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ACT Vocabulary Prep Quiz

Word List with 72 words
*By Dictionary.com

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Words in This List

apathy
noun
absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement; lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting
advocate
verb
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly
ascetic
noun
a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial for religious reasons
censure
verb
to criticize or reproach in a harsh or vehement manner
frugal
adjective
economical in use or expenditure; not wasteful; entailing little expense or requiring few resources
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haughty
adjective
disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant
haphazard
noun
mere chance or accident
scrutinize
verb
to examine in detail with careful or critical attention
debacle
noun
a general breakup or dispersion; sudden downfall or rout; a complete collapse or failure
aloof
adjective
reserved or reticent; indifferent; disinterested
mitigate
verb
to become milder; lessen in severity
inevitable
adjective
unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; sure to occur, happen, or come
disdain
verb
to look upon or treat with contempt; to think unworthy of notice
rhetoric
noun
the undue use of exaggeration or display; the art or science of all specialized literary uses of language in prose or verse including figures of speech
redundant
adjective
characterized by verbosity or unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas; exceeding what is usual or natural
articulate
adjective
using language easily and fluently; having facility with words
manifest
verb
to make clear or evident to the eye or the understanding; show plainly; to prove; put beyond doubt or question
abstract
noun
a summary of a text, scientific article, document or speech
aggregate
verb
to combine and form a collection or mass
prolific
adjective
producing offspring abundantly; producing in large quantities or with great frequency
elaborate
adjective
worked out with great care and nicety of detail; marked by intricate and often excessive detail; complicated
implicit
adjective
implied, rather than expressly stated; unquestioning or unreserved; to bring out the drama implicit in the occasion
adversity
noun
a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress
ambivalence
noun
uncertainty or fluctuation caused by an inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite, conflicting things
contrary
adjective
opposite in nature or character; diametrically or mutually opposed
respite
verb
to relieve temporarily from anything distressing or trying; give an interval of relief from; to grant delay in the carrying out of a punishment
peruse
verb
to read through with thoroughness or care; to survey or examine in detail
eloquent
adjective
having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech
tedious
adjective
marked by tedium; long and tiresome
prodigal
noun
a person who spends, or has spent, his or her money or substance with wasteful extravagance
abate
verb
to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.; lessen; diminish or omit
augment
verb
to become larger
substantive
adjective
of considerable amount or quantity
formidable
adjective
causing fear, apprehension, or dread; of awesome strength and size; intimidating; arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur
serene
adjective
calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled or clear
sanction
noun
authoritative permission or approval, as for an action; something that serves to support an action or condition
devious
adjective
departing from the most direct way; without definite course; departing from the proper or accepted way
expedient
adjective
tending to promote some proposed or desired object; conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right
zealot
noun
a person who shows a great deal of enthusiasm, a fanatic
wanton
verb
to squander, especially in pleasure
covert
adjective
concealed or secret, disguised
circumvent
verb
to go around or bypass, to avoid by artfulness or deception; to surround or encompass, as by stratagem; entrap
cavalier
adjective
haughty, disdainful, or supercilious, offhand or unceremonious
consent
noun
permission, approval, or agreement; agreement in sentiment or opinion, a course of action
heed
noun
careful attention; notice; observation
adhere
verb
to stay attached, cleave or cling; to hold closely or firmly
languid
adjective
lacking in vigor or vitality; lacking in spirit or interest; listless; drooping or flagging from weakness or fatigue
devoid
adjective
not possessing something, untouched by or destitute
waive
verb
to refrain from claiming or insisting on; to give up or forgo; to relinquish intentionally
surmise
noun
a matter of conjecture, an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely
hindrance
noun
impeding, stopping or preventing
pristine
adjective
having its original purity; of or pertaining to the earliest period or state; primitive
condescend
verb
to behave as if one is conscious of descending from a superior position, rank, or dignity; to stoop or deign to do something
exhaust
noun
the escape of steam or gases from the cylinder of an engine; the parts of an engine through which the exhaust is ejected.
artifice
noun
a clever trick or stratagem; a cunning, crafty device or expedient; a skillful or artful contrivance or expedient
malign
verb
to speak harmful untruths about; slander or defame
despot
noun
a king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power, or any tyrant or oppressor
relegate
verb
to send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition; to consign or commit a matter or task
raze
verb
to tear down; demolish or level to the ground; to shave or scrape off
agrarian
noun
a person who favors the equal division of landed property and the advancement of agricultural groups
quaff
verb
to drink a beverage copiously and heartily
cascade
noun
a waterfall descending over a steep, rocky surface; a type of firework resembling a waterfall in effect
travail
verb
to suffer the pangs of childbirth; be in labor, to toil or exert oneself
meander
verb
to take a winding or indirect course; to wander aimlessly or ramble
synchronize
verb
to occur at the same time or coincide or agree in time; to go on, move or operate at the same rate and exactly together
writhe
verb
to twist or bend out of shape or position; to twist about, as in pain
seethe
noun
the state of being agitated or excited
fetter
verb
to confine or restrain
amass
verb
to come together; assemble
cyclical
adjective
denoting a business or stock whose income, value, or earnings fluctuate widely according to variations in the economy or the cycle of the seasons
carp
noun
a peevish complaint
pinion
noun
a gear with a small number of teeth engaging with a rack or larger gear; a shaft or spindle cut with teeth engaging with a gear

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