LSAT Foundational Vocab

Refute

Disprove

Contemporary

Modern

Belies

Betray or contradict

Spurious

Not genuine or authentic

Argument by Analogy

To argue that because two things are similar, what is true of one must be true of the other

Ad Hominem

Irrelevant personal attacks intended to discredit an argument

This is a flaw and invalid

Counterfactual

Something that has not happened but would happen under different circumstances

If A is true, then B is true. Used to show that bc B is not true, then A def is not true either

Value Judgement

Whether something is good or bad based on one’s standards

Rationale

A set of reasons for a particular belief

Corollary

Secondary consequence, deduction or inference

Circular Reasoning

Premise used to support Conclusion is just a repetition of the Conclusion

EX: Girls love flowers. This is true because I’m a girl and I love flowers.

Equivocation

Ambiguous language used to conceal the truth

Innate

Natural

Capricious

Unpredictable change in behavior

Followed by

X followed by Y. X came before Y.

Preclude

Prevent from happening

Ambivalent

Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something

Equivocal

Ambiguous

Penultimate

Second to last

Modicum

Small quanitity of something valuable

Tacit

Understood without being stated

Adversarial

Two people opposing each other

Innocuous

Not harmful or offensive

Pernicious

Having harmful effect, in gradual way

Paradox

Self-contradictory statement that seems true at first

Aggregate

Whole formed by combining several elements

Extant

Still in existence

Eccentric

Unconventional, slightly strange

Imperturbable

Calm and composed

Vacuous

Showing lack of intelligence

Adduce

Cite as evidence

Obstinante

Stubbornly refuse to change

Consummate

Extremely skilled

Resolute

Firmly determined

Elucidate

To clarify

Confer

To consult / To grant something

Replete

Full, well supplied

Incessantly

Constantly, without interruption

Diatribes

Bitter verbal attack

Evinced

Indicate, reveal the presence of

Bereft

Lacking, deprived of

Dichotomy

Contrast between two things that are represented as opposed

Disabuse

Persuade someone that an idea/belief is mistaken

Synthesis

Combine ideas to form theory or system

Delineate

Define something precisely

Lament

Mourn / Passionate show of grief or sorrow

Derisive

Expressing contempt or ridicule

Whimsical

Playful

Concern

Relate to, be about

Renegade

Person who betrays organization / Traitor

Seldom

Rarely; not often

Dearth

Scarcity or lack of

Deleterious

Harmful or damaging

Artifice

Strategy intended to deceive or trick

Empirical

Based on experience / observation, not logic or theory

Underscore

Emphasize

Paradigm

Typical model / example of something

Radically

In an extreme way

Hitherto

Until now or until this point

Precedent

Earlier event that serves as a guide for the future

Usurp

Take a position illegally / by force

Obstinate

Stubborn

Innocuous

Not harmful

Conscientiously

In a thorough and moral way

Recalcitrant

Having a stubborn and uncooperative attitute

At least as many X as Y

• X ≥ Y 

• Ex: At least as many people in LA as SF

• There must be at minimum, the same number of people in LA as SF, but there can be more people in LA. But minimum must be equal

Indignant

Show anger bc of unjust / unworthy

Amorphous

Lacking structure or focus

Sovereign

Supreme leader

Repudiate

Refuse to accept / be associated with

Expropriate

Take away from its owner

Salutary

Promoting benefit / improvement

Expository

Describing an event or detail

Ethnographic

Describing people and culture

Imprudent

Unwise

Rhetoric

Persuasive writing

Acute

Of severe / intense degree

Preponderance

Majority / Greater than

Penchant

Habitual liking or tendency to do something

Latent

Hidden

Rectify

To correct / make something right

Insular

Narrow, close minded

Pragmatic

Practical, realistic

Intransigent

Unwilling to change views

Vagrant

Wanderer

Vacuous

Mindless

Dogma

Principles thought of to be true

Recourse

Source of help in a tough situation

Ubiquitous

Existing everywhere at once, constantly encountered, widespread and universal

Jurists

Expert writers in law. Lawyers or judges

Advent

Arrival of something notable

Attrition

Death

Contiguous

Touching

Blunder

Stupid, careless mistake

Prudent

Wise