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Why do you need to learn ACT vocabulary words? Well, you probably already know that many schools require you to take the ACT exam and that your admission to those schools can partially depend upon your ACT score. And whether you’re as monosyllabic as Baby Yoda or you’ve loved being loquacious since you first read Fancy Nancy in preschool, the ACT will manage to throw some fairly esoteric (adj. likely to be understood only by a small number of people) vocab words your way that can make the test pretty arduous (adj. involving or requiring strenuous effort).

Where do ACT vocabulary words appear on the test?

ACT vocabulary words appear in several sections of the exam, including the 75-question English section (45 minutes), the 40-question Reading section (35 minutes), and the 40-minute Writing test, which is typically optional. In these three areas, you’ll encounter reading passages, questions, and writing prompts that test your vocabulary. Since time is of the essence, it’s crucial to give yourself as much of it as possible! Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the more common ACT vocab words you may find because, simply put, you’ll be able to read the passages and questions more quickly if you have mastery over these ACT vocabulary words.

What if I’m a poor test-taker? Can learning ACT vocab words help me?

For starters, if you have a language barrier or disability that may hinder you from completing the ACT, be sure to seek ! Everyone deserves a fair shot at taking this test, so don’t be afraid to ask for the assistance you need.

But… what if you don’t qualify for testing accommodations and you’re still not great at standardized tests? Perhaps you’re one of the 10% to 30% of high school-aged students who suffers from text-taking anxiety[i] (which can be present even if you don’t suffer from anxiety in non-evaluative situations).[ii] [iii] Or perhaps, even if you don’t believe in the right-brain / left-brain dichotomy, you still feel confident in the Math and Science portions of the ACT but find that the language-based portions of the test are a personal weakness.[iv]

Never fear! Along with studying our list of ACT vocabulary words, you can bolster (v. support or strengthen) your test-taking abilities with practice tests, reading, and physical health interventions.

What’s the best way to study ACT vocabulary?

Everyone studies differently, so it’s important to take your own learning style into consideration when building a study plan. Here are a few tried and true methods:

Flashcards

You should be happy to hear that not all of these ACT vocab words are sesquipedalian (adj. having many syllables) and one of the easiest ways to commit them to memory is to make them into flashcards. Once made, set aside time every day to flip through your cards. After you’ve mastered a word, set it aside until your pile of unknown flashcards is completely gone. Finally, revisit the words every few days or so until it’s test time.

As you study, be careful of ACT vocab words that sound like other words (e.g. “complement” vs. “compliment”) and words that are often used both literally and figuratively (“maelstrom”). It’s also important to brush up on words that may appear in the actual test questions – not just the sample reading passages. For instance, you can bet some ACT vocab words like “narrator,” “protagonist,” “antagonist,” “climax,” “genre,” “anecdote” and “synonym” will show up in ACT question lines.

Practice Tests

Check out the themselves – these will offer a glimpse into important vocabulary words while letting you take a spin in the driver’s seat of the exam. Mark any words you’re unsure of, and add them to your flashcard pile.

Reading

A less direct way to boost your knowledge of potential ACT vocabulary words is reading – even for pleasure! Studies have shown that those who read for pleasure often perform better on cognitive tests than those who don’t.[viii] Additionally, though our list below is a long one, it certainly isn’t exhaustive (adj. including everything; fully comprehensive) – leisure reading can provide exposure to unlisted ACT vocab words, along with practice developing your comprehension through contextual clues.

Self-Care

Aside from practice tests, reading, and ACT vocab word flashcards, you can take more general steps to make yourself a stronger test taker. For instance, instead of loading up on Takis and Sour Patch Kids, consider adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins into your diet in the weeks and months before the exam.[v] [vi] Getting good rest, drinking lots of water, and exercising will also contribute to better scores on test day.[vii] Trust me, your brain will thank you for it!

Most importantly, remember: standardized tests don’t necessarily measure your intelligence or how well you’ll ultimately do in college – they measure how well you can take tests on a given topic. So, take a deep breath, make some ACT vocab word flashcards, and good luck!

175 ACT Vocabulary Words

1	Abate	v.	lessen in intensity
2	Abscond	v.	leave hurriedly and secretly
3	Abundant	adj.	present in large quantities
4	Abysmal	adj.	extremely bad
5	Adamant	adj.	refusing to be persuaded or change one’s mind
6	Adulation	n.	high praise, flattery
7	Aesthetic	adj.	relating to beauty or appearance
8	Affable	adj.	friendly, pleasant, good-natured
9	Alacrity	n.	brisk and cheerful readiness
10	Aloof	adj.	not friendly or open; distant
11	Ambiguous	adj.	unclear; open to several potential interpretations or meanings
12	Amicable	adj.	friendly, agreeable
13	Anachronism	n.	something belonging to another time
14	Anecdote	n.	short account or description of an event
15	Annihilate	v.	kill or destroy
16	Antagonist	n.	opponent, particularly the opponent of a story’s protagonist
17	Antipathy	n.	dislike or aversion
18	Arduous	adj.	involving or requiring strenuous effort
19	Arid	adj.	dry
20	Assiduous	adj.	showing great care and perseverance
21	Asylum	n.	protection, sanctuary, a safe place
22	Arbitrary	adj.	random, based on whim
23	Arduous	adj.	involving or requiring strenuous effort
24	Belligerent	adj.	hostile and aggressive
25	Benevolent	adj.	kind

ACT Vocabulary List (Continued)

26	Bolster	v.	support or strengthen
27	Bombastic	adj.	inflated, but with little meaning
28	Bovine	adj.	cow-like
29	Burgeoning	adj.	growing rapidly
30	Cacophony	n.	harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
31	Candor	n.	the quality of being open and honest
32	Catalyst	n.	a person or thing that precipitates and event
33	Censorious	adj.	disapproving of others
34	Circuitous	adj.	indirect
35	Climax	n.	most exciting point of a narrative
36	Cognizant	adj.	being aware of
37	Complement	v.	add to something in a way that improves it
38	Concomitant	adj.	naturally accompanying or associated with
39	Condescending	adj.	showing patronizing superiority
40	Confluence	n.	act or process of merging
41	Conformist	n.	one who sticks to established behavior
42	Copious	adj.	abundant
43	Crude	adj.	unrefined
44	Cumbersome	adj.	unwieldy; heavy; difficult to move or carry
45	Cupidity	n.	greed
46	Deleterious	adj.	causing harm
47	Demagogue	n.	political leader who appeals to popularity rather than reason
48	Demur	v.	raise doubts or show objections
49	Denigrate	v.	criticize unfairly
50	Depict	v.	show or represent by a drawing

ACT Vocab Words (Continued)

51	Dexterity	n.	skill in performing a task
52	Diaphanous	adj.	light, delicate, translucent
53	Digress	v.	leave the main subject temporarily
54	Discrepancy	n.	lack of compatibility between two or more facts
55	Dismantle	v.	take apart
56	Ebullience	n.	the quality of being cheerful and energetic
57	Egregious	adj.	outstandingly bad
58	Emollient	adj.	softening, soothing or calming
59	Empathy	n.	the ability to understand the feelings of another
60	Emulate	v.	to imitate
61	Enervate	v.	to drain of energy; weaken
62	Engross	v.	to absorb the attention of
63	Ephemeral	adj.	lasting for a short time
64	Equivocate	v.	use ambiguous language to avoid committing to something
65	Esoteric	adj.	likely to be understood only by a small number of people
66	Expedite	v.	speed up
67	Exploit	v.	use, often in an unfair way
68	Facilitate	v.	make easier
69	Fallacious	adj.	based on a mistaken belief
70	Fastidious	adj.	attentive to detail
71	Fatuous	adj.	silly and pointless
72	Feign	v.	to pretend
73	Fleeting	adj.	lasting for a short time
74	Florid	adj.	intricate; in language, using complicated words
75	Fortuitous	adj.	happening by chance; luck

Vocabulary Words ACT (Continued)

76	Frenetic	adj.	fast in a wild or uncontrolled way
77	Frugal	adj.	sparing with money or resources
78	Genre	n.	a category, especially of artistic or literary composition
79	Glaring	adj.	obvious
80	Grandeur	n.	splendor and impressiveness
81	Grandiloquent	adj.	pompous or extravagant
82	Hackneyed	adj.	unoriginal
83	Haughty	adj.	arrogant and disdainful
84	Hedonist	n.	one whose primary goal in life is to pursue pleasure
85	Hegemony	n.	leadership or dominance
86	Hypothetical	adj.	supposed but not necessarily real or true
87	Iconoclast	n.	a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
88	Impervious	adj.	unable to be affected by
89	Impetuous	adj.	acting or done quickly, without thought
90	Impute	v.	represent as being done or caused by someone
91	Inchoate	adj.	just begun; not yet fully formed
92	Inconceivable	adj.	not capable of being imagined
93	Indifference	n.	lack of interest, concern, or sympathy
94	Inevitable	adj.	unavoidable
95	Inimical	adj.	tending to obstruct or harm
96	Intransigent	adj.	unwilling to change one’s views
97	Intrepid	adj.	adventurous
98	Jocund	adj.	cheerful
99	Jubilation	n.	feeling of happiness and triumph
100	Jurisdiction	n.	the power to make legal decisions and judgments

ACT Vocab Words (Continued)

101	Languid	adj.	lazy, relaxed, slow
102	Latent	adj.	existing but hidden or not yet developed
103	Latter	adj.	situated later or near the end
104	Licentious	adj.	promiscuous
105	Lucrative	adj.	profitable
106	Lethargic	adj.	sleepy, sluggish
107	Maelstrom	n.	literally: a violent whirlpool; figuratively: turmoil
108	Malleable	adj.	pliable
109	Maudlin	adj.	self-pitying or tearfully sentimental
110	Mendacious	adj.	lying
111	Meticulous	adj.	showing attention to detail
112	Mundane	adj.	dull
113	Nadir	n.	the lowest point
114	Narrator	n.	the person who recounts the events of a story
115	Nonchalance	n.	quality of casual and calm
116	Novel	adj.	new
117	Nostalgia	n.	wistful longing for the past
118	Novice	n.	one who is inexperienced in a situation or field
119	Nuance	n.	a subtle difference
120	Obdurate	adj.	stubbornly refusing to change
121	Obsolete	adj.	no longer used or produced
122	Omnipotent	adj.	all-powerful
123	Omniscient	adj.	all-knowing
124	Omit	v.	to leave out
125	Opulent	adj.	ostentatiously rich or luxuriant

ACT Vocabulary Words (Continued)

126	Ostensible	adj.	appearing to be true but not necessarily so
127	Paucity	n.	scarcity
128	Paradox	n.	seemingly self-contradictory but may prove to be actually true
129	Paramount	adj.	the most important
130	Pensive	adj.	thoughtful
131	Pernicious	adj.	having a harmful effect
132	Potent	adj.	strong, having great power
133	Pragmatism	n.	quality of being practical and sensible
134	Precocious	adj.	developing earlier than usual
135	Prescience	n.	forethought
136	Pretentious	adj.	attempting to impress by pretending to greater importance
137	Prolific	adj.	producing in large quantities
138	Prosaic	adj.	lacking poetic beauty; like prose writing
139	Protagonist	n.	the main character of a story
140	Protean	adj.	tending or able to change quickly or easily
141	Prudence	n.	quality of acting with care and thought for the future
142	Puerile	adj.	childishly silly and trivial
143	Pungent	adj.	having a sharp odor or taste
144	Qualitative	adj.	involving the features, rather than the number, of something
145	Quasi	adj.	apparently but not really
146	Querulous	adj.	complaining or whining
147	Rancorous	adj.	characterized by bitterness or resentment
148	Redundancy	n.	state of being no longer needed or useful
149	Resiliency	n.	the quality of being able to recover quickly from difficulties
150	Ribald	adj.	sexually rude or irreverent

Vocab Words ACT (Continued)

151	Sagacity	n.	the quality of showing good judgment
152	Spurious	adj.	fake
153	Static	adj.	unchanging or unmoving
154	Strenuous	adj.	requiring great effort
155	Subsequently	adv.	after something has happened
156	Sumptuous	adj.	splendid and expensive-looking
157	Superfluous	adj.	unnecessary
158	Surreptitious	adj.	kept secret
159	Sustainable	adj.	able to be maintained
160	Synonym	n.	word or phrase that means the same thing as another
161	Tactile	adj.	related to the sense of touch
162	Tedious	adj.	tiresome or monotonous
163	Tenacious	adj.	persistent
164	Torpid	adj.	inactive; lethargic
165	Ubiquitous	adj.	everywhere
166	Unprecedented	adj.	never done or known before
167	Validate	v.	check or prove the accuracy of something
168	Venerable	adj.	accorded a great deal of respect, usually because of age
169	Viability	n.	ability to work successfully
170	Vicissitude	n.	change in fortune, usually negative
171	Vilify	v.	speak or write about in a damaging or disparaging manner
172	Vindicate	v.	clear of blame or suspicion
173	Vitriolic	adj.	filled with criticism or malice
174	Zeitgeist	n.	the spirit of the age
175	Zenith	n.	the highest point

Additional Resources

For more specific information on the ACT’s structure and scoring, along with the length and requirements of each section, see our ACT Score Calculator page. Studying for the ACT? Check out our list of 250 SAT Vocabulary Words.

Works Cited

[i] Putwain, David W., Kristina Stockinger, Nathaniel P. von der Embse, Shannon M. Suldo, Martin Daumiller. “Test anxiety, anxiety disorders, and school-related wellbeing: Manifestations of the same or different constructs?” Journal of Psychology, Vol. 88, October 2021, pp. 47-67.

[ii] Bertrams, Alex, Chris Englert, Oliver Dickhauser. “Self-control strength in the relation between trait test anxiety and state anxiety.” Journal of Research in Personality, Volume 44, Issue 6, December 2010, pp. 738-741.

[iii] Even students who have a high level of emotional well-being may suffer from test anxiety, as exams can precipitate and worsen stress. Koudela-Hamila, Sousanne, Joshua Smyth, Philip Santangelo, Ulrich Ebner-Priemer. “Examination stress in academic students: a multimodal, real-time, real-life investigation of reported stress, social contact, blood pressure, and cortisol.” Journal of American College Health, 2022 May-June.

[iv] Tania Lombrozo, “The Truth About the Left Brain /Right Brain Relationship.” NPR: Cosmos & Culture, 2 December 2013.

[v] Kubala, Jillian. “The Top 9 Brain Foods for Studying and Exams.” Healthline. Last medically reviewed 12 October 2020.

[vi] Spencer, Sarah J., Aniko Korosi, Sophie Laye, Barara Shukitt-Hale and Ruth Barrientos. “Food for thought: how nutrition impacts cognition and emotion.” NPJ Science of Food. 2017.  

[vii] Zhang, Xueyan, Wenhao Li, and Jinghao Wang. “Effects of Exercise Intervention on Students’ Test Anxiety: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, June 2022.

[viii] Yun-Jun Sun, Barbara J. Sahakian, Christelle Langley, Anyi Yang, Yuchao Jiang, Jujiao Kang, Xingming Zhao, Chunhe Li, Wei Cheng, Jianfeng Feng. Early-initiated childhood reading for pleasure: associations with better cognitive performance, mental well-being and brain structure in young adolescence. Psychological Medicine, 2023