Ap literature and composition (23-24)

English vocabulary

Dichotomy

(noun) - a division or contrast between opposing forces

syn: division, contrast, opposition

ant: unity, cohesion, agreement

Exegesis

(noun) - critical explanation of a text

syn: interpretation, explanation

ant: none

Salient

(adj) - projecting, protruding, beyond the rest

syn: projecting, protruding, prominent

ant: hidden, obscure

Dissention

(noun) - a disagreement that leads to discord

syn: dispute, conflict

ant: agreement, harmony

Bookish

(adj) - given to book learning

syn: learned, scholarly, well-read

ant:ignorant, unread

Antithesis

(noun) - a person, thing, or idea in direct opposition to something else

syn: opposition, contrast

ant: agreement

Temporal

(adj) - relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs

syn: temporary, ephemeral, fleeting

ant: permanent, eternal

Bombast

(noun) - high sounding language usually devoid of meaning, used to impress

syn: verbosity, pomposity, blather

ant: conciseness

Amalgam

(noun) - mixture it blend of different substances

syn: mixture, blend

ant: separation, isolation

Morose

(adj) - gloomy, ill-tempered, sullen

syn: gloomy, ill-tempered, sullen

ant: joyful, happy

Opaque

(adj) - not able to be seen through

syn: solid, murky

ant: clear, transparent, translucent

Herald

(verb) - to be a sign of something to come

syn: signal, foreshadow

ant: none

Coax

(verb) - to persuade

syn: persuade

ant: discourage

Heinous

(adj) -horrible, terrible

syn: horrible, terrible

ant: good, harmless, benign

Suffice

(verb) - to be enough

syn: to do, to serve

ant: none

Tangible

(adj) - perceptible by touch

syn: solid, touchable, palpable

ant: ethereal, untouchable

Acrid

(adj) - extremely sharp in smell or taste

syn: caustic, harsh, pungent

ant: aromatic, fragrant

Compulsory

(adj) - required, usually by law

syn: mandatory, required

ant: optional

Furlough

(noun) - temporary break from work or required service

syn: leave, break, vacation

ant: work

Gestate

(verb) - to form slowly, often from nothing

syn: form, group, develop

ant: destroy, disintegrate

Affected

(adj) - displaying artificial behavior, usually designed to impress

syn: pretentious, fake, phony

ant: authentic, real, genuine

Harrowing

(adj) - acutely distressing

syn: distressing, frightening

ant: benign, harmless

Inane

(adj) - silly, devoid of meaning

syn: meaningless, foolish, vapid

ant: important, meaningful

Vex

(verb) - to irritate or annoy, usually over something small

syn: bother, pester

ant: soothe, placate

Dog

(verb) - to follow closely, relentlessly

syn: follow, pursue, shadow

ant: abandon

Cow

(verb) - to intimidate or frighten into submission

syn: intimidate

ant:

Complacent

(adj) - showing smug or uncritical self-satisfaction

syn: smug, proud

ant: displeased, unsatisfied

Perennial

(adj) - lasting for an indefinitely long time

syn: lasting, infinite

ant: finite, short-lived, intermittent

Vicissitude

(noun) - a change in fortune (often negative)

syn: change

ant: stability

Acrimony

(noun) - bitterness or ill will toward something

syn: hostility, bitterness

ant: kindness, good-will

Catalyze

(verb) - cause an action or process to begin

syn: start, activate

ant: deactivate

Recant

(verb) - say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief

syn: renounce, relinquish

ant: reaffirm, conform

Ascetic

(noun) - a person who practices self-denial

(adj) - simple, unadorned, austere

syn: simple, unadorned, austere

ant: lavish, rich

Redemption

(noun) - the act of being saved, usually from sin

syn: salvation, forgiveness

ant: damnation

Ardent

(adj) - passionate, enthusiastic

syn: passionate, enthusiastic

ant: indifferent, apathetic

Ablution

(noun) a cleansing, usually with water, for spiritual reasons

syn: cleansing, Baptism

ant: staining

Nihilism

(noun) a rejection of all religious and moral principal because of belief that life is meaningless

syn: none

ant: morality

Venerable

(adj) very respect worthy because of age or wisdom

syn: honored, revered

ant: none

Austere

(adj) - severely restricted in manner or appearance

sny: reserved, strict

ant: austatious, showy

Emanate

(verb) to flow out of source

syn: radiate, exude, effervesce

ant: infuse

Procure

(verb) - to flow out of source

syn: acquire, seize

ant: release, relinquish

Ennui

(noun) - a feeling of restless boredom

syn: restlessness, boredom

ant: excitement, enthusiasm

Sallow

(adj) - unhealthily pale

syn: pale, yellowish

ant: healthy, ruddy

Illustrious

(adj) - well-known and respected, usually for past achievements

syn: well-known, respected

ant: unknown

Incipient

(adj) - in the beginning stages of development

syn: beginning, inchoate

ant: developed, formed

Seemly

(adj) - conforming to the accepted notion of propriety

syn: proper, appropriate

ant: improper, inappropriate

Efface

(verb) - to damage the surface of

syn: destroy, damage

ant: fix, clean, heal

Paradox

(noun) - a seemingly contradictory statement or situation

syn: contradiction

ant: agreement

Allusion

(noun) - implied or indirect reference, esp. in literature

syn: reference, implication, insinuation

ant: none

Conceit

(noun) - an imaginative comparison

syn: fancy, imagination

ant: none

Placate

(verb) - to soothe or make someone less angry

syn: soothe, console, reassure

ant: irritate, vex, annoy

Solace

(noun) - a comfort or consolation

syn: comfort, consolation

ant: irritation, annoyance

Churn

(verb) - to mix or move about vigorously

syn: mix, roil

ant: settle

Impede

(verb) - to delay or prevent due to obstructing

syn: dealt, prevent

ant: catalyze, promote, facilitate

Palliative

(noun) - something that relieves without curing

(adj) - relieving without curing

syn: none

ant: none

Surreal

(adj) - beyond or apart from what can actually or literally happen

syn: ethereal, unreal

ant: literal, real

Ephemeral

(adj) - lasting only a short time

syn: brief, fleeting, temporal

ant: lasting, permanent

Esteem

(noun) - respect, admiration

syn: respect, admiration

ant: disrespect

Insipid

(adj) - lacking in flavor or interesting qualities

syn: bland, flavorless

ant: flavorful spicy

Servile

(adj) - willing to serve others (negative connotation)

syn: subservient, sycophantic

ant: none

Declivity

(noun) - a downward slope

syn: slope, decline

ant: incline, ascent

Surfeit

(noun) - an excessive amount

syn: excess, abundance

ant: scarcity, dearth, lack

Satiate

(verb) - to satisfy wholly, to excess

syn: satisfy, fill

ant: starve, deprive

Fountainhead

(noun) - an original source of something

syn: source, origin

ant: none-

Circuitous

(adj) - indirect, round-about

syn: indirect, round-about

ant: direct

Indolent

(adj) - wanting to avoid activity

syn: lazy

ant: energetic

Brevity

(noun) - a concise, to the point use of language

syn: conciseness, directness

ant: wordiness

Foreboding

(noun) - fearful apprehension, sense that something bad is about to happen

syn: apprehension, fear

ant: confidence, nonchalance

Demean

(verb) - to cause a loss of dignity, show disrespect

syn: degrade, humiliate

ant: praise, uplift

Idyllic

(adj) - extremely happy or peaceful as in time or place

syn: peaceful, halcyon

ant: chaotic

Ambivalence

(noun) - a state of having mixed feelings

syn: uncertainty, torn

ant: certainty