English Midterm Vocab

Patronizing

treating with condescension; acting superior

Poignant

evoking a keenly felt sense of emotion, especially of bittersweet sadness or regret.

Incredulous

unwilling or unable to believe something

Forthright

frank, direct, straightforward

Unabashed

not embarrassed

Wry

humorously sarcastic or mocking

Pretentious

making an extravagant outward show, self-important

Brazen

bold and without shame

Ambivalent

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

Incensed

very angry; enraged

Pompous

overly self-important in speech and manner

Pragmatic

practical, as opposed to idealistic

Reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; quiet, reserved, reluctant, etc.

Indignant

feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment

Contemptuous

Feeling hatred; scornful

Caustic

harsh, sarcastic, biting, and corrosive in its sharpness, like a chemical that burns or eats away at things, often used to criticize, mock, or wound someone with bitter, acidic language

Malicious

Intended to hurt or harm

Didactic

instructive; meant to teach a lesson or moral

Seductive

tempting and attractive; enticing

Whimsical

playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way

Satiric

ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach

Somber

serious, gloomy, sad, or melancholy

Urgent

needing quick action or attention

Mock-heroic

imitating the style of heroic literature in order to satirize an unheroic subject

diffident

shy, lacking self-confidence; modest, reserved

Ironic

saying the opposite of what is meant, often to be humorous, critical, or to highlight a contrast between expectation and reality

Petty

focusing on things of little importance or seriousness

Elegiac

a mournful, sorrowful, or melancholic expression, especially reflecting on loss, death, the past, or the fleeting nature of life, often with a sense of nostalgia or bittersweet reflection

Disdainful

showing contempt or lack of respect

lugubrious

mournful; gloomy

Impartial

unbiased; neutral

Insipid

lacking interest or flavor

Moralistic

characterized by a narrow and conventional moral attitude; judgy and self-righteous

Taunting

Provoking; mocking; ridiculing

Turgid

essentially feeling "swollen" with unnecessary words and seriousness, often making it dull or confusing

Sardonic

grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic

Insolent

boldly rude or disrespectful

Effusive

Overflowing with words or feelings; gushing

Sentimental

showing or causing a lot of emotion

Contentious

quarrelsome, inclined to argue

Pedantic

an overly meticulous, often annoying, way of speaking or writing that focuses excessively on minor details, rules, or obscure academic knowledge

Narcissistic

having to do with extreme self-adoration and a feeling of superiority of everyone

Bantering

playful, witty, and teasing way of talking that's lighthearted and funny

Flippant

lacking proper respect or seriousness

Facetious

humorous or funny, often in an inappropriate or flippant manner

Inflammatory

uses intense, provocative language to stir strong emotions like anger, hate, or rebellion

Cynical

believing the worst of human nature and motives

Incisive

Sharply cutting; direct and powerful

Scornful

expressing extreme contempt

Irreverent

showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously

Esoteric

intended for or understood by only a small group

Vulgar

lacking refinement or taste; crude

Trite

overused

Obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain

Provincial

limited in knowledge of the world; narrow-minded

Precise

exact; accurate

Euphemistic

substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive

Bombastic

full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

grotesque

absurd; distorted

Concrete

specific

Detatched

separated; disconnected from; aloof

Burlesque

A work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation.

mock-serious

of a pretended serious look or act

vibrant

full of energy and enthusiasm

austere

severe, serious, plain, and lacking in ornamentation or emotion

Credulous

too trusting; gullible

Fatuous

silly, foolish

Haughty

arrogant

Audacious

bold, adventurous, recklessly daring

Inane

without sense or meaning; silly