AP Lit Vocab 1-6

120 Vocab words

acu’ity

(n.) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)

Synonym: acuteness

Antonyms: dullness, obtuseness

delin’eate

(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially

Synonyms: picture, render

depraved’

(adj.) marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

Synonyms: perverted, degenerate, vicious, corrupt

Antonyms: moral, virtuous, upright, uncorrupted

en’ervate

(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

Synonyms: impair, cripple, paralyze

Antonyms: invigorate, strengthen, buttress

esoter’ic

(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

Synonyms: cryptic, arcane, recondite

Antonyms: accessible, comprehensible, intelligible

fec’und

(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

Synonyms: fertile, teeming, prolific

Antonyms: infertile, barren, unproductive

fiat

(n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness

Synonyms: dictum, ukase

fig’ment

(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

Synonyms: invention, fancy

gar’ner

(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use

Synonyms: collect, accumulate, accrue

Antonyms: scatter, squander, waste, dissipate

hall’ow

(v.) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

Synonyms: venerate, bless

Antonyms: defile, profane

idiosyn’crasy

(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

Synonyms: quirk, mannerism

ig’nominy

(n.) shame and disgrace

Synonyms: humiliation, disrepute, odium

Antonyms: honor, acclaim

mundane’

(adj.) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary

Synonyms: prosaic, humdrum, routine, sublunary

Antonyms: heavenly, spiritual, transcendental

nu’ance

(n.) a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality), delicate gradation or shade of difference

Synonyms: shade, nicety, refinement

overwee’ning

(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

Synonyms: arrogant, unbridled, inflated

Antonyms: restrained, understated meek

pen’chant

(n.) a strong attraction or inclination

Synonyms: proclivity, predilection

Antonyms: disinclination, aversion

reput’ed

(adj.) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; (part.) alleged

Synonyms: putative, reputable

Antonyms: proven, corroborated, authenticated

soph’istry

(n.) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy

Synonym: specious reasoning

sump’tuous

(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent

Synonyms: lavish, munificent, opulent, splendid

Antonyms: skimpy, stingy, niggardly, spartan

ubiq’uitous

(adj.) present or existing everywhere

Synonyms: pervasive, universal

Antonyms: restricted, limited, rare, scarce

accost’

(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

synonyms: buttonhole, approach

antonyms: avoid, shun

animadver’sion

(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

synonyms: rebuke, reproof

antonyms: praise, compliment

av’id

(adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

synonyms: keen, enthusiastic, grasping

antonyms: reluctant, indifferent, unenthusiastic

brack’ish

(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

synonyms: saline

antonyms: clear, sweet

celer’ity

(n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

synonyms: promptness, speed

antonyms: slowness, sluggishness, dilatoriness

de’vious

(adj.) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

synonyms: roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

antonyms: direct, straightforward, open, aboveboard

gam’bit

(n.) in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

synonyms: ploy, ruse, maneuver

hal’cyon

(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the [answer]; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

synonyms: (adj.) tranquil, placid, palmy

antonyms: (adj.) turbulent, tumultuous

histrion’ic

(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodromatic

synonyms: affected, stagy

antonyms: muted, untheatrical, subdued

incen’diary

(adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

synonyms: (adj.) inflammatory, provocative; (n.) firebrand

antonyms: (adj.) soothing, quieting; (n.) peacemaker

mael’strom

(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

synonyms: chaos, turbulence, tumult

myop’ic

(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

synonym: shortsighted

antonym: farsighted

overt’

(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

synonyms: clear, obvious, manifest, patent

antonyms: clandestine, covert, concealed

pejor’ative

(adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

antonyms: complimentary, ameliorative

propri’ety

(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

synonyms: fitness, correctness

antonyms: unseemliness, inappropriateness

sac’rilege

(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

synonyms: desecration, profanation, defilement

summar’ily

(adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

synonyms: promptly, peremptorily

supp’liant

(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

tal’isman

(n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

un’dulate

(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

synonyms: fluctuate, rise and fall

Cavort’

(v.) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

synonym: gambol

cred’ence

(n.) belief, mental acceptance

synonyms: credit, trust, confidence

antonyms: disbelief, skepticism, incredulity

decry’

(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

synonyms: denounce, censure, devalue

antonyms: tout, commend, extol, laud, praise

dissem’ble

(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression

synonyms: dissimulate, mask, feign

distraught’

(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

synonym: distracted

antonyms: calm, collected

eu’logy

(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise

synonyms: panegyric, encomium, tribute

antonyms: philippic, invective

evince’

(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

synonyms: exhibit, manifest, occasion

exhume’

(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light

synonyms: disinter, unearth, uncover

antonyms: bury, inter

feck’less

(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

synonyms: feeble, incompetent, ineffectual

antonyms: competent, capable, effective

mur’ky

(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

synonyms: dim, cloudy

antonyms: clear, transparent, lucid, limpid

nefar’ious

(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

synonyms: iniquitous, reprehensible

antonyms: virtuous, honorable, praiseworthy, meritorious

pi’quant

(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative

synonyms: zestful, tangy

antonyms: bland, insipid, tasteless, mild

primor’dial

(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

synonyms: original, primal

propin’quity

(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship

synonym: similarity

antonyms: remoteness, distance

sub’stantive

(adj.) real, having a solid basis; considerable in number or amount; meaningful and on topic

synonyms: firm, substantial, meaty

antonyms: imaginary, unreal, meaningless

unwon’ted

(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character

synonyms: unusual, uncommon, unexpected, atypical

antonyms: usual, customary, typical

uto’pian

(adj.) founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical

synonym: idealistic

antonyms: realistic, pragmatic

ver’biage

(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression

synonyms: prolixity, diction, jargon

ver’dant

(adj.) green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgement

synonyms: artless, naïve

antonyms: scorched, sere, barren

vis’cous

(adj.) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity

synonyms: sticky, thick

antonyms: watery, aqueous

acquis’itive

(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

synonyms: greedy, avaricious, retentive

antonym: alturistic

a’rrogate

(v.) to claim or take without right

synonyms: expropriate, commandeer

antonyms: renounce, abdicate, abandon

banal’

(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace

synonyms: stale, insipid

antonyms: original, fresh, new

bela’bor

(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

synonym: overwork

car’ping

(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism

synonyms: (adj.) nit-picking, caviling

antonyms: (adj.) approving, uncritical

coher’ent

(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

synonyms: connected, unified, consistent, cohesive

antonyms: muddled, chaotic, disjointed

congeal’

(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

synonyms: harden, jell, solidify
antonym: liquefy

em’ulate

(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

synonyms: copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

enco’mium

(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

synonyms: panegyric, eulogy

antonyms: condemnation, castigation, criticism

eschew’

(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from

synonyms: abstain from, steer clear of, forgo

antonyms: embrace, adopt

germane’

(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

synonym: pertinent

antonyms: irrelevant, extraneous, inappropriate

insa’tiable

(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

synonyms: unquenchable, ravenous

intran’sigent

(adj.) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

synonyms: uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate

antonyms: lukewarm, halfhearted, yielding

invid’ious

(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

synonyms: malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

antonyms: flattering, ameliorative

largesse’

(n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

synonyms: liberality, bounty

antonyms: stinginess, miserliness, niggardliness

reconn’aissance

(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

synonym: exploration

substan’tiate

(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

synonyms: confirm, validate, authenticate

antonyms: refute, disprove, invalidate

tac’iturn

(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

synonyms: tight-lipped, uncommunicative, laconic

antonyms: garrulous, loquacious, prolix, verbose

tem’porize

(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise

synonyms: dillydally, procrastinate

ten’able

(adj.) capable of being held or defended

synonyms: defensible, justifiable, maintainable

antonyms: indefensible, unjustifiable

a’trophy

(n.) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v.) to waste away

Synonyms: (n.) degeneration, deterioration; (v.)wither

Antonyms: (n.) growth; (v.) mature

bas’tion

(n.) a fortified place, stronghold

Synonyms: citadel, rampart, parapet

con’cord

(n.) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

Antonyms: disagreement, strife, discord

Con’summate

(Adj.) complete or perfect in the highest degree (v.) to bring to a state of completion or perfection

Synonyms: (adj.) masterful; (v.) clinch, conclude

Antonyms: (v.) launch, initiate, begin, kick off

Disarray’

(n.) disorder, confusion; (v.) to throw into disorder

Synonyms: (n.) disorganization; (v.) dishevel, mess up

Antonyms: (n.) organization, order, tidiness

ex’igency

(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

Synonyms: requirement, crisis

flot’sam

(n.) floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

Synonym: floating wreckage

frenet’ic

(adj.) frenzied, highly agitated

Synonyms: frantic, overwrought

Antonyms: calm, controlled, relaxed, leisurely

glean

(v.) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

Synonyms: cull, pick up

grouse

(n.) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v.) to complain, grumble

Synonyms: (v.) kvetch, bellyache

incar’cerate

(v.) to imprison, confine, jail

Synonym: intern

Antonyms: liberate, free

incum’bent

(adj.) obligatory, required; (n.) one who holds specific office at the time spoken of

Synonyms: (adj,) mandatory, necessary

Antonyms: (adj.) optional, unnecessary

joc’ular

(adj.) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

Synonyms: waggish, facetious, droll

Antonyms: solemn, grave, earnest, grim

lud’icrous

(Adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd

Synonyms: risible, preposterous

Antonyms: heartrending, poignant, pathetic

Mor’dant

(Adj.) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

Synonyms: acrimonious, acidulous, sardonic, scathing

Antonyms: bland, mild, gentle, soothing

net’tle

(n.) a prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

Synonyms: (v.) peeve, annoy, incense, gall

Antonyms: (v.) please, delight, soothe, pacify

pecu’niary

(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

Synonym: monetary

pu’sillanimous

(adj.) contemptibly cowardly or mean

recum’bent

(adj.) in a reclining position, lying down, the posture of one sleeping or resting

Synonyms: prone, supine, inactive

Antonyms: erect, energetic, dynamic

Strat’agem

(n.) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

Synonyms: trick, ploy, subterfuge