AP Lang Vocab Sets 1-3

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement; He asked me to intercede with the coach on his behalf

hackneyed

(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality; The novel had a dull and hackneyed plot

approbation

(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; The official approval or sanction was greeted by smiles of approbation

innuendo

(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense); My reputation was tarnished by innuendo

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose; We created a coalition of many community organizations

elicit

(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person); After the crime, there was an attempt to elicit information

hiatus

(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing) The exhausted phyysician needs a(n) hiatus from her career

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench; Trying to assuage her hurt feelings, I apologized profusely

decadence

(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; Excessive self-indulgence an example of decadence in ancient societies

expostulate

(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning; I found it useless to expostulate with the stubborn referee

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)

He was _______ from too many parties.

lurid

(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

Please spare us the _______ details of the murder

meritorious

(adj.) deserving of recognition or praise, worthy.

He was rewarded with a plaque after many years of ______ service.

petulant

(v.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

He acted like a _______ child who had been refused what he wanted.

prerogative

(n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence

As the president of the club, it was her ______ to appoint a secretary.

provincial

(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony

*BOTH A NOUN AND ADJECTIVE

He is very narrow-minded and _____ in his views.

simulate

(v.) to make a pretense of; to imitate

She tried hard to _____ interest in what he was saying

transcend

(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed

Hopefully, I'll be able to ____ language barriers with visual storytelling.

umbrage

(n.) an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

I took ______ at such vile treatment of the guest.

unctuous

(adj.) Excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable

His insincere and _____ compliments were an obvious effort to win votes for Prom King.

egregious

(adj) conspicuous; extremely bad in a way that is very noticeable; He was

guilty of an _______ insult to the hostess

infringe

(v) to violate, trespass or go beyond recognized bounds; The new

neighborhood development must not be allowed to _______ on the green spaces in our community

callow

(adj) without experience; immature; lacking poise and sophistication; The

patrons of the opera were annoyed by the rude chatter of the ______ young students who were bored

with the performance

ameliorate

(v) to improve; to make better; to correct a flow or shortcoming; After the

warehouse fire, the city took steps to ______ the poor working conditions that caused the disaster

bombastic

(adj) pompous, or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words with

little meaning; The politician had a reputation for ______ speeches that had no solid content or ideas

behind them

ingratiate

(v) to make oneself agreeable in order to gain favorable acceptance by

others; The new law clerk tried to _______ himself with his superiors by volunteering to bring coffee and

run errands whenever needed.

epitome

(n) a perfect or ideal example of something; the embodiment of an idea;

Most British citizens see Princess Kate as the _______ of style and elegance

aplomb

(n) poise and assurance; great self-confidence; The hostess handled her

guest’s egregious insult with _______

exhort

(v) to urge strongly; to advise earnestly; The motivational speaker _______

the students to make wise choices and say no to drugs.

drivel

(n) aimless talk or thinking; nonsense (v) to utter nonsense; to waste or

fritter away time; When I asked Joseph to explain his absence, he told me some _______ about being

locked in the greenhouse during the pep rally

intrinsic

(adj) belonging to someone or something by its very nature; essential; inherent; Her _________ interest in the field of astronomy

was evident from a young age, as she spent countless hours stargazing and learning about the constellations

permeate

(v) to spread through; penetrate; soak through; The aroma of brewing coffee began to ____________ the kitchen, gradually filling

the entire house with its rich, enticing scent

occult

(adj) secret or hidden from view; mysterious, magical, or uncanny; (n) matters involving the supernatural; Some people believe that

certain ancient symbols hold ___________ powers and can bring luck or protection when used in rituals and charms

inveigh

(v) to make a violent attack in words; express strong disapproval; She would often _________ against the injustices she saw in

society, passionately advocating for change and equality

nonplussed

(adj) puzzled; not knowing what to do; at a loss; When the professor asked Leah an unexpected question, she was completely

___________, unable to formulate a coherent response

surmise

(v) to think or believe without supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n) likely idea that lacks definite proof; Based on the

evidence at the crime scene, the detective could only ____________what happened, as the true motive remained a mystery.

stringent

(adj) strict or severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste; The school's dress code was so

____________ that it required students to wear uniforms, adhere to a specific color code, and maintain a strict grooming policy

interloper

(n) one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be; an intruder; As an outsider in the tight-knit community,

she often felt like an __________ at their local gatherings.

precipitate

(v) to fall as moisture; to bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; (adj) characterized by excessive haste; The CEO's

decision to cut costs without consulting the employees _____________ a wave of uncertainty and concern among the staff.

lassitude

(n) weariness of body or mind; lack of energy; The hot, humid weather left me feeling a deep sense of _______, making it difficult to

gather the energy to do anything productive.