to spot irrelevance. |
| tangible | adjective | medium | The evidence offered tangible proof of guilt. | Concrete or perceptible; useful in argumentation and evidence contexts. |
| tantamount | adjective | medium | Refusing the offer was tantamount to quitting. | Equivalent in effect or meaning; tests nuance of equivalence in arguments. |
| taut | adjective | medium | The rope remained taut during the climb. | Stretched tight or concise; can describe prose style or physical tension. |
| tautology | noun | medium | His speech contained a boring tautology. | Redundant statement; SAT may use to criticize weak reasoning or style. |
| tedious | adjective | medium | The long lecture proved tedious for many students. | Boring or repetitive; used to characterize texts or situations. |
| tepid | adjective | medium | The audience gave only a tepid response. | Lukewarm or unenthusiastic; often used for weak reactions or support. |
| term | noun | easy | They negotiated the terms before signing the contract. | A word or condition in an agreement; common in reading and grammar contexts. |
| terminate | verb | medium | The company decided to terminate the project early. | To bring to an end; used in logical conclusion or process descriptions. |
| terminology | noun | medium | The book clarifies technical terminology for readers. | Specialized vocabulary; useful in passages about disciplines or methods. |
| terse | adjective | medium | His terse reply ended the conversation abruptly. | Brief and to the point; often tests tone and concision. |
| territory | noun | easy | The birds defended their territory from intruders. | Area of land or domain; appears in literal and metaphorical contexts. |
| terse | adjective | medium | The email was terse but polite. | Concise, often blunt; used in tone analysis. |
| testament | noun | medium | The painting is a testament to her talent. | Evidence or proof of something; common in persuasive or descriptive passages. |
| testify | verb | easy | Several witnesses testified at the trial. | To give evidence or bear witness; used in legal and narrative contexts. |
| textual | adjective | medium | The argument relied on careful textual analysis. | Relating to a text; appears in literature and reading comprehension contexts. |
| theoretical | adjective | medium | The study provided theoretical support for the model. | Based on theory rather than practice; common in science and argument passages. |
| theory | noun | easy | Her theory explained the unexpected pattern. | A well-substantiated explanation; central to questions about evidence and inference. |
| therapeutic | adjective | medium | Gardening proved therapeutic after a stressful week. | Healing or beneficial; appears in health and wellbeing passages. |
| thesis | noun | medium | He defended his thesis before the committee. | Central claim or long essay; used in academic and argumentative contexts. |
| thwart | verb | medium | They planned to thwart the opponent’s advance. | To prevent or frustrate a plan; appears in discussions of obstacles and outcomes. |
| timid | adjective | easy | The timid child avoided the noisy playground. | Lacking courage or confidence; used in character descriptions. |
| timorous | adjective | hard | The timorous explorer hesitated at the cave entrance. | Showing fear or nervousness; often appears in tone and character analyses. |
| tirade | noun | medium | He launched into a tirade about poor service. | A long, angry speech; used to test tone and emotional intensity. |
| tolerant | adjective | medium | A tolerant community respects differing viewpoints. | Willing to accept differences; appears in social and ethical discussions. |
| tolerate | verb | medium | She could not tolerate the constant noise. | To allow or endure; used in contexts of limits or acceptance. |
| tonal | adjective | medium | The essay’s tonal shift changed the reader’s impression. | Relating to tone; useful for questions about mood or style. |
| tonic | noun | medium | A brisk walk served as a refreshing tonic. | Something invigorating or restorative; appears in figurative language. |
| topical | adjective | medium | The debate covered several topical issues. | Relating to current events; used in news and opinion passages. |
| torpid | adjective | hard | After the meal he felt torpid and lethargic. | Sluggish or inactive; often used in descriptive and character contexts. |
| torpor | noun | hard | Winter induced a torpor in the animal population. | State of physical or mental inactivity; appears in science and nature texts. |
| torrent | noun | medium | A sudden torrent flooded the mountain road. | A fast-moving stream or downpour; used in descriptive passages. |
| torrid | adjective | medium | They endured the torrid summer heat together. | Very hot or passionate; used for climate or emotional intensity. |
| tortuous | adjective | medium | The mountain pass followed a tortuous route. | Full of twists or complex; often used metaphorically for complicated arguments. |
| torturous | adjective | hard | The prolonged delay felt torturous to travelers. | Causing great physical or mental pain; tests nuance vs tortuous. |
| tractable | adjective | medium | The trainee proved tractable and open to feedback. | Easily managed or influenced; appears in descriptions of behavior or arguments. |
| trajectory | noun | medium | Scientists predicted the comet’s trajectory precisely. | Path of a moving object; common in science passages and metaphors. |
| tranquil | adjective | medium | The lake was tranquil at sunrise. | Calm and peaceful; used in tone and setting descriptions. |
| transcend | verb | medium | Her work transcends conventional boundaries. | To rise above or go beyond limits; used in superior quality or achievement contexts. |
| transcendent | adjective | hard | The artist created a transcendent piece of music. | Surpassing ordinary limits; often appears in high-level praise or philosophical texts. |
| transient | adjective | medium | The disturbance was transient and soon subsided. | Lasting briefly; useful in temporal contrast questions. |
| transitory | adjective | medium | Their disagreement was transitory, not permanent. | Temporary or short-lived; appears in cause-effect and temporal reasoning. |
| transparent | adjective | easy | The process was transparent to all participants. | Easily understood or seen through; common in ethics and policy passages. |
| transparency | noun | medium | The company promoted transparency in its finances. | Openness and clarity; often used in governance and accountability contexts. |
| trauma | noun | medium | The accident left psychological trauma for years. | Severe emotional shock or injury; appears in health and social science passages. |
| treacherous | adjective | medium | The mountain road became treacherous after nightfall. | Dangerous or deceitful; used literally or metaphorically to describe risk or betrayal. |
| treachery | noun | medium | The plot exposed the treachery among allies. | Betrayal of trust; common in history and literature contexts. |
| trepidation | noun | medium | She approached the stage with trepidation. | Fearful uncertainty or hesitation; used to convey emotional tone. |
| tribute | noun | easy | The mayor received a tribute for his service. | An act or statement showing respect or gratitude; appears in civic and historical contexts. |
| trite | adjective | medium | The argument sounded trite and unoriginal. | Overused and unoriginal; tests ability to judge originality and style. |
| trivial | adjective | easy | They argued over trivial details that did not matter. | Of little importance; common in distinguishing major vs minor points. |
| truculent | adjective | hard | His truculent remarks escalated the argument. | Aggressively defiant or hostile; used to show combative tone. |
| truncate | verb | medium | The editor had to truncate the long article. | To shorten by cutting off; appears in editing and process contexts. |
| turbid | adjective | hard | The river became turbid after heavy rains. | Cloudy or muddy, often literal; sometimes used metaphorically for unclear writing. |
| turbulent | adjective | medium | The company faced a turbulent period last year. | Chaotic or unstable; common in political, social, or physical descriptions. |
| turmoil | noun | medium | The region sank into political turmoil quickly. | Great disturbance or confusion; used in large-scale social or personal contexts. |
| turncoat | noun | medium | He was branded a turncoat after switching sides. | A person who betrays a group or cause; appears in history and literature. |
| turgid | adjective | hard | The speech felt turgid and overly ornate. | Swollen or pompous in style; tests ability to critique tone and diction. |
| turpitude | noun | hard | The scandal revealed moral turpitude among officials. | Depravity or wickedness; used in legal and moral criticism. |
| tutelage | noun | hard | He improved his skills under strict tutelage. | Instruction or guardianship; appears in historical and academic contexts. |
| tyranny | noun | medium | The novel depicted life under a cruel tyranny. | Cruel or oppressive rule; common in political and historical passages. |
Descriptions
tacit
taciturn
tack
tackle
tact
tactful
tactless
tangible
tangential
tangible
tantamount
taut
tautology
tedious
tepid
term
terminate
terminology
terse
territory
terse
testament
testify
textual
theoretical
theory
therapeutic
thesis
thwart
timid
timorous
tirade
tolerant
tolerate
tonal
tonic
topical
torpid
torpor
torrent
torrid
tortuous
torturous
tractable
trajectory
tranquil
transcend
transcendent
transient
transitory
transparent
transparency
trauma
treacherous
treachery
trepidation
tribute
trite
trivial
truculent
truncate
turbid
turbulent
turmoil
turncoat
turgid
turpitude
tutelage
tyranny