AP Eng. Lang: Semester 1 Vocab Review-Fall 2024

abrade

to scrape; to wear away

adroit

skillful; highly competent

amass

to gather together

arcane

understood by only a few

archetypal

the model or best example of something; quintessential

banal

commonplace, pedestrian

debase

to reduce in dignity or quality

decadent

excessive to the point of decay/decline

despotic

ruling with absolute power; tyrannical

disposed

being inclined toward an action, behavior

euphemism

a word or phrase that's used to make an unpleasant idea sound better

euphonious

pleasant sounding

evince

to show or demonstrate clearly

garrulous

excessively talkative

genial

good-natured

hackneyed

overused, unoriginal

impel

to force or urge someone to do something

labyrinthian

complicated; intricate; puzzling

obtuse

slow to understand

opaque

unclear; mysterious

oscillate

to move back and forth

ostensibly

appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

pariah

a social outcast

pretentious

trying to impress; gaudy

refractory

stubborn

retinue

assistants who accompany an important person

scrupulous

exact, careful, attending thoroughly to details

servile

too willing to agree; subservient

sordid

shameful or disgraceful

stultify

to eliminate any enthusiasm or interest in something

superfluous

unnecessary

timorous

fearful, timid

transient

temporary; evanescent

unadulterated

pure and undiluted

usurp

take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force

vainglorious

excessively proud

abrogate

to repeal, declare null and void

ameliorate

to improve, make better

ancillary

additional support; auxiliary

assiduous

diligent; conscientious

besmirch

damage the reputation of (someone or something)

byzantine

intricate; complex

calumny

a false and malicious accusation

cogitate

think over; ponder

contentious

controversial; argumentative; quarrelsome

debacle

disaster, failure

deleterious

harmful, unhealthy

ensconce

to settle in snugly, secretly

erudite

learned; scholarly

facetious

sarcastic, flippant

feral

wild, savage

gravitas

great or very dignified seriousness

impudent

disrespectful, rude

iniquitous

unjust, unfair and morally wrong

juggernaut

something that is extremely large and powerful and cannot be stopped

lassitude

weariness, lethargy

maudlin

overly sentimental

mendacious

lying; false; deceitful

neophyte

novice; beginner

nonplus

to surprise and confuse

onerous

burdensome

ossify

turn to bone; become fixed and rigid

parsimonious

stingy, miserly

penultimate

next to last

petulant

irritable or short-tempered

salubrious

healthful

scofflaw

one who is continually breaking the law

sinuous

winding, having many curves

temerity

boldness, audacity

truculent

hostile, aggressive

veneer

facade; outward appearance

zealous

enthusiastic, passionate

abscond

to flee quickly and secretly

acrimonious

angry and bitter

ambivalent

conflicted; having mixed feelings

assail

attack, assault

august

majestic, inspiring admiration and respect

benevolent

kindhearted; good-natured; generous

circumvent

to get around; to bypass

cocksure

arrogantly confident

diaphanous

lightweight and transparent

dreck

trash, rubbish

edify

to educate; to improve the morals of

expiate

to atone for

farcical

absurd; ludicrous

formidable

inspiring fear or respect

hegemony

domination over others

immutable

unchangeable

imperturbable

unflappable, not easily upset

impertinent

rude and disrespectful

lugubrious

mournful; gloomy

lurid

shock or sensational

motley

varied in appearance or character

ne'er-do-well

a person who is lazy and irresponsible

premonition

a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.

primal

basic or primitive

prodigious

enormous

ramshackle

run down, falling apart

rapacious

aggressively greedy or avaricious

recondite

highly complex