SAT Vocab Audit: November 2025

Tracking the most troublesome tested words

Possession of an advanced vocabulary is a strong signal of reading mastery, which is one of the skills the SAT is designed to assess. 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 November, including many words that have appeared on past exams. Thanks to all those 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 November SAT.

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

abate (verb) - to diminish in force or intensity *second time in a row*
BREAKDOWN: A- (toward) + BAT- (beat)

ambivalent (adj) - simultaneously experiencing opposing or contradictory feelings; having mixed feelings; conflicted or uncertain
BREAKDOWN: AMBI- (both) + VAL- (strong) + -ENT (being)

archetype (noun) - the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; prototype
BREAKDOWN: ARCH- (chief, first of its type) + -TYPE (kind) + -AL (pertaining to)

assuage (verb) - to ease, moderate, soften, or satisfy
BREAKDOWN: AS- (to) + SUAS- (sweet, pleasant)

caricature (noun) - a depiction that exaggerates features or qualities, often to a ludicrous or comedic extent; a highly inferior reproduction
BREAKDOWN: CARIC- (load, exaggerate) + –TURE (act or state)

contingent (adj) - conditional based on circumstances; liable to occur; possible; subject to chance
BREAKDOWN: CON- (with) + TING- (touch) + -ENT (state of)

deference (noun) - a show of great respect or willingness to follow another’s judgment or opinion, either through reverence or acquiescence
BREAKDOWN: DE- (from) + FER- (carry) + -ENCE (act or state)

equivocal (adj) - having two different interpretations, or equal voices; evasive or ambiguous
BREAKDOWN: EQUI- (equal) + VOC- (speak) + -AL (pertaining to)

eschew (verb) - to intentionally avoid, abstain, or keep away from
BREAKDOWN: E- (completely) + SCHEU- (fear, shrink from)

iconoclastic (adj) - strongly opposing settled beliefs, traditions, and institutions
BREAKDOWN: ICON- (image or figure) + CLAS- (to break) + -TIC (characterized by)

idiosyncratic (adj) - peculiar to a specific individual; having strange, specific, or distinctive habits
BREAKDOWN: IDIO- (peculiar) + SYN- (together) + CRA- (mixture) + -TIC (characterized by)

prescient (adj) - possessing knowledge of events before they occur; having foreknowledge
BREAKDOWN: PRE- (before) + SCI- (knowledge) + -ENT (state of)

prevail (verb) - to succeed or prove superior; to become widespread or predominant
BREAKDOWN: PRE- (before) + VAL- (strong)

proclivity (noun) - a natural inclination or predisposition
BREAKDOWN: PRO- (for) + CLIV- (lean) + -ITY (state or quality)

proliferate (verb) - to increase, expand, or multiply rapidly
BREAKDOWN: PROL- (offspring) + FER- (bear) + -ATE (to make or do)

sagacity (noun) - the mental quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and shrewd
BREAKDOWN: SAG- (seek, trace) + -ACITY (state of)

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

abound (verb) - to be plentiful, prevalent, or overflowing with
BREAKDOWN: AB- (away from) + OUND- (flow)

attenuate (verb) - to weaken or reduce in amount, force, or magnitude; to make longer and thinner
BREAKDOWN: A- (to) + TENU- (stretch) + -ATE (to make)

calculating (adj) - acting in a shrewd, secret, or scheming way; of, pertaining to, or capable of making calculations
BREAKDOWN: CALC- (counting pebble) + -UL (small) + -ATE (to make or do) + -ING (act or state)

clandestine (adj) - conceived or conducted in secrecy; covert or surreptitious
BREAKDOWN: CLAN- (hide or cover) + -ESTINE (inside)

delineate (verb) - to describe, portray, or indicate with precision; to represent with words or images *second time in a row*
BREAKDOWN: DE- (completely) + LIN- (line) + -ATE (to make or do)

emanate (verb) - to issue, originate, or flow from; to give off or emit *second time in a row*
BREAKDOWN: E- (out) + MANA- (to flow) + -ATE (make or do)

entrenched (adj) - firmly established, deep rooted, or ingrained
BREAKDOWN: EN- (in) + TRENCH- (to cut or carve) + -ED (made or done)

expound (verb) - to set forth; to make a detailed statement
BREAKDOWN: EX- (forth) + -POUND (to put)

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

frugal (adj) - careful or sparing in the use of money or resources
BREAKDOWN: FRUI- (enjoy or use) + -AL (pertaining to)

immaterial (adj) - unimportant or irrelevant; insubstantial, incorporeal, or lacking physical form
BREAKDOWN: IM- (not) + MATER- (substance) + IAL (pertaining to)

implicate (verb) - to incriminate or connect to a situation or crime; to show to be involved or connected
BREAKDOWN: IM- (in) + PLIC- (plait, fold) + -ATE (to do)

incipient (adj) - just coming into being or becoming apparent; burgeoning or nascent
BREAKDOWN: IN- (upon) + CIP- (to grasp or take) + -IENT (state of)

iterative (adj) - of, pertaining to, or involving repetition as a means of improvement or refinement
BREAKDOWN: ITER- (to repeat) + -ATE (to do) + -IVE (pertaining to)

latitude (noun) - relative freedom from restriction or restraint; a geographical measurement of distance north or south based on lines that run parallel to the equator
BREAKDOWN: LAT- (wide) + -TUDE (state of)

legitimize (verb) - to make legal, acceptable, or valid
BREAKDOWN: LEG- (law) + -IT (connected with) + -IZE (to make or do)

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

rehabilitate (verb) to restore to health, normalcy, or a former condition; to reestablish reputation or capacity (also rehab)
BREAKDOWN: RE- (again) + ABLE- (fit, suitable) + -ITATE (to make or do)

revitalize (verb) - to give new life and vigor; to restore vitality
BREAKDOWN: RE- (back) + VITA- (life) + -IZE (to make)

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.

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” —Mark Twain