AP Lang SAT vocab #7

advocate; verb

to support; to be in favor of. Because the candidate may advocate many new social programs, he is being called a big spender.

carping; adjective

complaining. His carping criticism of the book was upsetting to the author.

demeanor; noun

behavior. When the twins adopted a conciliatory tone, Sal’s demeanor changed abruptly.

elusive; adjective

hard to grasp; baffling. The philosopher’s main point was so elusive that we never did fully comprehend it.

fledgling; adjective

newly developed; little known. Luckily, the fledgling pilot’s egregious blunder was discovered before the plane departed.

gullible; adjective

easily deceived. The con man told a flagrant lie but the gullible investors swallowed it.

hyperbole; noun

an exaggerated statement used as a figure of speech for rhetorical effect. Ione uses hyperbole when galvanizing her sales force into a frenzy of selling.

imperturbable; adjective

not easily excited or disturbed. We couldn’t believe that Rafael would be that imperturbable in the midst of a riot. laudable; adjective

laudable; adjective

worthy of praise. The board rewarded Ellen’s laudable achievements by promoting her to chief executive officer.

morose; adjective

gloomy; bad-tempered. Joan’s morose nature makes her always expect the worst. overt; adjective

overt; adjective

not hidden; open. Most observers took the senator’s speech as an overt bid for his renomination.

peerless; adjective

having no equal; better than the rest. Theresa’s peerless beauty was admired by all who saw her.

recalcitrant; adjective

refusing to obey or follow orders; unmanageably resistant. The mule is probably the most recalcitrant domesticated animal.

salutary; adjective

healthful; useful or helpful; remedial. Upon sagacious reflection, Simon realized that his parents’ rebuke though painful, was salutary.

taciturn; adjective

habitually untalkative; laconic; uncommunicative. Silas’s long years of solitude had made him a taciturn, brooding man unused even to the sound of his own voice.