AP Lit. Third Quarter Basic Vocabulary

Underscore: To underline (something); to emphasize.

1. Example: The need for fire safety was underscored by the recent wildfires.

Discursiveness: Moving from topic to topic without order; rambling.

1. Example: His discursiveness made his lecture difficult to follow.

Brevity: Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.

1. Example: Her brevity in emails was appreciated by her busy colleagues.

Ardor: Enthusiasm or passion.

1. Example: He pursued his studies with an ardor that impressed his teachers.

Terse: Sparing in the use of words; abrupt.

1. Example: Her terse reply made it clear she was unhappy.

Pique: A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride.

1. Example: He left in a fit of pique after being overlooked for the promotion.

Doting: Extremely and uncritically fond of someone; adoring.

1. Example: She was a doting mother, always fussing over her children.

Pragmatic: Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

1. Example: Her pragmatic approach to problem-solving made her an effective manager.

Mundane: Lacking interest or excitement; dull.

1. Example: He found his daily tasks mundane but necessary.

Bemused: Puzzled, confused, or bewildered.

1. Example: She had a bemused expression after the magician's performance.

Lament: A passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

1. Example: Her lament for her lost friend moved everyone who heard it.

Exhort: Strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.

1. Example: The coach exhorted his players to give their best performance.

Perseverate: Repeat or prolong an action, thought, or utterance after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased.

1. Example: His tendency to perseverate on minor details often slowed down the progress of meetings.

Ambivalence: The state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.

1. Example: She felt ambivalence about her decision to move abroad.

Emanate: To come out from a source.

1. Example: A warm light emanated from the fireplace.

Ennui: A feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.

1. Example: He suffered from a deep sense of ennui that no diversion could dispel.

Petulant: (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

1. Example: Her petulant outburst surprised everyone at the dinner table.

Garrulous: Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.

1. Example: The garrulous host dominated the conversation during the entire evening.

Innocuous: Not harmful or offensive.

1. Example: It seemed an innocuous question, but we later learned it had deeper implications.

Languor: The state or feeling, often pleasant, of tiredness or inertia.

1. Example: The summer afternoon was filled with a sweet languor that enveloped everyone at the picnic.

Querulous: Complaining in a petulant or whining manner.

1. Example: Her querulous tone made it difficult to sympathize with her problems.

Repudiate: Refuse to accept or be associated with.

1. Example: She repudiated the allegations as completely baseless.

Undermine: To erode the base or foundation of (something) or to weaken gradually or insidiously.

1. Example: His constant criticism undermined her confidence.

Blithe: Showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.

1. Example: He was blithe about the risks involved in the venture.

Frugal: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.

1. Example: Her frugal lifestyle allowed her to retire early.

Inane: Silly; stupid.

1. Example: They giggled over the inane comments made during the interview.