gre vocab essential unabridged Flashcards
(303 cards)
1
Q
aberrant
A
Adj. Deviating from the norm (noun form: aberration)
2
Q
abscond
A
Verb. To depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
3
Q
alacrity
A
Noun. Eager and enthusiastic willingness
4
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anomaly
A
n. deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality (adj. from: anomalous)
5
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approbation
A
n. an expression of approval or praise
6
Q
arduous
A
Adj. strenuous; taxing; requiring significant effort
7
Q
assuage
A
v. to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
8
Q
audacious
A
Adj. daring and fearless; recklessly bold (noun form: audacity)
9
Q
austere
A
Adj. without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic (noun form: austerity)
10
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axiomatic
A
Adj. taken as given; possessing self-evident truth (noun form: axiom)
11
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canonical
A
Adj. following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards (noun: canon)
12
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capricious
A
Adj. inclined to change one??s mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
13
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censure
A
v. to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
14
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chicanery
A
n. trickery or subterfuge
15
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connoisseur
A
n. an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
16
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convoluted
A
Adj. complex or complicated
17
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disabuse
A
Verb. To undeceive; to set right
18
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discordant
A
Adj. conflicting; distinct or dissimilar
19
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Disparate
A
Adj. fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
20
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effrontery
A
n. extreme boldness; presumptuousness
21
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eloquent
A
Adj. well-spoken; expressive; articulate (noun: eloquence)
22
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Enervate
A
Verb. To weaken; to reduce in vitality
23
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ennui
A
N. dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
24
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equivocate
A
v. to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent (adj: equivocal)
25
erudite
Adj. very learned; scholarly (noun: erudition)
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exculpate
v. exonerate; to clear of blame
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exigent
Adj. urgent; pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
28
extemporaneous
Adj. improvised; done without preparation
29
filibuster
Noun. Intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
30
fulminate
v. to loudly attack or denounce
31
ingenuous
Adj. artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
32
inured
Adj. accustomed to accepting something undesirable
33
irascible
Adj. easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
34
laud
v. to praise highly (adj: laudatory)
35
lucid
Adj. clear; easily understood
36
magnanimity
n. the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving (adj: magnanimous)
37
martial
Adj. associated with war and the armed forces
38
mundane
Adj. of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
39
nascent
Adj. coming into being; in early developmental stages
40
nebulous
Adj. vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
41
neologism
n. a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
42
noxious
Adj. harmful; injurious
43
obtuse
Adj. lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
44
obviate
v. to anticipate and make unnecessary
45
onerous
Adj. troubling; burdensome
46
paean
n. a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
47
parody
n. a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature or art
48
perennial
Adj. recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
49
perfidy
n. intentional breach of faith; treachery (adj: perfidious)
50
perfunctory
adj. cursory; done without care or interest
51
perspicacious
Adj. acutely perceptive; having keen discernment (noun: perspicacity)
52
prattle
v. to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
53
precipitate
Adj. acting with excessive haste or impulse. V. to cause or happen before anticipated or required
54
predilection
n. disposition in favor of something; preference
55
prescience
n. foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring (adj. form: prescient)
56
prevaricate
v. to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
57
qualms
n. misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
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recant
v. to retract, esp. a previously held belief
59
refute
v. to disprove; to successfully argue against
60
relegate
v. to forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
61
reticent
Adj. quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
62
solicitous
Adj. concerned and attentive; eager
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sordid
Adj. characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
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sporadic
Adj. occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
65
squander
v. to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
66
static
Adj not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
67
stupefy
v. to stun, baffle, or amaze
68
stymie
v. to block; thwart
69
Synthesis
n. the combination of parts to make a whole (v: synthesize)
70
torque
n. a force that causes rotation
71
tortuous
Adj. winding; twisting; excessively complicated
72
truculent
Adj. fierce and cruel; eager to fight
73
veracity
n. truthfulness; honesty
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virulent
Adj. extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
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voracious
Adj. having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
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waver
v. to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
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abate
v. to lessen in intensity or degree
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accolade
n. an expression of praise
79
adulation
n. excessive praise; intense adoration
80
aesthetic
Adj. dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
81
ameliorate
v. to make better or more tolerable
82
ascetic
n. one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
83
avarice
n. greed, esp. for wealth (adj: avaricious)
84
axiom
n. a universally recognized principle (adj. axiomatic)
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bucolic
Adj. rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
86
burgeon
v. to grow rapidly or flourish
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cacophony
n. harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance (adj: cacophonous)
88
canon
n. an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature (adj: canonical)
89
castigation
n. severe criticism or punishment (v: castigate)
90
catalyst
n. a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
91
caustic
Adj. burning or stinging; causing corrosion
92
chary
Adj. wary; cautious; sparing
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cogent
Adj. appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
94
complaisance
n. the willingness to comply with the wishes of others (adj: complaisant)
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Contentious
Adj. argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
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contrite
Adj. regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness (n: contrition)
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culpable
Adj. deserving blame (n: culpability)
98
dearth
n. smallness of quantity or number, scarcity, a lack
99
demur
v. to question or oppose
100
didactic
Adj. intended to teach or instruct
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discretion
n. cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions (adj: discreet)
102
disinterested
Adj. free of bias or self-interest; impartial
103
dogmatic
Adj. expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or unprovable principles
104
ebullience
n. the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings (adj: ebullient)
105
eclectic
Adj. composed of elements drawn from various sources
106
elegy
n. a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead (adj: elegiac)
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emollient
Adj/n. soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
108
empirical
Adj: based on observation or experiment
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enigmatic
Adj. mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand (n. enigma)
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ephemeral
Adj. brief; fleeting
111
esoteric
Adj. intended for or understood by a small, specific group
112
eulogy
n. a speech honoring the dead (v: eulogize)
113
exonerate
v. to remove blame
114
facetious
Adj. playful; humours
115
fallacy
n. an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief (adj: fallacious)
116
furtive
Adj. marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
117
gregarious
Adj. sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
118
harangue
v/n. to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
119
heretical
Adj. violating accepted dogma or convention (n: heresy)
120
hyperbole
n. an exaggerated statement., often used as a figure of speech (adj: hyperbolic)
121
impecunious
Adj. lacking funds; without money
122
incipient
Adj. beginning to come into being or to become apparent
123
inert
Adj. unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
124
innocuous
Adj. harmless; causing no damage
125
intransigent
Adj. refusing to compromise (n: intransigence)
126
Inveigle
v. to obtain by deception or flattery
127
morose
Adj: sad; sullen; melancholy
128
odious
Adj. evoking intense aversion or dislike
129
opaque
Adj. impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
130
oscillation
n. the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm (v: oscillate)
131
penurious
Adj. penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
132
pernicious
Adj. extremely harmful; potentially causing death
133
peruse
v. to examine with great care (n: perusal)
134
pious
Adj. extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion (n: piety)
135
precursor
n. one that precedes and indicates or announces another
136
preen
v. to dress up, to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
137
prodigious
Adj. abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
138
prolific
Adj. producing large volumes or amounts; productive
139
putrefy
v. to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor (adj: putrid)
140
quaff
v. to drink deeply
141
quiescence
n. stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest (adj: quiescent)
142
redoubtable
Adj. awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
143
sanction
n/v. authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
144
satire
n. a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision (adj: satirical)
145
squalid
Adj. sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect (n: squalor)
146
stoic
Adj. indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast (n: stoicism)
147
supplant
v. to take the place of; supersede
148
torpid
Adj. lethargic; sluggish; dormant (n: torpor)
149
ubiquitous
Adj. existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
150
urbane
Adj. sophisticated; refined; elegant (n: urbanity)
151
vilify
v. to defame; to characterize harshly
152
viscous
Adj. thick; sticky (n: viscosity)
153
acumen
n. keen, accurate judgment or insight
154
adulterate
v. to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
155
amalgamate
v. to combine several elements into a whole (n: amalgamation)
156
archaic
Adj. outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
157
aver
v. to state as a fact; to declare or assert
158
bolster
v. to provide support or reinforcement
159
bombastic
Adj. pompous; grandiloquent (n: bombast)
160
diatribe
n. a harsh denunciation
161
dissemble
v. to disguise or conceal; to mislead
162
eccentric
Adj. departing from norms or conventions
163
endemic
Adj. characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, or people
164
evanescent
Adj. tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
165
exacerbate
v. to make worse or more severe
166
fervent
Adj. greatly emotional or zealous (n: fervor)
167
fortuitous
Adj. happening by accident or chance
168
germane
Adj. relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
169
grandiloquence
n. pompous speech or expression (adj. form: grandiloquent)
170
hackneyed
Adj. rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
171
halcyon
Adj. calm and peaceful
172
hedonism
n. devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasures of the senses (a hedonist is someone who pursues pleasure)
173
hegemony
n. the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
174
iconoclast
n. one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
175
idolatrous
Adj. given to intense or excessive devotion to something (n: idolatry)
176
impassive
Adj. revealing no emotion
177
imperturbable
Adj. marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness
178
implacable
Adj. not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
179
impunity
n. immunity from punishment or penalty
180
Inchoate
Adj. in an initial stage; not fully formed
181
infelicitous
Adj. unfortunate; inappropriate
182
insipid
Adj. without taste of flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
183
loquacious
Adj. extremely talkative (n: loquacity)
184
luminous
Adj. characterized by brightness and the emission of light
185
malevolent
Adj. having or showing often vicious ill will, spite or hatred (n: malevolence)
186
malleable
Adj. capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pliable
187
mendacity
n. the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty (adj: mendacious)
188
meticulous
Adj. characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
189
misanthrope
n. one who hates all other humans (adj: misanthropic)
190
mitigate
v. to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
191
obdurate
Adj. unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
192
obsequious
Adj. exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
193
occlude
v. to obstruct or block
194
opprobrium
n. disgrace; contempt; scorn
195
pedagogy
n. the profession or principles of teaching or instructing
196
pedantic
Adj. the parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
197
penury
n. poverty; destitution
198
Pervasive
Adj. having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
199
pine
v. to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
200
Pirate
v. to illegally use or reproduce
201
pith
N. the essential or central part
202
pithy
Adj. precise and brief
203
placate
v. to appease; to calm by making concessions
204
platitude
n. a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
205
plummet
v. to plunge or drop straight down
206
polemical
Adj. controversial; argumentative
207
prodigal
Adj. reckless wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
208
profuse
Adj. given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
209
proliferate
v. to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
210
queries
n. questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
211
querulous
Adj. prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
212
rancorous
Adj. characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment (n: rancor)
213
Recalcitrant
Adj. obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
214
repudiate
v. to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
215
rescind
v. to invalidate; to repeal; to retract
216
reverent
Adj. marked by, feeling, or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect (n: reverence)
217
rhetoric
n. the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
218
salubrious
Adj. promoting health or well-being
219
solvent
Adj. able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
220
specious
Adj. seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
221
spurious
Adj. lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
222
subpoena
n. a court order requiring appearance and/or testimony
223
succinct
Adj. brief; concise
224
superfluous
Adj. exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
225
surfeit
n/v. an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
226
tenacity
n. the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued; persistent determination (adj: tenacious)
227
tenuous
Adj. having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
228
tirade
n. a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
229
transient
Adj. fleeting; passing quickly; brief
230
zealous
Adj. fervent; ardent; impassioned; devoted to a cause (a zealot is a zealous person)
231
acerbic
Adj. having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
232
aggrandize
v. to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
233
alchemy
n. a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)
234
amenable
Adj. agreeable; responsive to suggestion
235
anachronism
n. something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
236
astringent
Adj/n. having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe
237
bombast
n. self-important or pompous writing or speech (adj: bombastic)
238
contiguous
Adj. sharing a border; touching; adjacent
239
convention
n. a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
240
credulous
Adj. tending to believe too readily; gullible (n: credulity)
241
cynicism
n. an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj: cynical)
242
decorum
n. polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj form: decorous)
243
derision
n. scorn; ridicule; contemptuous treatment (adj: derisive; v: deride)
244
desiccate
v. to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
245
dilettante
n. one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
246
disparage
v. to slight or belittle
247
divulge
v. to disclose something secret
248
fawn
v. to flatter or praise excessively
249
flout
v. to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
250
garrulous
Adj. pointlessly talkative, talking too much
251
glib
Adj. marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
252
hubris
n. overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
253
imminent
Adj. about to happen; impending
254
immutable
Adj. not capable of change
255
impetuous
Adj. hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
256
indifferent
Adj. having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
257
inimical
Adj. damaging; harmful; injurious
258
intractable
Adj. not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
259
intrepid
Adj. steadfast and courageous
260
laconic
Adj. using few words; terse
261
maverick
n. an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
262
mercurial
Adj. characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
263
mollify
v. to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
264
neophyte
n. a recent convert; a beginner; novice
265
obfuscate
v. to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
266
obstinate
Adj. stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
267
ostentatious
Adj. characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
268
pervade
v. to permeate throughout (adj: pervasive)
269
phlegmatic
Adj. calm; sluggish; unemotional
270
plethora
n. an overabundance; a surplus
271
pragmatic
Adj. practical rather than idealistic
272
Presumptuous
Adj. overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
273
pristine
Adj. pure; uncorrupted; clean
274
probity
n. adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
275
proclivity
n. A natural predisposition or inclination
276
profligate
Adj. excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (n: profligacy)
277
propensity
n. a natural inclination or tendency, penchant
278
prosaic
Adj. dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
279
pungent
Adj. characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
280
quixotic
Adj. foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
281
quotidian
Adj. occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
282
rarefy
Verb. To make or become thin, less dense; to refine
283
recondite
Adj. hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
284
refulgent
Adj. radiant; shiny; brilliant
285
renege
v. to fail to honor a commit; to go back on a promise
286
sedulous
Adj. diligent; persistent; hardworking
287
shard
n. a piece of broken pottery or glass
288
soporific
Adj. causing drossiness; tending to induce sleep
289
sparse
Adj. thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
290
spendthrift
n. one who spends money wastefully
291
subtle
Adj. not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
292
tacit
Adj. implied; not explicitly stated
293
terse
Adj. brief and concise in wording
294
tout
v. to publicly praise or promote
295
trenchant
Adj. sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
296
unfeigned
Adj. genuine; not false or hypocritical
297
untenable
Adj. indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
298
vacillate
v.. to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
299
Variegated
Adj. multicoloured; characterized by a variety of patches of different colour
300
vexation
n. annoyance; irritation (n: vex)
301
vigilant
Adj. alertly watchful (n: vigilance)
302
vituperate
v. to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
303
volatile
Adj. readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (n: volatility)
