ACT Vocab Audit: October 2025

Tracking the most troublesome tested ACT words

Saturdays are perfect days for surprisingly tough vocabulary on high stakes tests. Surprise—we’re talking about vocabulary on the ACT today!

The ACT may not be as famously focused on vocabulary as the SAT, but the exam absolutely throws tough words at test takers. Surprisingly, the toughest vocabulary questions pop up on the English section, at least if we ignore the Science test (as many colleges seem to be doing!)

The October ACT Form J08 served up a small but significant selection of words—mostly verbs—that test takers should be familiar with.

Here are the challenging October 2025 words we’ve already featured on Roots2Words:

adhere (verb) - to stick or cause to stick to something; to support, follow, or maintain commitment to
BREAKDOWN: AD- (to) + HERE- (stick)

alleviate (verb) - to make more bearable; to lessen pain, grief, or suffering
BREAKDOWN: A- (toward) + LEV- (light) + -IATE (to make or do)

amenity (noun) - an optional feature or service intended to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment; an overall state of pleasantness or courtesy
BREAKDOWN: The word amenity comes to English directly from the Latin amoenitas meaning delightfulness or pleasantness.

ascertain (verb) - to find out, to discover, to determine or make certain
BREAKDOWN: AS- (to) + CERT- (to determine) + -AIN (act or state)

cordial (adj) - formally or courteously warm and friendly
BREAKDOWN: CORD- (heart) + -IAL (relating to)

homage (noun) - a demonstration of reverence or respect; something done in honor of another
BREAKDOWN: HOM- (human) + -AGE (state of)

miscellaneous (adj) - varied, mixed, or consist of different kinds
BREAKDOWN: MISC[ELL]- (to mix) + -ANY (state or condition) + -OUS (full of)

speculate (verb) - to engage in thought or reflection; to deliberate or surmise; to make a risky trade in the hope of making a profit
BREAKDOWN: SPEC- (look) + -UL (small) + -ATE (to make or do)

The rest of the challenging words we haven’t covered (yet) were based on word roots:

agitate (verb) - to move, shake, or perturb
BREAKDOWN: AG- (to drive) + -ITATE (to make)

allude (verb) - to refer or suggest indirectly or casually; to hint or imply
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + LUD- (to play)

articulate (verb) - to speak or express ideas clearly and fluently; to form or possess joints
—articulate as an adjective means well spoken or easily understood
BREAKDOWN: ARTICUL- (part, joint) + -ATE (to make or do)

bewildered (adj) - perplexed, puzzled, or confused
BREAKDOWN: BE- (to make) + WILDER- (uncultivated place, wild) + -ED (made)

congregate (verb) - to assemble or come together in a body or crowd
BREAKDOWN: CON- (with) + GREG- (crowd) + -ATE (to make happen)

curtail (verb) - to reduce, restrict, or limit; to cut short
BREAKDOWN: CURT- (short) + TAIL- (to cut)

embellish (verb) - to decorate, beautify, or make more interesting through addition
BREAKDOWN: EM- (into) + BEL- (beautiful) + -ISH (act of)

fortify (verb) - to strengthen and secure a place, position, or physical structure; to impart strength
BREAKDOWN: FORT- (strength) + -IFY (to make or do)

induct (verb) - to install or introduce formally into a special office or organization
BREAKDOWN: IN- (into) + DUC- (lead)

refurbish (verb) - to renovate, redecorate, or freshen up
BREAKDOWN: RE- (again) + FURB- (to polish) + -ISH (act of)

scoff (verb) - to show scorn, doubt, or disapproval; to sneer or deride
BREAKDOWN: SCUFF- (to shove)

unorthodox (adj) - outside conventional views or norms; contrary to what is traditional or accepted
BREAKDOWN: UN- (not) + ORTHO- (correct) + DOX- (belief)

As usual, the ACT English test also threw out an affect vs effect challenge.

Every challenging vocabulary word on the October 2025 ACT possessed a clear connection to classical roots. Aren’t you glad you follow Roots2Words every day?? 😎

If the ACT is in your future, you should learn all of these words and many more like them. For more Vocab Audits, explore our SAT/ACT Resources page.