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| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| abbreviate | shorten, abridge |
| abstinence | act of refraining from |
| adhere | to stick to a surface or substance [or] to follow a practice or belief |
| adulation | high praise |
| aesthetic | pertaining to beauty |
| amicable | agreeable |
| anachronistic | out-of-date |
| anecdote | short account of event |
| anonymous | nameless |
| antagonist | opponent |
| anticipate | to regard as probable [or] to expect or predict |
| arid | extremely dry |
| assiduous | hard-working |
| asylum | sanctuary |
| benevolent | friendly, helpful |
| camaraderie | trust among friends |
| censure | to criticize harshly |
| characteristic | a special quality of a person, thing, or group |
| circuitous | indirect, roundabout |
| clairvoyant | able to see the future |
| collaborate | to work together |
| compromise | to settle differences |
| condescending | patronizing |
| conditional | provisional, contingent |
| conformist | follower of customs |
| convergence | joining of parts |
| critical | expressing criticism or disapproval |
| deleterious | harmful |
| demagogue | rabble-rousing leader |
| differentiate | to recognize what makes someone or something different |
| digression | straying from main point |
| diligent | hard-working |
| disdain | to regard with scorn |
| divergent | variant, moving apart |
| empathy | sharing of feelings |
| emulate | follow an example |
| enervating | tiring, weakening |
| ephemeral | momentary, fleeting |
| evanescent | short-lived, as an image |
| exemplary | outstanding |
| extenuating | guilt diminishing |
| florid | flushed, ornate |
| fortuitous | lucky |
| frugal | thrifty |
| glaring | giving or reflecting a strong light, very obvious or conspicuous |
| hackneyed | overused, cliched |
| haughty | arrogant, condescending |
| hedonist | pleasure seeker |
| hypothesis | theory requiring proof |
| impetuous | rash, impulsive |
| impute | to attribute to someone |
| incompatible | unable to work together |
| inconsequential | trivial |
| inevitable | unavoidable, certain |
| intrepid | fearless, adventurous |
| intuitive | instinctive, untaught |
| jubilation | joy, exultation |
| justify | to show or prove to be right |
| lobbyist | persuader of legislators |
| longevity | long life |
| mundane | ordinary, common |
| nonchalant | calm, casual |
| novice | beginner |
| omit | to intentionally leave something or someone out |
| opulent | wealthy |
| orator | speaker |
| ostentatious | displaying wealth |
| parched | dried up |
| perfidious | disloyal |
| precocious | talented beyond one’s age |
| pretentious | pompous, self-important |
| prosaic | run-of-the-mill |
| provocative | inflammatory |
| prudent | wise, careful, cautious |
| querulous | irritable |
| rancorous | hateful |
| reclusive | withdrawn, hermit-like |
| reconciliation | agreement after a quarrel |
| redundant | no longer usefu |
| relevant | appropriate to the matter at hand |
| renovation | state of being renewed |
| resilient | quick to recover |
| restrained | controlled, restricted |
| reverence | profound respect |
| sagacity | wisdom |
| scrutinize | to observe carefully |
| spontaneity | impulsive action |
| spurious | phony, false |
| substantiate | to verify, confirm |
| superficial | lacking in depth |
| superfluous | more than enough |
| surreptitious | secret, stealthy |
| tactful | diplomatic, polite |
| tenacious | persistent, resolute |
| transient | temporary, fleeting |
| trivial | of small value or importance |
| uniform | not changing in form or character |
| venerable | respectable due to age |
| vindicate | to clear from blame |
| wary | watchful, alert |
Keep an eye out for these kinds of ACT words when doing your ACT English and Writing section studying.
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