GRE Vocab Crash Course

Question 1

Define:

burnish

(bur-nish)

Answer 1

v. to polish or make shine
n. a shiny appearance

The store owner’s son’s only job was to burnish the statues in the window every day.

Question 2

Define:

buttress

(but-riss)

Answer 2

n. a supporting structure
v. to support or encourage

The parents decided to buttress the after-school programs that were in danger of ending by making donations.

Question 3

Define:

equivocate

(i-kwiv-uh-keyt)

Answer 3

v. to make vague, unclear statements

The mayor equivocated when confronted about his use of public funds.

Question 4

Define:

paragon

(par-uh-gon)

Answer 4

n. a model of excellence

The man was a paragon of virtue who had never stolen so much as a loaf of bread in his life.

Question 5

Define:

cacophony

(kuh-kof-uh-nee)

Answer 5

n. unpleasant, discordant sounds

The orchestra’s first attempt to play together was a cacophony of jarring notes.

Question 6

Define:

mawkish

(maw-kish)

Answer 6

adj. very sentimental

The group of graduating seniors was a mawkish sight, crying and taking hundreds of pictures.

Question 7

Define:

cajole

(kuh-djohl)

Answer 7

v. to make someone do something with flattery or promises

Mother cajoled her into driving the other children to school, promising to make her favorite dinner.

Question 8

Define:

dogmatic

(dawg-matt-ik)

Answer 8

adj. rigidly fixed in opinion or expression in an arrogant manner

The dogmatic theorist refused to listen to any other possibilities.

Question 9

Define:

calibrate

(kal-ih-brehyt)

Answer 9

v. to check or balance the scale of a measuring device with a standard scale

The new thermometer needed to be calibrated before it could be used.

Question 10

Define:

perdition

(per-dish-uhn)

Answer 10

n. a state of final spiritual ruin, loss of soul, damnation
n. hell

Poor moral choices led Johnny down the road to perdition.

Question 11

Define:

beseech

(bih-seech)

Answer 11

v. to request urgently

The dying man beseeched his family to visit him.

Question 12

Define:

canny

(can-ee)

Answer 12

adj. careful; shrewd

John was a canny negotiator; no matter how bad his bargaining position, he would always come out on top.

Question 13

Define:

seminal

(sem-uh-nl)

Answer 13

adj. original and influential

The seminal works of the artist developed into a new style of interpretation.

Question 14

Define:

cantankerous

(can-tang-kurr-us)

Answer 14

adj. difficult to handle; ill-tempered

The worst part about working in customer service was having to deal with irate, cantankerous callers.

Question 15

Define:

semantic

(suh-man-tick)

Answer 15

adj. related to the meaning of words

Susan felt that the abortion debate had become too focused on semantic arguments.

Question 16

Define:

serrate

(sare-ate)

Answer 16

adj. having toothed edges (“serrated” is an alternate form of the adj.)

Kate used the serrate edge of the knife to cut through the tough meat.

Question 17

Define:

sever

(sev-er)

Answer 17

v. to cut off

Unfortunately, to prevent the infection from spreading, the doctors had to sever the infected parts of the hand.

Question 18

Define:

sinuous

(sin-you-us)

Answer 18

adj. twisting and winding
adj. not direct

The sinuous path through the mountains was probably the most dangerous route to take.

Question 19

Define:

solicitude

(suh-liss-ih-tood)

Answer 19

n. caring about others’ well being

Though she claims not to have any feelings for Julio, she showed a great deal of solicitude when she learned of his illness.

Question 19

Let’s say that you can already see that this method will improve your vocabulary quickly.

How do you find more GRE cards for Brainscape – or other subjects?

Answer 19

Check out the Brainscape “market”

In the Brainscape market, you will find large sets of premium study content for both GRE and a wide variety of other subjects.

Question 20

Define:

solidarity

(sol-ih-dare-ih-tee)

Answer 20

n. a feeling of camaraderie with others due to shared goals

Several townspeople expressed solidarity with the union members by protesting with them.

Question 21

Define:

soluble

(sol-yuh-bull)

Answer 21

adj. capable of being dissolved in a liquid
adj. capable of being solved

Certain medicines are soluble in water so they can be taken with ease.

Question 22

Define:

solvent

(sol-vunt)

Answer 22

adj. able to meet financial obligations
n. a substance that can dissolve other substances

To remain solvent, the business was forced to sell its overseas operations.

Question 23

Define:

soporific

(sop-uh-riff-ik)

Answer 23

adj. able to cause sleepiness
n. a substance that causes sleepiness

Bill’s new cold medication has soporific side effects that interfere with his ability to drive.

Question 24

Define:

emulate

(em-yuh-lehyt)

Answer 24

v. to try to imitate or exceed another’s actions

Nancy wanted to emulate her older sister and so began to study more often.

Question 25

Define:

enamor

(ih-nam-er)

Answer 25

v. to make infatuated; to cause to love

He was so enamored of her that he thought about her every day.

Question 26

Define:

endemic

(in-dem-ik)

Answer 26

adj. originating in, native to, particular to

There are some deadly diseases that are endemic to the tropics.

Question 27

Define:

endow

(in-dow)

Answer 27

v. to give (esp. an inheritance or genetic trait)

Christine’s mother endowed her with beautiful green eyes.

Question 28

Define:

dour

(doo-er)

Answer 28

adj. harsh; gloomy, forbidding
adj. stern, humorless

The old headmaster never had anything but a dour expression to offer.

Question 29

Define:

enervate

(in-er-vehyt)

Answer 29

v. to make weaker

The heat enervated the soccer players’ strength with each passing minute, and by halftime most were in no condition to continue playing.

Question 30

Define:

insouciant

(in-soo-see-uhnt)

Answer 30

adj. unconcerned, nonchalant, lighthearted

Michael’s insouciant attitude towards schoolwork led to poor test grades.

Question 31

Define:

evince

(ih-vins)

Answer 31

v. to clearly prove something, to indicate

Her choice not to enter into an argument with him evinced her maturity.

Question 32

Define:

enfranchise

(in-fran-chahyz)

Answer 32

v. to give rights of citizenship, esp. the right to vote

When women were finally enfranchised, spontaneous celebrations occurred throughout the country.

Question 33

Define:

filigree

(fil-ih-gree)

Answer 33

n. an ornamental work, esp. delicate and lacelike
v. to adorn

The wine glass was filigreed with a delicate pattern of grape vines.

Question 34

Define:

engender

(in-djen-dur)

Answer 34

v. to cause, to lead to

The poor ventilation in the factory engendered health problems amongst the workers.

Question 35

Define:

apocryphal

(uh-pok-ruh-fuhl)

Answer 35

adj. of dubious origin; of doubtful authenticity

I believe all stories of alien abduction are apocryphal.