Cumulative AP Lang Vocab (copy)

Van Alstyne High School 1st Semester

Assuage

To make an unpleasant feeling less intense; to soothe or relieve - satisfy, fulfill

Coalition

A combination of groups or individuals formed for a specific purpose, often to achieve a common goal - partnership, alliance

Elicit

To draw out a response, answer, or fact from someone; to evoke - extract, bring out

Expostulate

To express strong disapproval or disagreement; to reason earnestly with someone - disagree, argue

Hiatus

A pause or break in continuity, often in a sequence or series - gap, interruption

Innuendo

An indirect or subtle reference, often suggesting something derogatory or inappropriate - insinuation, implication

Lurid

Describing something that is vivid and sensational, often in a shocking or gruesome way - sensational, shocking

Meritorious

Deserving praise or recognition for one's achievements or qualities - praiseworthy, commendable

Petulant

Describing someone who is childishly sulky or bad-tempered; often easily annoyed - impatient, bad-tempered

Provincial

Relating to the regions outside the capital city, often implying a narrow-minded or unsophisticated perspective - regional, narrow-minded

Ameliorate

To make something better or improve a situation - enhance, improve

Bombastic

Describing speech or writing that is overly elaborate; often lacking in real meaning - inflated, high-sounding

Callow

Describing a young person who is inexperienced or immature; lacking adult sophistication - naive, immature

Epitome

A perfect example of a particular quality or type; a summary - embodiment, outline

Exhort

To strongly encourage or urge someone to do something - persuade, urge

Ingratiate

To gain favor or approval by flattering or pleasing someone; to establish oneself in someone's good graces - win over, flatter

Intrinsic

belonging naturally, sometimes of a muscle - essential, necessary

Lassitude

A state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy or enthusiasm. - fatigue, dreary

Permeate

To spread throughout; to penetrate through. - diffuse, fill

Surmise

Suppose that something is true without evidence. - guess, infer

Abominate

Detest; loathe- hate, despise

Ascribe

Attribute something to- assign, accredit

Commiserate

Express or feel sympathy or pity - sympathize, show pity

Expedite

Make (an action) happen sooner- speed up, make faster

Ferment

Incite or stir-up (possibly of a drink) - agitate, mix up

Inadvertent

Not resulting or achieved through deliberate planning - unintentional, accidental

Nominal

(Of status) existing in name only/ (of money) very small amount - titular, symbolic

Proclivity

A tendency to choose or do something regularly - regular inclination, tendency

Seditious

Inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch - provocative, troublemaking

Vitriolic

Filled with bitter criticism or malice - bitter, malicious

Affable

Friendly, good natured, easy to talk to - friendly, nice

Amorphous

Without a clearly defined shape or form - without structure, formless

Erudite

Having or showing great knowledge - educated, knowledgeable

Inscrutable

impossible to understand or interpret - unreadable, mysterious

Insular

Ignorant/uninterested in others’ cultures - discriminatory, limited

Propensity

An inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way - proneness, tendency

Querulous

Complaining in a petulant or whining matter - complainy, whiny

Remonstrate

Make a forcefully reproachful protest- protest, take issue with

Repudiate

Refuse to accept or be associated with - renounce, reject

Resilient

Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions - tough, strong

Autonomy

The right to self government- independence, self-rule

Caveat

A warning of a stipulation - caution, warning

Extricate

Free someone/something from a constraint/difficulty - extract, release

Filch

Steal something (usually small) in a casual way - thieve, snatch

Flout

Openly disregard, mock, or scoff - go against, defy

Scathing

Witheringly scornful; severely critical - devastating, scorching

Ascertain

Find (something) out for certain - make sure of, find out

Soporific

Tending to induce drowsiness - sedative, makes sleepy

Transient

Existing only for a short time- impermanent, fleeting

Vapid

Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging- boring, dull

anomalous

inconsistent with what is standard or expected; deviating from the norm - irregular, unsual

brusque

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner; blunt, curt - abrupt, blunt

castigate

reprimand (someone) severly - repreimand, rebuke

demagogue

a leader who makes use of popular pwer and prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power - agitator, political agitator

ennui

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement - boredom, lethargy

aspersion

an attack on the reputation or inegrity of someone or something - vililfcation defamation

heinous

(of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime ) utterly odious or wicked - wicked, evil

megalomania

obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others - grandiosity, egotism

surreptitious

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of - secret, stealthy

vicarious

experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actins of another person - indirect, secondhand