AP Lang Terms to Know

Caustic

sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

Condescending

showing a feeling of patronizing superiority

Contemptuous

showing contempt or disrespect

Cynical

believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest

Droll

curious or unusual in a way that causes dry amusement

Facetious

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor

Flippant

not showing a serious or respectful attitude

Insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect

Reverent

showing deep respect, awe, or devotion

Pompous

affectedly grand, solemn, or self-important

Quizzical

indicating mild or amused puzzlement

Ribald

referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude or irreverent way

Sardonic

grimly mocking or cynical

Satiric

using humor, irony, or exaggeration to expose and criticize foolishness

Morose

sullen and ill-tempered

Sober

serious, sensible, and solemn

Somber

dark, dull, or gloomy in tone

Staid

sedate, respectable, and unadventurous

Poignant

evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret

Lugubrious

looking or sounding sad and dismal

Admonitory

giving or involving a warning

Apathetic

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

Baffled

totally bewildered or perplexed

Callous

showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others

Candid

truthful and straightforward; frank

Ceremonial

relating to or used for formal occasions

Clinical

dispassionate; coldly detached and objective

Consoling

serving to comfort in times of grief or disappointment

Conventional

based on or in accordance with what is generally done or accepted

Didactic

intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

Earnest

resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

Fervent

having or displaying a passionate intensity

Forthright

direct and outspoken; straightforward

Frivolous

not having any serious purpose or value

Haughty

arrogantly superior and disdainful

Histrionic

overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style

Incredulous

unwilling or unable to believe something

Intimate

closely acquainted; familiar or private

Learned

having much knowledge acquired by study

Loud

producing or capable of producing much noise; obtrusive

Lyrical

expressing deep personal emotions in an affectingly beautiful way

Meditative

involved in or expressing deep thought or contemplation

Obsequious

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree

Pretentious

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance than is possessed

Provocative

causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately

Reminiscent

tending to remind one of something

Seductive

tempting and attractive

Vexed

annoyed, frustrated, or worried

Wistful

having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing

Zealous

showing great energy, enthusiasm, or passionate support for a person, cause, or goal

Bombastic

high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated

Colloquial

used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary

Concrete

specific, definite, and concrete rather than abstract

Connotative

having an implied or associated secondary meaning

Esoteric

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small group with specialized knowledge

Euphemistic

using mild or indirect words to substitute for offensive ones

Homespun

simple and unsophisticated

Insipid

lacking vigor, interest, or distinctiveness

Jargon

special words or expressions used by a particular group that are difficult for others to understand

Pedantic

excessively concerned with minor details or rules

Picturesque

visually attractive or vivid in style

Pretentious

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance

Provincial

lacking urban sophistication or broadmindedness

Scholarly

involving or relating to serious academic study

Sensuous

relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect

Slang

informal words or phrases common in speech

Trite

overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality

Amiable

having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner

Elated

ecstatically happy

Exuberant

filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement

Fanciful

existing only in the imagination; unrealistic

Jovial

cheerful and friendly

Irreverent

showing a lack of respect for things that are usually taken seriously or treated as sacred

Whimsical

playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing way

Audacious

showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks

Belligerent

hostile and aggressive

Brash

self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way

Choleric

bad-tempered or irritable

Coarse

lacking refinement or delicacy

Condemnatory

expressing strong disapproval

Condescending

showing patronizing superiority

Disinterested

not candid; unbiased or uninvolved

Facetious

treating serious issues with inappropriate humor

Snooty

showing disdain or contempt toward others

Surly

bad-tempered and unfriendly

Testy

easily irritated; impatient and somewhat bad-tempered

Lethargic

sluggish, apathetic, and lacking energy

Wrathful

full of intense anger or fury

Obtuse

difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression

Idiomatic

peculiar to a particular group, individual, or style

Quarrelsome

a style that is contentious, combative, or eager to pick a fight with opposing views