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APLang Vocab quiz

Auspicious (adjective)

  • Definition: Signaling a favorable or promising outcome.

  • Alternate Description: Indicating success or good fortune ahead.

  • Example Sentence: The clear skies and mild weather made it an auspicious day for the outdoor wedding.

Conducive (adjective)

  • Definition: Creating an environment that helps bring about a particular result.

  • Alternate Description: Making something more likely to happen or be successful.

  • Example Sentence: A quiet library is conducive to focused studying.

Charlatan (noun)

  • Definition: A person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skills.

  • Alternate Description: A fraud or impostor who deceives others for personal gain.

  • Example Sentence: The so-called doctor turned out to be a charlatan with no real medical training.

Coddle (verb)

  • Definition: To treat with excessive indulgence or care.

  • Alternate Description: To overprotect someone, often to their detriment.

  • Example Sentence: Parents who coddle their children too much may prevent them from becoming independent.

Conflate (verb)

  • Definition: To combine two or more things, often leading to confusion.

  • Alternate Description: To merge distinct ideas or concepts into one, sometimes incorrectly.

  • Example Sentence: Many people conflate correlation with causation, assuming that one event directly causes another.

Droll (adjective)

  • Definition: Amusing in an odd or whimsical way.

  • Alternate Description: Funny in a dry or understated manner.

  • Example Sentence: The comedian’s droll sense of humor had the audience chuckling throughout the performance.

Disparate (adjective)

  • Definition: Fundamentally different or distinct in nature.

  • Alternate Description: Lacking similarity or connection.

  • Example Sentence: The conference brought together disparate perspectives from various academic disciplines.

Equivalence (noun)

  • Definition: The state of being equal or having the same value.

  • Alternate Description: A condition where two things are comparable in function or significance.

  • Example Sentence: Some argue that there is no moral equivalence between self-defense and unprovoked violence.

Fatuous (adjective)

  • Definition: Silly, foolish, or lacking serious thought.

  • Alternate Description: Demonstrating ignorance or a lack of intelligence.

  • Example Sentence: His fatuous remarks about history showed that he had not done his research.

Fallow (adjective, noun)

  • Definition (adj.): Unused or inactive, often referring to land left unplanted to restore fertility.

  • Alternate Description: Dormant or unproductive for a period of time.

  • Example Sentence: The writer took a fallow year to regain inspiration before starting her next book.

Hubris (noun)

  • Definition: Excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.

  • Alternate Description: Arrogance that blinds a person to their limitations.

  • Example Sentence: His hubris led him to underestimate his opponent, resulting in a humiliating defeat.

Infringe (verb)

  • Definition: To violate, trespass, or encroach upon someone's rights or space.

  • Alternate Description: To overstep legal or ethical boundaries.

  • Example Sentence: The new law was challenged in court for potentially infringing on free speech.

Kowtow (verb)

  • Definition: To act in an excessively submissive manner.

  • Alternate Description: To bow or show deference in a way that suggests weakness or excessive obedience.

  • Example Sentence: He refused to kowtow to his boss’s unreasonable demands.

Moxie (noun)

  • Definition: Courage, determination, or boldness in the face of challenges.

  • Alternate Description: A mix of guts, spirit, and perseverance.

  • Example Sentence: She showed a lot of moxie by standing up to the unfair policy.

Opine (verb)

  • Definition: To express an opinion.

  • Alternate Description: To make a statement based on personal belief or judgment.

  • Example Sentence: The professor opined that the new policy would have unintended consequences.

Quintessential (adjective)

  • Definition: Representing the most typical or perfect example of something.

  • Alternate Description: The purest or most ideal embodiment of a concept.

  • Example Sentence: The film is the quintessential romantic comedy, with all the expected elements of the genre.

Prohibitive (adjective)

  • Definition: Restrictively expensive or difficult to obtain.

  • Alternate Description: Preventing or severely discouraging action.

  • Example Sentence: The cost of living in the city has become prohibitive for many middle-class families.

Stifle (verb)

  • Definition: To suppress, suffocate, or prevent something from developing.

  • Alternate Description: To restrain or hold back forcefully.

  • Example Sentence: The oppressive government tried to stifle free speech by censoring journalists.

Salient (adjective)

  • Definition: Most noticeable or important.

  • Alternate Description: Standing out as particularly relevant or striking.

  • Example Sentence: The lawyer highlighted the most salient points of the case in his closing argument.

Tenuous (adjective)

  • Definition: Weak, uncertain, or lacking a strong foundation.

  • Alternate Description: Fragile or insubstantial in reasoning or structure.

  • Example Sentence: His argument was based on tenuous evidence and quickly fell apart under scrutiny.