APLANG Vocab Unit 8

Allay

diminish (fear, suspicion, or worry)

• Ex

Attempting to allay concerns about growing unemployment, the government published an optimistic jobs report.

Cloying

excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, to a sicking degree

• Ex

I accidentally put too much sugar in the sauce, resulting in a cloying and sticky flavor and texture. 

Professor Dolores Umbridge’s cloying voice did not conceal her malevolent spirit. 

Efface

erase or make oneself appear insignificant

• Ex

Trying to recall his earliest years, Lon found that time had  effaced his childhood memories. 

Centuries of wind and rain effaced the ancient carvings on the cliffs. 

Expedient

(of an action) convenient although possibly improper/ immoral.

• Ex

Lamentably, Fran decided that using AI to write her essay was the only expedient. 

The research assistant discovered a creative and expedient solution to the problem

Hackneyed

( a phrase or idea) lacking significance through being overused; unoriginal

• Ex

You should employ figurative language in your writing to add energy and clarity to your ideas; however, using hackneyed phrases and cliche metaphors will irritate your readers. 

Interlocutor

a person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation

• Ex

In Plato’s dialogues, Socrates guides his interlocutors through a series of precise, searching questions that help them discover truth. 

Latent

(quality or state) existing but not yet developed; hidden

• Ex

The latent infection eventually turned into a brutal case of pneumonia. 

Mercurial

(of a person) subject to unpredictable changes in mood or mind.

• Ex

Although captivated by Zelda’s unparalleled beauty, Martin was a bit unsure of her mercurial disposition. 

Pathology

the science of the causes and effects of diseases

• Ex

It seems that his strange behavior is a sign of a more serious pathology. 

She was hoping to research the pathology of bone disorders. 

Sycophant or Sycophantic

a person who acts obedient toward someone important in order to gain advantage.

• Ex

The superstar had an overinflated view of himself, always surrounded by sycophants and yes-men.