Common GRE vocab Flashcards
(108 cards)
1
Q
abstain (verb)
A
restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something
2
Q
abyss (noun)
A
a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm
3
Q
adept (adj)
A
very skilled or proficient at something
4
Q
agog (adj)
A
very eager or curious to hear or see something
5
Q
allure (noun)
A
the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating
6
Q
altruism (noun)
A
the belief in or practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others
7
Q
ambivalent (adj)
A
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
8
Q
annul (verb)
A
declare invalid
9
Q
apathy (noun)
A
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
10
Q
arbitrary (adj)
A
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
11
Q
arbiter (noun)
A
a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter
12
Q
artless (adj)
A
without guile or deception
13
Q
audacious (adj)
A
showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks
14
Q
austere (adj)
A
having an extremely plain and simple style or appearance
15
Q
blight (noun)
A
a thing that spoils or damages something
16
Q
blithe (adj)
A
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper
17
Q
blowhard (noun)
A
a person who blusters and boasts in an unpleasant way
18
Q
bolster (verb)
A
support or strengthen
19
Q
bombastic (adj)
A
high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated
20
Q
boycott (noun)
A
a punitive ban that forbids relations with certain groups
21
Q
burlesque (noun)
A
a variety show
22
Q
cacophony (noun)
A
a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
23
Q
chronic (adj)
A
(of a problem) long lasting and difficult to eradicate
24
Q
coda (noun)
A
a concluding event, remark or section
25
confound (verb)
prove (a theory, expectation, or prediction) wrong
26
deign (verb)
do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity
27
disingenuous (adj)
not candid or sincere
28
docile (adj)
ready to accept control or instruction; submissive
29
doff (verb)
remove (an item of clothing
30
dote (verb)
to be extremely and uncritically fond of
31
endow (verb)
provide with a quality, ability, or asset
32
ephemeral (adj)
lasting for a very short time
33
ethos (noun)
the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community
34
facetious (adj)
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor
35
faction (noun)
a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics
36
fallow (adj)
inactive
37
falter (verb)
move unsteadily or in a way that shows lack of confidence
38
flail (verb)
flounder; struggle uselessly
39
fluke (noun)
unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck
40
forage (verb)
(of a person or animal) search widely for food or provisions
41
fortuitous (adj)
happening by a lucky chance
42
fringe (noun)
the unconventional, extreme, or marginal wing of a group or sphere of activity
43
garner (verb)
gather or collect (something, especially information or approval)
44
gist (noun)
the substance or essence of a speech or text
45
gossamer (adj)
used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate
46
grovel (verb)
act in an obsequious manner in order to obtain someone's forgiveness or favor
47
harangue (noun)
a lengthy and aggressive speech
48
impetuous (adj)
acting or done quickly and without thought or care
49
indictment (noun)
a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime
50
inert (adj)
lacking vigor
51
ingrate (noun)
an ungrateful person
52
insipid (adj)
lacking vigor or interest
53
lax (adj)
not sufficiently strict, severe, or careful
54
listless (adj)
(of a person or their manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm
55
livid (adj)
furiously angry
56
loll (verb)
sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way
57
lurid (adj)
presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms
58
mar (verb)
impair the quality or appearance of
59
mince (verb)
use polite or moderate expressions to indicate disapproval
60
minion (noun)
a follower or underling of a powerful person
61
mirth (noun)
amusement, especially as expressed in laughter
62
modest (adj)
not excessively, large, elaborate, or expensive
63
morose (adj)
sullen and ill-tempered
64
muse (noun)
a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist
65
oblique (adj)
not explicit or direct in addressing a point
66
opaque (adj)
not able to be seen through; not transparent
67
overwrought (adj)
(of a piece of writing or a work of art) too elaborate or complicated in design or construction
68
pertain (verb)
be appropriate, related, or applicable
69
pine (verb)
miss and long for the return of
70
placate (verb)
make (someone) less angry or hostile
71
platitude (noun)
a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
72
plethora (noun)
a large or excessive amount
73
posit (verb)
put forward as fact or as a basis for argument
74
prodigal (noun)
a person who leaves home and behaves recklessly, but later makes a repentant return
75
prophetic (adj)
accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future
76
purist (noun)
a person who insists on absolute adherence to traditional rules or structures
77
pyre (noun)
a heap of combustable material, especially one for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony
78
quack (noun)
a person who dishonestly claims to have special knowledge in some field
79
reticence (noun)
the quality of not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily
80
rue (verb)
bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen)
81
ruminate (verb)
think deeply about something
82
stigma (noun)
a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
83
strut (verb)
walk with a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait
84
sublime (adj)
of very great excellence or beauty
85
surly (adj)
bad-tempered and unfriendly
86
syncopation (noun)
a displacement of the beat or accents in (music or a rhythm) so that strong beats become weak and vice versa
87
taunt (noun)
a remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone
88
tawdry (adj)
showy but cheap and of poor quality
89
temperate (adj)
relating to or denoting a region or climate characterized by mild temperatures
90
terse (adj)
sparing in the use of words
91
tome (noun)
a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one
92
torrid (adj)
full of difficulty or tribulation
93
transgression (noun)
an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct
94
treacherous (adj)
guilty of or involving betrayal or deception
95
vapid (adj)
offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; bland
96
vestige (noun)
a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
97
vilify (verb)
speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner
98
viscous (adj)
having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid
99
volatile (adj)
liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse
100
waffle (noun)
lengthy but trivial or useless talk or wirting
101
waft (verb)
pass or cause to pass easily or gently through or as if through the air
102
wanton (adj)
(of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked
103
whitewash (verb)
deliberately attempt to conceal unpleasant facts about (a person or organization)
104
whittle (verb)
reduce something in size, amount, or extent by a gradual series of steps
105
winsome (adj)
attractive or appealing in appearance or character
106
wizened (adj)
shriveled or wrinkled with age
107
wry (adj)
using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor
108
zeal (noun)
great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
