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