Just Mercy Vocab

Esoteric - adj

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

ambivalence - noun

state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

constrain - verb

force (someone) to follow a particular course of action

indelible - adj

not able to be forgotten or removed

punitive - adj

intended as punishment

indigent - adj

poor, needy

titillate - verb

stimulate or excite in a sexual way

confluence - noun

process of merging

culpability - noun

responsibility for wrongdoing

peremptory - adj

insisting on immediate attention or obedience

curtail - verb

to impose a restriction on

exculpatory - adj

clearing of guilt or blame

parlance - noun

a particular way of speaking or using words

arcane - adj

understood by few; mysterious or secret

garish - adj

showy

myriad - adj

countless or extremely great in number

recidivism - noun

the tendency of convicted criminals to reoffend

malinger - verb

faking illness to get out of work

inexorably - adverb

in a way that is impossible to stop or prevent

credence - noun

acceptance of something as true

ostensibly - adverb

apparently but perhaps not actually true

brusque - adj

unfriendly, rude and very brief

efficacy - noun

ability to produce a desired or intended result

terse - adj

brief and to the point

adamant - adj

refusing to change one’s mind