AP Seminar Summer Reading Vocabulary

elusive

hard to comprehend or define

stagnate

to stop moving or changing

eccentric

departing from what is usual, conventional; having or showing an odd or whimsical way of thinking

zeal

eagerness and enthusiastic interest in pursuit of something; fervor

belligerent

inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness

susceptible

capable of submitting to an action, process, or operation; impressionable

terminal

leading ultimately to death: fatal

fixated

thinking, talking, or worrying about one single thing, person, or idea all the time in an obsessive or unreasonable way

epidemic

affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time

exhumed

to bring something back to light, revive, or uncover something that was forgotten, lost, or ignored for a long time

ecstatic

feeling or showing overwhelming happiness, joyful excitement, or a state of ecstasy

chronic

continuing or occurring again and again for a long time

tedious

tiresome because of length or dullness; boring

chastise

to censure severely; castigate

ascertain

to find out or learn with certainty

abatement

to reduce or to lessen

noninvasive

not tending to spread

omnipresent

present in all places at the same time; existing everywhere simultaneously

agency

the ability or power to act and make decisions independently

unassailable

impossible to challenge, attack, or defeat

fundamentalism

strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles or beliefs

incipient

beginning to develop or appear; in an early stage

impassive

showing no emotion or feeling; expressionless

conviction

a firmly held belief or opinion

meticulous

extremely careful and precise; paying close attention to details.

divine

related to or coming from a god; extremely good or beautiful

supplication

the act of asking or begging for something earnestly and humbly

desiccate

to dry out completely; to remove moisture

immodesty

lack of humility or decency; behaving in a boastful or improper way

abomination

something that causes disgust or hatred

despondency

a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage

feral

wild and untamed; especially after being domesticated

obsequious

overly eager to please or obey someone important

volatile

likely to change suddenly and unpredictably, especially for the worse

capricious

acting on sudden changes of mood or behavior without reason

enraptured

completely filled with joy or delight

indulgent

willing to allow someone to have or do what they want, often too much

discern

to recognize, notice, or understand something clearly, especially something not obvious

proximity

nearness in space, time, or relationship

invincibility

the state of being too powerful to be defeated or overcome

impregnable

unable to be broken into, captured, or overcome

unperturbed

calm and not worried or upset, even in difficult situations

visceral

relating to deep inward feelings rather than logic or reason; instinctive and emotional

bedlam

a scene of chaos, confusion, or uproar

vitality

the state of being strong, active, and full of life and energy

fetid

having a strong, unpleasant smell; foul or rotten

percipience

the ability to notice and understand things quickly and clearly; keen insight

arondissement

a district or administrative division, especially in French cities like Paris

atonement

the act of making up for a wrong or seeking forgiveness for an offense

dissociate

to separate or distance oneself from an idea, person, or group.