AP Lang vocab

ambivalent (adj)

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

avant-garde (adj)

new and unusual or experimental ideas, especially in the arts, or the people introducing them.

belie (verb)

contradict; give a false impression

blithe (adj)

cheerful, lighthearted; casual, unconcerned

crass (adj)

coarse, unfeeling; stupid

dichotomy (noun)

a division into two parts

disavow (verb)

to deny responsibility for or connection with

discerning (adj)

perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgement

ephemeral (adj)

short-lived

epigram (noun)

a witty saying expressing a single thought or observation

equanimity (noun)

composure; calmness

fortuitous (adj)

accidental, occurring by a happy chance

magnanimous (adj)

generous in forgiving

pacifist (noun)

one who is against war or the use of violence

paternalistic (adj)

the system of governing a country as a father would a child

reverent (adj)

feeling or showing deep and solemn respect

saccharine (adj)

excessively sweet or sentimental

staunch (adj)

loyal and committed in attitude

substantiate (verb)

to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

validate (verb)

to confirm, support, corroborate

acquiesce

(v.) to accept without protest; to agree or submit

belligerent

(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive; (n.) one at war, one engaged in war

callous

adjective - unfeeling; insensitive

censure

v. to criticize sharply

Conciliatory; adjective

tending to soothe or reconcile

despondency

n. a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage

dubiously (adj)

in a doubtful manner

equivocal (adj)

open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

euphony (n)

pleasant, harmonious sound

feign (v)

to pretend

inherent (adj)

existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute

invective (n)

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

paucity (n)

scarcity

pragmatic (adj)

practical

pretentious (adj)

pompous, self-important

prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic

protuberant (adj)

bulging

supercilious (adj)

proud and contemptuous; showing scorn because of a feeling of superiority

vindictive (adj)

having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge

wrought (adj)

shaped; made

Abscond (verb)

to escape or depart secretly, often to avoid arrest

Aesthetic (adj)

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

Colloquial (adj)

using informal, conversational language

Cynical (adj)

believing people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of sincerity

Deleterious (adj)

harmful or damaging

Didactic (adj)

intended to teach, often in a moralizing way

Diatribe (noun)

a bitter, forceful verbal attack

Disillusion (noun)

a feeling of disappointment from discovering something isn’t as good as believed

Emphatic (adj)

expressed with emphasis; forceful and clear

Esoteric (adj)

understood by only a small, specialized group

Exhort (verb)

to strongly encourage or urge someone to do something

Exploit (verb)

to take unfair advantage of; to use something for one’s own benefit

Feasible (adj)

possible or workable

Mercurial (adj)

subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood

Pedantic (adj)

overly concerned with minor details or formal rules

Poignant (adj)

emotionally moving or deeply affecting

Premise (noun)

a statement or idea that forms the basis for an argument

Punctilious (adj)

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior

Reportorial (adj)

characteristic of journalistic reporting; factual and observational

Synonymous (adj)

having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word

Attenuate (verb)

to weaken, reduce, or make less intense

Auspicious (adj)

showing signs of future success; favorable

Chauvinism (noun)

excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for one’s own group, often implying superiority

Churlish (adj)

rude, unfriendly, or ill-mannered

Contempt (noun)

a feeling of deep disrespect or scorn

Delirious (adj)

in a state of wild excitement or confusion, often due to illness or emotion

Delude (verb)

to deceive or mislead someone into believing something false

Disparage (verb)

to speak of in a disrespectful or belittling way

Enigmatic (adj)

mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand

Erudite (adj)

having or showing great knowledge or learning

Frivolous (adj)

not having any serious purpose or value; carefree

Hedonistic (adj)

devoted to pleasure and self-indulgence

Indignant (adj)

feeling anger or annoyance at something perceived as unfair

Inexorable (adj)

impossible to stop or prevent; relentless

Laud (verb)

to praise highly

Laudatory (adj)

expressing praise or commendation

Morose (adj)

sullen, gloomy, or ill-tempered

Obsequious (adj)

excessively eager to please or obey; servile

Ornamented (verb)

decorated or embellished

Strident (adj)

loud, harsh, or grating in sound or manner

Alacrity (noun)

brisk and cheerful readiness

Amiability (noun)

a pleasant or friendly disposition

Arbitrary (adj)

based on personal choice rather than reason

Convolute (verb)

to make something complex or difficult to follow

Demure (adj)

modest, reserved, or shy

Diffident (adj)

lacking confidence; hesitant

Effusive (adj)

overly expressive of emotion or enthusiasm

Elated (verb)

made extremely happy

Idiomatic (adj)

characteristic of natural, native language usage

Inculcated (verb)

taught or instilled through repetition

Incredulous (adj)

unwilling or unable to believe something

Improvident (adj)

lacking foresight; not planning ahead

Maudlin (adj)

overly sentimental

Metonymy (noun)

a figure of speech using a related concept to refer to something

Objective (adj)

based on facts rather than feelings

Ominous (adj)

suggesting something bad is coming

Orthodoxy (adj)

conforming to established or traditional beliefs

Precipitous (adj)

extremely steep or sudden

Subjective (adj)

based on personal feelings or opinions

Antithesis (noun)

direct contrast between two ideas