41 words the Digital SAT draws on when a passage turns to knowledge and ignorance — each with its part of speech, a plain-English definition, and an example sentence showing how it behaves in context.
Vocabulary on the Digital SAT is tested in context, not in isolation: a Words in Context question hands you a sentence with a blank and four plausible-looking candidates, and the winner is the one whose shade of meaning fits. Studying words in a meaning-group like this one is the fastest way to build that discrimination — you learn knowledge and ignorance as a spectrum rather than as 41 unrelated definitions.
Read the definition, then the example sentence. Say the word aloud. Come back to this theme a few days later and cover the definitions — recalling a word cold is what fixes it, and rereading it is not.
The 41 words
Alphabetical. Everything in the Knowledge & Ignorance guide.
001
apprisedverb
informed or notified about something
The manager apprised the staff of the upcoming policy changes.
002
benightedadjective
in a state of moral or intellectual darkness
The benighted population lacked basic education.
003
cognizantadjective
having knowledge or awareness
She was cognizant of the risks involved in the venture.
004
discoververb
to find or learn something for the first time
Scientists hope to discover new species in the unexplored rainforest.
005
discoveredverb
found or learned something for the first time
The archaeologists discovered ancient artifacts buried beneath the temple.
006
discoverynoun
the act of finding or learning something new; something that has been found
The discovery of penicillin revolutionized modern medicine.
007
empiricaladjective
based on observation or experience rather than theory
The study provided empirical evidence to support the hypothesis.
008
enlightenedadjective
having knowledge and understanding
The enlightened ruler introduced reforms.
009
eruditeadjective
having or showing great knowledge
The erudite professor quoted from memory.
010
evidencenoun
information indicating whether something is true or valid; proof
The detective gathered evidence at the crime scene.
011
experimentnoun/verb
a scientific test to discover something unknown; to try something new
The laboratory experiment yielded unexpected but promising results.
012
familiarizeverb
to make someone knowledgeable about or accustomed to something
New employees should familiarize themselves with company policies.
013
foolishadjective
lacking good sense or judgment
It was foolish to ignore the warnings.
014
foolishlyadverb
in a manner lacking good sense or judgment
He foolishly invested all his savings in a single stock.
015
forgettingverb
failing to remember; neglecting or overlooking
She keeps forgetting where she placed her car keys.
016
forgottenverb/adjective
no longer remembered; neglected or overlooked
The abandoned town has been largely forgotten by the outside world.
017
ignorantadjective
lacking knowledge or awareness
He was ignorant of the local customs.
018
illiterateadjective
unable to read or write
The illiterate man asked for help with forms.
019
inexperiencedadjective
lacking knowledge or skill gained from experience
The inexperienced driver made several mistakes during the test.
020
informedadjective
having knowledge of a subject
Voters should be informed about the issues.
021
inheritedverb
received from a predecessor or through genetic transmission
She inherited her grandmother's beautiful antique jewelry.
022
insensibleadjective
unaware of or indifferent to
He seemed insensible to the criticism.
023
investigationsnoun
formal examinations or systematic inquiries to establish facts
The investigations revealed widespread corruption in the organization.
024
learnedadjective
having much knowledge acquired by study
The learned scholar published many papers.
025
literateadjective
able to read and write
Universal education aims to make everyone literate.
026
naiveadjective
showing lack of experience or judgment
She was naive to trust the stranger.
027
obliviousadjective
not aware of what is happening
She was oblivious to the danger.
028
obtuseadjective
annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand
The obtuse student missed obvious clues.
029
omniscientadjective
knowing everything
The novel used an omniscient narrator.
030
prudentadjective
acting with care and thought for the future
The prudent investor diversified holdings.
031
rememberverb
to have in or be able to bring to one's mind an awareness of past events
I can still remember the day we first met.
032
rememberedverb
brought to mind; recalled from memory
She suddenly remembered where she had left her keys.
033
scholarlyadjective
involving or relating to serious academic study; having the characteristics of a scholar
Her scholarly articles have been published in prestigious journals.
034
scholarlyadjective
involving serious academic study
The scholarly article was well researched.
035
theoreticaladjective
concerned with or involving theory rather than practical application
The physicist spent years working on theoretical models before testing them experimentally.
036
theorynoun
a supposition or system of ideas intended to explain something based on general principles
Darwin's theory of evolution revolutionized our understanding of biology.
037
uninformedadjective
lacking awareness or knowledge
The uninformed public was easily misled.
038
unknownadjective
not known or familiar; not discovered or identified
The artist remained unknown during her lifetime but gained fame posthumously.
039
unletteredadjective
poorly educated; illiterate
The unlettered peasants could not read the decree.
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