AP Lang Sem 2

Accolade

An expression of praise or an award of merit

Cache

A hidden storage space or collection of items

Endemic

Native or restricted to a certain area or group

Lithe

Flexible and graceful in movement

Pugnacious

Eager or quick to argue or fight; combative

Alacrity

Cheerful readiness or promptness

Conflagration

A large destructive fire

Expunge

To erase or remove completely

Morose

Sullen, gloomy, or ill-tempered

Surfeited

Fed or supplied to excess

Ardor

Passion or intense enthusiasm

Diffidence

Shyness due to lack of confidence

Implausible

Not seeming reasonable or probable

Obdurate

Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course

Torpid

Inactive, sluggish, or lethargic

Bequeath

To leave (a personal estate or one’s body) to a person by a will

Embroil

To involve someone in conflict or difficulty

Indelible

Not able to be erased or forgotten

Placate

To calm or soothe, especially by making concessions

Voluble

Speaking fluently and readily; talkative

Acuity

Sharpness or keenness (especially of mind or senses)

Cacophonous

Harsh-sounding or jarring

Effrontery

Shameless boldness or impudence

Incontrovertible

Unquestionable; not able to be denied or disputed

Plethora

An excessive amount or overabundance

Aggrandizement

An increase in power, status, or wealth

Circumspect

Cautious and unwilling to take risks

Eschew

To deliberately avoid or abstain from

Licentious

Lacking moral discipline or legal restraint

Sublime

Of such excellence or beauty as to inspire awe

Belligerent

Hostile and aggressive

Despotic

Ruling with absolute power; tyrannical

Fallow

Land left unplanted to restore fertility; inactive

Magnate

A wealthy and influential businessperson

Surreptitious

Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of

Buttress

A support or reinforcement; to support or strengthen

Distend

To expand or swell out due to pressure

Harbor

To give shelter or protection; to keep (a thought or feeling) secretly

Obfuscating

Making something unclear or confusing

Zeal

Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective

Acerbic

Sharp or biting in temper, mood, or tone

Dissuade

To persuade someone not to take a particular course of action

Humility

A modest or low view of one’s importance

Mettle

Courage and determination; resilience

Recluse

A person who lives in seclusion or apart from society

Anomalous

Deviating from what is standard or expected; abnormal

Docile

Easily taught, led, or managed; obedient

Indignation

Anger or annoyance at perceived unfair treatment

Modicum

A small quantity of something desirable or valuable

Sated

Satisfied fully, often with food or desire

Boon

A timely benefit or blessing

Estrange

To cause someone to be no longer close or affectionate

Induce

To lead or move by persuasion or influence

Myriad

A countless or extremely great number

Stupefy

To stun, shock, or make unable to think clearly

Crass

Lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence

Gravitate

To be drawn or attracted to something

Infidel

A person who does not believe in a particular religion (often used pejoratively)

Panache

Flamboyant confidence of style or manner

Vicarious

Experienced through the feelings or actions of another

Abnegate

To renounce or reject something; to deny oneself

Chimera

A thing that is hoped or wished for but is illusory or impossible to achieve

Fatuous

Silly and pointless

Inveterate

Firmly established and difficult to change (usually habits)

Spurious

Not genuine; false or fake

Adversity

Hardship or misfortune

Culpable

Deserving blame

Humane

Showing compassion or kindness, especially to humans or animals

Neophyte

A beginner or novice

Stolid

Calm, dependable, and showing little emotion

Arcane

Understood by few; mysterious or obscure

Debunk

To expose the falseness or hollowness of a belief or idea

Ineptness

Lack of skill or ability

Prattle

To talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way

Tome

A large or scholarly book

Breadth

The wide scope or range of something

Entreaty

A serious and urgent request or plea

Ingrate

An ungrateful person

Predilection

A preference or special liking for something

Turbulence

Violent or unsteady movement; chaos or disorder

Burgeon

To grow or develop rapidly

Charlatan

A person falsely claiming to have special knowledge or skills; a fraud

Diurnal

Active during the day

Gambol

To skip or jump about playfully

Punctilious

Extremely attentive to detail or correct behavior

Burnish

To polish or shine

Chortle

A joyful, gleeful laugh or chuckle

Dogma

A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true

Inexorable

Impossible to stop or prevent; unyielding

Svelte

Slender and elegant

Calcify

To harden by forming calcium deposits; to become inflexible

Clandestine

Kept secret or done secretively, often for illicit reasons

Effusion

An unrestrained outpouring of emotion, words, or fluid

Invective

Insulting or abusive language

Ruse

A trick or act intended to deceive

Certitudes

Things that are certain or inevitable

Cognizant

Aware or conscious of something

Erudite

Having or showing deep, scholarly knowledge

Maladroit

Clumsy or awkward; lacking skill