SAT words about similarity and difference.
83 words the Digital SAT draws on when a passage turns to similarity and difference — 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 similarity and difference as a spectrum rather than as 83 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 83 words
Alphabetical. Everything in the Similarity & Difference guide.
a natural liking or attraction to something or someone
She has always had an affinity for learning foreign languages.
of similar character
His feelings were akin to despair.
surrounded by; in the company of
She was among the first to arrive at the conference.
comparable in certain respects
The two situations are analogous.
a comparison between two things to highlight similarities
The teacher used an analogy comparing the heart to a pump.
something that deviates from the normal or expected
The warm weather in December was an anomaly for this region.
having opposite meanings
Hot and cold are antonymous terms.
joined or connected to something
Please review the documents attached to this email.
not representative of a type or group; unusual
His calm reaction to the crisis was atypical of his usual behavior.
a typical feature or quality of something
Patience is a characteristic essential for teachers.
having the same origin
English and German have cognate words.
joined together to form a single unit
The combined efforts of the team led to success.
occurring frequently; shared by many
It is common for students to feel nervous before exams.
shared features or characteristics
Despite their differences, they found many commonalities in their backgrounds.
ordinary; not unusual or remarkable
Video calls have become commonplace in modern workplaces.
similar enough to be compared
The two products are comparable in quality and price.
able to exist or work together
The software was compatible with all devices.
combining well to enhance or complete something
The two research approaches are complementary rather than competing.
consists of; is made up of
The committee comprises experts from various fields.
combined two or more things into one, often mistakenly
The reporter conflated two separate incidents in her article.
in agreement or harmony
The findings were congruent with the theory.
acting or done in the same way over time; unchanging
Her consistent performance earned her a promotion.
acting in the same way over time
Her consistent effort paid off.
differing strikingly
The contrasting colors created visual interest.
analogous or equivalent in character
Each number has a corresponding letter.
separated or disconnected from something else
The engineers decoupled the software modules to make the system more maintainable.
set the boundaries or limits of something
The property lines were clearly demarcated by a wooden fence.
something obtained from another source
The design was derivative of earlier works.
departs from an established course or norm
Any employee who deviates from the safety protocol will face disciplinary action.
disagreeing or incongruous
The discordant notes jarred the ear.
a lack of compatibility between facts or claims
There was a discrepancy between the two accounts of the event.
essentially different in kind
The disparate groups struggled to agree.
not alike; different
The twins had dissimilar personalities.
far away in space or time; not closely related; reserved in manner
The distant mountains were barely visible through the morning fog.
recognizably different; clearly separate or unique
Each region has its own distinct culture and traditions.
recognizably different in nature
The flavors are distinctly different.
to separate and go in different directions; to differ in opinion
The two paths diverge at the old oak tree in the forest.
tending to be different or develop differently
Their divergent views caused conflict.
showing great variety; including people of different types
The city is known for its diverse population and multicultural neighborhoods.
to be a perfect example of a quality or type
Her dedication and hard work epitomize the values of our organization.
being a perfect example of a quality or type
The athlete is epitomizing perseverance by competing despite her injury.
equal in value, function, or meaning
The two qualifications are equivalent.
things that serve as models or illustrations; instances
The teacher provided several examples to clarify the concept.
serves as a typical example of; illustrates
Her career exemplifies what can be achieved through determination.
diverse in character or content
The heterogeneous group brought varied perspectives.
of the same kind; uniform in structure or composition throughout
The scientist needed a homogeneous mixture for the experiment.
of the same kind; uniform
The homogeneous mixture blended smoothly.
exactly alike
The twins looked identical.
copied or reproduced the actions or appearance of someone or something
The young artist imitated the style of the great masters.
a copy or reproduction of something; the act of copying
The painting turned out to be an imitation of the original masterpiece.
unable to exist together in harmony
Their schedules were incompatible.
not in harmony or keeping with surroundings
His casual attire was incongruous at the formal event.
not staying the same throughout
His inconsistent behavior confused everyone.
free from outside control; self-reliant and not dependent on others
She valued her independent lifestyle and made her own decisions.
able to be exchanged or substituted for one another
The parts are interchangeable between the two models.
to cross or meet at a point; to overlap or share common elements
The two roads intersect at the center of town.
to set apart from others; to identify and examine separately
Scientists worked to isolate the virus in the laboratory.
to correspond or be equal to something; to pair appropriately
The curtains match the carpet perfectly in both color and pattern.
to imitate someone or something, especially for entertainment or learning
Parrots can mimic human speech with remarkable accuracy.
having many different aspects, elements, or features
Climate change is a multifaceted problem requiring solutions from many disciplines.
new and original; not like anything seen before
The scientist proposed a novel approach to solving the energy crisis.
new or unusual in an interesting way
The scientist proposed a novel approach.
a strange or unusual person, thing, or trait
The museum displayed many curiosities and oddities from around the world.
with no special or distinctive features; normal
It seemed like an ordinary day until the surprise party began.
present from the beginning; creative and not copied
The artist is known for her original style of painting.
similar or corresponding
The parallel stories shared common themes.
specific or individual; especially great or intense
She has a particular talent for solving complex puzzles.
belonging to or affecting a particular individual
He keeps his personal life separate from his professional work.
to make or show a connection between; to feel sympathy or identify with
Many teenagers can relate to the struggles depicted in the film.
able to be done or made again in the same way
The experiment must be repeatable for the results to be valid.
containing or characterized by repetition, especially when unnecessary or tiresome
The repetitive tasks made the job monotonous.
able to be exactly copied or reproduced
Scientific findings must be replicable by other researchers.
typical of a class or group; a person chosen to act or speak for others
The survey results are representative of the general population.
to come together or cause to come together again after a period of separation
The organization helps reunite families separated by war.
a sequence of actions regularly followed; performed as part of a regular procedure
Exercise has become part of her daily routine.
resembling without being identical; having characteristics in common
The two paintings are similar in style but different in subject.
the state or quality of being similar; points of resemblance
Despite their differences, there are many similarities between the two cultures.
to imitate the appearance or character of; to produce a computer model of
The software can simulate real-world weather conditions.
having the same or similar meaning
His name became synonymous with excellence.
remaining the same in all cases; consistent and unchanging
The company implemented uniform policies across all its branches.
remaining the same in all cases
The uniform standards applied to everyone.
lacking originality or novelty; derivative
Critics dismissed the film as unoriginal, noting its many borrowed plot elements.
incorporating a number of different types
The menu offered varied options.
Prefer paper? The printable Similarity & Difference guide adds a memory cue to every entry, ready to print — 78 of the 83 words on this page. For the alphabetical master list, see the SAT vocabulary list; to be quizzed on these words instead of reading them, use the vocabulary trainer or try some Words in Context practice.
31 themes down, one test to go.
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