The SAT is synonymous with advanced language skills, and as long as the test uses vocabulary knowledge as a marker of reading ability and college readiness, we’ll continue to analyze reports from official administrations.
The August SAT subjected test takers to a LOT of tough words. Thanks to all those self-prep heroes on the r/SAT subreddit—led by supermod yodatsracist—who shared the most challenging vocabulary they encountered on the U.S. and International administrations of the August 2025 SAT.
Here are the challenging August 2025 words we've already featured on Roots2Words:
affinity (noun) - a natural interest, inclination, or attraction; a connection or kinship
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + FINI- (boundary) + -ITY (state of)
analogous (adj) - comparable in certain respects or similar in some way to something else
BREAKDOWN: ANA- (according to) + LOG- (reason) + -OUS (full of)
attest (verb) - to bear witness to or certify; to affirm to be correct, true, or genuine
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + TEST- (witness)
circumspection (noun) - caution, prudence, or vigilance
BREAKDOWN: CIRCUM- (around) + SPEC- (look) + -TION (act or state)
diminution (noun) - a lessening, decrease, or reduction
BREAKDOWN: DE- (completely) + MINU- (small) + -TION (act or state)
epitome (noun) - the ideal example or embodiment of something; a summary or abstract
BREAKDOWN: EPI- (in addition) + TOM- (to cut)
harbinger (noun) - someone or something that foreshadows an event or signals the approach of another; a forerunner or precursor
BREAKDOWN: Middle English herbengar meaning one sent ahead to arrange lodgings
idiosyncratic (adj) - peculiar to a specific individual; having strange, specific, or distinctive habits
BREAKDOWN: IDIO- (peculiar) + SYN- (together) + CRA- (mixture) + -TIC (characterized by)
manifest (verb) - to exhibit or reveal plainly or distinctly; to use clear intentions, visualization, affirmation, and other indirect actions to help achieve goals and attract wealth and success
BREAKDOWN: MAN- (hand) + FEST- (seize)
proponent (noun) - one who proposes or argues in support of something; an advocate
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (forward) + PON- (to put) + -ENT (one who does)
quintessential (adj) - representing the most typical, ideal, or iconic essence of something; embodying the best of its kind
QUINT- (fifth) + ES- (to be) + -ENCE (state of) + -IAL (pertaining to)
sophist (noun) - someone who uses clever, confusing, or illogical arguments to deceive
BREAKDOWN: SOPH- (knowledge) + -IST (one who does)
ubiquitous (adj) - seeming to appear or exist everywhere; omnipresent
BREAKDOWN: The Latin ubique meaning everywhere—UBI meaning where and QUE which can mean many things but, in this case, means both every and also maybe where.
Many of the challenging words we haven’t covered (yet) were based on word roots:
abridge (verb) - to shorten or condense
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + BRIDGE- (short) [variant of BREV-]
affront (noun) – an open or deliberate offense, slight, or insult; an attack on one’s dignity
BREAKDOWN: AF- (to) + FRONT- (forehead)
attrition (noun) - a gradual reduction in numbers or strength due to sustained force, pressure, or natural processes
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + TRIT- (to rub) + -TION (act or state)
begrudge (verb) - to envy, resent, or reluctantly allow
BREAKDOWN: BE- (about) + GRUDG- (to complain)
complacent (adj) - smug or overly satisfied, usually to a point that precludes further action or interest
BREAKDOWN: COM- (very) + PLAC- (to please) + -ENT (state of)
compose (verb) - to make by putting together parts; to create a musical or literary work; to make one's body calm or tranquil
BREAKDOWN: COM- (together) + POS- (put, place)
copious (adj) - abundant or profuse; in large or excessive quantities
BREAKDOWN: CO- (with) + OP- (abundance) + -IOUS (full of)
dearth (noun) - a scarcity, shortage, or lack
BREAKDOWN: DEAR- (precious, valuable) + -TH (state or quality)
discrepancy (noun) - a lack of agreement, consistency, or compatibility
BREAKDOWN: DIS- (apart) + CREP- (to creak or crack) + -ANCY (state of)
hallmark (noun) - a distinctive or defining characteristic representative of particular people, roles, or things; an official mark of purity or authenticity
BREAKDOWN: HALL- (house, hall) + MARK- (sign, boundary)
iconoclasm (noun) - the act of or belief in attacking or destroying institutions, idols, and monuments
BREAKDOWN: ICON- (image or figure) + CLAS- (to break) + -ISM (practice)
index (noun) - a detailed listing of contents; a sign or indication (plural: indices)
BREAKDOWN: IN- (in) + DEX- (show, set apart) [variant of DIC-]
inimical (adj) - hostile, antagonistic, or unfriendly
BREAKDOWN: IN- (not) + AMI- (friend) + -ICAL (pertaining to)
inure (verb) - become adapted or used to something; to take effect or result in something
BREAKDOWN: A contraction of the old phrase “(put) in ure” meaning to (put) in practice
invoke (verb) - to petition for help or bring into effect; to appeal to or call upon a higher power
BREAKDOWN: IN- (in) + VOK- (call)
partition (verb) - to divide into parts, shares, or sections
BREAKDOWN: PART- (part, piece) + -TION (act or state)
perceptible (adj) - able to be noticed or observed by the senses; detectable
BREAKDOWN: PER (thoroughly) + CEPT- (grasp) + -IBLE (able to be)
pervade (verb) - to spread through; to permeate
BREAKDOWN: PER- (through) + VAD- (to go)
provoke (verb) - to stir or call forth into action; to challenge
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (forward) + VOK- (call)
proxy (noun) - someone or something that acts as a substitute or agent for another; something that indirectly represents or signals another
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (just as) + CUR- (care for)
situate (verb) - to place, position, or establish in a particular location
BREAKDOWN: SIT- (place, position) + -UATE (make or do)
sporadic (adj) - irregular, random, or scattered
BREAKDOWN: SPER- (spread) + -ATIC (characterized by)
subordinate (adj) - lower in rank or less important; submissive or supporting
BREAKDOWN: SUB- (under) + ORDIN- (row, rank, or series) + –ATE (being)
supersede (verb) - to supplant, take priority over, or cause to be set aside
BREAKDOWN: SUPER- (above) + CED- (go)
Three August 2025 words—dwindling, foment, and stipulate—lacked a clear or useful connection to classical roots but should still be high on the list of words to learn for the SAT.
If the SAT is in your future, you should learn all of these words. For more Vocab Audits, explore our SAT/ACT Resources page.
“One forgets words as one forgets names. One's vocabulary needs constant fertilizing or it will die.” —Evelyn Waugh