AP English Language and Composition/SAT Vocabulary

undermine

lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously (v.)

indifferent

having no particular interest or sympathy; mediocre (adj.)

*exigence

an urgent need or demand (n.)

contentious

causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial (adj.)

reprove

reprimand or censure someone (v.)

profligate

recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources (adj.)

corroborate

confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding (v.)

expository

intended to explain or describe something (adj.)

aesthetic

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty (adj.)

prodigal

having or giving something on a lavish scale (adj.); a person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way (n.)

complacent

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements (adj.)

guile

sly or cunning intelligence (n.)

enigma

a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand (n.)

articulate (adj/verb)

having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently (adj.); express an idea or feeling fluently and coherently (v.)

virulent

a disease or poison extremely severe or harmful in its effects; bitterly hostile (adj.)

servile

having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others (adj.)

banal

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring (adj.)

adversary

one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute (n.)

censure

express severe disapproval of someone or something, especially in a formal statement (v.)

assuage

make an unpleasant feeling less intense (v.)

scrupulous

a person or process that is diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details (adj.)

hedonistic

engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent (adj.)

apocryphal

a story or statement that is of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true (adj.)

stringent

regulations, requirements, or conditions that are strict, precise, and exacting (adj.)

hackneyed

a phrase or idea that is lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal (adj.)

extol

praise enthusiastically (v.)

insipid

lacking interest, flavor (adj.)

expedite

make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly (v.)

dogmatic

inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true (adj.)

profuse

spending or giving freely and in large amounts, often to excess; made or done freely (adj.)

expedient

an action that is convenient and practical, although possibly improper or immoral (adj.)

prosaic

having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty (adj.)

astute

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage (adj.)

engender

cause or give rise to a feeling, situation, or condition (v.)

deride

express contempt for; ridicule (v.)

reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily (adj.)

pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations (adj.)

didactic

intended to teach something, particularly in having moral instruction as a motive (adj.)

conciliate

stop someone from being angry or discontented; placate; pacify (v.)

disparage

regard or represent as being of little worth (v.)

preclude

prevent from happening; make impossible (v.)

indolence

avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness (n.)

inadvertent

not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning (adj.)

fortuitous

happening by accident or chance rather than design (adj.)

credulous

having or showing too great a readiness to believe things (adj.)

esoteric

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest (adj.)

pretentious

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed (adj.)

pedestrian (secondary meaning)

lacking inspiration or excitement; dull (adj.)

sycophant

a person who suck up to someone important in order to gain an advantage (n.)

candid

truthful and straightforward; frank (adj.)