AP Lang Vocab Sets

superlicious

(adj.) condescending; snooty; arrogant

supersede

(v.) to replace; to supplant; to override

amity

(n.) a feeling of good-will toward or harmony with a person or people

amiable

(adj.) likeable; personable; congenial

malicious

(adj.) intending harm; spiteful

malignant

(adj.) deadly; harmful

benign

(adj.) harmless; mild

malevolent

(adj.) wishing harm to others, usually said of a person

benevolent

(adj.) wishing well to others; charitable

benediction

(n.) a verbal blessing

miscreant

(n.) a criminal; an ill-doer

misnomer

(n.) an imprecise or incorrect name for an object or concept- this word is not usually applied to persons

misanthrope

(n.) a cynic; a person who thinks ill of the human race

antipathy

(n.) a great dislike; loathing

abhorrent

(n.) repulsive; detestable; dreadful

egregious

(adj.) flagrantly wrong, bad, illegal, or harmful

gregarious

(adj.) enjoying the company of others; sociable

segregate

(v.) to separate or isolate from a group or mass

abdicate

(v.) to relinquish a title or position of authority

diffident

(adj.) shy; reserved; timid

empathy

(n.) the ability to feel another being's feelings- not just to sympathize

inviolable

adj. protected; sacred; holy

insatiable

adj. unable to be satisfied; greedy; voracious

intrepid

adj. fearless; brave

unflappable

adj. not easily annoyed; even-tempered; patient

inauspicious

adj. boding ill; ominous; unpromising; portentous

incorporeal

adj. having no physical body; intangible; airy

indefatigable

adj. tireless; determined

unscathed

adj. unharmed, especially after a battle or attack

unfounded

adj. describing, usually statements or reports which have no basis in fact

impious

adj. disdaining societal norms; irreverent; blasphemous; heretical

immutable

adj. unchanging; permanent; fixed; sacrosanct

unorthodox

adj. unconventional; unusual, usually said of a persons views, methods, or mannerisms

revitalized

adj. reinvigorated; rejuvenated v. given new freshness or life

unsubstantiated

adj. as yet, groundless, unfounded; yet to be proven

revoke

v. to remove a right or privilege; cancel; rescind

unremittingly

adj. ceaselessly; unendingly

unparalelled

adj. unequalled; unexcelled

unwarranted

adj. not called-for; undeserved

untenable

adj. indefensible, usually said of an opinion or military position

unfazed

v. totally unaffected by an event; unharmed

refurbish

(v.) to renovate or redecorate a habitation; to restore an item to a useable condition

anarchy

(n) a state of lawlessness; chaos; a "system of government" in which citizens are utterly free

atheism

(n.) a belief that there is no divine or supreme ruler in the universe

amorphous

(adj.) without shape, formless

whelp

(n) young offspring of certain carnivorous animals, esp. dogs; a puppy; a mischievous or dishonored child
(v) to give birth to one such animal

reduntant

(adj.) repeated, often excessively or needlessly

elusive

(adj.) hard to locate, grasp, or hold; puzzling; "slippery"

vapid

(adj.) empty; meaningless; dull; inane

superficial

(adj.) describing readily apparent, "surface" features; hence, a shallow, incomplete, or hasty view

rejuvenate

(v.) to renew, reinvigorate, restore youthfullness

exorbitant

(adj.) ridiculously overpriced

resilient

(adj.) having the ability to rebound or recover from an impact-- said of either materials or organisms

extrovert

(n.) an outgoing, demonstrative, social person

anomoly

(n.) an exception to the rule; a deviation from the norm

wheedle

(v.) to persuade by means of charm

repatriate

(v.) to return to one's native or accepted country; to allow the return of an exile

expound

(v.) to speak or write at length on a topic

eminent

(adj.) recognized and well-known as an authority in the field of endeavor

extricate

(v.) to free a person or object from, usually an unpleasant and unfortunate entanglement

eccentric

(adj.) "off center," hence odd, weird, unorthodox, idiosyncratic

salvo

a series of gunshots; an assault, verbal or military

banter

witty, lively, good-natured teasing among friends; to engage in joshing and ribbing

cur

a common dog; a mongrel; hence, an insulting epithet

drivel

foolish talk; nonsense; prattle; to babble or speak foolishly

snivel

literally, to run at the nose; most often: to whine or complain

chaff

literally, discarded grain hulls left after threshing; hence, useless waste or leavings

self-deprecating

adj. describing an attitude of inferiority, often as a result of poor self-esteem, but sometimes intended, as for humorous effect

apathy

indifference; lack of concern, initiative, or drive

tiff

a disagreement, spat, or petty quarrel, usually brief

prattle

babble; copious, inconsequential talk, often by children; to talk on and on about nothing

dirge

a melancholy tune, often played at a funeral

dingy

appearing drab, dreary, worn

drone

a persistent hum, usually on one note; a worker bee, hence, a slavish, lowly, plodding worker--used in this sense as an insult; to hum monotonously or play a single note on an instrument

quibble

to argue over trifles; a petty quarrel

inane

senseless; ridiculous; plainly asinine

extravagant

lavish; expensive, often wastefully so

conspicuous

very noticeable; obvious; showy

vain

conceited; egostistic

wary

very cautious; suspicious

scamp

a prankster; a scoundrel

bilk

to cheat someone, especially monetarily

ruse

a sly trick; a scheme or subterfuge

mute

a device used to soften, stop, or deaden a sound; silent; to muffle or silence something

flag

to weaken in energy or enthusiasm

gait

a person's characteristic, sometimes unique, way of walking

stanch

to stop an overflow, flood, or often, a gush of blood from a wound

arid

very dry, usually describing a climate, though occasionally used to reference a dull topic or manner of presentation

boor

an unrefined, insensitive, common person; a Philistine

bard

an older term for a poet or singer

smug

self-satisfied; condescending; acting superior to others

plod

to walk or continue a task in a determined but weary manner

bask

to luxuriate in the warm glow of sun: figuratively, to soak in the warm glow of success, or praise

lull

a period of calm, especially amid relative turbulence; to calm; to soothe into sleep or relaxation

foil

a character, often minor, inserted in a literary work. A foil's personal traits help underscore important, usually directly opposite traits from the protagonist; to spoil someone's plans

balk

to hesitate; to shy away

rend

to tear, usually with mournful emotion or violence

dupe

to fool someone; one who has been fooled; one who is easily fooled

hail

to praise

dolt

a slow-witted person