AP Vocab. List #12

2025 AP. Lang Vocabulary List #12

abridge

condense or shorten

alacrity

cheerful willingness

antipathy

an intense dislike

augment

to enlarge, to increase in amount or intensity

bombastic

(adj.) pompous or overblown in language, full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

decry

express strong disapproval of

descry

catch sight of something distant

eclectic

made up of a variety of sources or styles

enhance

to increase the value of beauty of something

euphonious

having a pleasant sound

fervid

characterized by intense emotion

impecunious

not having enough money to pay for necessities

ingratiate

(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others
[sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense]

luxuriant

produced or growing in extreme abundance

paltry

contemptibly small in amount

pedantry

a pretentious display of knowledge, overly rigid attention to rules and details

placid

not easily irritated

preclude

keep from happening or arising

promontory

a high point of land extending into water

raze

to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

secular

worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal

static

not active or moving

tact

consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offence

torpid

slow and apathetic, inactive, sluggish, dull

vindicated

freed from any question of guilt

vindicative

showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt