AP Lang Vocab Terms

Virile – Strong, masculine, and full of energy.
Think: "Manly and vigorous like a superhero."

Venal – Open to bribery or corruption.
Think: "Easily bought with a Visa card."

Ingratiate – Trying to gain someone's favor by flattering them.
Think: "Great at pleasing others to fit in."

Mitigate – To make less severe or serious.
Think: "Mitigate is like ‘minimize the damage.’"

Tantamount – Equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as.
Think: "This is tantalizingly close to the same thing."

Paramount – Most important or superior.
Think: "The Paramount mountain logo represents the best."

Onerous – A task or duty that is burdensome or hard.
Think: "A task that feels like an onerous load to carry."

Eschew – To avoid something deliberately.
Think: "I eschew things I dislike, like chewing gum."

Incorrigible – Unable to be corrected or reformed.
Think: "Not corrigible, can’t correct."

Spurious – False or fake.
Think: "Spurious rumors are not true."

Optimistic – Hopeful and confident about the future.
Think: "Seeing the glass half full, optimistic outlook."

Conformity – Following rules, norms, or standards.
Think: "Conforming to society's expectations."

Ambivalent – Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas.
Think: "Ambi (both) sides of an argument."

Contrite – Feeling regret or guilt.
Think: "I’m contrite when I apologize."

Salacious – Appealing to sexual desire in a shocking way.
Think: "Scandalous and salacious news sells."

Irate – Extremely angry.
Think: "Irate sounds like 'irritated' but stronger."

Amenable – Open to suggestions or easily persuaded.
Think: "Someone who says amen to ideas is agreeable."

Pecuniary – Related to money.
Think: "Money is the pecuniary issue here."

Abject – Extremely bad, unpleasant, or degrading.
Think: "Abject poverty is the worst kind of poverty."

Gregarious – Sociable, enjoying the company of others.
Think: "Greg is always around people, he’s so social."

Insular – Isolated or narrow-minded.
Think: "Insulated from new ideas."