AP lit vocab a-e

abject

most unfortunate or miserable

acerbic

harsh or corrosive in tone

acrimonious

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

adament

insistent; unwilling to change one’s mind or opinion

adroit

quick or skillful or adept in action or thought

agrarian

relating to rural matters

alacrity

liveliness and eagerness

ameliorate

make better

antithetical

sharply contrasted in character or purpose

ardent

characterized by intense emotion

assuage

provide physical relief

augury

an event indicating important things to come

austere

severely simple

baleful

deadly or sinister

bastion

projecting part of a rampart of other fortification

bellicose

having or showing a ready disposition to fight

blanch

turn pale, as if in fear

blandishment

flattery intended to persuade

blithe

carefree and happy and lighthearted

bombastic

ostentatiously lofty in style

bowdlerize

edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

brackish

slightly salty

bucolic

idyllically rustic

burgeon

grow and flourish

cacophonous

having an unpleasant sound

callow

young and inexperienced

capricious

determined by chance or impulse rather than necessity

castigate

censure severely

chagrin

strong feelings of embarrassment

charlatan

a flamboyant deceiver

circumspect

careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk

conflagration

a very intense and uncontrolled fire

conflate

mix together different elements

convivial

occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company

craven

lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful

dauntless

invulnerable to fear or intimidation

dearth

an insufficient quantity or number

defunct

no longer in force or use; inactive

diaphanous

so thin as to transmit light

diatribe

thunderous verbal attack

didactic

instructive, especially excessively

diffident

lacking self-confidence

dilettante

an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention

disingenuous

not straightforward or candid

docile

willing to be taught, led, supervised or directed

ebullient

joyously unrestrained, full of energy

edify

make understood; to teach

elucidate

make clear and comprehensible

enmity

a state of deep-seated ill-will

ennui

the feeling of being bored by something tedious

erudite

having or showing profound knowledge

eschew

avoid and stay away from deliberately

esoteric

understandable only by an enlightened inner circle

excoriate

express strong disapproval of

expunge

remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line