| Word | Definition |
| Apothegm | a pithy, compact saying: Aphorism |
| Apotheosis | an ideal example of something; an elevation to godhood |
| Appall | dismay; shock |
| Apparition | ghost; phantom |
| Appease | to pacify; to soothe; to relieve |
| Appellation | a name; a title: a designation |
| Append | to attach |
| Application | act of applying |
| Apposite | appropriate; fitting; apt |
| Appraise | to estimate value of |
| Appreciate | to be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of |
| Apprehend | to arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive |
| Apprehensive | fearful; discerning |
| Apprise | to inform |
| Approbation | an approval |
| Appropriate | to acquire; to take exclusive possession of |
| Appurtenance | an incidental right |
| Apropos | (PREP) with reference to; regarding |
| Aptitude | capacity for learning; natural ability; aptness |
| Aquiline | curved; hooked |
| Arable | fit for growing crops |
| Arbiter | person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge |
| Arbitrary | unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical |
| Arbitrate | act as a judge |
| Arboretum | place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited |
| Arcade | a covered passageway, usually lined with shops |
| Arcane | secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated <arcane rituals> |
| Archaeology | study of artifacts and relics of early mankind |
| Archaic | antiquated |
| Archetype | prototype (original model); primitive pattern |
| Archipelago | group of closely located islands |
| Archives | public records; place where public records are kept |
| Ardor | heat; passion; zeal |
| Arduous | hard; strenuous |
| Argot | secret language; slang <In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride."> |
| Aria | operatic solo |
| Arid | dry; barren |
| Aristocracy | hereditary nobility; privileged class |
| Armada | fleet of warships |
| Aromatic | fragrant |
| Arraign | to charge in court; to indict |
| Array | to marshal (usher); to draw up in order
to clothe; to adorn |
| Arrears | being in debt <He was in arrears with his payments on the car.> |
| Arrhythmic | lacking rhythm or regularity |
| Arrogance | pride; haughtiness |
| Arroyo | a water-carved gully or channel |
| Arsenal | storage place for military equipment |
| Articulate | effective; distinct |
| Artifact | object made by human beings |
| Artifice | deception; trickery |
| Artisan | a manually skilled worker |
| Artless | without guile; open or honest |
| Ascendancy | controlling influence: domination |
| Ascertain | to find out for certain |
| Ascetic | practicing self-denial; austere |
| Ascribe | to refer; to attribute; to assign |
| Aseptic | preventing infection; having a cleansing effect |
| Ashen | ash-colored; deadly pale |
| Asinine | stupid |
| Askance | with a sideways or indirect look |
| Askew | crookedly; slanted; at an angle |
| Asperity | roughness of manner or temper <These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.> |
| Aspersion | slanderous remark |
| Aspirant | seeker after position or status |
| Aspire | to seek to attain; to long for |
| Assail | to assault |
| Assay | to analyze; to evaluate |
| Assent | to agree; to accept |
| Assert | to state strongly or positively; to insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims) |
| Assessment | estimation; appraisal |
| Assiduous | diligent (energetic effort) |
| Assimilate | to absorb; to cause to become homogeneous |
| Assuage | to ease or lessen (pain); to satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) |
| Assumption | something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of |
| Assurance | promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence |
| Asteroid | small planet |
| Astigmatism | eye defect that prevents proper focus |
