AP Literature Vocab Quiz 8/17

First 20 words

Abbreviations in this set

def.: definition

\----don’t need to memorize for quiz----

N: noun

V: verb

adj.: adjective

Litany (N)

\
ex. Martin Luther protested the Catholic Church by nailing a LITANY of grievances.

a long list; tedious recital or repetitive series

\
synonyms: catalogue, recitation, prayer, petition

Ostentatious (adj.)

\
ex. The Palace of Versailles was OSTENTATIOUSLY decorated in gold and marble.

showy

\
synonyms: pretentious, conspicuous (def.: easily seen, visible)

Vehement (adj.)

\
ex. The VEHEMENT debate lasted for hours.

intense, with great passion

\
synonyms: spirited, ardent (def.: enthusiastic), fervent (def.: impassioned, intense)

Lament (N & V)

\
ex. He was LAMENTING the death of his oldest dog.

an expression of sadness or regret; the act of regretting

\
synonyms: moaning, wailing, sorrow, mourn

Contentious (adj.)

\
ex. Giving the player a red card was a CONTENTIOUS decision by the referee.

argumentative; quarrelsome

\
synonyms: controversial, debatable, disputable

Incongruous (adj.)

\
ex. The cheetah print tracksuit looked INCONGRUOUS with the neon yellow sneakers he wore.

not well fitting

\
synonyms: inappropriate, unsuitable, out of place

Illicit (adj.)

\
ex. Walter White went from a chemistry teacher to an ILLICIT drug lord.

illegal; forbidden

\
synonyms: unlawful, banned

Fervor (N)

\
ex. Fans worldwide cheered with FERVOR when Argentina won the World Cup.

excitement and energy

\
synonyms: passion, zeal (def.: great energy and enthusiasm), ardor

Crass (adj.)

\
ex. His CRASS behavior during the formal ceremony got him kicked out.

lacking manners or a sense of what is proper

\
synonyms : insensitive, stupid, mindless, dense

Piety (N)

\
ex. She was known for her PIETY and acts of charity.

holiness; purity

\
synonyms: devotion, duty, saintliness

Bellicose (adj.)

\
ex. His BELLICOSE demeanor often led to heated arguments and physical confrontations.

warlike; fighty

\
synonyms: belligerent (def.: hostile and aggressive), antagonistic, threatening

Discourse (N)

ex. The two friends had a DISCOURSE for hours on the existence of aliens.

elevated discussion

synonyms: conversation, dialogue

Vacillate (V)

\
ex. If you ask her to pick something for dinner, she will VACILLATE between restaurants forever.

shifting position, being unable to hold one clear stance ⥃

\
synonyms: dither (def.: be indecisive), fluctuate, teethed (def.: sway back and forth)

Profound (adj.)

\
ex. The scientist made a PROFOUND discovery that revolutionized our understanding of space.

ex. Her sense of disappointment was PROFOUND.

deep, impressive

\
synonyms: heartfelt, great, knowledgeable, wise

Superficial (adj.)

\
ex. The building only suffered SUPERFICIAL damage from the storm.

ex. The president’s concern for the homeless population was SUPERFICIAL; nothing was done to provide aid.

surface layer; lacking genuine qualities

\
synonyms: exterior, peripheral, ostensible (def.: stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so)

Strident (adj.)

\
ex. Demands for his resignation have become more and more STRIDENT.

ex. I gritted my teeth every time I heard his STRIDENT voice.

abrupt and cold as presenting a forceful opinion; loud and harsh

\
synonyms: harsh, insistent, discordant (def.: disagreeing or incongruous; incongruous def.: not in harmony with surroundings or other aspects)

Idyllic (adj.)

\
ex. The tiny town by the sea is an IDYLLIC place for a honeymoon.

serene; gardenlike

\
tip to differentiate from “sublime”: often used in relation to nature

synonyms: heavenly, paradisal, picturesque

Sublime (adj.)

\
ex. After the SUBLIME meal, we gave the chef our compliments.

ex. Tchaikovsky wrote SUBLIME violin and piano concertos.

as close as possible to perfection; of such excellence as to inspire great admiration

\
synonyms: divine, glorious, exalted, awe-inspiring, grandeur

Reprieve (N)

\
ex. After being proven innocent, he was REPRIEVED from his death sentence.

ex. The drugs give him a temporary REPRIEVE from the pain.

break; relief from a difficult situation

\
synonyms: pardon, spare, acquit

Approbation (N)

\
ex. After scoring a penalty, the player received widespread APPROBATION from the crowd.

ex. Good grades earned the boy his mother’s APPROBATION.

approval

\
synonyms: acceptance, endorsement encouragement