ALL APLit VOCAB

panegyric (n.)

a lofty speech or writing in praise of a person/thing

tribute, homage

felicity (n.)

the state of being happy (or lucky)

contentment, bliss

duplicity (n.)

deceitfulness in speech or conduct

trickery, fraud

reproof (n.)

criticism

rebuke (n.), reproach (n.)

archly (adv.)

in a playful or mischievous manner

slyly

solicitude (n.)

the state of being anxious or concerned

worry

acquiesce (v.)

to agree or comply without protest

consent, assent

coquetry (n.)

flirtation

imprudence (n.)

lacking discretion or wisdom

foolishness, rashness

inured (adj.)

accustomed to hardship or difficulty

used (to), hardened, adapted,

affectation (n.)

an assumed manner of speech, behaviour, etc. intended to impress others; deliberate pretense or false display

pretention, posing (n.), sham, facade

disillusioned (adj.)

freed from a belief or conviction (that was false)

disenchanted, disabused, disappointed

enmity (n.)

a feeling or condition of hostility or hatred

rancor, malice

ANT: respect

indolent (adj.)

disliking work or effort

lazy

ANT: energetic

invective (n.)

a violent or bitter accusation of reproach

scorn, abuse (n.), vituperation

obsequious (adj.)

obedient or attentive in an ingratiating or flattering way

sycophantic, servile, submissive

penurious (adj.)

lacking generosity with (or having little) money

ANT: generous

niggardly, cheap

prevaricate (v.)

to speak falsely or evasively with the intent to decieve

lie, mislead, decieve

rectitude (n.)

moral or religious correctness

pious, probity, integrity

repine (v.)

to be fretfully discontented

complain

abstruse (adj.)

hard to understand (like a foreign language/overly complex)

incomprehensible, arcane

lugubrious (adj.)

excessively mournful, dismal, or gloomy

melancholy, cynical, pessimistic

ANT: sanguine

punctilious (adj.)

strict in the observance of formalties

precise, scrupulous,

reticent (adj.)

disposed to be silent or not to speak freely

reserved, taciturn

truculent (adj.)

aggressively hostile or fierce

belligerent, aggressive

ANT: gentle, amiable

uncouth (adj.)

lacking good manners or refinement

rude, discourteous

indisposed (adj.)

sick or ill, relunctant

unwell

prosaic (adj.)

commonplace or a-matter-of-fact

dull, normal

venerable (adj.)

commanding respect because of great age or dignity

revered

zealot (n.)

an excessively enthusiastic follower of a cause

fanatic, militant

ambivalent (adj.)

having mixed feelings; unable to choose between two options

conflicting, equivocal, ANT: unequivocal

amorphous (adj.)

lacking definite form or shape

undefined, nebulous

aubade (n.)

a poem or piece of music greeting the dawn or performed at sunrise

overture

circumspect (adj.)

watchful and cautious

vigilant, guarded, indiscreet

convivial (adj.)

friendly, agreeable

jovial, genial, sociable, ANT: aloof

desultory (adj.)

lacking consistency or connection; occurring in a random way

erratic, chaotic, inconsistent

efficacy (n.)

the capability for producing a desired effect or result

effectiveness

epigram (n.)

a short, often satirical or witty saying or remark

quip, aphorism

liturgy (n.)

the form or official arrangement of the rituals of religious worship

ritual

repartee (n.)

a conversation full of quick, witty replies (or having the skill to make such replies)

banter

aplomb (n.)

total competence, poise and assurance

composure, ANT: doubt

choleric (adj.)

extremely irritable, easily angered

grumy, irascible, testy

dint (n.)

force, power

effort, exertion

fecund (adj.)

producing/capable of producing offspring or fruit in abundance

fertile, prolific, bountiful, fruitful

insinuate (v.)

to suggest or hint slyly

imply

moribund (adj.)

in a dying state or near death (without force/vitality)

stagnant, declining

privation (n.)

the lack of the usual comforts of life

want, need

propitiatory (adj.)

designed or intended to be sacrifical or appeasing

conciliatory, pacifying

recondite (adj.)

dealing with profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter

abstruse, esoteric

ribald (adj.)

vulgar or indecent in speech

obscene, course, inappropriate

ascetic (adj.)

living an exceedingly simple life of self-denial

severe, austere

diaphanous (adj.)

almost completely transparent or translucent

sheer, light

edify (v.)

to instruct or benefit

uplift

evanescence (n.)

the quality of vanishing quality

impermanence

opaque (adj.)

not allowing light to pass through

murky

peroration (n.)

a conclusion to a long speech characterized by lofty or pompous language

address

propensity (n.)

a natural inclination or tendency

disposition, proclivity

rotund (adj.)

round in shape

plump

sophistry (n.)

superficially plausible but generally incorrect reasoning (what seems like wisdom but does not work logically)

fallacy

surfeit (n.)

an excessive amount

glut, plethora

acquisition (n.)

the addition or gaining of posession

procurement, purchase

culmination (n.)

the final, highest, or decisive point

peak, pinnacle, zenith, ANT: nadir

deleterious (adj.)

injurious or harmful

damaging, pernicious

demur (v.)

to make objection or to take exception

disagree, vaccillate, balk

egregious (adj.)

extraordinary in some bad way

terrible, flagrant, glaring

hiatus (n.)

a break/interruption in the continuity of a work, series, or action

break, pause, interval, lapse

jaunty (adj.)

easy and self-confident in manner

spritely, carefree, insouciant

preternatural (adj.)

exceptional or out of the ordinary cause of nature

abnormal, exceptional

promulgate (v.)

to make known by open declaration

announce

substantiate (v.)

to establish by proof of proper evidence

confirm, affirm, verify

aesthetic (adj.)

relating to or characterized by a love of beauty, style, and taste

creative, artistic, practical

anomaly (n.)

a deviation from the common rule, type, or form

oddity, abberation

corroborate (v.)

to make certain or confirm

substantiate, authenticate

empirical (adj.)

derived from, guided by, or provably by experience or experiment

practical, factual, ANT: theoretical

exculpate (v.)

to clear from a charge of guilt or fault

vindicate, exonerate

foment (v.)

to instigate or promote the growth of

enflame, foster

illusory (adj.)

causing illusion; deceptive or misleading

false, specious

polemical (adj.)

of or involving dispute or controversy

contentious, belligerent

postulate (adj.)

to claim or assume to be true

hypothesize, posit, assume, claim

tome (n.)

a large, heavy, scholarly book

publication, volume

blithe (adj.)

very happy or cheerful; casual; (may not always be good: uncaring)

unconcerned, joyous, carefree, heedless

camaraderie (n.)

a spirit of familiarity and trust

brotherhood

cavort (v.)

to behave in a high spirited, festive manner

romp, caper

euphoria (n.)

a state of intense happiness

elation, jubilation

exhilarating (adj.)

causing strong feelings of happiness and excitement

intoxicating, rousing

forbearance (n.)

patient endurance or self control

tolerance, refraining (n.)

grandiloquent (adj.)

speaking or expressed in a lofty manner

pretentious, ANT: simple

hedonist (n.)

a person whose life is devted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification

sensualist, epicurean

sanguine (adj.)

cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident

buoyant

spontaneity (n.)

behaviour coming from natural impulse or without premeditation

whim, improvisation

adage (n.)

a traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation

proverb, maxim, aphorism

bathos (n.)

a sudden change in tone from serious to silly (most often caused by excessive emotion)

anticlimax

concatenation (n.)

a series of interconnected events

chain

dénouement (n.)

the final resolution of a plot

resolution, culmination, conclusion, outcome

feckless (adj.)

ineffective or incompetent (usually in the case of expected competency)

feeble, irresponsible

peremptory (adj.)

leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal

decisive, imperious

prognosticate (v.)

to forecast or predict

prophesy, project,

tenebrous (adj.)

dark or gloomy

shadowy

vacillate (v.)

to waver in mind or opinion

sway, hesitate

verisimilitude (n.)

the appearance or semblance of truth

plausibility