Test sheet for ACT Vocabulary Test Online

anoint

(1)

v. E.g. He described how the prophet Samuel to anoint David with oil, crown him king of Israel.

Select answer:
apply oil or similar substance to; put oil on during religious ceremony as a sign of sanctification or consecration.
restate text in one's own words, especially to clarify thought of others
say, state, or perform again or repeatedly
beat or pound with fists; hit or strike heavily and repeatedly
go through or across, often under difficult conditions
Don't select.

blanch

(2)

v. E.g. Although age can blanch his hair, he is still vigorous and energetic.

Select answer:
cause to turn white or become pale; take color from; bleach
feel or express strong disapproval of; condemn; express sorrow or grief over; regret
duplicate, copy, reproduce, or repeat; fold over or bend back
applaud; announce with great approval
stockpile; accumulate for future use
Don't select.

corpulent

(3)

a. E.g. The corpulent man resolved to reduce.

Select answer:
hollow; curved like inner surface of sphere
very fat; large in body; overweight
unable to be changed without exception; not mutable
not moving or flowing; lacking vitality or briskness; stale; dull
by a small amount at a time; in stages; gradually
Don't select.

denounce

(4)

v. E.g. The reform candidate kept to denounce the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust.

Select answer:
speak evil of; bad-mouth; defame
overcome or conquer; climb; place something above; be above or on top of
turn into vapor, steam, gas, or fog; decrease rapidly and disappear
feel or express pity or sympathy for
condemn openly; criticize; make known in formal manner
Don't select.

ethereal

(5)

a. E.g. In Shakespeare's The Tempest, the spirit Ariel is an ethereal creature, too airy and unearthly for our mortal world.

Select answer:
very small; immeasurably or incalculably minute
light as air; heavenly; unusually refined
fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; worthless; mean; shabby
turned to one side; twisted; marked by humorous twist, often with a touch of irony
awkward; lacking grace in movement or posture
Don't select.

heresy

(6)

n. E.g. Galileo's assertion that the earth moved around the sun directly contradicted the religious teachings of his day; as a result, he was tried for heresy.

Select answer:
feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble
violation of rule or regulation; breach; minor offence or petty crime
opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion
crack or crevice; a split or indentation between two parts, as of the chin
moment of calm; a period of calm weather; temporary quiet and rest
Don't select.

laborious

(7)

a. E.g. In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task.

Select answer:
demanding much work or care; tedious
cheerfully confident; optimistic; of healthy reddish color; ruddy
brief; effectively cut short; marked by use of few words
fragrant or sweet-smelling; caused by fragrant odor
having no justification; groundless; not guaranteed to be good, sound, or of a certain quality
Don't select.

muddle

(8)

v. E.g. He tried to muddle the issues, we cannot see the hope that they will be addressed quickly.

Select answer:
increase severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate
speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly; talk artlessly and childishly
make muddy; mix confusedly; think, act, or proceed in confused or aimless manner
make impossible, as by action taken in advance; prevent; eliminate
feel or express pity or sympathy for
Don't select.

prodigious

(9)

a. E.g. Watching the weight lifter heave the barbell to shoulder height and then boost it overhead, we marveled at his prodigious strength.

Select answer:
pertaining to land or its cultivation; relating to agricultural or rural matters
impressively great in size, force, or extent; enormous
unsuccessful; failing to accomplish an intended objective; fruitless
clear, transparent or bright; calm, untroubled, and without worry
easily managed or controlled; governable; easily handled or worked; docile
Don't select.

propriety

(10)

n. E.g. Miss Manners counsels her readers so that they may behave with due propriety in any social situation and not embarrass themselves.

Select answer:
homeless person, especially orphaned child; abandoned young animal
flowing into; mass arrival or incoming
fitness; correct conduct; quality of being proper; appropriateness
distance around something; circumference; size; bulk
formal, lengthy discussion of a subject; verbal exchange; conversation
Don't select.

superfluous

(11)

a. E.g. Betsy lacked the heart to tell June that the wedding present she brought was superfluous; she and Bob had already received five toasters.

Select answer:
worldly rather than spiritual; not specifically relating to religion; lasting from century to century
full of wishful yearning or longing; sadly thoughtful
inharmonious; impossible to coexist; not easy to combine harmoniously
good-natured and likable; lovable; warmly friendly
being beyond what is required or sufficient
Don't select.

vindicate

(12)

v. E.g. The lawyer's goal was to vindicate her client and prove him innocent on all charges.

Select answer:
give pleasure to; satisfy; indulge; make happy
state without proof; assert to be true
expel; eject from a position or place; force out
make a pretence of; reproduce someone's behavior or looks
clear from blame; exonerate; maintain, uphold, or defend
Don't select.