gre vocab advanced unabridged Flashcards
(310 cards)
1
Q
abash
A
v. to make ashamed; to embarrass
2
Q
abject
A
Adj. hopeless; extremely sad and servile; defeated
3
Q
abnegate
A
v. To deny oneself things; to reject; to renounce
4
Q
abrogate
A
v. to abolish or repeal formally; to set aside; to nullify
5
Q
abstemious
A
Adj. sparing or moderate, esp. in eating and drinking
6
Q
abstruse
A
Adj. hard to understand or grasp
7
Q
abysmal
A
Adj. extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless
8
Q
accede
A
v. to give in; to yield; to agree
9
Q
accrete
A
v. to increase by growth or addition
10
Q
adduce
A
v. to bring forward as an example or as proof; to cite
11
Q
adroit
A
Adj. skillful; dextrous; clever; socially at ease
12
Q
advent
A
n. arrival; coming; beginning
13
Q
affable
A
Adj. easy to talk to; friendly
14
Q
affectation
A
n. unnatural or artificial behavior, usually intended to impress
15
Q
aggregate
A
n. sum total; a collection of separate tings mixed together
16
Q
aghast
A
Adj. terrified; shocked
17
Q
allege
A
v. to assert without proof
18
Q
allusion
A
n. an indirect reference to something else; a hint
19
Q
ambience
A
n. atmosphere; mood; feeling
20
Q
ambivalent
A
Adj. undecided; having opposing feelings simultaneously
21
Q
amiable
A
Adj. friendly; agreeable
22
Q
amorphous
A
Adj. shapeless; bloblike
23
Q
anathema
A
n. something or someone loathed or detested; a formal ecclesiastical curse and excommunication
24
Q
ancillary
A
Adj. subordinate; providing assistance
25
animosity
n. resentment; hostility; ill will
26
antecedent
n. something that went before; a preceding cause or event
27
antipathy
n. firm dislike; a strong feeling of aversion
28
antithesis
n. the direct opposite
29
apex
n. highest point
30
aphorism
n. a brief, witty saying; a proverb
31
apocryphal
Adj. of dubious authenticity; fictitious
32
apostasy
n. abandonment or rejection of faith or loyalty
33
apposite
Adj. distinctly suitable; pertinent
34
appropriate
v. to take without permission; to set aside for a particular use
35
Arbiter
n. one who decides; a judge
36
arcane
Adj. mysterious; known only to a select few
37
archetype
n. an original model or pattern
38
arrant
Adj. utter; unmitigated; very bad
39
astute
Adj. shrewd; keen in judgment
40
attrition
n. a gradual wearing away, weakening, or loss; a natural decrease in numbers or size
41
augment
v. to make bigger; to add to; to increase
42
auspicious
Adj. favorable; promising
43
avow
v. to claim; to declare boldly; to admit
44
banal
Adj. unoriginal; ordinary
45
belabor
v. to go over repeatedly or to an absurd extent
46
beleaguer
v. to surround; to besiege; to harass
47
belie
v. to give a false impression of; to contradict
48
benign
Adj. gentle; not harmful; kind; mild
49
bereave
v. to deprive or leave desolate, esp. through death
50
blithe
Adj. carefree; cheerful
51
broach
v. to open up a subject for discussion, often a delicate subject
52
brook
v. to bear or tolerate; to put up with something
53
callow
Adj. immature
54
cardinal
Adj. most important; chief
55
catholic
Adj. universal; embracing everything
56
cavil
v. to quibble; to raise trivial objections
57
chagrin
n. humiliation; embarrassed disappointment
58
choleric
Adj. hot-tempered; quick to anger
59
circumspect
Adj. cautious
60
coalesce
v. to come together as one; to fuse; to unite
61
coda
n. a passage concluding a musical composition
62
cognizant
Adj. fully informed; knowledgeable; aware
63
collusion
n. conspiracy; secret cooperation
64
commensurate
Adj. equal; proportionate
65
conciliatory
Adj. making peace; attempting to resolve a dispute through goodwill
66
consecrate
v. to make or declare sacred
67
consonant
Adj. harmonious; in agreement
68
consummate
Adj. perfect; complete; supremely skillful
69
Contumely
n. rudeness; insolence; arrogance
70
convivial
Adj. fond of partying; festive
71
copious
Adj. abundant; plentiful
72
corroborate
v. to confirm; to back up with evidence
73
coterie
n. a select group of close associates
74
countenance
n. face; facial expression
75
covet
v. to wish for enviously
76
cull
v. to pick out from among many; to select; to collect
77
cursory
Adj. hasty; superficial
78
daunt
v. to make fearful; to intimidate
79
debacle
n. a sudden disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat; a rout
80
debauchery
n. corruption by sensuality; intemperance; wild living
81
decorous
Adj. in good taste; orderly; proper
82
deleterious
Adj. harmful
83
deluge
n. a flood
84
deprecate
v. to express disapproval of
85
dilapidated
Adj. broken-down; fallen into ruin
86
discomfit
v. to confuse; to disconnect; to thwart the plans of ; to defeat in battle
87
discourse
n. to converse; to formally discuss a subject
88
doggerel
n. comic, loose verse
89
egregious
Adj. extremely bad; flagrant
90
elucidate
v. to explain; to make understandable
91
empirical
Adj. relying on experience or observation; not merely theoretical
92
endemic
Adj. native; belonging to a specific region or people
93
enormity
n. extreme evil or wickedness
94
epicure
n. a person with refined taste in wine and food
95
epitome
n. the perfect example of something; a paradigm
96
equanimity
n. composure; calm
97
eschew
v. to avoid; to shun
98
espouse
v. to support; to advocate
99
evince
v. to show or demonstrate clearly; manifest
100
exhort
v. to urge strongly
101
exposition
n. a setting forth of meaning or intent; a discourse intended to explain
102
extol
v. to praise highly
103
facile
Adj. fluent; skillful in a superficial way; easy
104
fatuous
Adj. foolish; silly; idiotic
105
fetter
v. to restrain; to hamper
106
flag
v. to weaken; to slow down
107
flippant
Adj. frivolously shallow and disrespectful
108
foment
v. to stir up; to instigate
109
forbear
v. to refrain from; to abstain
110
founder
v. to fail; to collapse; to sink
111
fulsome
Adj. offensively flattering or insincere; repulsive
112
gainsay
v. to deny; to speak or act against
113
gambit
n. a scheme to gain an advantage; a ploy
114
genial
Adj. cheerful and pleasant; friendly; helpful
115
germane
Adj. applicable; pertinent; relevant
116
gratis
Adj. free of charge
117
gratuitous
Adj. given freely (said of something bad); unjustified; unprovoked; uncalled for.
118
guile
n. cunning; duplicity; artfulness
119
harbinger
n. a forerunner; a signal of
120
hermetic
Adj. impervious to external influence; airtight
121
idyllic
Adj. charming in a rustic way; naturally peaceful
122
ignominy
n. deep disgrace
123
impecunious
Adj. without money; penniless
124
impromptu
Adj. without preparation; on the spur of the moment
125
impugn
v. to attack as false or questionable
126
incandescent
Adj. brilliant; giving off heat or light
127
incipient
Adj. beginning; emerging
128
incorrigible
Adj. incapable of being reformed
129
indolent
Adj. lazy
130
indulgent
Adj. lenient; yielding to desire
131
ineluctable
Adj. inescapable; unavoidable
132
inept
Adj. clumsy; incompetent
133
inert
Adj. inactive; sluggish; not reacting chemically
134
inexorable
Adj. relentless; inevitable; unavoidable
135
inherent
Adj. part of the essential nature of something; intrinsic
136
inundate
v. to flood; to overwhelm
137
inveterate
Adj. habitual; deeply rooted
138
itinerant
Adj. moving from place to place
139
judicious
Adj. exercising sound judgment
140
lament
v. to mourn
141
largess
n. liberality in giving gifts; money or gifts bestowed; generosity of attitude
142
lascivious
Adj. lustful; obscene; lewd
143
latent
Adj. present but not visible or apparent; potential
144
levee
n. an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river
145
levity
n. lightness; frivolity; unseriousness
146
licentious
Adj. lascivious; lewd; promiscuous; amoral
147
magnate
n. a rich, powerful, or very successful businessperson
148
manifest
Adj. visible; evident
149
maudlin
Adj. tearfully sentimental; silly or weepy
150
maxim
n. a fundamental principle; an old saying
151
mendicant
n. a beggar
152
motility
n. spontaneous movement
153
noisome
Adj. offensive or disgusting; stinking; noxious
154
nominal
Adj. in name only; insignificant
155
novel
Adj. new original
156
oblique
Adj. indirect; at an angle
157
palliate
v. to make less severe or intense; to make an offense seem less serious
158
panacea
n. something that cures everything
159
paradigm
n. a model or example
160
paradox
n. a true statement or phenomenon that seems to contradict itself
161
parsimonious
Adj. stingy, miserly
162
partisan
Adj. having a bias in support of a party, group, or cause. n. one who supports a particular party, group, or cause
163
patina
n. surface discoloration caused by age and oxidation
164
paucity
n. scarcity
165
pedestrian
Adj. unoriginal; banal
166
perturb
v. to disturb greatly
167
piquant
Adj. pleasantly pungent or tart
168
placid
Adj. pleasantly calm; peaceful
169
plaintive
Adj. expressing sadness or sorrow
170
plumb
v. to measure the depth of something
171
portent
n. an omen; a sign of something coming in the future
172
precipitous
Adj. steep
173
predilection
n. a natural preference for something
174
presage
v. to portend; to foreshadow; to forecast or predict
175
privation
n. lack of comforts or necessities; poverty
176
provincial
Adj. limited in outlook to one??s own small corner of the world; narrow
177
prurient
Adj. having lustful thoughts or desires; causing lust
178
putative
Adj. commonly accepted; supposed; reputed
179
quay
n. a landing on the edge of the water; wharf; pier
180
queue
n. a line of waiting people or things. V. to get in line
181
quintessential
Adj. being the most perfect example of
182
rampart
n. a fortification; a bulwark of defense
183
redolent
Adj. fragrant; aromatic; suggestive or reminiscent
184
remonstrate
v. to argue against; to protest; to raise objections
185
remuneration
n. payment; recompense
186
renaissance
n. a rebirth or revival
187
replete
Adj. completely filled; abounding
188
reproach
v. to scold, usually in disappointment; to blame; to disgrace
189
reprobate
n. a wicked, sinful, depraved person
190
reprove
v. to criticize mildly
191
respite
n. a period of rest or relief
192
ribald
Adj. characterized by vulgar, lewd humor
193
Sagacious
Adj. wise
194
sagacity
n. wisdom
195
sage
n. a wise person
196
salutary
Adj. healthful; remedial; wholesome
197
sanguine
Adj. cheerful; optimistic; hopeful
198
surreptitious
Adj. sneaky; secret
199
sycophant
n. one who sucks up to others; a servile, self-seeking flatterer
200
taciturn
Adj. untalkative by nature
201
temerity
n. recklessness; audacity; foolhardy disregard of danger
202
turpitude
n. shameful wickedness or depravity
203
unalloyed
Adj. undiluted; pure
204
Usury
n. lending money at an extremely high rate of interest
205
venal
Adj. capable of being bribed; corrupt
206
verdant
Adj. covered with green plants; leafy; inexperienced
207
vestige
n. a remaining bit of something; a last trace
208
vitiate
v. to make faulty or defective; impair; to corrupt morally
209
wizened
Adj. shriveled; withered; shrunken
210
abjure
v. to repudiate; to take back; to refrain from
211
adumbrate
v. to foreshadow vaguely; to suggest or outline sketchily; to obscure or overshadow
212
anodyne
Adj/n. soothing; something that assuages or comforts; something that allays pain
213
apogee
n. the most distant point in the orbit of the moon or of an artificial satellite
214
apotheosis
n. an exalted or glorified example; elevation to divine standard
215
Artful
Adj. crafty; wily; sly
216
artless
Adj. completely without guile; natural, without artificiality
217
assay
v. to examine by trial or experiment; to evaluate or assess
218
asseverate
v. to aver; to allege; to assert
219
augur
v. to serve as an omen or sign; to predict or foretell
220
baleful
Adj. sinister; pernicious; ominous
221
beatify
v. to bless, make happy, or ascribe a virtue to; to regard as saintly
222
bilious
Adj. ill-tempered; cranky
223
calumny
n. slander; a maliciously false statement
224
captious
Adj. disposed to point out trivial faults; calculated to confuse or entrap in argument
225
carapace
n. a protective shell
226
celerity
n. swiftness of action or motion; speed
227
coeval
Adj. of the same period; coexisting
228
contretemps
n. an embarrassing occurrence; a mishap
229
contumacious
Adj. stubbornly rebellious or disobedient
230
corrigible
Adj. capable of being set right; correctable; reparable
231
denouement
n. an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot
232
descry
v. to discriminate or discern
233
desuetude
n. disuse
234
desultory
Adj. moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected; occurring haphazardly
235
diaphanous
Adj. of such fine texture as to be transparent or translucent; delicate; insubstantial
236
diffident
Adj. reserved; shy; unassuming; lacking in self-confidence
237
diurnal
Adj. occurring every day; occurring during the daytime
238
dulcet
Adj. melodious; harmonious; mellifluous
239
egress
n. exit
240
encomium
n. a formal expression of praise; a tribute
241
essay
v. to test or try; attempt; experiment
242
estimable
Adj. worthy; formidable
243
excoriate
v. to censure scathingly; to upbraid
244
execrate
v. to denounce; to loathe
245
exegesis
n. critical examination; explication
246
expiate
v. to make amends for; to atone
247
fecund
Adj. fertile; productive
248
fell
v/adj. to cause to fall by striking; cruel; lethal; dire; sinister
249
fractious
Adj. quarrelsome; rebellious; unruly; irritable
250
hirsute
Adj. hairy; shaggy
251
hoary
Adj. gray or white with age; ancient; stale
252
husband
v. to use sparingly or economically; conserve
253
imbroglio
n. difficult or embarrassing situation
254
importune
v. to urge with annoying persistence; to trouble
255
indefatigable
Adj. not easily exhaustible; tireless; dogged
256
insouciant
Adj. nonchalant; lighthearted; carefree
257
invidious
Adj. causing envy or resentment; offensively harmful
258
jejune
Adj. vapid; uninteresting; childish, immature, puerile
259
lachrymose
Adj. causing tears; tearful
260
lassitude
n. exhaustion; weakness
261
ligneous
Adj. woodlike
262
limn
v. to draw; to outline in detail; to delineate; to describe
263
list
v. to tilt or lean to one side
264
loquacious
Adj. very talkative; garrulous
265
lubricious
Adj. lewd; wanton; greasy; slippery
266
lugubrious
Adj. exaggeratedly mournful
267
meet
Adj. fitting, proper
268
mellifluous
Adj. sweetly flowing
269
meretricious
Adj. plausible but false or insincere; gaudy; showy; tawdry; flashy
270
minatory
Adj. menacing; threatening
271
nadir
n. low point
272
nice
Adj. exacting; fastidious; extremely precise
273
nonplus
v. to baffle; to bewilder; to perplex
274
nugatory
Adj. of little or no importance; trifling; inconsequential
275
obstreperous
Adj. noisily and stubbornly defiant; aggressively boisterous
276
ossify
v. to convert into bone; to become rigid
277
otiose
Adj. lazy; of no use; futile
278
panegyric
n. formal or elaborate praise
279
parry
v. to deflect or ward off; to evade or avoid
280
pellucid
Adj. transparent; easy to understand; limpid
281
peripatetic
Adj. wandering; traveling continually; itinerant
282
perorate
v. to speak formally
283
plangent
Adj. pounding; thundering; resounding
284
pluck
n. courage; spunk; fortitude
285
prize
v. to pry; to press or force with a lever
286
prolix
Adj. long-winded; verbose
287
propinquity
v. nearness; proximity
288
propitiate
v. to appease; to conciliate
289
propitious
Adj. marked by favorable signs or conditions
290
puerile
Adj. childish; immature
291
puissant
Adj. powerful
292
pulchritude
n. physical beauty
293
pusillanimous
Adj. cowardly; craven
294
salacious
Adj. lustful; lascivious; bawdy
295
saturnine
Adj. melancholy or sullen; of a gloomy disposition
296
Sententious
Adj. given to pompous moralizing; preachy; self-righteous
297
sidereal
Adj. astral; relating to stars or constellations
298
sinecure
n. a position requiring little or no work and usually providing an income
299
stentorian
Adj. extremely loud and powerful
300
stygian
Adj. gloomy; dark
301
succor
n. assistance; relief in time of distress. V. to give assistance in time of need
302
sundry
Adj. various; miscellaneous; separate
303
supine
Adj. lying face upward; offering no resistance
304
tendentious
Adj. argumentative; biased
305
turbid
Adj. murky; opaque; unclear
306
tyro
n. novice; rank amateur
307
unctuous
Adj. oily, both literally and figuratively; characterized by earnest insincerity
308
vagary
n. whim; unpredictable action; wild notion
309
voluble
Adj. fluent; verbal; having easy use of spoken language
310
wag
n. a wit; a joker
