GRE Vocab Flashcards
(207 cards)
1
Q
abreast
A
up to date with the latest news, ideas, or information
2
Q
abridge
A
shorten (a piece of writing) without losing the sense
3
Q
abstruse
A
difficult to understand; obscure
4
Q
accord
A
official agreement or treaty
5
Q
acerbic
A
sharply critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, tone
6
Q
acquisitive
A
excessively interested in acquiring money or material things
7
Q
acumen
A
superior insight; quickness of judgement
8
Q
adroit
A
clever or skillful in using the hands or mind
9
Q
adulation
A
excessive admiration or praise
10
Q
affable
A
friendly, good-natured, easy to talk to
11
Q
affectation
A
behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress
12
Q
alacrity
A
brisk and cheerful readiness
13
Q
ambivalent
A
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
14
Q
ameliorate
A
make (something unsatisfactory) better
15
Q
amiable
A
displaying a friendly and pleasant manner
16
Q
anachronism
A
belonging to a period other than that being portrayed
17
Q
antedate
A
precede in time
18
Q
antiquity
A
ancient past, period before the middle ages
19
Q
aplomb
A
complete and confident composure or self-assurance
20
Q
apologist
A
person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial
21
Q
apposite
A
apt in the circumstances or in relation to something
22
Q
arcane
A
understood by few, mysterious
23
Q
appropriate
A
take for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission
24
Q
arduous
A
involving or requiring strenuous effort
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assiduous
showing great care and perseverance
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attainment
a thing achieved
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augment
make something greater by adding to it
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austerity
extreme plainness and simplicity of style or appearance
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banal
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
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bearing
relation, relevance
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beguile
charm or enchant someone; trick someone into doing something; help time pass pleasantly
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belie
of an appearance - fail to give a true notion or impression of something; disguise or contradict
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bemuse
puzzle, confuse, or bewilder someone
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blithe
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be improper
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bolster
support or strengthen, prop up
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boon
thing that is helpful or beneficial
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brandish
wave or flourish (usually a weapon) as threat or in anger or excitement
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brazen
bold and without shame, endure embarrassing or hard situation by behaving with apparent confidence
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brevity
concise and exact use of words
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bridle
bring something under control
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bucolic
relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside/country life
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buoyancy
optimistic and cheerful disposition
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calamitous
catastrophic or disastrous
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calumny
false and slanderous statement
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canny
having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters
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canonize
treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance
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caprice
sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior
48
check
stop or slow down the progress of something undesireable
49
circumscribe
restrict something within limits
50
clangor
continuous loud banging or ringing sound
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coalesce
come together to form one mass or whole
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cogent
clear, logical, convincing argument
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collusion
secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy
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commensurate
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion
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complacent
showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements
56
confound
cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations
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conspicuous
standing out so as to be clearly visible
58
contemporary
living or occurring at the same time
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contemptuous
feeling or expressing angry disgust, as at something unworthy or wicked; scornful
60
contend
struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger); assert something as a position in an argument
61
corroborate
confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)
62
cow
cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation
63
crestfallen
sad and disappointed
64
cursory
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
65
curtail
to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part
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debacle
a sudden collapse into disaster; downfall
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debase
to reduce in value, quality, esteem, or character
68
defamatory
causing or tending to cause injury to another's reputation; libelous or slanderous
69
deferential
respectfully submissive to the desires, opinions, or judgments of others
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deft
capable, quick, and clever in action; skillful; dexterous
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deleterious
harmful or injurious, as to health
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delineate
describe or portray in precise or vivid detail
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demur
raise doubts or objections or show reluctance
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denigrate
criticize unfairly; disparage
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devious
not the straightest, most direct way; winding; roundabout
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devolve
(of duties or responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a lower level)
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didactic
in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way
78
diffident
modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence
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disaffection
a state or feeling of being dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them
80
disapprobation
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds
81
discern
to perceive, make out, or detect
82
discomfit
make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrased
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disparate
essentially different and distinct
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disquiet
lack of mental calm or peace; anxiety; uneasiness
85
dissemble
to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of
86
distill
extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of
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doctrinaire
dogmatically adhering to a theory or a school of thought, regardless of its praticality
88
dogmatic
asserting beliefs and opinions as though they were proven facts
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dubious
having or showing doubt; skeptical
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duplicity
deceitful speech or action
91
dynamism
quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress
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enigmatic
puzzling, mysterious, or inexplicable
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enfeeble
to take away the strength of; make feeble, as from age or disease
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entreaty
an earnest or humble request
95
ephemeral
lasting for a short period
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equicoval
open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous
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exigent
requiring immediate attention; urgent or critical
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erstwhile
of an earlier time; former
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evanescent
tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing; fleeting
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erroneous
containing or based on a mistake; incorrect
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expedient
a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or immoral
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exacting
making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources
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extant
still in existence; current; not extinct, destroyed, or lost
100
exposition
a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory
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feckless
weak or incompetent; ineffective
102
fastidious
very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail
103
feeble
without strength or vigor, physically, mentally, or morally
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fester
(of a negative feeling or a problem) becoming worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference
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florid
elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated
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foreground
make (something) the most prominent or important feature
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flout
openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention)
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forestall
to prevent or hinder by taking action beforehand
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forsake
to abandon or desert
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hackneyed
made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase
110
fortuitous
happening or appearing by chance, as a coincidence
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fractious
(typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome
111
galvanize
to stimulate into awareness or activity
112
germane
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant
113
hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally
113
harbinger
a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another
114
herald
be a sign that (something) is about to happen
115
illiberal
lacking tolerance; bigoted
116
iconoclastic
attacking or breaking away from established traditions, beliefs, or values
117
humdrum
lacking variety; dull, monotonous, and commonplace
118
hortatory
urging or exciting to some course of action with strong arguments, appeals, or advice
118
immutable
not subject to change; unchanging or unchangeable
119
hidebound
unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention
119
heterodox
deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion
119
impediment
an obstacle or hindrance
120
immure
to confine within or as though within walls; shut in
121
impecunious
having little or no money
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impetuous
acting or done quickly and without thought or care
123
impetus
something that urges or impels; a driving force
124
impolitic
not showing good sense or judgment; unwise or injudicious
125
imprudent
not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash
126
impudence
the act or condition of being boldly disrespectful; insolence
127
inalienable
not subject to transfer, surrender, or removal, especially one's rights as a citizen
128
incendiary
tending to stir up conflict
129
incensed
very angry; enraged
130
incongruous
not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something
131
indecorous
not in keeping with good taste and propriety; improper
132
indefatigable
(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly
133
inestimable
too great to calculate
133
infallible
incapable of error
134
indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy
135
indemnify
to make compensation to for loss, damage, or expense incurred
136
industrious
diligent and hard-working
137
inimical
unfriendly; hostile
138
unjudicious
lacking in or poor in judgement; rash or unwise
139
innocuous
not capable of causing damage; harmless
139
innocuous
not capable of causing damage; harmless
140
insolence
rude or impudent behavior or speech
140
insipid
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless
141
inscrutable
impossible to comprehend or interpret; mysterious
141
interweave
blend closely
141
intermediary
a person who acts as an agent or mediator between persons, groups, or the like; go-between
142
interminable
endless or seemingly endless; monotonously long
143
intractable
not easily controlled, managed, or persuaded
144
intransigent
refusing to alter an idea or a position in response to others' wishes; uncompromising
145
inveigle
to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery
145
irascible
easily angered or irritated; short-tempered
145
irresolute
showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain
146
jettison
throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship
147
kindred
similar in kind; related
148
laborious
requiring considerable effort or perseverance
149
latitude
scope for freedom of action or thought
150
lament
a passionate expression of grief or sorrow
151
laudable
worthy of praise
152
layperson
a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject
153
lionize
to view or treat (someone) as a celebrity or extraordinary person
154
loquacious
given to talking much or excessively
155
lurid
sensational, shocking, or dramatic
155
lucid
easy to understand; articulate; clear
156
magnanimity
generosity or willingness to forgive
157
maldroit
not skillful; clumsy; tactless
158
malign
to speak badly of
158
mercurial
volatile in temper; changeable; fickle
159
manacle
restrain; hinder
160
misnomer
an incorrect or inappropriate name
160
marginalize
to exclude or treat as being of no importance, especially so as to divert attention from
161
meager
low in quantity, extent, strength, or richness; scanty or feeble
162
163
modish
fashionable
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