SAT Vocab Audit: December 2025

Tracking the most troublesome tested words

Words matter for many reasons, not the least of which is how the words we know reflect our deeper mastery of many disciplines. That’s why the SAT tests vocabulary and why we analyze reports to record which words appear on official administrations.

SAT Test takers definitely encountered challenging vocabulary words in December, with a strong emphasis on Tier 2 verbs. Thanks to all the self-prep superstars on the r/SAT subreddit—led by supermod yodatsracist—who shared the most perplexing vocabulary they encountered on the U.S. and International administrations of the December SAT.

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

amalgam (noun) - a mixture, blend, or combination; a silvery alloy of mercury and other metals once common for dental fillings but now declining
BREAKDOWN: Based on the root MEL- meaning soft in words like mollify and emollient and honey in words like mellifluous and caramel

analogous (adj) - comparable in certain respects or similar in some way to something else
BREAKDOWN: ANA- (according to) + LOG- (reason) + -OUS (full of)

augment (verb) - to make larger, greater, or stronger; to build on what already exists 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: AUG- (to increase) + -MENT (act or state)

autonomous (adj) - independent or self-governing; existing or functioning separately from other bodies
BREAKDOWN: AUTO- (self) + NOM- (law) + -OUS (full of)

complement (verb) - to complete, make whole, or bring to perfection
—complement as a noun is a group or number of something or whatever makes something complete
BREAKDOWN: COM- (together) + PLE- (to fill) + -MENT (thing that)

detrimental (adj) - tending to cause harm or damage; pernicious or adverse
BREAKDOWN: DE- (away) + TERE- (to rub) + -MENT (action) + -AL (pertaining to)

eschew (verb) - to intentionally avoid, abstain, or keep away from 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: E- (completely) + SCHEU- (fear, shrink from)

evince (verb) - to show or demonstrate convincingly; to prove
BREAKDOWN: E- (out) + VINC- (overcome)

exploit (verb) - make full or productive use of; to take advantage of in an unfair or unethical way 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: EX- (out) + PLAIT- (to fold or plait) [variant of PLIC-]

idiosyncrasy (noun) - an individualizing characteristic, mannerism, or trait; eccentricity or peculiarity 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: IDIO- (peculiar) + SYN- (together) + CRA- (mixture) + -SY (state of)

incongruous (adj) - not in keeping, matching, or fitting in; out of place or harmony
BREAKDOWN: IN- (not) + CON- (with) + GRU- (rush, fall) + -OUS (inclined to)

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)

pervade (verb) - to spread through; to permeate
BREAKDOWN: PER- (through) + VAD- (to go)

precarious (adj) - unstable, insecure, or risky
BREAKDOWN: PREC- (to ask or entreat) + -AR (pertaining to) + -OUS (full of)

promulgate (verb) - to promote, announce, or make known publicly
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (forth) + MULG- (to milk) + -ATE (make or do)

transcend (verb) - to rise above or go beyond standards or limits; to surpass or exceed
BREAKDOWN: TRANS- (beyond) + SCEN- (climb)

ubiquity (noun) - the act or the state of being or seeming to be everywhere all the time
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:

amass (verb) - to collect, gather, or accumulate
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + MASS- (heap, pile)

commensurate (adj) - corresponding in extent, amount, or magnitude; having a common measure
BREAKDOWN: CO- (with) + ME- (to measure) + -URE (state) + ATE (being)

contentious (adj) - argumentative or quarrelsome; causing disagreement or strife
BREAKDOWN: CON- (completely) + TENS- (stretch) + -IOUS (full of)

convene (verb) - to come together or assemble for an official purpose
BREAKDOWN: CON- (together) + VEN- (to come)

corollary (noun) - something that results from something else; a proposition that follows from an already proven one; an excess addition or gift
BREAKDOWN: COROLL- (small crown) + -ARY (pertaining to)

debunk (verb) - to expose lies, exaggeration, or general nonsense; to discredit or refute
BREAKDOWN: Based on the word bunkum meaning nonsense

definitive (adj) - final, authoritative, or most accurate
BREAKDOWN: DE- (completely) + FINI- (boundary) + -IVE (pertaining to)

enumerate (verb) - to count or list one by one 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: E- (out) + NUM- (number, to count) + -ATE (to make or do)

expedite (verb) - to accelerate the progress of or hasten; to accomplish quickly or efficiently
BREAKDOWN: EX- (out) + PED- (foot) + -ITE (to make or do)

foment (verb) - to instigate, stoke, or stir up
BREAKDOWN: Based on the root FEV- meaning to warm or heat

homogeneity (noun) - the state or quality of being uniform, similar, the same
BREAKDOWN: HOMO- (same) + GEN- (class) + -EITY (state of)

impede (verb) - to hinder or obstruct movement or progress
BREAKDOWN: IM- (in) + PED- (foot)

induce (verb) - to cause or bring about; to influence; to infer by induction
BREAKDOWN: IN- (toward) + DUC- (lead)

intercede (verb) - to act as a mediator; to plead on another’s behalf
BREAKDOWN: INTER- (between) + CED- (to go)

lament (verb) - to weep, mourn, or express grief
—a lament is an expression of sorrow
BREAKDOWN: LAMENT- (wailing or moaning)

nominal (adj) - existing or being such in name only; small or trifling; titular or so-called 👉 second time in a row 👈
BREAKDOWN: NOMEN- (name) + -AL (pertaining to)

profusion (noun) - an extremely large amount, quantity, or expenditure; extravagance or abundance
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (forth) + FUS- (to pour) + -ION (act or state)

recapitulate (verb) - to restate, retell, or summarize
BREAKDOWN: RE- (again) + CAPIT- (head) + -UL (relating to) + -ATE (to do)

replicate (verb) - to copy, repeat, or reproduce
BREAKDOWN: IM- (in) + PLIC- (plait, fold) + -ATE (to do)

salvage (verb) - to rescue or save from loss
BREAKDOWN: SALV- (to keep or protect) + -AGE (process)

subdued (verb) - muted, restrained, or controlled
BREAKDOWN: SUB- (under, away) + DUC- (lead) + -ED (state)

supersede (verb) - to supplant, take priority over, or cause to be set aside
BREAKDOWN: SUPER- (above) + CED- (go)

surrogate (noun) - one who acts for another; a substitute
BREAKDOWN: AB- (under) + ROG- (to ask) + -ATE (make or do)

temper (verb) - to moderate or mitigate; to mix, modify, or bring to a desired condition
—temper as a noun can be a general disposition or a level of rage
BREAKDOWN: TEMPOR- (time)

transience (noun) - the state or quality of being temporary, fleeting, or short-lived
BREAKDOWN: TRANS- (beyond) + IT- (go) + -ENCE (state of)

typify (verb) - to serve as a typical example of; to symbolize or exemplify
BREAKDOWN: TYP- (type) + -FY (to make)

unobtrusive (adj) - inconspicuous or modest; not attracting attention
BREAKDOWN: UN- (not) + OB- (forward) + TRUS- (to thrust) + -IVE (prone to)

unwieldy (adj) - bulky or cumbersome; awkward or difficult to manage, handle, or use
BREAKDOWN: Based on the root VAL- meaning strong

Once again, every challenging vocabulary word on this test possessed a clear connection to classical roots. Aren’t you glad you follow Roots2Words every day?

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

“To talk well and eloquently is a very great art, but that an equally great one is to know the right moment to stop.” —Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart