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150 ACT Words
Words used on the ACT
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| adhere | stick completely to a surface or substance or believe in and follow the practices of |
| aloof | not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant |
| ambiguous | open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning |
| analyze | examine in detail, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation |
| anecdote | a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person |
| antagonize | cause someone to become hostile |
| apprehensive | anxious or fearful that something bad will happen |
| arcane | mysterious or secret |
| assert | state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully |
| assess | evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of |
| attribute | regard something as being caused by someone or something |
| bear | endure an ordeal or difficulty |
| befall | (of something bad) happen to someone |
| burgeon | begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish |
| coherent | logical and consistent |
| compassion | concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others |
| compensate (for) | make up for something unwelcome or unpleasant by exerting an opposite force or effect |
| complement | a thing that completes or brings to perfection a larger whole |
| compose | 1.write or create 2. constitute or make up |
| condescending | having or showing a feeling of superiority |
| consecutive | following continuously; in unbroken or logical sequence |
| contour | an outline, especially one representing or bounding the shape or form of something |
| contract | decrease in size, number, or range |
| contradict | be in conflict with |
| correlate | have a mutual relationship or connection (corollary, correlated) |
| corollary | a direct or natural consequence or result |
| critical | 1. expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements 2. expressing or involving an analysis of thee merits and faults of a work of literature, music or art 3. involving the objective analysis and evaluatio of an issue for judgement |
| cumbersome | 1. large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use 2. slow |
| deficit | The amount by which something is too small |
| demean | cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for someone or something |
| depict | show or represent |
| determine | 1. cause (something) to occur in a particular way; be the decisive factor in 2. ascertain or establish exactly, typically as a result of research or calculation |
| devoid | entirely lacking or free from |
| differentiate | 1. recognize or ascertain what makes (someone or something) different* 2. (different between) identify difference between (two or more things or people) 3. make (someone or something) appear different or distinct 4. make or become different in the |
| diffuse | spread out over a large area; not concentrated |
| digress | leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing |
| diminish | make or become less |
| discrepancy | a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts |
| (dis)inclined | willing or positive about an action, belief, or attitude (disinclined: unwilling or negative about something) |
| dismay | consternation and distress, typically caused by something unexpected |
| disposition | 1. a person's inherent qualities of mind and character* 2. an inclination or tendency |
| dynamic | characterized by constant change, activity, or progress |
| eclipse | a loss of significance, power, or prominence in relation to another person or thing |
| emerge | become apparent, important, or prominent |
| eminent | famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession |
| engage | 1. occupy, attract, or involve ( someone's interest or attention) 2. (engage someone in)cause someone to become involved in (a conversation or discussion) 3. (engage in) participate or become involved in* |
| engross | absorb all the attention or interest of |
| ethereal | extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world |
| evolve | develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form |
| exploit | 1. make full use of and derive benefit from* 2. use a situation or person in an unfair or selfish way |
| facilitate | make an action or process easy or easier |
| feign | pretend to be affected by feeling, state, or injury |
| fleeting | lasting for a very short time |
| glaring | extremely obvious or conspicuous |
| hardship | severe suffering or deprivation |
| hurtle | move or cause to move at a great speed, typically in an uncontrolled manner |
| immerse | involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest* (or) dip or submerge in a liquid |
| imminent | about to happen |
| (im)mobile | able to move or be moved freely or easily (immobile: not able to be moved) |
| impervious | unable to be affected by |
| incendiary | 1. tending to stir up conflict* 2. designed to cause fires |
| incompetent | not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully |
| (in)conceivable | capable of being imagined or grasped mentally (inconceivable: not capable of being imagined) |
| (in)dissoluble | able to be dissolved, loosened, or disconnected (indissoluble: solid, not able to be broken apart) |
| inevitable | certain to happen; unavoidable |
| infer | deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from clear statements (inference) |
| integrate | combine one thing with another so that they become a whole |
| intuition | the ability to understand something immediately, a 'gut feeling' |
| justify | 1. show or prove to be right or reasonable* 2. be a good reason for |
| lack | be without or deficient in |
| latent | existing but not yet developed or obvious; hidden; concealed |
| lethargic | sluggish and apathetic |
| mere | used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is |
| minute | extremely small (pronouned MY-noot) |
| mishap | an unlucky accident |
| nostalgia | a sentimental longing or affection for the past |
| notion | a conception of or belief about something |
| obsolete | no longer produced or used; out of date |
| obstruct | to be or get in the way of; prevent; hinder |
| omit | leave out or exclude ( someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully |
| orient | align or position something relative to a known point or landmark |
| paradox | an idea that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory |
| pensive | engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought |
| peril | serious and immediate danger |
| perpetual | occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted |
| ponder | think about something carefully |
| potent | having great power, influence, or effect |
| precede | 1. come before( something) in time 2. come before in order or position* (preceding) |
| predate | exist or occur at a date earlier than something |
| principle | a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior |
| proficient | competent or skilled in doing or using something |
| profound | 1. very great or intense* 2. having or showing great knowledge or insight |
| pungent | having an intensely strong taste or smell |
| redundant | not or no longer needed or useful |
| reflect | 1. (of a surface or body) throw back (heat, light, or sound) without absorbing it 2. (of a mirror or shiny surface) show an image of 3. embody or represent ( something) in a faithful or appropriate way 4. (reflect well/badly on) bring about a goo |
| relevant | closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand (antonym: irrelevant |
| resent | feel bitterness or slight anger at a circumstance, action, or person |
| revive | 1. to regain life, consciousness, or strength 2. restore interest in or the popularity of* |
| rudimentary | 1. involving or limited to basic principles 2. of or relating to an immature, undeveloped, or basic form* |
| sensory | of or relating to sensation or the physical senses; transmitted or perceived by the senses |
| skeptical | not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations |
| solemn | formal and dignified; serious |
| static | lacking in movement, action, or change |
| superlative | of the highest quality or degree |
| sustainable | 1. able to be maintained at a certain rate or level 2. conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources* |
| trait | a distinguishing quality or characteristic |
| trivial | of little value or importance |
| (un)realized | give actual or physical form to (unrealized: not given form to, such as 'unrealized plans' to have a picnic on a rainy day) |
| void | a completely empty space |
| wholly | entirely; fully |
| abundant | existing or available in large quantities; plentiful |
| altitude | the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level |
| attribute | a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part someone or something |
| characteristic | typical of a particular person, place, or thing |
| combustion | the process of burning something |
| conduct(ivity) | transmit a form of energy such as heat or electricity (conductivity: the effectiveness of a material at conducting energy) |
| correspond | have a close similarity; match or agree almost exactly |
| decelerate | reduce the speed of; lose velocity; move more slowly |
| deposition | the process of some substance being naturally deposited somewhere |
| distinguish | recognize or treat ( someone or something) as different |
| efficient | being effective without wasting time or effort or expense; able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively |
| emit | give off, send forth, or discharged; as of light, heat, or radiaton, vapor, etc. |
| erode | remove soil or rock; become ground down or deteriorate |
| evolution | a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage) |
| exert | put to use; make a great effort at a mental or physical task |
| exhibit | show an attribute, property, knowledge, or skill; to show, make visible or apparent |
| fuse | mix together different elements; join |
| gauge | measure precisely and against a standard; determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation |
| generalize | draw from specific cases for more general cases |
| given | specified or stated: students' understanding of any given topic |
| hypothesis | a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena |
| incremental | increasing gradually by regular degrees or additions |
| intact | undamaged in any way; whole |
| interval | the distance between things; a definite length of time marked off by two instants |
| larvae | the active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa, e.g., a caterpillar or grub. |
| latter | the second of two or the second mentioned of two |
| mass | the quantity of matter that something contains |
| maturation | coming to full development; becoming mature |
| onset | the beginning or early stages |
| precipitation | the falling to earth of any form of water ( rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist) |
| prolong | lengthen or extend in duration or space |
| directly proportional | a relationship between two connected amounts, factors or quantities in which an increase in one causes an increase in the other; |
| inversely proportional | a relationship between two connected amounts, factors or quantities in which an increase in one causes a decrease in the other |
| residual | relating to or indicating a remainder; something left after other parts have been taken away |
| solution | a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently ( but not necessarily) a liquid solution |
| substrate | any substance or layer lying underneath another; a surface on which an organism grows or is attached; the substance that is acted upon by an enzyme or ferment |
| trail | a specific experiment or set of experiments within a larger context |
| uniform | evenly spaced; always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences |
| variable | in an experiment: an element, feature, or factor that is changed within the experiment to determine its effects |
| anticipate | regard as probable; expect or predict |