ssat.vn – In most international certification exams, one of the reasons that make candidates most concerned is vocabulary. Let ssat.vn review the 200 most difficult words in the ACT test through this article.
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Why do ACT vocabulary struggle for candidates?
In order to be able to control the test time well, you should have a good grasp of the vocabulary so that you can quickly read and understand the orders of the test and present your expression on the right topic and get full marks. But not many candidates find it easy to improve ACT vocabulary, why is that?
Unlike international foreign language certificates such as IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL, etc. ACT academic certificate is a prerequisite for admission to US universities. Although you already have basic English, practicing the ACT often causes you difficulties such as:
- Large vocabulary: Just cultivating basic vocabulary for common communication is not enough for you to take the ACT. ACT vocabulary is both large and academic, making it difficult for candidates to apply in practice and easy to forget if not regularly fostered.
- Vocabulary must come with context: Although the ACT tests only moderate to difficult vocabulary, knowing only the general meaning of words is not enough. The ACT requires candidates to have a clear understanding of what context, vocabulary will mean and how relevant. In addition, the ACT also tests the candidate’s language ability through idioms, so candidates are always in a difficult situation when learning the ACT’s large number of words that are both multi-sense and multilingual.
So what are the 200 most difficult words in the ACT test that confuse many test-takers?
For more: Math in English learning methods
200 most difficult words in the ACT test
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- abbreviate (v): shorten, abridge
- abstinence (n): act of refraining from
- adhere (v): to stick to a surface or substance [or] to follow a practice or belief
- adulation (n): high praise
- aesthetic (adj): pertaining to beauty
- amicable (adj): agreeable
- anachronistic (adj): out-of-date
- anecdote (v): short account of event
- anonymous (adj): nameless
- antagonist (n): opponent
- anticipate (v): to regard as probable [or] to expect or predict
- arid (adj): extremely dry
- assiduous (adj): hard-working
- asylum (adj): sanctuary
- benevolent (adj): friendly, helpful
- camaraderie (n): trust among friends
- censure (n): to criticize harshly
- characteristic (adj): a special quality of a person, thing, or group
- circuitous (adj): indirect, roundabout
- clairvoyant (n): able to see the future
- collaborate (v): to work together
- compromise (v): to settle differences
- condescending (adj): patronizing
- conditional (adj): provisional, contingent
- conformist (n): follower of customs
- convergence (n): joining of parts
- critical (adj): expressing criticism or disapproval
- deleterious (adj): harmful
- demagogue (n): rabble-rousing leader
- differentiate (v): to recognize what makes someone or something different
- digression (n): straying from main point
- diligent (adj): hard-working
- disdain to regard with scorn
- divergent (adj): variant, moving apart
- empathy (n): sharing of feelings
- emulate (v): follow an example
- enervating (adj): tiring, weakening
- ephemeral (adj): momentary, fleeting
- evanescent (adj): short-lived, as an image
- exemplary (adj): outstanding
- extenuating (adj): guilt diminishing
- florid (adj): flushed, ornate
- fortuitous (adj): lucky
- frugal (adj): thrifty
- glaring (adj): giving or reflecting a strong light, very obvious or conspicuous
- hackneyed (adj): overused, cliched
- haughty (adj): arrogant, condescending
- hedonist (n): pleasure seeker
- hypothesis (n): theory requiring proof
- impetuous (adj): rash, impulsive
- impute to attribute to someone
- incompatible (adj): unable to work together
- inconsequential (adj): trivial
- inevitable (adj): unavoidable, certain
- intrepid (adj): fearless, adventurous
- intuitive (adj): instinctive, untaught
- jubilation (n): joy, exultation
- justify (v): to show or prove to be right
- lobbyist (n): persuader of legislators
- longevity (n): long life
- mundane (adj): ordinary, common
- nonchalant (adj): calm, casual
- novice (n): beginner
- omit (v): to intentionally leave something or someone out
- opulent (adj): wealthy
- orator (n): speaker
- ostentatious (adj): displaying wealth
- parched (adj): dried up
- perfidious (adj): disloyal
- precocious (adj): talented beyond one’s age
- pretentious (adj): pompous, self-important
- prosaic (adj): run-of-the-mill
- provocative (adj): inflammatory
- prudent (adj): wise, careful, cautious
- querulous (adj): irritable
- rancorous (adj): hateful
- reclusive (adj): withdrawn, hermit-like
- reconciliation (n): agreement after a quarrel
- redundant (adj): no longer useful
- relevant (adj): appropriate to the matter at hand
- renovation (n): state of being renewed
- resilient (adj): quick to recover
- restrained (adj): controlled, restricted
- reverence (n): profound respect
- sagacity (n): wisdom
- scrutinize (v): to observe carefully
- spontaneity (n): impulsive action
- spurious (adj): phony, false
- substantiate (v): to verify, confirm
- superficial (adj): lacking in depth
- superfluous (adj): more than enough
- surreptitious (adj): secret, stealthy
- tactful (adj): diplomatic, polite
- tenacious (adj): persistent, resolute
- transient (adj): temporary, fleeting
- trivial (adj): of small value or importance
- uniform (n): not changing in form or character
- venerable (adj): respectable due to age
- vindicate (v): to clear from blame
- wary (adj): watchful, alert
- infer (v): deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from clear statements (inference)
- integrate (v): combine one thing with another so that they become a whole
- intuition (n): the ability to understand something immediately, a ‘gut feeling’
- lack (v): be without or deficient in
- latent (adj): existing but not yet developed or obvious; hidden; concealed
- lethargic (adj): sluggish and apathetic
- mere (adj): used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is
- minute (adj): extremely small (pronounced MY-noot)
- mishap (n): an unlucky accident
- nostalgia (n): a sentimental longing or affection for the past
- notion (n): a conception of or belief about something
- obsolete (adj): no longer produced or used; out of date
- obstruct (v): to be or get in the way of; prevent; hinder
- omit (v): leave out or exclude (someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully
- orient (v): align or position something relative to a known point or landmark
- paradox (n): an idea that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises
- perpetual (adj): occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted
- ponder (v): think about something carefully
- potent (adj): having great power, influence, or effect
- precede (v): (1) come before (something) in time (2) come before in order or
- position* (preceding)
- predate (v): exist or occur at a date earlier than something
- principle (n): a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior
- proficient (adj): competent or skilled in doing or using something
- profound (adj): (1) very great or intense* (2). having or showing great knowledge or insight
- pungent (adj): having an intensely strong taste or smell
- redundant (adj): not or no longer needed or useful
- relevant (adj): closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand (antonym: irrelevant)
- resent (v): feel bitterness or slight anger at a circumstance, action, or person
- rudimentary (adj): 1. involving or limited to basic principles 2. of or relating to an immature, undeveloped, or basic form*
- sensory (adj): of or relating to sensation or the physical senses; transmitted or perceived by the senses
- skeptical (adj): not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations
- solemn (adj): formal and dignified; serious
- static (adj): lacking in movement, action, or change
- superlative (adj): of the highest quality or degree
- sustainable (adj): (1) able to be maintained at a certain rate or level (2) conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources*
- trait (n): a distinguishing quality or characteristic
- trivial (adj): of little value or importance
- (un)realized (adj): give actual or physical form to (unrealized: not given form to, such as ‘unrealized plans’ to have a picnic on a rainy day)
- void (n): a completely empty space
- wholly (adv): entirely; fully
- abundant (adj): existing or available in large quantities; plentiful
- altitude (n): the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level
- attribute (n): a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something
- characteristic (adj): typical of a particular person, place, or thing
- combustion (n): the process of burning something
- conduct(ivity) (v): transmit a form of energy such as heat or electricity (conductivity: the effectiveness of a material at conducting energy)
- correspond (v): have a close similarity; match or agree almost exactly
- decelerate (v): reduce the speed of; lose velocity; move more slowly
- deposition (n): the process of some substance being naturally deposited somewhere
- distinguish (v): recognize or treat (someone or something) as different
- efficient (adj): being effective without wasting time or effort or expense; able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively
- emit (v): give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.
- erode (v): remove soil or rock; become ground down or deteriorate
- evolution (n): a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)
- exert (v): put to use; make a great effort at a mental or physical task
- exhibit (v): show an attribute, property, knowledge, or skill; to show, make visible or apparent
- fuse (v): mix together different elements; join
- gauge (v): measure precisely and against a standard; determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation
- given (adj): specified or stated: Students’ understanding of any given topic.
- hypothesis (n): 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 (adj): increasing gradually by regular degrees or additions
- intact (adj): undamaged in any way; whole
- interval (n): the distance between things; a definite length of time marked off by two instants
- larvae (n): 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 (n): the second of two or the second mentioned of two
- mass (n): the quantity of matter that something contains
- maturation (n): coming to full development; becoming mature
- onset (n): the beginning or early stages
- precipitation (n): the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)
- prolong (v): lengthen or extend in duration or space directly proportional
- prolong (adj): inversely proportional
- prolong (adj): a relationship between two connected amounts, factors or quantities in which an increase in one causes a decrease in the other
- residual (adj): relating to or indicating a remainder; something left after other parts have been taken away
- solution (n): a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
- substrate (n): 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
- trial (n): a specific experiment or set of experiments within a larger context
- uniform (adj): evenly spaced; always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
- variable (n): in an experiment: an element, feature, or factor that is changed within the experiment to determine its effects
- devoid (adj): entirely lacking or free from
- diffuse (adj): spread out over a large area; not concentrated
- digress (v): leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing
- diminish (v): make or become less
- discrepancy (n): a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts
- (dis)inclined (adj): willing or positive about an action, belief, or attitude (disinclined: unwilling or negative about something)
- dismay (v): consternation and distress, typically that caused by something unexpected
- disposition (n): (1) a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character* (2) an inclination or tendency
- dynamic (adj): characterized by constant change, activity, or progress
- eclipse (n): a loss of significance, power, or prominence in relation to another person or thing
- emerge (v): become apparent, important, or prominent
- eminent (adj): famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession
- engage (v): (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 (v): absorb all the attention or interest of
- ethereal (adj): extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world
- evolve (v): develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form
- exploit (v): (1) make full use of and derive benefit from* (2) use a situation or person in an unfair or selfish way
- facilitate (v): make an action or process easy or easier
- feign (v): pretend to be affected by a feeling, state, or injury
- fleeting (adj): lasting for a very short time
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