ACT Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
abject
A
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.
2
Q
academia
A
interests of a university, college, school
3
Q
acute
A
sharp or severe in effect; intense: acute sorrow; an acute pain; extremely great or serious; crucial; critical: an acute shortage of oil.
4
Q
adversity
A
a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress
5
Q
aesthetic
A
of or pertaining to the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty
6
Q
amateur
A
a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.
7
Q
antecedent
A
preceding; prior: an antecedent event.
8
Q
appendicitis
A
Inflammation of the tubular outgrowth of the small intestine (noun)
9
Q
aspiration
A
a goalor objective desired
10
Q
assent
A
to give in; yield; concede
11
Q
bedrock
A
any firm foundation or basis
12
Q
benevolent
A
desiring to help others; charitable
13
Q
censure
A
strong or vehement expressionof disapproval
14
Q
circumscribed
A
to enclose within bounds; limit or confine
15
Q
collaborate
A
to work, one with another; cooperate
16
Q
communion
A
the act of sharing, or holding in common or religious ceremony
17
Q
compulsive
A
a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act
18
Q
concur
A
work together, agree
19
Q
condescension
A
looking down on someone or something
20
Q
conformist
A
a person who goes along with, especially unquestioningly, to the usual practices or standards of a group, society, etc.
21
Q
conscious
A
aware of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.
22
Q
consensus
A
general agreement or concord; harmony.
23
Q
consternation
A
a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay.
24
Q
contempt
A
the feeling with whicha person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn.
25
convergence
to tend to a common result, conclusion, come together
26
cursory
hasty; superficial
27
deleterious
harmful; injurious
28
demise
death or decease.
29
deterrence
to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding
30
digression
a passage or section that deviates from the central theme in speech or writing.
31
diligent
attentive and persistent in doing anything
32
dissension
strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel; discord.
33
divergent
to differ in opinion, character, form; deviate.
34
domesticated
to tame (an animal), especially by generations of breeding, to live in close association with human beings
35
eclectic
selecting or choosing from various sources, varied in nature
36
ecological
the branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment,
37
electorate
The body of persons entitled to vote in an election (noun)
38
emancipate
to free from restraint, influence, or the like.
39
embittered
to cause to fell pain; angry
40
emissary
a representative sent on a mission or errand: emissaries to negotiate a peace.
41
empathy
the identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
42
ephemeral
lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory
43
exasperate
to irritate or provoke to a high degree
44
exemplary
worthy of imitation; commendable; an example
45
exposition
the act of presenting to view; explain
46
expulsion
he act of driving out
47
extrasensory
outside one's normal sense perception.
48
feigned
pretended; sham; counterfeit:
49
florid
flowery; excessively ornate; showy
50
flux
continuous change, passage, or movement
51
genealogy
a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, group, etc.
52
genesis
an origin, creation, or beginning.
53
gratification
to satisfy; indulge; humor, as one's desires or appetites.
54
gratis
without charge or payment; free
55
homogeneous
composed of parts or elements that are all of the same kind; not heterogeneous
56
hurried
moving or working rapidly, especially forced
57
hybrid
anything derived from or composed of elements of different kinds
58
illuminate
to make lucid or clear; throw light on
59
immaculate
free from fault or flaw; free from errors
60
impelled
to drive or urge forward; press on; incite or constrain to action
61
impending
Soon to be taking place or happening; imminent; hovering menacingly (adj.)
62
impound
to confine within an enclosure or within limits
63
improvised
made or said without previous preparation
64
inception
beginning; start; commencement
65
incessant
continuing without interruption; ceaseless; unending: an incessant noise.
66
inclination
something to which one is inclined
67
incorrigible
bad beyond correction or reform: incorrigible behavior; an incorrigible liar.
68
incursion
a hostile entrance into or invasion of a place or territory
69
indifference
lack of interest or concern
70
infrastructure
the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.
71
ingratiate
to establish (oneself) in the favor or good graces of others, especially by deliberate effort
72
insurrection
an act or instance of rising in revolt, rebellion, or resistance against civil authority or an established government.
73
interjection
to insert between things
74
intermittent
stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again
75
intuitive
the quality or ability of having such direct perception or quick insight.
76
justification
a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that defends something
77
medieval
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the style of the Middle Ages
78
monastery
a house or place of residence occupied by a community of persons, especially monks, living in seclusion under religious vows.
79
naive
having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information
80
nostalgia
a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time
81
novice
a person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc.
82
obscure
not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain
83
oracle
a person who delivers authoritative, wise, or highly regarded and influential pronouncements.
84
ostensible
apparent, evident, or conspicuous
85
ostentatious
intended to attract notice
86
paragon
a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence
87
pendulous
swinging freely; oscillating
88
perceptive
having or showing keenness of insight, understanding, or intuition
89
phenomenon
something that is impressive or extraordinary.
90
placebo
a substance having no pharmacological effect but given merely to satisfy a patient who supposes it to be a medicine.
91
plagiarism
copying a a piece of writing or other work
92
portend
to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does
93
precedent
any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide for following situations.
94
precursor
a person or thing that goes before, as in place, order, rank, importance, or time; forerunner
95
predilection
Tendency to think favorably of something in particular; partiality; preference; liking
96
progeny
a descendant or offspring, as a child, plant, or animal.
97
projectile
An object fired from a gun with an explosive propelling charge (noun)
98
propensity
A natural inclination, tendency or bent; a leaning (noun)
99
prophet
a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.
100
proponent
a person who argues in favor of something; an advocate.
101
proximity
nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation
102
proxy
the agency or a person authorized to act as a substitute for another.
103
purist
strict observance of or insistence on purity in language, style, etc.
104
pyrotechnic
pertaining to, resembling, or suggesting fireworks.
105
quintessential
of or pertaining to the most perfect embodiment of something
106
rectify
to make, put, or set right; remedy; correct
107
regalia
the decorations, insignia, or ceremonial clothes of any office or order.
108
reliable
dependable in achievement, accuracy, honesty, etc.; reliable information.
109
remission
pardon; forgiveness, as of sins or offenses, or payment
110
renaissance
a renewal of life, vigor, interest, etc.; rebirth; revival
111
repellent
serving or tending to ward off or drive away.
112
repose
peace; tranquillity; calm.
113
reverently
deeply respectful
114
revisionist
an advocate of altering something especially of some political or religious doctrine.
115
sacrilege or sacrilegious
A violation of anything holy; a profanation; blasphemy
116
scholarly
concerned with academic learning and research.
117
scribe
a public clerk or writer, usually one having official status
118
secede
to withdraw formally from an alliance, federation, or association, as from a political union, a religious organization, etc.
119
simultaneously
existing, occurring, or operating at the same time; concurrent
120
skepticism
doubt or unbelief with regard to an idea
121
sprawl
to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner
122
sprightly
animated, vivacious, lively.
123
subsistence
means of supporting life; a living or livelihood.
124
superficial
shallow; not profound or thorough
125
susceptible
capable of being affected emotionally; impressionable.
126
synergy
the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements,
127
tenuous
lacking a sound basis, as reasoning; unsubstantiated; weak
128
trajectory
the curve described by a projectile, rocket, or the like in its flight.
129
transpired
to occur; happen; take place.
130
tyranny
arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.
131
unconsciously
not conscious; without awareness, sensation, or cognition.
132
venerable
commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity
133
vital
of or pertaining to life
134
whimsical
erratic; unpredictable
