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Guide 06 of 31

SAT words about cause and effect.

55 words the Digital SAT draws on when a passage turns to cause and effect — each with its part of speech, a plain-English definition, and an example sentence showing how it behaves in context.

55 words · Free PDF · No account needed

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 cause and effect as a spectrum rather than as 55 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 55 words

Alphabetical. Everything in the Cause & Effect guide.

001
accidentaladjective

happening by chance or without intention

The discovery of penicillin was largely accidental.

002
antecedentnoun

a thing that existed before or precedes another

The antecedent events explained the current situation.

003
attractverb

to draw interest or attention toward something

Bright colors attract bees to the flowers in the garden.

004
avertverb

to prevent or ward off

Swift action averted the disaster.

005
catalystnoun

a person or thing that precipitates change

The protest was a catalyst for reform.

006
causenoun

something that produces an effect or result

Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire.

007
coincidencenoun

a remarkable occurrence of events happening at the same time by chance

It was a coincidence that they both arrived at the same moment.

008
consequencenoun

a result or effect of an action

The consequences of the decision were severe.

009
contingentadjective

dependent on certain conditions being met

The deal is contingent upon board approval.

010
createverb

to bring something into existence

The artist hopes to create a sculpture for the new park.

011
createdverb

brought into existence

The new software created opportunities for remote collaboration.

012
creatingverb

bringing something into existence

She spent months creating the intricate tapestry.

013
culminateverb

to reach a climax or point of highest development

Years of work culminated in success.

014
dependedverb

relied on for support or maintenance

The success of the project depended on the cooperation of all team members.

015
derivedverb

obtained or developed from a source or origin

Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek roots.

016
elicitverb

to evoke or draw out a response

The question elicited an unexpected answer.

017
emanateverb

to issue or spread out from a source

Light emanated from the window.

018
engenderverb

to cause or give rise to

The policy engendered widespread resentment.

019
engenderingverb

causing or giving rise to a feeling or situation

The new policies are engendering a sense of hope among employees.

020
establishesverb

sets up on a permanent or official basis; proves or demonstrates

The treaty establishes clear guidelines for international cooperation.

021
forestallverb

to prevent or obstruct by taking advance action

Quick action forestalled a larger crisis.

022
galvanizeverb

to shock or excite into taking action

The tragedy galvanized the community.

023
inadvertentlyadverb

without intention; accidentally

She inadvertently revealed the surprise party plans.

024
incentivesnoun

things that motivate or encourage someone to do something

The company offered financial incentives to boost employee productivity.

025
inciteverb

to encourage or stir up violent behavior

The speech incited the crowd to riot.

026
inhibitverb

to hinder or restrain an action

Fear can inhibit creative thinking.

027
inspirationaladjective

providing motivation or encouragement; uplifting

Her inspirational speech moved the audience to tears.

028
inspireverb

to fill someone with the urge to do something creative or meaningful

Great teachers inspire their students to reach their full potential.

029
inspiredadjective

filled with creative motivation; guided by a divine or extraordinary influence

The inspired artist created a masterpiece in a single night.

030
instigateverb

to bring about or initiate

He was accused of instigating the riot.

031
intentionaladjective

done on purpose; deliberate

The error appeared to be intentional rather than accidental.

032
invokeverb

to cite or appeal to as authority

The lawyer invoked the Fifth Amendment.

033
involuntarilyadverb

without conscious control or intention; done against one's will

She involuntarily flinched when the balloon popped.

034
makesverb

causes something to exist, happen, or be done; creates or produces

She makes her own bread every weekend using a traditional family recipe.

035
motivationnoun

the reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way; enthusiasm

Her motivation for studying medicine was a desire to help others.

036
originateverb

to have one's origin in a specified place or situation

Many English words originate from Latin and Greek roots.

037
originatesverb

has its origin or beginning in a particular place or source

The river originates in the mountains and flows to the sea.

038
paralyzeverb

to render unable to move or act

Fear paralyzed her into inaction.

039
precipitateverb

to cause to happen suddenly or prematurely

The scandal precipitated his resignation.

040
precludeverb

to prevent from happening

The injury precluded him from competing.

041
precursorsnoun

things that come before and indicate the approach of something else

Early symptoms can be precursors to more serious illness.

042
producedverb

made or manufactured; created or brought into existence

The factory produced thousands of units each day.

043
producesverb

makes or manufactures; creates or generates

This region produces some of the finest wines in the world.

044
propagateverb

to spread and promote widely

The internet helped propagate the idea.

045
provokeverb

to stimulate or give rise to a reaction

His remarks provoked an angry response.

046
provokesverb

stimulates or incites a reaction or emotion

The controversial artwork provokes strong reactions from viewers.

047
ramificationnoun

a consequence of an action or event

The ramifications of the decision were far-reaching.

048
reactverb

to respond or behave in a particular way in response to something

How did your parents react when you told them the news?

049
sourcenoun/verb

a place, person, or thing from which something originates

The journalist refused to reveal her source.

050
spawnverb

to cause something to develop

The book spawned numerous adaptations.

051
stemverb

to stop or restrict the flow of

Measures were taken to stem the spread.

052
stimulatedverb

encouraged or aroused interest or enthusiasm; increased activity in

The discussion stimulated new ideas among the team members.

053
triggerverb

to cause an event or situation to happen

The comment triggered a heated debate.

054
unintendedadjective

not planned or meant; accidental

The new policy had several unintended consequences that needed to be addressed.

055
yieldverb

to produce or provide; to give way to pressure or demands

The fertile soil will yield an abundant harvest this season.

Prefer paper? The printable Cause & Effect guide adds a memory cue to every entry, ready to print — 54 of the 55 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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