ELA ACT Vocab

conformist

a person who accepts established practices

arcane

known or understood by only a few; mysterious or secret

Jejune

simplistic or naive; lacking in maturity or sophistication

noxious

harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant

revulsion

a sudden strong feeling of disgust

Ecstatic

feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joy

bowdlerize

to remove material that is considered improper or offensive from a text.

emulate

to imitate or match someone in an effort to equal or surpass them.

Remuneration

compensation or payment for services or work done.

gauche

lacking social grace or sensitivity; awkward or clumsy in social situations.

tirade

a long, angry speech or expression of criticism.

Internecine

mutually destructive conflict, especially within a group.

choleric

easily angered; hot-tempered.

Heritage

the traditions, culture, and values passed down from previous generations.

Lugubrious

looking or sounding sad and dismal.

nefarious

wicked or criminal in nature, often involving harmful intentions.

Serendipity

the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

wan

pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion.

iconoclast

a person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions.

malevolent

having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

aspire

to have a strong desire or ambition to achieve something.

ornery

bad-tempered and combative

unconscionable

not guided by conscience; unethical or unjust.

ameliorate

to make a problem worse or situation worse

painstaking

careful and diligent effort; requiring a lot of work and attention to detail.

sonorous

producing a deep, rich sound; resonant.

surmise

to form a conclusion or opinion based on incomplete evidence; to speculate.

accentuate

to make something more noticeable or prominent; to emphasize.

predicament

a difficult or unpleasant situation; a dilemma.

myopic

lacking foresight or clarity; narrow-minded.

deciduous

referring to trees or shrubs that shed their leaves annually, typically in autumn.

factious

causing division or conflict within a group.

labyrinth

a complex and intricate network of paths or passages, often difficult to navigate.

quixotic

exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.

Banal

lacking originality or freshness; boring and unoriginal.

Fatuous

silly and pointless; lacking intelligence or thought.

impugn

to challenge or dispute the truth or validity of something.

vicarious

experienced through the feelings or actions of another; indirect.

wily

skilled at using clever tricks to achieve goals; cunning.

Tactile

relating to the sense of touch; perceivable through touch.

Zenith

the highest point or peak of something, often in terms of success or achievement.

grotto

a small, picturesque cave or cavern, often adorned with decorations.

culpable

deserving blame or censure, often for a wrongful act.

Hubris

excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.

transpire

to occur or happen, especially in a way that becomes known or is revealed over time.

affable

friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to.

diffident

shy or lacking in self-confidence, often hesitant in social situations.

calamity

an event causing great damage or distress; a disaster.

opportunist

a person who takes advantage of opportunities with little regard for principles or consequences.

rant

a lengthy, passionate, and often loud speech or piece of writing expressing strong opinions.