AP LANG High Frequency Tone Words

Capricious

Changing suddenly and unpredictably; impulsive or inconsistent.

EXAMPLE: The weather in the mountains is so capricious that it can go from sunny to stormy in minutes.

Deferent

Showing respect or submission to someone’s authority or opinion.

EXAMPLE: The student was deferent toward her teacher, listening carefully and following instructions.

Didactic

Intended to teach or instruct, often in a moralizing way.

EXAMPLE: The author’s didactic tone made the story feel more like a lesson than a piece of fiction.

Funereal

Having the solemn or mournful quality of a funeral.

EXAMPLE: A funereal silence filled the room after the bad news was announced.

Pedantic

Overly concerned with small details or rules; showing off knowledge.

EXAMPLE: His pedantic corrections during the meeting annoyed everyone.

Caustic

Bitterly sarcastic or harsh in tone; capable of burning or corroding.

EXAMPLE: Her caustic remarks left her classmates speechless and hurt.

Derisive

Mocking or expressing contempt; full of ridicule.

EXAMPLE: The audience let out a derisive laugh when the actor forgot his lines.

Fervent

Having or displaying passionate intensity or enthusiasm.

EXAMPLE: She gave a fervent speech about protecting the environment.

Lugubrious

Excessively mournful, sad, or gloomy.

EXAMPLE: His lugubrious expression suggested he had just heard terrible news.

Pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically rather than theoretically.

EXAMPLE: : She took a pragmatic approach to solving the problem, focusing on what could actually be done.