40 words the Digital SAT draws on when a passage turns to time and duration — 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 time and duration as a spectrum rather than as 40 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 40 words
Alphabetical. Everything in the Time & Duration guide.
001
abbreviatedadjective
shortened; cut short
The abbreviated version omitted key details.
002
antecedentnoun
something that comes before and influences what follows
The antecedent events leading to the war are well documented.
003
arrivingverb
reaching a destination or coming to a place
Guests are arriving at the venue for the ceremony.
004
briefadjective
of short duration
The meeting was surprisingly brief.
005
chronicadjective
persisting for a long time or constantly recurring
He suffers from chronic back pain.
006
constantadjective
occurring continuously; unchanging
The constant noise from construction made it hard to concentrate.
007
continualadjective
happening repeatedly with breaks between
The continual interruptions disrupted her work.
008
continuousadjective
forming an unbroken whole; without interruption
The continuous line stretched for miles.
009
enduringadjective
lasting over a period of time; durable
Their enduring friendship lasted decades.
010
ephemeraladjective
lasting for a very short time
Fame can be ephemeral in the entertainment industry.
011
eternaladjective
lasting or existing forever
The philosopher pondered eternal truths.
012
fleetingadjective
lasting for a very short time
She caught a fleeting glimpse of the celebrity.
013
foretellsverb
predicts or prophesies a future event
The ancient legend foretells the return of a great hero.
014
immatureadjective
not fully developed or grown; emotionally or intellectually undeveloped
His immature behavior embarrassed everyone at the formal dinner.
015
imminentadjective
about to happen; impending
Dark clouds signaled that a storm was imminent.
016
impendingadjective
about to happen; approaching or looming
The impending deadline created a sense of urgency among the team.
017
incessantadjective
continuing without pause or interruption
The incessant noise kept everyone awake.
018
incidentnoun
an event or occurrence, especially one that is unusual or unpleasant
The security team investigated the incident thoroughly.
019
infrequentadjective
not occurring often; rare
Rain is infrequent in desert climates.
020
intermittentadjective
occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous
The intermittent rain continued all day.
021
momentaryadjective
very brief or short-lived
There was a momentary pause before the applause.
022
newfoundadjective
recently discovered or acquired
She embraced her newfound freedom after graduating from college.
023
obsoleteadjective
no longer produced or used; out of date
The obsolete equipment was replaced.
024
ongoingadjective
continuing without interruption; still in progress
The ongoing investigation has uncovered new evidence.
025
permanentadjective
lasting or remaining without change
The injury caused permanent damage.
026
perpetualadjective
never ending or changing
The perpetual motion machine is impossible to create.
027
persistentadjective
continuing firmly despite opposition or difficulty
Her persistent efforts finally paid off when she got the job.
028
postponeverb
to arrange for something to take place at a later time
They decided to postpone the wedding until next spring.
029
prefiguringverb
being an early indication or version of something that will happen later
The early protests were prefiguring the larger revolution to come.
030
prolongverb
to extend the duration of something
The treatment can prolong life but cannot cure the disease.
031
prolongedadjective
continuing for a long time
Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause damage.
032
protractedadjective
lasting for a long time or longer than expected
The protracted negotiations finally resulted in an agreement.
033
protractedadjective
lasting for a long time; prolonged
The protracted negotiations finally ended.
034
rarelyadverb
not often; seldom
She rarely misses a day of work.
035
scheduledverb/adjective
planned for a certain time; arranged according to a timetable
The meeting is scheduled for three o'clock.
036
sporadicadjective
occurring at irregular intervals
Sporadic violence continued throughout the region.
037
temporaryadjective
lasting for only a limited time
The temporary shelter housed flood victims.
038
traditionaladjective
existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established
The family prepared a traditional meal for the holiday celebration.
039
transientadjective
lasting only for a short time
The transient population made community building difficult.
040
uninterruptedadjective
without a break in continuity; continuous
She enjoyed three hours of uninterrupted sleep for the first time in weeks.
Test Ninjas puts these words back where you will meet them — full-length adaptive practice tests, a complete Reading & Writing course, and an explanation on every question. Free account, no card.
