AP Lit Vocab set 4

abstract

relating to or involving general ideas or qualities rather than specific people, objects, or actions; not concrete

aggrandizement

making something appear great or greater; praising highly;

animosity

a strong feeling of dislike or hatred

arduous

very difficult

autonomy

existing or acting apart from others; self-governing

bovine

relating to cows; looking or acting like a cow

catalyst

a person or thing acting as the stimulus in bringing about a result

circumspect

thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something

contentious

likely to cause people to argue or disagree; involving a lot of arguing

dearth

a shortage, scarcity, or inadequate supply

deprecate

to criticize or express disapproval of (someone or something)

didactic

designed or intended to teach people something, sometimes in an annoying or unwanted way

disposition

the usual attitude or mood of a person or animal; a tendency to act or think in a particular way or to develop a disease, condition, etc.

eclectic

including things taken from many different sources

endemic

growing or existing in a certain place or region; common in a particular area or field

eulogy

a speech that praises someone who has died

expunge

to remove something completely; to strike out, obliterate, or mark for deletion

flagrant

very bad; too bad to be ignored

garbled

to cause (a word, name, message, etc.) to be unclear or confusing

hegemony

the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group; influence or control over another country or group of people

imminent

happening very soon; ready to take place

impugn

to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted

inert

unable to move; moving or acting very slowly; in chemistry, not chemically reactive

insurgent

rising in opposition to civil authority or established leadership

kinetic

of or relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces and energy associated therewith

loquacious

liking to talk and talking smoothly and easily; given to fluent or excessive talk

meticulous

marked by extreme or excessive care in the consideration or treatment of details

nefarious

evil or immoral

opulent

very comfortable and expensive; very wealthy

peerless

having no equal; better than all others

placate

to stop someone from being angry; to appease; to pacify

predilection

a natural liking for something: a tendency to do or to be attracted to something

proselytize

to try to persuade people to join a religion, cause, or group

raze

to tear down completely; level to the ground

renaissance

a situation or period of time when there is a new interest in something that has not been popular in a long time; a period of new growth or activity

reticent

restrained in expression, presentation, or appearance; not willing to tell people about things

savory

having a pleasant taste or smell; having a pleasant taste or smell; having a spicy or salty quality without being sweet; morally good

sordid

very bad or dishonest; very dirty

stultifying

causing someone or something to become dull, slow, stupid, foolish, or illogical; causing impairedness, invalidation, or ineffectiveness

surreptitious

done in a secret way

tenet

a belief or idea that is very important to a group

turpitude

a very evil quality or way of behaving

untenable

not capable of being defended against attack or criticism

viable

capable of being done or used; capable of succeeding; capable of living or of developing into a living thing

volatile

likely to change in a very sudden or extreme way; having or showing extreme or sudden changes of emotion; likely to become dangerous or out of control