AP English Language Arts Vocabulary Unit 4:

Assiduous - Careful, hardworking; diligent 

Caustic - Biting; stinging

Chastise - To scold sharply

Elucidate - To explain; clarify

Exalt - To glorify; honor

Fallacious - Based on error; mistake

Hypocrisy - having beliefs or virtues that one does not actually have

Insurgent - A person who revolts against authority

Placid - Peaceful; calm

Trite - Overused and commonplace; stale

Colloquial - Informal speech or writing

Crass - Coarse; vulgar

Discerning - Having keen insight

Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration for emphasis

Incisive - Clear and sharp

Judicious - Showing good judgement

Prerogative - Special right or privilege

Tacit - Understood but not spoken

Tactless - Lacking skill or sensitivity in dealing with others

Whet - To excite or stimulate

Ameliorate - To make better

Assent - To agree

Haphazard - Careless

Incontrovertible - Undeniable

Intangible - Not material

Negate - To make ineffective

Potent - Powerful

Rigorous - Challenging

Spurious - Fake

Therapeutic - Serving to cure or heal

Altercation - Heated argument

Circumspect - Consideration of all circumstance in situation

Deference - A courteous yielding to another's wishes

Guile - Trickery

Impassive - Showing no emotion

Malevolent - Having or showing ill will

Placate - To soothe or pacify

Pugnacious - Eager and ready to fight

Tirade - Long, passionate, critical speech

Volatile - Tending to change suddenly or violently

Capricious - Changeable acting on impulse, unpredictable

Catharsis - Emotional release

Discrepancy - Lack of agreement, as between facts; an inconsistency

Ephemeral - Lasting for only a short time

Induce - To persuade or influence

Phenomenon - A fact or event that can be observed

Rectify - To remedy; Make right

Resolution - Determination; a firm decision; a vow

Retract - To take back

Serene - Peaceful; calm; placid