AP Lang - Unit 1 Vocab

incredulous

incredulous

unable or unwilling to believe something or completely unconvinced by it. disbelieving, skeptical, unbelieving

credence

acceptance based on the degree to which something is believable belief, faith, trust

assent

to accept a concept or course of action formally agreement, acceptance, approval

sentient

capable of responding emotionally rather than intellectually. feel, perceive

dissent

to disagree with a widely held or majority option disagreement, argument, dispute

cogitate

to ponder

• contemplate, consider, ponder*

cognizance

knowledge or understanding

cogent

forceful and convincing to the intellect and reason convincing, compelling, strong

cognition

the mental faculty or process of acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition, or perception. perception, discernment, apprehension

reticent

unwilling to communicate very much, talk freely, or reveal all the facts about something. reserved, withdrawn, introverted

begrudging

showing unwillingness to give somebody something or to let somebody be admired or praised. resent, grudge, envy

dubious

not sure about an outcome or a conclusion; possibly dishonest or immoral. doubtful, uncertain, unsure, hesitant

belligerence

the quality of being hostile, ready to start a fight, or ready to go to war hostile, aggressive, threatening

emblematic

relating to, consisting or acting as an emblem symbolic, representative, indicative

incursion

the act of flowing, running, or intruding into something, usually with unpleasant or damaging effects attack on, assault on, raid on

dictatorial

imposing will on others; fond of telling others what to do or of using power or authority to make them do it

• authoritarian, oppressive, imperious,*

eulogize

to praise somebody or something very highly acclaim, praise

vicissitudes

unexpected changes, especially in somebody's fortunes change, alteration, shift

vilify

to make malicious and abusive statements about somebody

• abuse, speak ill of, criticize*

verbose

expressed in or using too many words wordy, loquacious, garrulous

verbiage

an excess of words that add little or nothing to the meaning verbosity, wordiness, loquacity, superfluity

pugnacious

inclined to fight or to be aggressive combative, aggressive, antagonistic, belligerent

puerile

regarded as childishly silly or immature childish, immature, infantile

proponent

somebody who advocates something advocate, supporter

quixotic

motivated by an idealism that overlooks practical considerations; tending to act on impulse idealistic, romantic, visionary

quotidian

commonplace; done or experienced on a daily basis. daily, everyday, day-to-day, diurnal

intrinsic

belonging to something as one of the basic and essential features that makes it what it is inherent, innate, inborn, inbred

extrinsic

not an essential part of something external, extraneous, exterior

efficacy

the ability to produce the desired result effectiveness, success, productiveness

ebb

to recede from the land, as the tide falls; to diminish or lesson in intensity receding, retreat, subsiding