AP Lang Vocab

abstemious (adj.) – marked by restraint, especially in the consumption of food or alcohol
acerbic (adj.) – sharp and forthright, especially in tone or temper
acrid (adj.) – harsh or bitter in taste or smell; sharp in tone
acquiesce (v.) – to accept or comply silently or without protest
acumen (n.) – keen insight; shrewdness
adulation (n.) – excessive praise or admiration
altruistic (adj.) – showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others
ameliorate (v.) – to make better or more tolerable
anachronism (n.) – something out of its proper time period
antiloquy (n.) – a contradiction in terms or ideas
anathema (n.) – something or someone that one vehemently dislikes
archetype (n.) – a perfect or typical example; an original model
arbiter (n.) – a person with power to decide a dispute or settle differences
arboreal (adj.) – relating to trees; living in trees
assiduous (adj.) – showing great care and perseverance
atrophy (n.) – the wasting away or decline of something, especially body tissue
aphorism (n.) – a short, witty statement expressing a general truth
baleful (adj.) – threatening harm; menacing
beatify (v.) – to declare a person blessed; to make supremely happy
bellicose (adj.) – demonstrating aggression and a willingness to fight
bric-a-brac (n.) – miscellaneous small decorative objects or ornaments
browbeat (v.) – to intimidate with harsh or abusive words
buttress (n.) – a support or reinforcement; (v.) to support
cabal (n.) – a secret political faction or clique
caitiff (n.) – a cowardly or despicable person
callow (adj.) – inexperienced and immature
cadaverous (adj.) – resembling a corpse; pale, gaunt, thin
calumny (n.) – false and defamatory statements; slander
castigate (v.) – to reprimand severely
choleric (adj.) – easily angered; bad-tempered
clamorous (adj.) – noisy, loud, or insistent
colloquial (adj.) – used in ordinary or familiar conversation; informal
conflagration (n.) – a large destructive fire
consort (n.) – a companion or partner
convivial (adj.) – cheerful, friendly, and lively
credulous (adj.) – too ready to believe things; easily fooled
cupidity (n.) – excessive greed or desire, especially for wealth
cursory (adj.) – hasty and superficial; not thorough
cynosure (n.) – something that strongly attracts attention
decorous (adj.) – proper; in good taste
deleterious (adj.) – harmful or damaging
denizen (n.) – an inhabitant or resident
deprecate (v.) – to express disapproval of
dilatory (adj.) – slow to act; intended to delay
diaphanous (adj.) – light, delicate, and translucent
disinterested (adj.) – unbiased; impartial
droll (adj.) – amusing in an odd or whimsical way
ebullient (adj.) – cheerful and full of energy
effete (adj.) – worn out; lacking vitality or effectiveness
effulgence (n.) – a brilliant radiance; shining brightness
egregious (adj.) – outstandingly bad; shocking
elusion (n.) – the act of evading or escaping
encomium (n.) – a formal expression of praise
epicurean (adj.) – devoted to pleasure and luxury, especially in food
eschew (v.) – to avoid deliberately
exacerbate (v.) – to make worse or more severe
exhume (v.) – to dig out from the ground; to bring to light
extemporaneous (adj.) – spoken or done without preparation
extol (v.) – to praise enthusiastically
fallacy (n.) – a mistaken belief, especially based on unsound argument
fallible (adj.) – capable of making mistakes
factious (adj.) – causing disagreement or conflict
gesticulate (v.) – to gesture while speaking
grandiloquent (adj.) – pompous or extravagant in language or style
harangue (n.) – a lengthy and aggressive speech
harbinger (n.) – a person or thing that signals the approach of something
hegemony (n.) – leadership or dominance over others
hiatus (n.) – a pause or gap
hibernian (adj.) – of or relating to Ireland or the Irish
hirsute (adj.) – hairy
hoi polloi (n.) – the common people; the masses
homily (n.) – a sermon or moralizing lecture
iconoclast (n.) – one who attacks traditional beliefs or institutions
ignominious (adj.) – deserving or causing public disgrace
imbroglio (n.) – a complicated and confusing situation
imperative (n.) – something that is essential or urgent
impugn (v.) – to challenge as false or questionable
importune (v.) – to beg persistently and urgently
impropriety (n.) – inappropriate or incorrect behavior
indelible (adj.) – unable to be erased or removed
indigenous (adj.) – native or originating in a particular place
ineffable (adj.) – too great or extreme to be expressed in words
inchoate (adj.) – just begun and not fully formed
incipient (adj.) – beginning to exist or appear
indolent (adj.) – lazy or avoiding activity
inevitable (adj.) – unavoidable
ingenious (adj.) – clever, original, and inventive
ingenuous (adj.) – innocent and unsuspecting
insidious (adj.) – subtly harmful or deceitful
invective (n.) – insulting or abusive language
inveterate (adj.) – firmly established by habit
iota (n.) – a very small amount
itinerate (v.) – to travel from place to place
jaundiced (adj.) – affected by bitterness or envy
jeremiad (n.) – a prolonged lamentation or complaint
jingoistic (adj.) – extremely patriotic, often warlike
jocular (adj.) – humorous or playful
junta (n.) – a military or political group ruling after taking power
leviathan (n.) – a large or powerful entity
loquacious (adj.) – very talkative
magnanimous (adj.) – generous and forgiving
malefactor (n.) – a person who does wrong or commits a crime
mawkish (adj.) – overly sentimental
maven (n.) – an expert or connoisseur
magisterial (adj.) – having the qualities of a master or teacher; authoritative
menagerie (n.) – a collection of wild animals or an unusual group
meretricious (adj.) – attractive in a cheap, flashy way
mendacious (adj.) – lying; untruthful
microcosm (n.) – a small version of something larger
misanthropic (adj.) – hating or distrusting humanity
miscreant (n.) – a villain or wrongdoer
modish (adj.) – fashionable or stylish
moribund (adj.) – dying or near death; stagnant
nadir (n.) – the lowest point
nefarious (adj.) – wicked or criminal
neophyte (n.) – a beginner or novice
nominal (adj.) – existing in name only; insignificant
nonpareil (n.) – without equal; unrivaled
numinous (adj.) – spiritual or mysterious in a way that inspires awe
obdurate (adj.) – stubborn; unyielding
obsequious (adj.) – overly submissive or eager to please
obstreperous (adj.) – noisy and difficult to control
onerous (adj.) – burdensome or difficult to endure
parsimonious (adj.) – extremely frugal or stingy
pastoral (adj.) – related to the countryside or rural life
paroxysm (n.) – a sudden outburst of emotion or activity
pedantic (adj.) – overly concerned with minor details or rules
penultimate (adj.) – next to last
peccadillo (n.) – a small, relatively unimportant offense
pejorative (adj.) – expressing contempt or disapproval
perambulate (v.) – to walk through or travel
pernicious (adj.) – harmful, especially in a gradual way
pertinacity (n.) – persistent determination
pestilential (adj.) – deadly or harmful; annoying
phlegmatic (adj.) – calm, unemotional
picayune (adj.) – petty; worthless
placid (adj.) – calm and peaceful
plebeian (adj.) – common or vulgar
poetaster (n.) – a bad or inferior poet
prevaricate (v.) – to lie or mislead
prolix (adj.) – wordy and lengthy
prophesy (v.) – to predict the future
protean (adj.) – changeable; adaptable
proselyte (n.) – a new convert
prosaic (adj.) – dull or unimaginative
punctilious (adj.) – showing great attention to detail or correct behavior
pusillanimous (adj.) – cowardly; lacking courage
reticence (n.) – reserved or restrained in speech
sanctimonious (adj.) – making a show of being morally superior
sapience (n.) – wisdom or intelligence
savoir faire (n.) – the ability to act appropriately in any situation
specious (adj.) – misleadingly attractive or plausible
spurious (adj.) – false or fake
staid (adj.) – serious, dignified, and unadventurous
stoic (adj.) – indifferent to pleasure or pain
stoical (adj.) – enduring hardship without complaint
supersede (v.) – to replace or take the place of
supposition (n.) – an uncertain belief or assumption
surfeit (v.) – to overindulge; (n.) an excess
surreptitious (adj.) – secret or stealthy
sycophant (n.) – a person who flatters for personal gain
taciturn (adj.) – reserved or uncommunicative
timorous (adj.) – shy or fearful
trite (adj.) – overused and unoriginal
tortuous (adj.) – winding, twisting, or complex
tutelary (adj.) – protective; serving as a guardian
unctuous (adj.) – excessively flattering or oily
usurp (v.) – to seize power or position by force
vainglorious (adj.) – boastful or vain
vacuous (adj.) – lacking intelligence or thought
venerate (v.) – to honor or revere
verdant (adj.) – green with vegetation; inexperienced
wanderlust (n.) – a strong desire to travel
zeitgeist (n.) – the spirit or mood of a particular time period