10th honors lit vocab

Affable

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.

connotation: positive

Someone affable would likely make a good friend and be someone who you could feel comfortable confiding in. An affable tone is friendly, kind, and inviting.

Ex. Luna Lovegood

Depraved

**morally corrupt; perverted**

connotation: heavily negative in a moral way

*Robots killing humans wouldn’t technically be depraved because they are devoid of moral thinking and emotions. Someone speaking in a depraved tone would likely make you feel very uncomfortable. They are probably reveling in some evil business.*

Ex. Voldemort

Devout

**having or showing deep religious/spiritual feeling or commitment**

connotation: neutral

*Neg: a character who lives strictly by a religion’s teachings but also uses those teachings to oppress ostracize other characters. A character who devoutly follows a cruel or evil leader.*

*Pos: depending how the text is structered.*

*Possible to use this trait in secular situations, where the character shows a deep and personal commitment to some other cause/idea that is larger than themselves.*

Ex. Bellatrix Lestrange towards Voldemort

Fatuous 

**silly, ridiculous, foolish, especially in an unknowing, complacent manner (not self-aware)**

connotation: negative connotation

*Foolish that shouldn’t be taken in a serious way and is likely unintentional. Someone you don’t want as a friend bc they are ridiculous in a way that is totally not self-aware and doesn’t take things seriously.*

Ex. Crabbe and Goyle

Gauche

**lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless**

connotation: negative

*These people are not self-aware. These characters lack social awareness, have no filter or understanding of how they should be interacting with others. They might be unintentionally offensive or insensitive, and will have 0 clue when they are the butt of a joke.*

Ex. Neville Longbottom throughout Harry Potter

Insolent

**showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect**

connotation: negative

*They are knowingly disrespectful. Typically act this way to assert superiority over another character. They should be showing respect, but they aren’t. A character taking on an insolent tone might make the audience feel angry and indignant or inspired and proud (Katniss v. President Snow) depending which side they are on.*

Ex. Draco Malfoy towards Dumbledore

Obsequious

**obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree; very showy with attentiveness**

connotation: typically negative

*These people ate serving some other character and want everyone to know. They are cool with being in this follower role, and they demonstrate extreme loyalty to the person in power bc they gain something out of it (approval, safety, status). They are being servile bc they gain something out of it. Use it to insult. These type of characters are typically weak-willed, greedy, or easily influenced, however some vulnerable characters can take on this trait in life-or-death situations.*

Ex. the Malfoy family toward Voldemort

Peevish

**easily irritated, especially by unimportant things**

connotation: negative but not extreme

*Easily annoyed. The character may give a lot of side-eye, but they aren’t necessarily mean. For example, if someone asks you something before your morning coffee, you may respond in a peevish tone.*

Ex. Professor Snape

Privileged

**having special rights, advantages, or immunities.**

connotation: negative or positive depending on text

*Position in society rather than personality. A privileged character may be granted some kind of benefit that other characters might not have.*

*Neg: Curly uses his privilege to treat other characters badly with no fear of reproach.*

*Pos: Plutarch Heavensbee in Hunger Games, who use their powers to improve the world around them.*

Ex. Draco Malfoy

Quixiotic

**exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical, “ignorance is bliss”**

connotation: doesn’t have an entirely positive connotation

*“Ignorance is bliss”. These characters assume the best will happen bc they have an overly rosy outlook on life. Lacking self-awareness and worldly knowledge. Disconnected from reality. Most quixotic characters will change and this is very important in a story*.

Ex. Romeo and Juliet and their assumption that they can be together

Avacracious

**having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain**

connotation: quite bad

*They place their own power and wealth above personal relationships and the well being of others.*

Ex. Malfoy Family, Chuck Bass

Churlish

rude in a mean-spirited and surly (gruff) way

connotation: more severe and goes beyond simply being rude

Describe someone who is insensitive to others feelings and displays an unwillingness to be agreeable. It would be hard to work with, be friends with, teach, etc with this person. Something written in this tone will make the reader shocked or uncomfortable.

Ex. Draco Malfoy, Alex Karev, Curley

Flippant

**carelessly disrespectful, shallow, or lacking in seriousnes, especially towards something or someone that generallly deserves respect**

connotation: not particularly extreme, though it is negative

*Not showing proper respect to people and inanimate objects or concept like death or disease, forces of nature, or one’s own success. Taking on a flippant tone is having a “meh whatever” attitude.*

Ex. things to not be flippant about: safety drills, your education, etc.

Gracious

**courteous, kind, and pleasant**

connotation: quite positive

*Often used to describe a host or hostess. Someone who is gracious is most likely affable.*

Ex. Molly Weasley, Atticus Finch

Indolent

**wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy**

connotation: negative

*Applies to people who will not make any effort to get important things done. One of the common reasons that an employee may be fired is indolence.*

Ex. Balou the Bear

Misanthropic

**disliking humankind and avoiding human society; suggests a deep-rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society**

connotation: highly negative, though not necessarily an insult (they are likely aware of having this attitude)

*Misanthropes are rare due to the sheer energy and commitment it would take to truly be one: can you imagine avoiding human interaction on a daily basis. They really hate other people and have probably isolated themselves from society.*

Ex. Wednesday Addams

Philanthropic

**of, relating to, or characterized by the practice of giving money and time to help make life better for other people (opposite of misanthropic)**

connotation: highly positive

*To truly be philanthropic, one must devote copious amounts of time and energy to the benefit of others. Occasionally volunteering at a community shelter or giving money, does not make you a philanthropic. Only applies to individuals who make helping others a priority. A philanthropist may also be called a humanitarian.*

Ex. Mother Theresa

Precocious

**of a child: having or showing the qualities of abilities of an adult at an unusually early age**

connotation: positive or negative connotation depending on how it is used

*Typically used to describe the behavior or demeanor of a child who is more mature than their peers (in regards to speech, attitude, or disposition). They must be a child.*

*Neg: A negatively precocious child may also be described as obnoxious (the child told his mother he had exactly 3.5 minutes before his bedtime).*

*Pos: A positively precocious child might also be described as intellectual (he was able to read before he entered preschool).*

Ex. Hermione Granger, Matilda

Puerile

**silly or childish especially in a way that shows a lack of seriousness or good judgement**

connotation: negative

*Insulting to call someone who is acting like a small child. Not a person you want in your group for a big project. A puerile person takes very few things seriously and either doesn’t understand how or chooses not to give important things thoughtful attention.*

Ex. Lennie, Michael Scott

Unassuming

modest; humble; lacking in arrogance

connotation: neutral

Someone unassuming doesn’t draw attention to themselves. Reserved and fly under the radar rather than being flashy or loud. Doesn’t necessarily mean that they are weak, shy, or insecure. Possible that an unassuming person can possess tremendous power and confidence; they just aren’t boastful about it.

Ex. George O’ Malley

Callow

(especially of a young person) inexperienced and immature.

connotation: not a positive word, it isn’t insulting either

Typically applies to young characters who haven’t seen much of the world. It’s what we would expect of someone who hasn’t experienced much and is still learning what life is all about.

Ex: Jenny Humphrey at the beginning of Gossip Girl, Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web

Chaste

1) not having any sexual nature or intention; 2) without unnecessary ornamentation; simple or restrained.

connotation:

This word usually pertains to sexual habits, but it can also refer to modest lifestyle (abstaining from sex, living free of secular distractions, wearing modest clothing, etc.) The word can also describe non-religious figures.

Ex. the Abnegation faction from Divergent, Buddha

Crafty

clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods.

connotation: while not as extreme in connotation as depraved or treacherous, it does indicate some moral ambiguity.

Deceptive, yet clever, which might make them dangerous. We must always consider the context of the character’s situation. If a character is lying to protect themselves, we probably wouldn’t read them as immoral because we know that they’re just trying to survive. If you’re reading something and pick up on a speaker’s crafty tone, you probably have some insight into the lie they’re telling and they’re trying to gain from it.

Ex. Rita Skeeter from Harry Potter, Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl

Debonair

(usually of a man) confident, stylish, and charming

connotation: positive in nature, this word refers to outward appearance/actions and doesn’t necessarily indicate anything good or bad about character’s morality.

Typically refers to men who are gentlemanly and refined. While not explicitly indicated in the definition, we’re usually referring to higher-class or more privileged individuals when we use this word. You could potentially use this word to describe women if she possesses qualities that are generally considered more traditionally masculine, we might be able to describe her this way.

Ex. Nate Archibald from Gossip Girl, Dr. Derek Shepard, Tony Stark

Erudite

having or showing great knowledge or learning

connotation: typically positive, but, again, it always depends on the context of the situation.

Erudite individuals value book learning and possess great intelligence. Someone who is so erudite that they deem things like emotions and faith silly might come off as a total jerk. This word differs from precocious refers specifically to children.

Ex. Caleb Prior from Divergent, Hermione Granger and any Ravenclaw

Garrulous

excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters

connotation: negative, but not extreme

Refers to those who talk incessantly usually about things that aren’t as important. If someone calls you garrulous, it means you have a tendency to ramble about things that aren’t as important. Reading something written in a garrulous tone might frustrate you because you want the speaker to get to the point.

Ex. Gretchen Weiners from Mean Girls

Irascible

easily provoked to anger; very irritable

connotation: very negative, more extreme in nature than peevish

These people are definitely not pleasant to be around. Others tend to walk on eggshells around them, attempting to not set off their tempers, which can also make them unpredictable. If someone is talking an irascible tone, they’re probably giving hints that they’re on the verge of anger and are likely to be set off at any time.

Ex. Regina George

Merciful

characterized by, expressing, or showing compassion, kindness, and benevolence, especially toward an offender, an enemy,

connotation: very positive

In order to be merciful, they must be in a position of power. When they have the power to punish but choose to show kindness instead, either in the form of no punishment or a punishment that is less severe than what the offender deserves. If a speaker is using a merciful tone, they are likely expressing understanding and forgiveness for some wrong that has been shown them.

Ex. Dumbledore towards Snape

Profane

characterized by irreverence or contempt for sacred principles or things; irreligious

connotation: extremely negative

Characters who are so far off the deep end that they have little hope (and probs little desire) for salvation or redemption. While this is religious in nature, it doesn’t have to apply to characters who defy organized religion. Strong synonym for the word depraved.

Ex. The Joker from Batman, Voldemort

Sullen

showing ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve

connotation: negative

Sullen people aren’t aggressive or mean, they are generally unpleasant to be around. These people always seem to be in a bad mood, who rarely smile, and who hardly ever speak. Depending on what the character has gone through, we might not blame them. If you’re reading something in a sullen tone, you might feel glum or potentially sorry for the speaker.

Ex. Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh

Astute

having the ability to notice and understand things clearly; mentally sharp or clever

connotation: positive

Those who know how to “read” a situation. It can also mean acute in perception and sound in judgement. Can also mean acute in perception and sound in judgement. It implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden.

Ex. Dumbledore

Austere

as it pertains to people, this means having a serious and unfriendly quality, a stern or cold appearance or demeanor

connotation: negative

Hard to get to know and they have a stand-offish personality and do not let their guard down. Implies a strictness and adherence to discipline, a lack of silliness and is mean or cruel; it is more nuanced than that. They can be kind-hearted.

Ex. Severus Snape and Professor McGonagall

Beleaguered

suffering or being subjected to constant or repeated trouble

connotation: negative.

When something is beleaguered, it takes quite a beating. A key word in this def is repeated or constant. For something to qualify as as beleaguered it must be consistently or frequently suffering. The expression “get knocked down 7 times but get up 8” could explain someone’s beleaguered.

Ex. Tom from Tom and Jerry, Cinderella

Boorish

rude, insensitive, crude

connotation: strongly negative

Implies being uncouth in manners or appearance; a rudeness of manner due to insensitivity to others’ feelings and unwillingness to be agreeable. Getting sloppy drunk and crashing a wedding would be boorish behavior. Any oafish and clichéd bully would be considered boorish.

Ex. Homer Simpson

Congenial

pleasant and enjoyable; very friendly

connotation: positive

Kindest, most supportive and uplifting, the most selfless. She’s the sweet girl.

Ex. Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast

Cynical

believing that people are generally dishonest and selfish; lacking in trust of others

connotation: negative but not extreme

Implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity and suggests a rooted distrust of human beings and their society. A cynical person has a hard time trusting in the good in anyone. Sardonic humor is often cynical nature.

Ex. Moaning Myrtle from HP

Exultant

extremely happy or excited

connotation: positive

To be exultant it has to be something amazing: having your first baby, getting married, etc. Characters would be exultant at certain times rather than throughout the whole text. An exultant tone would likely create a mood of excitement and revelry.

Ex. Hogwarts characters after Voldemort was defeated.

Improvident

not providing or saving for the future: neither wise nor sensible regarding money or resources.

connotation: negative

They may have lots of money but spend it frivolously and flippantly, or this person may make very little money and still not make effort to save. The bottom line is that this word does not necessarily indicate how much money a person has, it indicates how much money is NOT BEING SAVED for the future.

Ex. a person who an amazon.com addiction

Indispensable

absolutely necessary, essential

connotation: urgent

When something is indispensable, it is without a doubt integral. Within the definition, the word is absolutely is meant in its literal definition sense. For example, oxygen is indispensible. It is essential for human life.

Ex. Without Lennie, there would be no plot in Mice of Men

Nefarious

evil or immoral; highly reprehensible in characters, nature, or conduct.

connotation: extremely negative

Someone who is difficult to deal with or sometimes rude would not considered nefarious based on those characteristics alone. They are particularly evil, depraved, cruel, destructive, and malicious. Not to be thrown around lightly.

Ex. Voldemort, President Snow

Abstemious

not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking; characterized by abstinence.

connotation: generally positive, but can be negative.

Neg: Someone who diets obsessively bc they are fixated on an unrealistic body type

Pos.: Someone who abstains from drinking alcohol because they have a family history of alcoholism.

Someone who indulges in pleasures (usually food/drink) very rarely, if at all. Food/drink equivalent to chaste. Pertains to sustenance.

Ex. Abnegation faction

Bigoted

utterly tolerant of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own.

connotation: extremely negative

If we’re presented with an incredibly prejudiced character who exhibits bigotry, we definitely want to ask ourselves what caused them to develop such a trait.

Ex. Voldemort’s followers toward Muggle-borns and half-bloods in the Harry Potter series

Eminent

high in station, rank, or repute; prominent; distinguished.

connotation: positive connotation, carries it with respect and power.

Any privileges this character enjoys have likely been gained by working very hard and accumulating accolades rather than simply being born into power. Likely that a child would not be described as eminent, because the descriptor is usually earned over time.

Ex. Dumbledore, Slim in Mice of Men

Guileless

sincere, honest, straightforward; innocent and without deception; one who abstains from guile (devious craftiness)

connotation: positive

These characters are genuine and honest- you can trust what they say because of an innate innocence. They are truthful because lying wouldn’t even occur to them. They are straightforward (not in a blunt way) (blunt has neg. connotation, and is associated with harsh truths). These individuals lead happy lives with nothing to feel guilty about.

Ex. Rowley in DOAWP

Lecherous

given or characterized by unrestrained/excessive indulgence of lust

connotation: extremely negative

More than just sleeping around: the word carries with it a sense if uncontrolled actions and disregard for social standards. A lecherous character is going to have a very hard time remaining faithful. They can redeem themselves tho.

Ex. Chuck Bass, Mark Sloan

Oppressed

burdened with cruel/unjust restraints; subjected to burdensome/harsh authority or power

connotation: negative but likely directed towards the situation rather than the character.

When characters face oppression, they do so against their will; their oppression is likely out of their control. The result of some kind of societal norm/structure. More than simply being mean, people who are oppressed have serious extensive social restrictions and obstacles in their lives.

Ex. Crooks and Curley’s wife

Perverse

1.) willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; 2.) deviating from what is considered moral, proper, or good

This word has two different but related definitions. 1.) Perverse characters might argue just for the sake of arguing, not because they actually feel strongly against what is being said/done. These people are likelv to contradict whatever is said and are generally stubborn and unpleasant to be around (negative connotation). Not being outspoken, wouldn’t call outspoken characters perverse.

2.)Perverse characters can also be morally contrary. If a character adopts or operates on beliefs that defy what their society has accepted as morally sound, we might call that character perverse.

Ex.

Petulant

prone to sudden, impatient irritation, especially over trivial things

connotation: negative

these individuals can change from pleasant to annoyed in a split second; this switch is usually caused by something unimportant, which means that their reactions are probably overly dramatic. An adult who acts petulantly may be described as childish. It can be frustrating to interact with these individuals because you may never be quite sure what will set them off.

Ex. Blair Waldorf

Prudent

wise or judicious in practical affairs; subtle and cautious; careful in planning for the future

connotation: highly positive, suggests, wisdom, and trustworthiness.

Prudent individuals are totally helpful to have around: they're wise and level-headed, the kind of people you would probably go to for advice. A prudent individual isn't going to act rashly; they're going to consider what's best based on the situation and make a reasoned judgment.

Ex. Professor McGonagall, Dr. Bailey, Haymitch (HG)

Servile

1) mindlessly submissive or obsequious; fawning. 2) characteristic of a slave; hopeless and miserable

connotation: negative, regardless of the two definitions

Servile can have 2 angles: either fawning and obsequious (indicating that there's flattery of and approval for the person they re serving) or slave-like and miserable (indicating that their servile position is tortuous and against their will).

Ex. Jenny Humphrey’s minions, Dobby and the other house elves, minions

Amicable

showing a polite and friendly desire to avoid disagreement and argument

connotation: positive, but mild

An amicable person avoids confrontation and quarrels, preferring peace and harmony. They may not always actively resolve conflicts but prioritize maintaining concord. However, in cases of serious injustice, their passive nature could be a negative thing. Unlike amiable individuals, who are friendly because they genuinely want to be friends, amicable people prioritize avoiding conflict over forming friendships.

Ex. Hannah in EINTY

Distinguished

known by many people because of some grand achievement or positive quality; of very high regard/respect.

connotation: positive

A distinguished person, through their actions, attitude, and/or achievements has set them apart from the rest. Major actions or achievements not little ones. These individuals stand out from the crowd in a positive way that garners respect from others.

Ex. Dumbledore, Atticus Finch

Fractious

causing trouble; hard to control; easily agitated

connotation: negative, it isn't terribly extreme: less severe than irascible; roughly equal in severity to peevish.

Early definitions of fractious indicated disharmony or discord. Someone who is fractious may be easily irritated and might always seem on edge, so to speak.

Ex. Serena at the beginning of Gossip Girl, Jack LOF

Histrionic

overly emotional or dramatic

connotation:

Histrionic behavior may include door-slamming or crying, but more appropriately it would include screaming, fainting, or physically lashing out. Someone who exhibits this quality might also be described as "over-the-top" or "melodramatic."

Ex. Eleanor Wong from NHIE, Gretchen Weiner

Iniquitous

grossly and immorally unfair; unjust

connotation: highly negative

Calling someone iniquitous implies that they exhibit an intentional moral depravity which causes them to treat certain individuals or groups of people unfairly.

Ex. Voldemort, Curley

Loquacious

talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative about trivial matters

connotation: neutral

This is a synonym for garrulous. Someone loquacious can talk and talk and talk, even if it's not about anything particularly important. While you may sometimes want someone loquacious around (like if you need someone to break tense and uncomfortable silences), being called loquacious wouldn't really be a compliment.

Ex. Gretchen Weiners

Pedantic

corrective of small errors; giving too much attention to minor details; ostentatious in one's learning.

connotation: mildly negative

as this is someone who nags and knit-picks, often to indicate that they know the correct answer. These may be the individuals who raise their hands during class to tell the teacher they misspelled a word on the board, even if that misspelling isn't hindering anyone's understanding. An erudite or precocious person might also be pedantic, but these words are not synonymous.

Ex. Hermione Granger, Blair Waldorf

Petty

focusing on things of little importance or seriousness; of a narrow-minded disposition or character.

connotation: negative but not extreme

This word describes someone who gets upset over trivial matters, like having the same prom dress or a bit of pollen on their car. Being petty means being overly concerned with unimportant issues and holding grudges over inconsequential things from the past. It is related to being pedantic.

Ex. Blair Waldorff, Regina George

Wily

full of clever tricks; crafty or cunning

connotation: negative

Perhaps the most famous wily character would be Wile E. Coyote from the Looney Tunes cartoons. He was always (albeit unsuccessfully) trying to pull a fast one on the Roadrunner through trickery and manipulation. A wily person is trying to trick someone else—probably for dubious reasons.

Ex. Katniss Everdeen, Loki

Pompous

behaving in a serious and formal way because of the attitude that he/she is better, smarter, more important than others

connotation: negative, not extreme

Calling someone pompous is an insult, but it probably wouldn't bring them to tears or, if they truly are pompous, even faze them. These characters could also be described as snobby or haughty. While similar pedantic and pompous are not the same. To be pompous is to go beyond just thinking you are smart and know everything; it is to think you're better because you do.

Ex. Sheldon Cooper, The Malfoy Family