AP Lit Vocab Words

plaintive

expressing sorrow

portentous

ominous

semblance

likeness

penury

poverty

desolate

lonely

ascetic

practicing self-denial

sullen

gloomy

peremptory

not allowing refusal

soporific

sleep-inducing

ludicrous

ridiculous

facade

a deceptive outward appearance; a misrepresentation

approbation

approval or praise

interminable

endless

calumny

a false and malicious accusation

acquiesce

to give in

propitious

favorable

venerate

to respect deeply

phlegmatic

unemotional

enigma

a puzzle; a mystery

deprecate

to express disapproval of

noxious

harmful

assiduous

hard-working

solicitous

concerned

fastidious

hard to please

insipid

lacking interest or flavor

inveterate

habitual

enervate

to weaken

trepidation

fear

evince

to show clearly

engender

to produce, cause, or bring about

capricious

impulsive and unpredictable

countenance

facial expression

conjecture

to guess

inexorable

relentless

sardonic

cynical; scornfully mocking

impetuous

impulsive

equivocal

ambiguous

transitory

short-lived or temporary

ephemeral

lasting a very short time

obscure

difficult to see, vague

sanguine

cheerful; optimistic

prodigal

wasteful

discern

to recognize

profiligate

spending resources recklessly or wastefully

languid

lacking energy; weak

sententious

self-righteous

disposition

Attitude or mood

apoplexy

stroke

insuperable

impossible to overcome

indefatigable

tireless

capacious

having a lot of space

fervent

intense, enthusiastic (ardent)

ascertain

to verify

innocuous

harmless

dauntless

brave

picayune

worthless; measly

querulous

whiny, grouchy

puerile

immature (callow)

indemnity

payment, compensation

effluence

outflow: emission (verbosity)

irascible

irritable (petulant)

imbibe

ingest, absorb

dross

trash, refuse

physiognomy

outward appearance (countance)

confabulation

conversation (palaver)

noisome

offensive; disgusting

conciliate

to calm; satisfy

automaton

a robot; gadget

misconstrue

to interpret incorrectly; to misjudge

propinquity

proximity (nearness in place); kinship (nearness of relation)

asperity

bitterness; irritability; meanness

tyro

beginner; newcomer; novice

panegyric

a speech praising someone, often dead; a eulogy (an encomium)

assuage

to ease; to lessen (conciliate)

invidious

offense; hateful; full of enmity

effrontery

shameless boldness; audacity (impudence)

disquieting

unsettling; disturbing

rapt

wholly absorbed; captivated; immersed

sapient

wise; intelligent

mien

manner; personality (disposition)