AP Lang & Comp Vocabulary

Acquisition

noun, the learning or developing of a skill, habit, or quality; or, an asset or object bought or obtained, typically by a library or museum.

Approximation

noun, the act or process of drawing together; a value or quantity that is nearly but not exactly correct

Aviation

noun, the flying or operating of aircraft.

Battered

adjective, injured, damaged, or having suffered violence; or, past-tense verb, having damaged or done violence to.

Capacities

noun, the power to hold, retain, or contain, or the ability to absorb; or, roles/positions.

Complicity

noun, being involved in or participating in something wrong or illegal.

Countenances

verb, to face, admit, or accept; noun, a person's face or facial expression.

Cutbacks

noun, an act or instance of reducing something, typically reducing costs or spending.

Dialect

noun, a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary.

Diplomatic

adjective, having or showing an ability to deal with people in a sensitive and effective way; or, of or concerning the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations.

Distraught

adjective, deeply upset and agitated.

Erroneous

adjective, wrong, incorrect, mistaken.

Fixture

noun, a person or thing that is established in a particular place or situation and is unlikely to change or be removed.

Foresight

noun, the ability or action of predicting or imagining what will happen or be needed in the future.

Genteel

adjective, polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or ostentatious way.

Incite

verb, encourage, urge, persuade, or cause to occur.

Inevitable

adjective, certain to happen; unavoidable, unable to be stopped or prevented.

Junkets

noun, an extravagant trip or celebration, usually not at one’s own expense.

Misdirected

adjective, aimed or sent in the wrong direction.

Multilateralism

noun, having many sides, or involving more than two nations or parties.

Nimble

adjective, quick and light in movement or action, agile.

Rally

verb, recover or cause to recover in health, spirits, or poise; noun, a group of people.

Schematizing

verb, arranging or representing in a schematic, symbolic, or systematic form.

Undertake

verb, commit oneself to and begin (an enterprise or responsibility); take on, promise to do, complete.

Cynical

adjective, believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.

Caress

verb, touch or stroke gently or lovingly.

Ecstatic

adjective, feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement.

Disdain

noun, the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt.

Multitudinous

adjective, consisting of or containing many individuals or elements, or very numerous.

Intuitively

adverb, without conscious reasoning; instinctively.

Extremism

noun, the holding of extreme or radical political or religious views.

Assimilation

noun, the process of becoming similar to something, usually in the context of changing or adapting to a new group's social norms; or, the process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas.

Degenerates

verb, declines or deteriorates physically, mentally, or morally.

Microcosm

noun, a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger.

Conviction

noun, a firmly held belief or opinion; or, a formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense.

Tenuous

adjective, very weak, slight, slender, insubstantial.

Mestizaje

noun, a Latin American term referring to racial and cultural mixture.

Concilatory

adjective, intended or likely to please, placate, or pacify.

Self-revelatory

adjective, revealing one's true character or motives.

Detractors

plural noun, a person who disparages or critiques someone or something.

Wavering

verb, moving in a quivering or wavy way; or, becoming weaker; or, going back and forth between two opinions.

Insubstantial

adjective, lacking strength, solidity, or authenticity.

Plethora

noun, a large or excessive amount of something.

Canvas

noun, a strong, coarse cloth used for painting or to make sails, tents, or shoes; or, verb, to ask people in an area what they think about a candidate, project, idea, etc.

Scattered

adjective, occurring or found at various locations rather than all together; or, distracted, disorganized.

Nursery

noun, a child or baby's room.

Innumerable

adjective, too many to be counted.

Dispassionate

adjective, not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial.

Premise

noun, a statement or idea on which reasoning or a conclusion is based.

Epistemic

adjective, related to knowledge, knowing, and understanding.

Ethical

adjective, relating to moral principles, or rules determining what is considered 'good' or 'bad' in a group or situation.

Initiative

noun, an act or strategy intended to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation, or a new approach to something; or, the ability or opportunity to act on something independently or achieve a goal.

Integrate

verb, combine one thing with another so that they become a whole, or, more specifically, bring people or groups with particular characteristics or needs into equal participation in or membership of a group, institution, or society.

Eugenic

adjective, related to arranging human reproduction to increase the occurrence of heritable characteristics regarded by those in power as desirable, often through sterilization (making it impossible for someone to have a child) of those with characteristics deemed undesirable; Eugenics has been discredited as unscientific, discriminatory, and inhumane.

Subjugated

adjective, being under domination or control.

Tactile

adjective, of or connected with the sense of touch.

Olfactory

adjective, relating to the sense of smell.

Dormant

adjective, temporarily inactive, slowed down, suspended, or inoperative; or, asleep.

Capacious

adjective, having a lot of space inside, capable of holding a great quantity.

Restitution

noun, the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner; or, recompense or repayment for injury loss.

Thrifty

adjective, using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.

Citizenry

noun, the citizens of a place regarded collectively.

Stigma

noun, a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.

Extermination

noun, destruction or killing, especially of a whole group of people or animals.

Segregation

noun, the action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things being separated.

Bioethical

adjective, the ethics of medical and biological research.

Taxonomy

noun, the branch of science concerned with classification, especially of organisms; systematics.

Fortified

adjective, made stronger or more secure.

Embodied

adjective, an idea, quality, feeling, or other abstract concept that seems tangible or to have visible form.

Egregiously

adverb, in an outstanding bad way; shockingly bad.

Incomparable

adjective, without an equal in quality or extent; matchless, unable to be compared.

Altruism

noun, the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Diversion

noun, an instance of turning something aside from its course; or, an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.

Devise

verb, plan or invent a complex procedure, system, or mechanism by careful thought.

Enacted

verb, performed or acted out; or, made into a law.

Palate

noun, a person's appreciation of tastes, especially when sophisticated and discriminating; or, the roof of the mouth.

Amiability

noun, the quality of having a friendly and pleasant manner.

Gregarious

adjective, liking to be around people, sociable.

Superfluous

adjective, unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.

Admonition

noun, an act or action of admonishing; authoritative counsel or warning.

Self-adornment

noun, the act or process of making oneself attractive through dress, accessories, or make-up.

Asunder

adverb, into separate parts.

Resonant

adjective, deep, clear, and continuing to sound or ring; or, deeply evocative.

Ensue

verb, happen or occur afterward or as a result.

Endeavouring

verb, trying hard to do or achieve something; British spelling shown here, American spelling: endeavoring.

Treks

verb, making a long, hard journey, especially one made on foot; plural noun, a long, hard journey.

Irreverent

adjective, showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously.

Earnest

adjective, resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction.

Imperative

adjective, of vital importance; crucial; or, giving an authoritative command.

Constricts

verb, to limit or suppress someone or something; or, make narrower, especially by encircling pressure.

Rambunctious

adjective, uncontrollably exuberant, excited, energetic, cheerful, or rowdy.

Rending

verb, tearing or ripping something into two or more pieces; or, to cause emotional pain.

Veneer

noun, a cover, front, illusion, or fake; or, a thin sheet of material, such as a layer of wood of superior value to be glued to an inferior wood; verb, to conceal something or make it look better than it is.

Saunter

verb, walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort.

Snooty

adjective, showing disapproval or feelings of superiority toward others, especially those when a difference in social class is involved.

Raiment

noun, clothing.

Gliding

verb, moving smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly.

Enervating

adjective, causing one to feel drained of energy, strength, vigor, or vitality.

Straightforwardly

adverb, in a way that is uncomplicated and easy to do or understand.

Lineman

noun, a person employed in laying and maintaining railroad track; or, a defensive position in American football.