AP English III - Vocabulary #2

arrogate (ar​-​uh​-geyt​)

(v.) to claim or take without right

The ambitious noblemen will put the young king under house arrest and _______________ royal privileges to themselves.

SYNONYMS: expropriate, usurp, commandeer

ANTONYMS: relinquish, renounce, abdicate, abandon

articulate (ahr-​tik​-y​uh​-leyt​)

(v.) to pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; to connect by a joint or joints; (adj.) expressed clearly and forcefully; able

to employ language clearly and forcefully; jointed

Few people can ____________________ their emotions during times of stress.

The most ____________________ student in the class was chosen to mediate the debate.

SYNONYMS: (v.) pronounce, elucidate; (adj.) eloquent

ANTONYMS: (v.) mumble, slur; (adj.) tongue-tied, halting

belabor (bi-​ley​-ber)

(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

His tendency to _______________the small points often made him miss the big picture.

SYNONYMS: overwork

ANTONYMS: praise

cavort (k​uh​-​vawrt​)

(v.) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

The actors in the musical ____________________ on stage. SYNONYMS: gambol

ANTONYMS: sulk, pout, mope

credence (​kreed​-ns)

(n.) belief, mental acceptance

The government and the public failed to give

____________________ to the reports of an impending water shortage.

SYNONYMS: credit, trust, confidence

ANTONYMS: disbelief, skepticism, incredulity

decry (di-​krahy)

(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

Every arm of government and every educational institution should ____________________ bigotry in all its forms.

SYNONYMS: denounce, censure, devalue

ANTONYMS: tout, commend, extol, laud, praise

emulate (em​-y​uh​-leyt)

(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

Most beginning writers try to ____________________ a great writer and later develop their own individual styles.

SYNONYMS: copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

ANTONYMS: reject, shun, forbid

encomium (en-​koh​-mee-​uh​ m)

(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

On Veterans Day, the President delivered a heartfelt _________________ to those who died for their country.

SYNONYMS: panegyric, eulogy, commendation

ANTONYMS: condemnation, castigation, criticism

gambit (​gam​-bit)

(n.)in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a

minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

Asking an interesting stranger about his or her job is a popular party__________________.

SYNONYMS: ploy, stratagem, ruse, manuever

germane (jer-​meyn)

(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

Bringing up examples from the past is not ____________________ to the present discussion.

SYNONYMS: pertinent

ANTONYMS: irrelevant, extraneous, inappropriate

histrionic (his-tree-​on​-ik​)

(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

Upon receiving his award, the young actor gave a ____________________ speech.

SYNONYMS: affected, stagy

ANTONYMS: low-keyed, muted, untheatrical, subdued

invidious (in-​vid​-ee-​uh s)

(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

Teachers should avoid making ___________________ comparisons between their students.

SYNONYMS: malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

ANTONYMS: complimentary, flattering, ameliorative

myopic (mahy-​op​-ik-​oh​-pik)

(Adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

The ___________ foreign policy of the last administration has led to serious problems with our allies.

SYNONYMS: shortsighted

ANTONYMS: farsighted

primordial (prahy-​mawr​- dee-​uh l​ )

(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest age; fundamental, basic

The ____________________ stages of most civilizations are founded on common needs met by common goals.

SYNONYMS: original, primeval, primal

ANTONYMS: modern

propriety (pr​uh​-​prahy​i-tee)

(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

The social worker questioned the ____________________ of the police’s request to see confidential records.

SYNONYMS: fitness, correctness, decorum

ANTONYMS: unseemliness, inappropriateness

sacrilege (​sak​-​ruh-​lij)

(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

The anthropologist was accused of committing a ____________________ when she disturbed an ancient burial ground.

SYNONYMS: desecration, profanation, defilement

ANTONYMS: worship, purification, adoration

suppliant (suhp​-lee-​uh nt)

(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly;

(n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, a suitor

He made a _____________ address to the parole board.

Stranded in the deserted city of Moscow, Napoleon had to turn to the Czar not as a conqueror but as a

______________.

SYNONYMS: petitioner​, seeker, solicitor, suitor

ANTONYMS: self asserting, clamant

taciturn (tas​-i-turn)

(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

Abraham Lincoln has the reputation of having a dour and _____________ personality.

SYNONYMS: tight-lipped, uncommunicative, laconic ANTONYMS: garrulous, loquacious, prolix, verbose

talisman (​tal​-is-m​uh​ n​)

(n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer ​magical powers, an amulet, fetish

Most people do not believe that rabbit's feet and other ___________ actually bring good luck.

SYNONYMS: lucky charm, amulet

ANTONYMS: curse, plague, jinx

viscous (​vis​-k​uh​ s)

(adj.) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity

The varnish left a ____________________ residue on the wood that was hard to remove.

SYNONYMS: gummy, sticky, thick

ANTONYMS: runny, watery, aqueous