AP LIT word nerd vocab for final!!

Farrago

A confusing mix of things

🧠 Think: "a mess"

✏️ Example: The essay was a farrago of random ideas.

Melancholy

A deep, thoughtful sadness

🧠 Think: sad but calm

✏️ Example: A melancholy mood filled the room.

Vulpine

Fox-like; sneaky or clever

🧠 Think: fox

✏️ Example: His vulpine smile showed he had a plan.

Lacerate

To tear or cut deeply

🧠 Think: rip

✏️ Example: The sharp branch lacerated her arm.

Affect

To influence OR fake emotion

🧠 Think: impact or pretend

✏️ Example: The news affected his mood.

Angst

Anxiety or dread

🧠 Think: stress

✏️ Example: She felt angst before the exam.

Ursine

Bear-like (large, clumsy, strong)

🧠 Think: bear

✏️ Example: His ursine walk shook the floor.

Agonistic

Related to conflict or struggle

🧠 Think: fighting

✏️ Example: Their debate became agonistic.

Accolade

Praise or an award

🧠 Think: honor

✏️ Example: She earned accolades for her speech.

Leonine

Lion-like; brave or powerful

🧠 Think: lion

✏️ Example: He had a leonine presence.

Scathing

Harshly critical

🧠 Think: burning criticism

✏️ Example: The review was scathing.

Phlegmatic

Calm and unemotional

🧠 Think: chill

✏️ Example: He stayed phlegmatic during the crisis.

Stagnant

Not moving or changing

🧠 Think: stuck

✏️ Example: The water became stagnant.

Temerity

Reckless boldness

🧠 Think: risky courage

✏️ Example: He had the temerity to talk back.

Feckless

Lazy or irresponsible

🧠 Think: useless

✏️ Example: His feckless behavior ruined the plan.

Anomie

Breakdown of social rules

🧠 Think: chaos

✏️ Example: The city fell into anomie.

Motif

A repeated idea or symbol

🧠 Think: pattern

✏️ Example: Water is a motif in the novel.

Jingoistic

Overly patriotic and aggressive

🧠 Think: extreme patriot

✏️ Example: His jingoistic speech supported war.

Verisimilitude

Appearance of being real

🧠 Think: realism

✏️ Example: The story's verisimilitude made it believable.

Ambivalence

Mixed feelings

🧠 Think: unsure

✏️ Example: She felt ambivalence about moving.

Ephemeral

Lasting a short time

🧠 Think: temporary

✏️ Example: Fame can be ephemeral.

Ostentatious

Showy; meant to impress

🧠 Think: flashy

✏️ Example: His ostentatious car stood out.

Zealous

Extremely passionate

🧠 Think: intense enthusiasm

✏️ Example: She was zealous about her beliefs.

Juxtaposition

Placing opposites side by side

🧠 Think: contrast

✏️ Example: Light and dark were used in juxtaposition.

Equine

Horse-like

🧠 Think: horse

✏️ Example: His equine face was long.

Contentious

Argumentative; causing conflict

🧠 Think: fight-starter

✏️ Example: The topic was contentious.

Adverse

Harmful or unfavorable

🧠 Think: bad conditions

✏️ Example: Adverse weather canceled school.

Sardonic

Mocking or cynical humor

🧠 Think: sarcastic smile

✏️ Example: She gave a sardonic laugh.

Acrimony

Bitter anger

🧠 Think: hostility

✏️ Example: Their divorce was full of acrimony.

Bellicose

Aggressive; eager to fight

🧠 Think: warlike

✏️ Example: His bellicose tone scared people.

Ennui

Boredom or dissatisfaction

🧠 Think: boredom

✏️ Example: He felt ennui during summer break.

Risible

Laughable; ridiculous

🧠 Think: silly

✏️ Example: His excuse was risible.