ACT Vocabulary

Listed below are school-wide weekly vocabulary words. Please be sure that words are listed in a visible spot in your classroom and that you review the words with your scholars. School-wide vocabulary cognitive reflections will be administrated each Friday, or the last day of the week for scholars, during first mod. Professors will grade cognitive reflections and place in Professor Pearsons box by the end of the day. All data will be compiled and sent to professors so that scores can be used as part of the scholars course grade. Scores will counted in each class.

August 15-19, 2011

WORDS abridge antidote candor cynical gratify PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION uh-BRIDJ AN-tih-dote KAN-dur SIH-nic-kul GRA-tuh-fie PART of SPEECH v. n. n. adj. v. DEFINITION shorten something that relieves or prevents; a remedy that counteracts the effects of poison honesty, sincerity believing that all others are motivated y self-interest to please or indulge

August 22-26, 2011

WORDS accessible aspire autonomous bolster gratify PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION ik-SEH-suh-bul Uh-SPIRE Aw-TAW-nuh-mus BOLE-stur GRA-tuh-fie PART of SPEECH adj. v. adj. v. v. DEFINITION available; ready for use to work toward or to have a goal independent to support; to strengthen to please or indulge

August 29-September 2, 2011

WORDS hamper integrity linger mock proximity PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION HAM-pur in-TEH-gruh-tee LING-gur MAHK prahk-SIH-muh-tee PART of SPEECH v. n. v. v. n. DEFINITION to hinder; to prevent something from happening holding firmly to values, such as honesty; completeness to hang around; to stay to make fun of; to imitate nearness in time, location, relation

September 5-9, 2011 (Review Week) September 12-16, 2011

WORDS hardy intrepid homogeneous heterogeneous lofty PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION HAR-dee in-TREH-pud hoe-muh-JEE-nee-us het-er-uh-JEE-nee-uh s LAHF-tee PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION healthy and strong; robust fearless; brave of the same kind; alike; uniform different kind; unlike; incongruous a very high; towering; grand or noble
ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012 1

September 19-23, 2011

WORDS nurture opportunist querulous recount rigor PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION NUR-chur ah-pur-TOO-nist KWER-yuh-lus rih-KOWNT RIH-gur PART of SPEECH v. n. adj. v. n. DEFINITION to care for, to nourish a person who seeks self-gain, even at the expense of others, without regard to values or moral principles whining; complaining to tell a story harshness; severity; strict adherence to standards

September 26-30, 2011 (Review Week) October 3-7, 2011

WORDS saturate scrutinize tentative uniformity whimsical PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION SA-chuh-rate SKROO-tuh-nize TEN-tuh-tiv yoo-nuh-FOR-muh-tee HWIM-zih-kul PART of SPEECH v. v. adj. n. adj. DEFINITION to wet or soak completely; to totally fill up to read or look at very closely and carefully hesitant; not definite sameness; regularity fanciful; changeable

October 10-14, 2011

WORDS surpass thrive tranquility vilify vaporize PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION sur-PAS THRIVE tran-KWIH-luh-tee VIH-luh-fie VAY-puh-rize PART of SPEECH v. v. n. n. v. DEFINITION to be better than; to excel to grow strong; to flourish peacefulness; calmness to slander or defame someones name or reputation to turn to vapor, foam, or mist

October 17-21, 2011

WORDS aggregate debunk eclectic glacial insuperable PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION A-grih-gut dee-BUNGK eh-KLEK-tik GLAY-shul in-SOO-pruh-bul PART of SPEECH n. v. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION a sum total or mixture to prove wrong or false taken from many different sources very cold or very slow moving Unable to be overcome

October 24-28, 2011 (Review Week)

ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012

October 31-November 4, 2011

WORDS audacious aviary lithe misanthrope pitfall PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION aw-DAY-shus AY-vee-er-ee LITHE MIH-sn-thrope PIT-fawl PART of SPEECH adj. n. adj. n. n. DEFINITION very old an enclosed space for birds nimble and flexible; agile; supple someone who dislikes all people an unseen danger, risk, or drawback

November 7-11, 2011

WORDS complementary discrepancy excerpt raze replete PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION kahm-pluh-MEN-tree dis-KREH-pun-see EK-surpt RAYZ rih-PLEET PART of SPEECH adj. n. n. v. adj. DEFINITION serving to complete another a difference or inconsistency a portion of a text or musical piece that is taken, or extracted, from the whole to tear down; to destroy filled-up; overflowing

November 14-18, 2011

WORDS aplomb heretic idiosyncratic respite spurious PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION uh-PLAHM HEHR-uh-tik in-dee-oh-sin-KRAH-tik RES-put SPYOOR-ee-us PART of SPEECH n. n. adj. n. adj. DEFINITION social poise; composure; skill in challenging situations one who challenges societal and religious tradition of or relating to strange or odd behavioral habits that are peculiar to the individual period of inactivity; a lull; a reprieve false; counterfeit; lacking logic; specious

November 21-25, 2011 (Review Week) November 28-December 2, 2011

WORDS capricious diffident insurgent mimetic palpable PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION kuh-PRIH-shus DIH-fuh-dunt in-SUR-junt muh-MEH-tik PAL-puh-bul PART of SPEECH adj. adj. n. adj. adj. DEFINITION changeable; fickle; volatile; mercurial lacking confidence in oneself; inclined to be shy a rebel; one who revolts against a government or political party; maverick pertaining to imitation or mimicry, biological or otherwise to be touched or feit; tangible; material

December 5-9, 2011

WORDS axiom cavalier compunction dilettante egalitarian PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION AK-see-um ka-vuh-LEER kum-PUNG-shun DIH-luh-tahnt ih-gal-ih-TAIR-ee-un PART of SPEECH n. adj. n. n. adj. DEFINITION social poise; composure; skill in challenging situations arrogant; showing a lack of respect toward someone or something a feeling of remorse for doing something wrong; regret; shame one who dabbles in the arts and sciences but is an expert in neither pertaining to equal political, social, and economical rights for all mankind
ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012 3

December 12-16, 2011

WORDS melancholy pedantic portentous sardonic variegated PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION MEH-lun-kah-lee puh-DAN-tik por-TEN-tus sar-DAHN-ik VAIR-ee-eh-gay-tud PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION a feeling of sadness and gloominess showy in ones learning; overly instructive very meaningful with regard to events to come; ominous; foreshadowing scornful or bitter; sarcastic having different patterns, colors, or appearance; dappled

December 19-23, 2011 (Review Week) January 2-6, 2012 (Review Week for First Semester) January 9-13, 2012
WORDS animosity bellicose cantankerous polemical predator PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION a-nuh-MAH-suh-tee BEH-lih-kose kan-TANG-kuh-rus puh-LEH-mih-kul PREH-duh-tur PART of SPEECH n. adj. adj. adj. n. DEFINITION hatred; ill will of a quarrelsome nature; eager to fight; warlike; belligerent bad-tempered or irritable; quarrelsome inclined to argue or debate; controversial one who takes advantage of another, exploits or feeds on another: strong adversary or rival

January 16-20, 2012

WORDS altruistic largess magnanimous philanthropic prodigal PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION al-troo-ISS-tik lar-ZHEHS mag-NA-nuh-mus fih-lun-THRAH-pik PRAH-dih-gul PART of SPEECH adj. n. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION showing an unselfish concern for others generous giving generous in overlooking insult injury by others; rising above pettiness Showing a desire to help others y giving gifts; charitable; humane Wasteful; lavish

January 23-27, 2012

WORDS austere avaricious mercenary parsimonious penurious PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION aw-STEER a-vuh-RIH-shus MUR-suh-nehr-ee par-suh-MOE-nee-us puh-NOOR-ee-us PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION having great economy; showing self-control when it comes to foregoing luxuries and frills, stern in manner or appearance. greedy greedy for self-gain; thinking only of money-making overly thrifty or miserly stingy, relating to great poverty, destitution

ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012

January 30- February 3, 2012 (Review Week) February 6-10, 2012

WORDS adversity conflagration confounding cryptic debacle PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION ad-VUR-suh-tee kahn-fluh-GRAY-shun kun-FOUN-ding KRIP-tik dee-BAH-kul PART of SPEECH n. n. adj. adj. n. DEFINITION great trouble or difficulty a huge fire, an inferno puzzling; baffling hidden; hard to understand; mysterious; obscure a failure or breakdown; a collapse that is often nonsensical

February 13-17, 2012

WORDS labyrinth precarious quandary turbulence virulent PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION LA-buh-rinth prih-CARE-ee-us KWAN-duh-ree TUR-byoo-luns VIHR-uh-lunt PART of SPEECH n. adj. n. n. adj. DEFINITION a maze from which it is very hard to extricate or free oneself. dangerous or risky; uncertain a dilemma; a confusing or puzzling situation. great unrest; turmoil or disorder extremely poisonous; deadly; full of spiteful hatred

February 20-24, 2012

WORDS approbation avert divert opprobrium viable PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION ap-ruh-BEY-shuhn uh-VURT dih-VURT uh-PROH-bree-uhm VIE-uh-bul PART of SPEECH n. v. v. n. adj. DEFINITION approval turn away amuse; entertain shameful disgrace able to sustain life, practicality, or effectiveness

February 27-March 2, 2012

WORDS adept amity bemoan enmity inept PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION AD-ept AM-i-tee bih-MOHN EN-mi-tee in-EPT PART of SPEECH n. n. v. n. adj. DEFINITION very skilled; proficient; expert friendship; trust lament hatred; bitter feeling unskilled; competent

March 5-9, 2012 (Review Week)

ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012

March 19-23, 2012

WORDS devious iniquitous odious pernicious rancorous PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION DEE-vee-us in-NIH-kwuh-tus OH-dee-us puhr-NI-shus RANG-kuh-rus PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION dishonest or deceptive; tricky showing a lack of fairness; wicked, vicious loathsome; evil; revolting in a disgusting way very destructive or harmful, usually in an inconspicuous and relentless way. deeply hateful or spiteful; malicious

March 26-30, 2012

WORDS berate carp deprecate deride impugn PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION bih-RATE KARP DE-prih-kayt dih-RIDE im-PYOON PART of SPEECH v. v. v. v. v. DEFINITION to rebuke or scold in a harsh tone. to find fault; to be critical to show mild disapproval to ridicule or make fun of; to scoff at to oppose or attack someone or something as false or refutable.

April 2-6, 2012

WORDS apathetic impassive nonchalant phlegmatic remote PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION a-puh-THEH-tik im-PA-siv nahn-chuh-LAHNT fleg-MA-tik rih-MOTE PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION indifferent; showing no caring, interest, or concern; lacking emotion lacking emotion or drive casual and indifferent; not showing any great concern or worry about anything. hard to get excited or emotional; calm; slow-moving Emotionally distant disinterested; aloof; uninvolved; distant, far away

April 9-13, 2012 (Review Week) April 16-20, 2012

WORDS indolent languor lethargic soporific stagnant PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION IN-duh-lunt LANG-gur luh-THAR-jik sah-puh-RI-fik STAG-nunt PART of SPEECH adj. n. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION lazy; not wanting to do any work. a weak or lifeless feeling having little or no energy sleep-inducing; sleepy lacking movement or energy

ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012

April 23-27, 2012

WORDS compliant obsequious servile subordinate toady PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION kum-PLY-unt ub-SEE-kwee-us SUR-vul suh-BOR-duh-nit TOE-dee PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. n. DEFINITION yielding, submissive obeying or performing a service for someone in an overly attentive manner slave-like; very humble and submissive inferior; lower in rank or status a flatterer; a sycophant

April 30-May 4, 2012

WORDS avid effervescent exuberant fervent zealous PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION A-vud eh-fur-VEH-snt ig-ZOO-buh-runt FUR-vunt ZEH-lus PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. adj. adj. DEFINITION showing enthusiasm; ardent lively; full of uplifted spirit; vivacious overflowing with vitality and good spirits filled with passion or intensity filled with enthusiasm

May 7-11, 2012

WORDS adamant dogmatic obdurate resolve willful PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION A-duh-munt dog-MA-tik AHB-duh-rut rih-ZALV WIL-ful PART of SPEECH adj. adj. adj. n. adj. DEFINITION unwilling to bend; unyielding strongly opinionated: rigid, dictatorial resistance to persuasion or softening; stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing. firmness, determination stubborn

May 14-18, 2012: Review Week

ACT Vocabulary List 2011-2012