AP English III - Vocabulary #3

Accost

Definition: to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

Example: The nobleman was _____________ by beggars on the way to the castle.

Synonyms: approach, confront

Antonyms: evade, avoid, shun

Affinity

Definition: (n.) a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection

Example: The mysterious ________________ between the two leaders could not be explained.

Synonyms: inclination, penchant

Antonyms: distaste, aversion

Brackish

Definition: (adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink.

Example: The shipwrecked passengers adrift on the lifeboat became ill after drinking___________ water.

Synonyms: briny, saline

Antonyms: fresh, clear, sweet

Carping

Definition: (adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n) petty, nagging criticism

Example: Most artists choose to ignore the _______________ of critics and simply go on with their work.

Synonyms: nit-picking, caviling

Antonyms: approving, uncritical

Coherent

Definition: (adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful.

Example: The physics teacher gave a surprisingly ____________________ description of quantum mechanics.

Synonyms: connected, unified, consistent, cohesive

Antonyms: muddled, chaotic, disjointed

Commensurate

Definition: (adj.) equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards

Example: All employees got raises ________________ with their efforts.

Synonyms: comparable, corresponding, coordinate

Antonyms: Opaque, coarse, dense

Dichotomy

Definition: (n.) a division into two contradictory or mutually exclusive parts; a branching or forking in an ancestral line

Example: Many of the world’s great works of literature examine the ________________ between good and evil.

Synonyms: Schism, division, bifurcation

Antonyms: Uniformity, oneness

Ensconce

Definition: (v.) to settle comfortably and firmly in position; to put or hide in a safe place

Example: After a very long, difficult day at work, I gratefully ________________ myself in snug, warm bed.

Synonyms: Nestle, lodge, entrench

Antonyms: unseat, displace, oust

Faux pas

Definition: (n.) a slip in manners or conduct; a social blunder

Example: No sooner had I arrived at the party than I embarrassed myself by committing a dreadful ________________.

Synonyms: Indiscretion, gaffee

Antonyms: Coup, tour de force

Iconoclastic

Definition: (adj.) attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions

Example: The writer’s ________________ opinions always seem to stir controversy.

Synonyms: image-breaking, irreverent, heretical

Antonyms: Orthodox, conservative, reverent

Incendiary

Definition: (adj.) deliberately setting or cause fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir strife or rebellions; (n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonists; one who causes strife

Example: The arsonist planted an _________________ device in the basement of the store.

The radical ________________ was sentenced to life imprisonment

Synonyms: (adj.) inflammatory, provocative (n.) firebrand

Antonyms: (adj.) soothing, quieting (n.) peacemaker

Largesse

Definition: (n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

Example: The university was the fortunate beneficiary of the ________________ of many of its graduates.

Synonym: liberality, munificence, bounty

Antonyms: Stinginess, miserliness

Malleable

Definition: (adj.) capable of being formed into different shapes; capable of being altered, adapted, or influenced

Example: The ___________ minds of the young students were at the mercy of the charismatic professor.

Synonyms: pliable, impressionable, adaptable

Antonyms: rigid, inflexible, unyielding, intractable

Noisome

Definition: (adj.) offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious

Example: The __________ atmosphere of the slaughterhouse overwhelmed the visitors.

Synonyms: fetid, noxious, vile, loathsome

Antonyms: wholesome, pleasant, sweet-smelling

Portentous

Definition: (adj.) foreshadowing an event to come; causing wonder or awe; self-consciously weighty, pompous

Example: No one realized just how ___________________ the strange events of last week would turn out to be.

Synonyms: foreboding, ominous

Antonyms: auspicious, propitious, encouraging

Raconteur

Definition: (n.) a person who tells stories and anecdotes with great skill

Example: The author, a noted __________________ , was much sought after as a dinner party guest.

Synonyms: storyteller, anecdotalist

Antonyms: listener, eavesdropper

Tenable

Definition: capable of being held or defended

Example: The researcher put forth a __________ theory, but their conclusions would be reviewed carefully by others

Synonyms: defensible, justifiable, maintainable

Antonyms: indefensible, unjustifiable

Truncate

Definitions: (v.) to shorten by or as if by cutting off, lop

Example: A family emergency forced us to __________ our summer vacation

Synonyms: trim, abbreviate

Antonyms: lengthen, elongate, extend

Unconscionable

(adj.) not guided or restrained by conscience, prudence, or reason; unscrupulous; immoderate

Top management's looting of the employees' retirement fund can only be described as ____________.

Synonyms: unjustifiable, indefensible, unforgivable

Antonyms: justifiable, reasonable, honorable

Vacuous

Definition: (adj.) devoid of matter, substance, or meaning; lacking ideas or intelligence; purposeless

Example: From the _____________ expression on your face, no one would guess that you have such a sharp mind.

SYNONYMS: void, empty

ANTONYMS: perceptive, intelligent