AP Lang Vocab

August

worthy of respect

Balked

refusing to do something

cardinal

most important

constituent

essential part

equanimity

calmness under stress

happenstance

random event

heuristics

problem-solving shortcuts

ineptitude

lack of skill

invariably

always

lassitude

tiredness

inscrutability

hard to understand

maxim

short wise saying

phlegmatic

calm and unemotional

preemptive

acting first to prevent something

propensity

natural tendency

raillery

playful teasing

ramifications

unexpected consequences

recombinant

made by combining sources

repugnance

strong disgust

ribald

vulgar humor

supersede

replace

acrimonious

angry and bitter (typically used to describe a speech or debate)

nonplussed

(of a person) confused and surprised so much that they are unsure how to react

histrionic

overly dramatic or melodramatic, as in behavior designed to attract attention

irascible

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

strident

loud and harsh; grating

sagacity

foresight, discernment, or keen perception; ability to make good judgement; wisdom

exacting

rigid or severe in demands of requirements

obtuse

not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; insensitive or unobservant

abrogate

to cancel, to nullify

acquiesce

to comply

albatross

a significant impediment, burden

amalgamate

to blend into a coherent single unit

calumny

false, malicious accusation

clemency

mercy

collude

to illegally join forces in a secret plot

covetous

grasping, craving

debauchery

acts lacking virtue

encumbrance

a burden, obstacle, hindrance

excoriate

to blame, to scold severely

garrulous

talkative

indolent

lazy as a way of life

inundate

to put too much water on, to flood

litigious

overly inclined to engage in lawsuits

nihilism

the belief that existence is meaningless

obfuscate

to confuse

penultimate

next-to-last

pernicious

destructive, deadly, dangerous

reticent

secretive, reserved

voracious

ravenous, greedily, hungry

turpitude

baseness

altruistic

unselfish, having pure motives

abate

of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) to become less intense or widespread; to decrease in strength; to become weaker

dubious

causing or feeling doubt; giving rise to uncertainty

abysmal

extremely bad; appalling

Deference

Humble submission and respect

Imposition

Burden

Petulant

Bad tempered

Advent

Arrival of notable person

Malleable

Easily influenced

Refute

Prove a idea is wrong

Ubiquitous

Present everywhere at once

Insatiable

Always wanting more

corroborate

Confirm a theory

Opine

express an opinion

Novel

New and not resembling something formerly known or used

hallow

to make holy

empirical

based on practical experience rather than theory

hermetic

tightly sealed

querulous

complaining

foment

to stir up

germane

relevant

flaccid

flabby

ratiocinate

to reason

orifice

opening

chaff

worthless matter

meretricious

attractive in a cheap, flashly way

perdition

damnation

recant

to withdraw or disavow a statement or opinion

salient

significant

impalpable

intangible

specious

deceptive

salacious

lustful

recreant

a coward

palliate

to ease

jocular

humorous

regale

to delight with something pleasing or amusing

miscreant

a vicious person

flout

to ridicule

avuncular

similar to an uncle

desultory

wandering from subject to subject

hector

to bully

beguile

to deceive

insolence

rudeness

nonentity

a person or thing of little importance

coalesce

to merge

lambent

softly bright or radiant

sibilant

a hissing sound

litany

a tedious recital or repetitive series

vallicate

waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive