ACT Power Plus
Vocabulary
Lesson Eight
deride – (v.) to ridicule; to mock
The unpopular professor derided students who
made mistakes.
Synonyms
• scorn
Antonyms
• praise
censure – (v.) to criticize sharply
The judge censured the repeat offender for his
criminal behavior.
Synonyms
Antonyms
• condemn
• scorn
• praise
• applaud
gambol – (v.) to frolic; to romp about playfully
The pre-schoolers liked to gambol about on the
playground.
Synonyms
• play
• caper
• rollick
immolate – (v.) to kill someone as a sacrificial
victim, usually by fire
Some Buddhist monks immolated themselves in
protest of the government’s policies.
recondite – (adj.) difficult to understand;
profound
Only a few students understood the recondite
explanation of the theory.
martinet – (n.) a strict disciplinarian;
taskmaster
The teacher was a martinet who never made
exceptions to the rule.
quagmire – (n.) a swamp; a difficult or
inextricable situation
The war was a political quagmire for three U.S.
presidents.
gibe – (v.) to scoff; to ridicule; to make fun of
His favorite pastime was to gibe at everything his
wife said.
Synonyms
• jeer
• taunt
• sneer
Antonyms
• compliment
• praise
agape – (adj.) open-mouthed; surprised; agog
Even the judge was agape when the witness told
the ridiculous story in court.
Synonyms
• astonished
carcinogen – (n.) causing cancer
Benzene, a component of gasoline, is a
carcinogen.
olfactory – (adj.) pertaining to smell
If you have a cold, then your olfactory senses will
not detect the gas leak.
imperious – (adj.) domineering; haughty
The judge pronounced his findings in an imperious
voice.
Synonyms
• overbearing
• arrogant
• masterful
Antonyms
• servile
• submissive
grotesque – (adj.) absurd; distorted
The boy made a grotesque face behind the
teacher’s back.
neologism – (n.) a new word or expression
Some writers coin neologisms to confuse and
impress their readers.
Synonyms
• coinage
hackneyed – (adj.) commonplace; overused
“Good as gold” is a hackneyed expression.
Synonyms
• trite
• banal
Antonyms
• fresh
• imaginative