English Words for "Mental Capacities and Failures" | SAT Vocabulary

Here you will learn some English words related to mental capacities and failures, such as "astute", "psyche", "whim", etc. that you will need to ace your SATs.

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SAT Natural Sciences
ambition [noun]

the will to obtain wealth, power, success, etc.

Ex: Although her initial artistic ambitions were met with skepticism , her dedication eventually earned her critical acclaim .
whim [noun]

a sudden and impulsive decision or desire that someone has without much thought or reason behind it

Ex: On a whim , she decided to drive to the beach instead of going to work .

the ability to perform tasks effectively and efficiently, demonstrating both physical and intellectual readiness

Ex: The technician 's competence in troubleshooting equipment issues minimized downtime in production .

a sharp intelligence, able to understand things deeply and quickly

Ex: Her acuteness in planning helped the company succeed .

the willingness to take action and start new things without being prompted or directed

Ex:

the tendency or habit of exercising caution and foresight to prevent problems

Ex: The engineer 's precaution prevented an accident .
psyche [noun]

the immaterial or nonphysical aspect of a person

Ex: The healer focused on restoring the patient 's psyche .

to bring back something from the memory

Ex: In therapy , individuals may work to recall suppressed memories for healing .

to create and perform words of a play, music, etc. on impulse and without preparation, particularly because one is forced to do so

Ex: During the comedy show , the comedian would often improvise jokes based on audience reactions .

to warn someone to be cautious of a dangerous person or thing

Ex: Beware of fraudulent emails asking for your personal information ; they could be phishing scams .

to cause someone to lose their focus or attention from something they were doing or thinking about

Ex: A loud conversation in the neighboring cubicle can distract employees trying to concentrate on their tasks .

to make someone acquainted with something

Ex: The teacher familiarized the students with the scientific method through hands-on experiments .

to predict or say in advance what will happen in the future

Ex: The ancient seer claimed to foretell the fate of individuals through visions .

to know or predict something before it happens

Ex: She could foresee the challenges ahead and started preparing early .
to heed [verb]

to be attentive to advice or a warning

Ex: The coach urged his players to heed his instructions if they wanted to win the game .
impressionable [adjective]

easily influenced or affected by others or external factors, especially due to a lack of experience or critical judgment

Ex: The impressionable teenager was swayed by the trendy lifestyle depicted on social media .
impervious [adjective]

resistant to being affected or damaged by something

Ex: She appeared impervious to the stress of her demanding job .
cognizant [adjective]

having knowledge or awareness about something

Ex: The team was cognizant of the need for clear communication to succeed .
astute [adjective]

having a clever and practical ability to make wise and effective decisions

Ex: The professor 's astute analysis of the text revealed hidden meanings to the students .
savvy [adjective]

possessing practical knowledge, expertise, or understanding in a particular domain

Ex: The savvy entrepreneur identified a gap in the market and launched a successful startup to fill it .
sagacious [adjective]

having keen, farsighted judgment and the ability to discern deeply and wisely

Ex: The sagacious investor made decisions that consistently resulted in profitable returns .
shrewd [adjective]

having or showing good judgement, especially in business or politics

Ex: The CEO 's shrewd decision-making led to the company 's success , even during economic downturns .
sentient [adjective]

possessing the ability to experience, feel, or perceive things through the senses

Ex:
conscious [adjective]

aware of and responsive to one's surroundings

Ex: She was barely conscious after the long illness .
perceptive [adjective]

(of a person) able to quickly and accurately understand or notice things due to keen awareness and insight

Ex: The teacher was perceptive enough to recognize the student 's struggles .
imaginative [adjective]

displaying or having creativity or originality

Ex: The artist 's imaginative paintings depicted surreal landscapes and dreamlike scenes .
acumen [noun]

sharp judgment and quick decision-making, especially in practical or professional matters

Ex: The manager 's acumen was clear in how she handled the crisis .

the quality of being alert and paying close attention to things

Ex: The manager 's attentiveness to customer feedback improved service quality .

the state or quality of being watchful and attentive, especially to detect potential danger or problems

Ex: Financial vigilance helps protect against fraud and theft .

a conclusion one reaches from the existing evidence or known facts

Ex: In literature , readers often make inferences about characters ' motivations based on their actions and dialogue .

the result of a mental processing or understanding

the process of using general rules or ideas to make a specific conclusion

Ex: His deduction was that the dog had gone outside because of the muddy tracks .
facility [noun]

the quality of performing tasks or activities with ease and without difficulty

Ex: The athlete demonstrated great facility in mastering new techniques .
instinct [noun]

a natural reaction or behavior that occurs automatically, without conscious thought or reasoning

Ex: His instinct to help others kicked in when he saw the car accident on the highway .

the ability to understand or know something immediately, without conscious reasoning or evidence

Ex: Intuition can guide decision-making when data is limited .
genius [noun]

an exceptional mental ability or talent that is unique and outstanding

Ex: Her genius in math led to important discoveries .

the part of the mind that is not currently in focused awareness, but still influences thoughts, feelings, and behavior, often through automatic or involuntary processes

Ex: Dreams are often influenced by the subconscious .

a strong drive or determination to succeed or achieve excellence

Ex: Aspiration for professional growth motivates many employees .

the quality of making decisions or taking actions without considering potential risks or consequences

Ex: Imprudence in sharing personal information online can lead to identity theft .
folly [noun]

the quality of behaving in a foolish or reckless manner, often without considering the consequences

Ex:
trance [noun]

a mental state characterized by a fragile consciousness and reduced ability for voluntary action, often resembling a deep sleep

Ex: In tribal ceremonies , participants often enter a trance to connect with spiritual realms .

the fact or state of not having the necessary information, knowledge, or understanding of something

Ex: Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking it , as people are expected to know the rules of society .
delusion [noun]

(psychology) a mental condition in which a person has a false belief system that is contradicted by evidence

delirium [noun]

a state of extreme mental confusion, often accompanied by confused or unclear thoughts or speech

insanity [noun]

a state of severe mental disorder affecting a person's ability to understand reality, think rationally, or behave in a socially acceptable manner

Ex: Early intervention is emphasized for symptoms associated with insanity .

the lack of intellectual or mental power to do something

Ex: The student 's learning disabilities resulted in an incapacity to grasp mathematical concepts and required additional support in the classroom .

a perceptual experience in which an individual perceives something that is not present in the external environment

Ex: Hallucinations can be associated with psychiatric disorders , such as schizophrenia , where they may contribute to altered perceptions of reality .
fallacy [noun]

a false idea or belief based on invalid arguments, often one that many people think is true

Ex: The belief that all members of a particular ethnic group are universally untrustworthy is a fallacy built on stereotypes and can lead to discrimination and prejudice .

a mistaken or inaccurate belief or understanding about something

Ex: Many people have a misconception that introverts are shy and dislike socializing .

to pay little or no attention to something or someone, often leading to issues or problems

Ex: He neglected the importance of maintaining a work-life balance , and now he 's experiencing burnout .

to intentionally ignore or act without concern for something or someone that deserves consideration

Ex: The criminal disregards the law and continues unlawful activities .

to understand or explain something incorrectly

Ex: He misinterpreted the gesture , thinking it was a sign of disagreement instead of agreement .

to not notice or see something

Ex: The supervisor is currently overlooking minor discrepancies to prioritize urgent matters .
oblivious [adjective]

lacking conscious awareness of something

Ex: He was so engrossed in his book that he was oblivious to the commotion around him .
deranged [adjective]

incapable of behaving normally or thinking clearly due to mental illness

Ex: The plot of the movie follows a deranged villain who seeks revenge .
insensible [adjective]

not noticing or caring about something

Ex: The manager seemed insensible to the team 's concerns about workload .
naive [adjective]

lacking experience, wisdom, or understanding about the world, often resulting in being overly trusting or easily deceived

Ex: Their naive handling of sensitive data resulted in a breach of privacy regulations .