AP Junior English Vocab Words
Order by
210 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 factious | adj- causing disagreement syn: belligerent; contentious ant: cooperative; united |
| ignoble | adj- dishonorable; shameful syn: despicable; base ant: noble; glorious |
| boor | n- a rude or impolite person syn: buffoon; clown ant: sophisticate |
| aegis | n- a shield; protection syn: backing |
| perspicacity | n- keeness of judgement syn: perceptiveness ant: stupidity; ignorance |
| fervent | adj- eager; earnest syn: burning; passionate ant: apathetic |
| rectify | v- to correct; to make right syn: remedy; resolve |
| enervate | v- to weaken syn: devitalize; exhaust ant: energize; strengthen |
| besiege | v- to overwhelm; to surround and attack |
| ephemeral | adj- lasting only a brief time; short-lived syn: transient; fleeting ant: permanent |
| altruism | n- a concern for others; generosity syn: unselfishness; magnanimity ant: selfishness; egoism |
| carrion | n- decaying flesh |
| erotic | adj- pertaining to sexual love |
| amorphous | adj- shapeless, formless, vague |
| opulent | adj- rich, luxurious, wealthy |
| impotent | adj- powerless; lacking strength syn: ineffective; helpless ant: potent; powerful |
| antithesis | n- an exact opposite; an opposite extreme syn: converse ant: same |
| maelstrom | n- whirlpool; turbulence; agitates state of mind |
| emendation | n- a correction syn: improvement; amendment |
| chagrin | n- embarrassment; a complete loss of courage |
| bauble | n- a showy but useless thing syn: trinket |
| diaphanous | adj- very sheer and light syn: transparent; gossamer ant: opaque |
| labyrinth | n- a complicated network of winding passages; a maze |
| gloat | v- to look at or think about with great satisfaction syn: revel; crow |
| impediment | n- a barrier; obstruction syn: obstacle; hindrance ant: aid |
| bestial | adj- savage; brutal syn: brutish; vile; cruel ant: humane; kind |
| effete | adj- worn out; barren syn: exhausted; spent and sterile ant: vital; vigorous |
| shard | n- a fragment |
| bland | adj- mild; tasteless; dull syn: smooth; agreeable ant: exciting; thrilling |
| nihilism | n- a total rejection of established laws |
| pedestrian | adj- ordinary or dull syn: commonplace; mediocre ant: imaginative; compelling |
| bona fide | adj- in good faith syn: legitimate; genuine ant: fraudulent; phony |
| adventitious | adj- accidental; nonessential syn: incidental |
| fecund | adj- fertile; productive syn: prolific ant: sterile |
| deviate | v- to turn aside from a course; to stray syn: digress |
| obfuscate | v- to confuse; to bewilder syn: muddle; obscure ant: clarify; elucidate |
| impale | v- to pierce with a sharp stake through the body |
| extenuate | v- to lessen seriousness by providing partial excuses |
| parochial | adj- local; narrow; limited syn: provincial; narrow-minded ant: universal; catholic |
| glower | v- to stare angrily syn: frown; scowl ant: grin |
| edify | v- to improve someone morally |
| ambiguous | adj- open to more than one interpretation syn: unclear; uncertain; vague ant: explicit; definite |
| cataclysm | n- a violent change syn: disaster; catastrophe ant: triumph; boon |
| optimum | adj- best; most favorable; ideal |
| importune | v- to ask persistently; to beg syn: appeal; badger |
| celibate | adj- abstaining from intercourse; unmarried |
| fortuitous | adj- happening by chance or accident syn: accidental; unexpected ant: premeditated; intentional |
| recapitulate | v- to summarize; to repeat briefly |
| perfunctory | adj- done without care; in a routine fashion syn: indifferent; offhand ant: diligent; attentive |
| baroque | adj- overly decorated syn: ornate ant: simple |
| hedonism | n- pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses |
| obloquy | n- strong disapproval; a bad reputation resulting from public criticism syn: censure; rebuke ant: acclaim; praise |
| debacle | n- a complete failure; a total collapse syn: calamity; catastrophe ant: success; triumph |
| quasi- | adj- resembling; seeming; half |
| besmirch | v- to make dirty; to stain syn: soil; sully; smear ant: cleanse |
| imperative | adj- extremely necessary; vitally important |
| sacrosanct | adj- extremely holy syn: divine; angelic |
| sadistic | adj- deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others syn: barbarous; perverse ant: civilized; humane |
| demeanor | n- behavior; manner of conducting oneself syn: deportment |
| facetious | adj- comical; jocular; flippant syn: joking; witty; jocose ant: solemn; serious |
| fop | n- an excessively fashion-concious man syn: dandy |
| imprecation | n- a curse syn: condemnation; anathema ant: blessing |
| non sequitur | n- something that does not logically follow syn: fallacy; misconception |
| sanguine | adj- cheerful; optimistic |
| bowdlerize | v- to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc. syn: censor |
| impair | v- to weaken; to cause to become worse syn: damage; deteriorate ant: enhance |
| panegyric | n- an expression of praise syn: tribute; extolment ant: denunciation |
| quandary | n- a puzzling situation; a dilemma syn: predicament |
| ebullient | adj- enthusiastic syn: exuberant; lively ant: dejected; dispirited |
| deference | n- respect; consideration |
| carnal | adj- relating to physical appetite, especially sexual syn: erotic ant: chaste; modest |
| nebulous | adj- hazy; vague; uncertain syn: cloudy; indistinct; obscure ant: distinct; precise |
| rakish | adj- dashingly stylish and confident syn: dapper; jaunty ant: slovenly; disheveled |
| elegy | n- a sad or mournful poem syn: dirge; lament |
| pedantic | adj- tending to show off one's learning syn: bookish |
| antipathy | n- an intense dislike syn: aversion ant: affinity |
| elucidate | v- to make clear syn: explain; clarify ant: obscure |
| imminent | adj- likely to happen; threatening syn: impending; approaching ant: distant; delayed |
| banal | adj- common, ordinary syn: trivial; insipid ant: original; fresh |
| obdurate | adj- stubborn; hardhearted syn: inflexible; obstinate ant: compliant; amenable |
| peruse | v- to read carefully; scrutinize |
| bedlam | n- a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion syn: mayhem; chaos |
| affluence | n- wealth; richness syn: fortune |
| scurrilous | adj- coarsely abusive; vulgar syn: indecent ant: respectable |
| parody | n- a work which imitates another in a ridiculous manner syn: caricature; burlesque; lampoon |
| sedulous | adj- hard working; diligent syn: studious; assiduous ant: lazy; lax |
| onerous | adj- burdensome; heavy; hard to endure syn: crushing; distressing |
| amoral | adj- lacking a sense of right and wrong syn: corrupt; evil ant: innocent; virtuous |
| eschew | v- to keep away from; to avoid; to shun ant: embrace; welcome |
| denouement | n- an outcome; result syn: conclusion |
| adroit | adj- skillful; clever syn: dexterous; apt ant: clumsy; awkward |
| macroscopic | adj- visible to the naked eye ant: microscopic |
| fatuous | adj- foolish; inane syn: silly ant: sensible; wise |
| bovine | adj- pertaining to cows or cattle |
| ferret | v- to search or drive out |
| affectation | n- a phony attitude; pose syn: insincerity; sham ant: sincerity; genuineness |
| knell | n- a sound made by a bell, often rung slowly for a death or funeral |
| dichotomy | n- a division into two parts |
| callow | adj- young and inexperienced syn: immature ant: mature; sophisticated |
| laconic | adj- using few words; short; concise syn: pithy; taciturn ant: verbose; loquacious |
| quiddity | n- an essential quality syn: essence |
| patent | adj- evident or obvious syn: indisputable; apparent |
| peccadillo | n- a minor offense; a misdeed |
| sagacious | adj- wise; having keen perception and sound judgement syn: shrewd; intelligent ant: obtuse; fatuous |
| rationalize | v- to make an excuse for syn: justify |
| deride | v- to ridicule; to mock syn: scorn ant: praise |
| censure | v- to criticize sharply syn: condemn; reproach ant: praise; applaud |
| gambol | v- to frolic; to romp about playfully syn: play; caper; rollick |
| immolate | v- to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire |
| recondite | adj- difficult to understand; profound |
| martinet | n- a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster |
| quagmire | n- a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation |
| gibe | v- to scoff; to ridicule syn: jeer; taunt; sneer ant: compliment; praise |
| agape | adj- open-mouthed; surprised; agog syn: astonished |
| carcinogen | n- causing cancer |
| olfactory | adj- pertaining to smell |
| imperious | adj- domineering; haughty syn: overbearing; arrogant; masterful ant: servile; submissive |
| grotesque | adj- absurd; distorted |
| neologism | n- a new word or expression syn: coinage |
| hackneyed | adj- commonplace; overused syn: trite; banal ant: fresh; imaginative |
| machination | n- an evil design or plan syn: scheme; plot |
| pejorative | adj- having a negative effect; insulting syn: disparaging; derogatory ant: complimentary |
| harbinger | n- an omen or sign syn: warning; portent |
| nubile | adj- suitable for marriage in age and physical developement, referring to a female |
| sapient | adj- wise; full of knowledge syn: sagacious ant: fatuous; inane |
| chimerical | adj- imaginary; fantastic syn: absurd; illusionary ant: practical |
| masochist | n- one who enjoys his or her own pain and suffering |
| finesse | n- diplomacy; tact; artful management syn: skill; cunning ant: tactlessness |
| heterogeneous | adj- different; dissimilar syn: diverse; varied ant: homogenous; similar |
| eclectic | adj- choosing from various sources syn: selective ant: narrow |
| grandiose | adj- impressive; showy; magnificent syn: stately; imposing ant: humble |
| raiment | n- clothing; garments |
| blanch | v- to whiten; to make pale |
| hybrid | n- anything of mixed origin |
| idiosyncrasy | n- a peculiar personality trait syn: eccentricity; quirk |
| idolatry | n- excessive or blind adoration; worship of an object |
| adulterate | v- to make impure; to contaminate syn: taint; corrupt ant: refine; refined |
| emanate | v- to come forth; to send forth syn: rise; emerge |
| garish | adj- tastelessly gaudy syn: showy; glaring; flashy ant: sedate; conservative |
| immutable | adj- unchangeable; fixed syn: enduring ant: flexible; changeable |
| diadem | n- a crown |
| bucolic | adj- pertaining to the countryside; rural; rustic syn: pastoral ant: urban |
| redolent | adj- having a pleasant odor; suggestive or evocative syn: aromatic ant: acrid |
| impecunious | adj- without money; penniless syn: destitute; indigent ant: affluent; prosperous |
| sedition | n- rebellion or resistance against the government syn: treachery; disloyalty |
| defile | v- to pollute; to corrupt |
| gratuitous | adj- unnecessary or uncalled for |
| onus | n- a burden; a responsibility syn: obligation |
| impious | adj- disrespectful toward God syn: irreligious; profane ant: devout; pious |
| caveat | n- a warning syn: admonition; caution |
| elixir | n- a supposed remedy for all ailments syn: medicine; panacea |
| desiccated | adj- dried up |
| cessation | n- a stopping; a discontinuance syn: ceasing; end ant: beginning; commencement |
| juxtapose | v- to place side by side for comparison syn: measure; examine |
| kinetic | adj- pertaining to motion |
| garrulous | adj- talkative syn: loquacious; verbose ant: taciturn |
| fetish | n- an object that recieves respect or devotion syn: charm; talisman |
| scintillate | v- to sparkle; to twinkle; to sparkle intellectually |
| lachrymose | adj- tearful; weepy |
| fissure | n- an opening; a groove; a split |
| epitome | n- a typical example syn: embodiment; archetype |
| languid | adj- sluggish; drooping from weakness syn: listless; feeble; drooping ant: robust; vigorous |
| delineate | v- to describe, to depict |
| legerdemain | n- sleight of hand; deception |
| libertine | n- one who leads an immoral life syn: hedonist; glutton; epicurean |
| halcyon | adj- calm; pleasant syn: tranquil; unruffled ant: troubled; tumultuous |
| fastidious | adj- hard to please; fussy syn: meticulous; exacting ant: casual; lax |
| badinage | n- playful, teasing talk syn: chaff; joshing |
| malapropism | n- a word humorously misused |
| garner | v- to gather; to acquire syn: harvest |
| kismet | n- a destiny; fate; fortune (one's lot in life) |
| hegira | n- flight; escape |
| paradigm | n- a model; an example |
| debauchery | n- corruption; self-indulgence syn: excess; dissipation |
| milieu | n- enviroment; setting |
| regress | v- to move backward |
| bilious | adj- bad tempered; cross syn: grouchy; cantankerous ant: pleasant |
| necromancy | n- magic, especially that practiced by a witch syn: black magic; conjuring |
| gumption | n- courage and initiative; common sense syn: enterprise; aggressiveness; drive |
| blandishment | n- flattery syn: overpraise; bootlicking |
| nirvana | n- a condition of great peace or happiness |
| salutary | adj- healthful; wholesome syn: beneficial ant: pernicious |
| despicable | adj- contemptible; hateful syn: vile; base ant: laudable; worthy |
| harlequin | n- a clown |
| empathy | n- an understanding of another's feelings syn: appreciation; compassion |
| brevity | n- briefness; short duration syn: terseness; conciseness ant: lengthiness |
| savant | n- a person of extensive learning; an imminent scholar |
| obsequious | adj- excessively submissive or overly attentive syn: servile; fawning ant: domineering; haughty |
| redundant | adj- repetitious; using more words than needed syn: wordy; excessive; unnecessary ant: essential |
| offal | n- garbage; waste parts |
| hoi polloi | n- the common people; the masses |
| sentient | adj- conscious; capable of feeling or perceiving syn: allert; alive; cognizant |
| impinge | v- to encroach; to trespass syn: infringe; intrude |
| cataract | n- a large waterfall |
| animosity | n- hatred syn: ill-will; hostility ant: friendliness; congeniality |
| bombast | n- impressive but meaningless language |
| orthography | n- correct spelling |
| paleontology | n- a science dealing with prehistoric life through the study of fossils |
| recoil | v- to retreat; to draw back |
| panache | n- self-confidence; a showy manner syn: charisma; spirit |
| saturnine | adj- gloomy; sluggish syn: sullen; morose ant: genial |
| endemic | adj- confined to a particular country or area syn: native; indigenous ant: alien; foreign |
| mendacious | adj- lying; false; deceitful syn: duplicitous ant: truthful |
| obviate | v- to prevent; to get around syn: circumvent |
| paroxysm | n- a sudden outburst; a fit syn: outburst; commotion |
| aggrandize | v- 1. to increase the range of; to expand 2. to make appear larger (1) syn: englarge; augment; enrich (1) ant: decrease; diminish (2) syn: exaggerate; embellish (2) ant: belittle; devalue |
| deign | v- to lower oneself before an inferior syn: stoop; condescend |
| flaunt | v- to show off syn: boast; exhibit ant: conceal |
| shibboleth | n- a word pronunciation that distinguishes someone as of a particular group |
| elicit | v- to draw forth; to call forth syn: evoke; extract ant: cover; suppress |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.