AP Lang vocab list A

abate

to decrease in force

acumen

clarity of mind and depth of perception

ascertain

to find out/learn with certainty

bombastic

speech, writing, or behavior that is loud and forceful but lacks meaning

brusque

short and abrupt

cacophony

harsh and jarring sound

censure

a formal, public statement of strong disapproval for behavior

cogent

clear,logical, and convincing

commensurate

corresponding in size, amount, degree, or proportion to something

curtail

to reduce/limit something before it’s threshold

deference

show respect

disparage

to belittle

dubious

unsure/hesitant about something

efficacy

effectiveness

egregious

exceptionally/shockingly bad

enumerate

to list one by one

exhort

to strongly encourage

extraneous

not vital; coming from the outside

frenetic

fast, disordered activity

grandiose

affectation of greatness or absurd exaggeration

implicit

not clearly stated; present but not recognized

inane

lacking significance/meaning

incendiary

tending to excite or imflame; to anger

intransigent

refusal to compromise

multifarious

having great diversity

nascent

having recently come into existence

nebulous

indistinct, vague; resembling a nebula

oration

discourse in a formal manner

ostracize

to exclude from a group

prescient

having foreknowledge

propriety

quality or state of being proper

prosaic

dull, unimaginative; factual

rhapsodize

to write or speak in an emotional manner

rife

abundant, common

vacillate

to waver in mind, will, or feeling