AP Eng Comp Summer Vocabulary
Scathing
(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
inflammatory
(adj.) causing excitement or anger; leading to violence or disorder
Trite
(adj.) commonplace; overused, stale
Candid
(adj.) frank, sincere; impartial; unposed
Belligerent
(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive; (n.) one at war, one engaged in war
facetious
(adj.) humorous, not meant seriously
Naive
(adj.) innocent, unsophisticated, showing lack of worldly knowledge and experience
Flippant
(adj.) lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy
Unassuming
(adj.) not putting on airs, unpretentious; modest
frivolous
(adj.) of little importance, not worthy of serious attention; not meant seriously
Imperious
(adj.) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling
Provincial
(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony
bombastic
(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
austere
(adj.) severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain; harsh or sour in flavor
Incisive
(adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
inane
(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value
Turgid
(adj.) swollen, bloated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language
Grotesque
(adj.) unnatural, distorted; bizarre
Jaded
(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
Defiant
Boldly resistant or challenging
Pompous Pompous (adjective) / pompously (adverb) / pompousness (noun)
Definition: (1) affectedly and irritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important
Brazen Brazen (adjective) (verb) / brazenly (adverb) / brazenness (noun)
Definition: (1) bold and without shame, (2) made of brass, (1) endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.
Caustic Caustic (adjective) / caustic (noun)
Definition: (1) capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue, (2) severely critical or sarcastic, (1) a caustic substance.
Pretentious Pretentious (adjective) / pretentiously (adverb) / pretentiousness (noun)
Definition: (1) characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved, (2) making an exaggerated outward show, (3) having no factual basis
Satiric Satiric (adjective) / satirically (adverb) / satire (noun)
Definition: (1) containing or using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Somber Somber (adjective) / somberly (adverb) / somberness (noun)
Definition: (1) dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy.
Pragmatic Pragmatic (adjective) / pragmaticality (noun) / pragmatically (adverb)
Definition: (1) dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
Indignant Indignant (adjective) / indignantly (adverb) / indignation (noun)
Definition: (1) feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy
Disdainful Disdainful (adjective) / disdainfully (adverb) / disdainfulness (noun)
Definition: (1) full of or expressing contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior
Forthright Forthright (adjective) (adverb) (noun) / forthrightly (adverb) / forthrightness (noun)
Definition: (1) going straight to the point, (2) proceeding in a straight course, (1) a straight path
Ambivalent Ambivalent (adjective) / ambivalently (adverb)
Definition: (1) having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
Malicious Malicious (adjective) / maliciously (adverb) / malicousness (noun)
Definition: (1) having or showing a desire to cause harm to someone
Petty Petty (adjective) / pettily (adverb) / pettiness (noun)
Definition: (1) having secondary rank or importance (2) having little or no importance or significance (3) marked by or reflected of narrow interests and sympathies
Mock-heroic Mock-heroic (adjective) / mock-heroic (noun) / mock-heroically (adverb)
Definition: (1) imitating the style of heroic literature in order to satirize an unheroic subject, (1) a burlesque imitation of the heroic character or literary style.
Didactic Didactic (adjective) / didactically (adverb) / didacticism (noun)
Definition: (1) intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.
Contemptuous Contemptuous (adjective) / contemptuously (adverb) / contemptuousness (noun)
Definition: (1) manifesting, feeling, or expressing deep hatred or disapproval
Diffident Diffident (adjective) / diffidently (adverb)
Definition: (1) modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.
lugubrious Lugubrious (adjective) / lugubriously (adverb) / lugubriousness (noun)
Definition: (1) mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner
Unabashed Unabashed (adjective) / unabashedly (adverb)
Definition: (1) not ashamed, disconcerted, or apologetic
Reticent Reticent (adjective) / reticently (adverb) / reticence (noun)
Definition: (1) not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily
Poignant poignant (adjective) / poignantly (adverb)
Definition: (1) painfully or deeply affecting the feelings, (2) designed to make an impression
Whimsical Whimsical (adjective) / whimsically (adverb)
Definition: (1) playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way, (2) acting or behaving in a capricious manner.
Urgent Urgent (adjective) / urgently (adverb) / urgency (noun)
Definition: (1) requiring immediate action or attention.
Seductive Seductive (noun) / seductively (adverb) / seductiveness (noun)
Definition: (1) tempting and attractive; enticing
Incredulous Incredulous (adjective) / incredulously (adverb) / incredulousness (noun)
Definition: (1) unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true
Elegiac Elegiac (adjective) / elegiac (noun) / elegiacally (adverb)
Definition: (1) used in, suitable for, or resembling an elegy. (2) expressing sorrow or lamentation (1) an elegiac or distich verse. (2) a poem in such distichs or verses.
Wry Wry (adjective) / wryly (adverb) / wryness (noun)
Definition: (1) using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor, (2) twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance, (3) distorted or turned to one side
Ironic Ironic (adjective) / ironically (adverb)
Definition: (1) using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning, (2) coincidental or unexpected
Incensed Incensed (adjective)
Definition: (1) very angry or enraged
Patronizing patronizing (adjective) / patronize (verb) / patronizingly (adverb) / patronizingness (noun)
Definition: showing or characterized by a superior attitude towards others
estoreic
Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
Taunting
aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing
Resentful
angry due to a feeling of being treated unfairly
Conciliatory
appeasing; soothing; showing willingness to reconcile
Commanding
appreciably superior or imposing; winning; sizable
haughty
arrogantly superior and disdainful
credulous
believing on slight evidence, gullible
Fatalistic
believing that all events in life are inevitable and determined by fate
Acerbic
bitter, sharp in taste or temper
Contentious
causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
Demeaning
causing someone to lose their dignity and the respect of others
Blithe
cheerful, lighthearted; casual, unconcerned
Narcissistic
conceited; having excessive self-love or admiration
Biting
cutting, sarcastic
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
Obscure
difficult to understand; partially hidden
Cynical
doubtful or distrustful of the goodness or sincerity of human motives
pensive
dreamily thoughtful
abashed
embarrassed, ashamed, or nonplussed
Callous
emotionally hardened, unfeeling
detached
emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent
Precise
exact; accurate
Effusive
expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner
Laudatory
expressing praise
Condemnatory
expressing strong disapproval; censorious
disparaging
expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory
Scornful
feeling or expressing contempt or derision
remorseful
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
vibrant
full of energy and enthusiasm
burlesque
give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly
Sardonic
grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic
Condescending
having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority
Moralistic
having or showing strong opinions about what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior
Optimistic
hopeful and confident about the future
Earnest
intense, a sincere state of mind
bantering
joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
Insipid
lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating
Vulgar
lacking refinement or taste; crude
nostalgic
longing for the past
Placating
make (someone) less angry or hostile
Befuddled
make (someone) unable to think clearly
obesquious
marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons
Impartial
unbiased; neutral
Ardent
very enthusiastic, impassioned
Benovolent
well meaning and kindly
mock-serious
of a pretended serious look or act
Sentimental
of or prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.
Cautionary
offering or serving as a warning
Sulking
sad, pouting, usually silent
Fawning
seeking flavor by flattering
Solemn
serious; grave
irreverent
showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously
Insolent
showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect
apathetic
showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern
Fatous
silly and pointless
Concrete
specific
Euphemistic
substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive
Pedantic
tending to show off one's learning