AP Lit Vocabulary

Acrimony

Sharpness, harshness, bitterness of behavior/nature.

S: Animosity

Alacrity

Cheerful readiness, eagerness, willingness

S: Zeal

Burgeoning

Growing and developing quickly (metaphorically)

S: Flourishing

Castigate

to criticize/reprimand severly

S: Scold

Coalesce

to grow together or into one metaphorical body

S: Unite

Dearth

an inadequate supply/lack

S: Scarcity

Dogmatic

asserting opinions in an arrogant, moralistic, or overly opinionated manner

S: Intolerant

Effervescent

Lively, sparkling, bubbling

S: Vivacious

Ephemeral

Lasting a very short time

S: Fleeting

Fastidious

Exceedingly critical, particular, demanding

S: Meticulous

Flummox

to confuse or confound

S: Bewilder, perplex

Grandiose

overly grand or pompous

S: pretentious

A: humble

Hackneyed

made common through frequent use

S: overused, stale

Invoke

to call on or appeal to; to declare to be in effect.

S: petition

Insipid

without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities

S: dull, boring

Lackadaisical

without interest, enthusiasm, or determination

S: lethargic

Laconic

using few words

S: concise

A: verbose

Mercurial

changeable or volatile

S: fickle, erratic

Nebulous

vague, indistinct, or confusing

S: hazy, amorphous

Nefarious

extremely wicked or villainous

Peripheral

related to or located in outer areas

S: outermost

Prodigious

extraordinary in size, amount, or degree

S: huge, wonderful

Proliferate

to increase in number or speed rapidly and often excessively

S: grow, multiply

Quell

to suppress or put an end to something

S: subdue, extinguish

Raze

to tear down or demolish

S: level, destroy

A: raise

Recant

to withdraw of disavow a statement

S: retract, reject

Scathing

bitterly severe or critical

S: scornful, damaging

Serendipity

good fortune

S: luck

Treatise

an extensive written argument

S: essay

Ubiquitous

existing or being everywhere

S: omnipresent

Autocratic

dictatorial or like a tyrant

S: absolute

Bombastic

powerful, over the top, or theatrical

S: grandiose, pretentious

A: understated

Censure

to criticize severely

S: castigate, condemn

A: praise

Charlatan

a person who pretends or claims to have more knowledge or skill than they possess

S: fake, fraud

Clandestine

secrete or concealed

S: illicit, furitive

Cursory

going rapidly over something without noticing details

S: hasty, superficial

A: thorough

Debunk

to expose something as being false

S: disprove, disabuse

Unabashed

not ashamed and boldly certain

S: unapologetic

Wry

crooked OR ironic

S: sardonic, dry

Vie

to strive in competition

Countenance

appearance especially the look or expression of the face

S: demeanor, visage

Deign

to do something in accordance with one’s dignity

S: condescend, see fit

Ingenious

clever or original in invention or construction

S: resourceful, adroit

Pedantic

overly concerned with minute details

S: precise, didactic, bookish

Perfunctory

performed merely as a routine duty

S: superficial, indifferent

A: detailed, fastidious

Neophyte

beginner or a novice

S: newcomer, fledgling

Rapture

ecstatic joy or delight

S: bliss

A: misery

Scrupulous

characterized by extreme care or effort; having moral standards

S: conscientious, principled

Supercilious

arrogant or disdainful

S: bossy, haughty

A: humble

Vex

to disturb, especially by minor irritations

S: annoy, frustrate

Asperity

harshness or sharpness of tone, temper , or manner

S: severity

Disinclination

not wanting to do something

S: unwillingness, reluctance

Importune

to ask with urgency or persistence

S: demand, beseech

Impute

to represent as being done, caused, or possessed by someone

S: attribute, ascribe

Iniquitous

characterized by injustice or evil

S: nefarious

Probity

integrity or uprightness

S: honesty, rectitude

Propitious

indicative of favorable conditions

S: auspicious

Taciturn

inclined to silence or reluctant to join conversation

S: reticent

A: loquatious

Upbraid

to criticize severely

S: castigate, censure

Vouchsafe

to grant or give as by favor or condescension

S: allow, bestow

Bucolic

of or relating to shepards of pastures; romanticized countryside

S: rural, pastoral

A: urban

Didactic

intended for instruction (over the top, unnecessary connotation)

S: preachy

Dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate

S: slow, tardy

Disputatious

given to or fond of arguing

S: contentious, cantankerous

Encumbrance

something burdensome and therefore useless

S: hindrance, burden

Enumerate

to name one by one as if in a list (specific)

S: itemize, count

Extricate

to release or free from entanglement

S: liberate, rescue

Gait

a manner of walking or stepping or running

S: stride, step

Parody

a humorous or satirical imitation of a serious work

S: satire, caricature, burlesque

Pragmatic

following the most practical or logical course of action

S: down-to-earth, expedient