Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GRE > GRE VOCABULARY > Flashcards

GRE VOCABULARY Flashcards

1
Q

decameter

A

unit of measurement equal to 10 meters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

acumen

A

the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.
“business acumen”
synonyms: astuteness, shrewdness, acuity, sharpness, sharp-wittedness, cleverness, smartness, brains

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

secant

A

cut into two parts. MATHEMATICS
the ratio of the hypotenuse to the shorter side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle); the reciprocal of a cosine.
2.
GEOMETRY
a straight line that cuts a curve in two or more parts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

apostatize

A

secede; renounce a religious or political belief or principal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

deliquesce

A

(of organic matter) become liquid, typically during decomposition. To dissolve gradually from the absorption of moisture from the air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

demagogue

A

unprincipaled politician; a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
synonyms: rabble-rouser, agitator, political agitator, soapbox orator, firebrand, fomenter, provocateur More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

scurrilous

A

making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.
“a scurrilous attack on his integrity”
synonyms: defamatory, slanderous, libelous, scandalous, insulting, offensive, gross; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

deportment

A

demeanor, air; behavior or manners

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

dendroid

A

of trees; tree-shaped; arborescent; branching.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

frenetic

A

fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way.
“a frenetic pace of activity”
synonyms: frantic, wild, frenzied, hectic, fraught, feverish, fevered, mad, manic, hyperactive, energetic, intense, amped-up, fast and furious, turbulent, tumultuous More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

pliant

A

pliable.

“pliant willow stems”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

tempestuous

A

characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion.
“he had a reckless and tempestuous streak”
synonyms: turbulent, stormy, tumultuous, wild, lively, heated, explosive, feverish, frenetic, frenzied More
emotional, passionate, impassioned, fiery, intense;
temperamental, volatile, excitable, mercurial, capricious, unpredictable, quick-tempered
antonyms: peaceful, calm, placid
2.
very stormy.
“a tempestuous wind”
synonyms: stormy, blustery, squally, wild, turbulent, windy, gusty, blowy, rainy; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

erudite

A

having or showing great knowledge or learning.

synonyms: learned, scholarly, educated, knowledgeable, well-read, well-informed, intellectual; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

prodigal

A

spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
“prodigal habits die hard”
synonyms: wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, profligate, improvident, imprudent More
antonyms: thrifty
2.
having or giving something on a lavish scale.
“the dessert was crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream”
synonyms: generous, lavish, liberal, unstinting, unsparing; More
antonyms: mean
noun
noun: prodigal; plural noun: prodigals
1.
a person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

fervid

A

intensely enthusiastic or passionate, esp. to an excessive degree.
“a letter of fervid thanks”
synonyms: fervent, ardent, passionate, impassioned, intense, vehement, wholehearted, heartfelt, sincere, earnest; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

dessicate

A

dry out; Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately-well sealed container.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

pedant

A

a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
synonyms: dogmatist, purist, literalist, formalist, doctrinaire, perfectionist; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

engender

A

cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).
“the issue engendered continuing controversy”
synonyms: cause, be the cause of, give rise to, bring about, occasion, lead to, result in, produce, create, generate, arouse, rouse, inspire, provoke, prompt, kindle, trigger, spark, stir up, whip up, induce, incite, instigate, foment; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

ephemeral

A

lasting for a very short time.
“fashions are ephemeral”
synonyms: transitory, transient, fleeting, passing, short-lived, momentary, brief, short; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

laconic

A

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.
“his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic”
synonyms: brief, concise, terse, succinct, short, pithy More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

propriety

A

the state or quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals.
“he always behaved with the utmost propriety”
synonyms: decorum, respectability, decency, correctness, protocol, appropriateness, suitability, good manners, courtesy, politeness, rectitude, morality, civility, modesty, demureness; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

impugn

A

dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.
“the father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother”
synonyms: call into question, challenge, question, dispute, query, take issue with More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

apogee

A

the highest point in the development of something; the climax or culmination.
“the White House is considered the apogee of American achievement”
2.
ASTRONOMY
the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

acrimony

A

bitter feelings; bitterness or ill feeling.
“a quagmire of lawsuits, acrimony, and finger-pointing”
synonyms: bitterness, anger, rancor, resentment, ill feeling, ill will, bad blood, animosity, hostility, enmity, antagonism, waspishness, spleen, malice, spite, spitefulness, peevishness, venom More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

recondite

A

(of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.
“the book is full of recondite information”
synonyms: obscure, abstruse, arcane, esoteric, recherché, profound, difficult, complex, complicated, involved; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

mellifluous

A

(of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
“the voice was mellifluous and smooth”
synonyms: sweet-sounding, dulcet, honeyed, mellow, soft, liquid, silvery, soothing, rich, smooth, euphonious, harmonious, tuneful, musical More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

euphonic

A

characterized by euphony, sweet sounding words, combined and formed so as to please the ear

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

sinecure

A

a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit.
synonyms: easy job, cushy job, soft option; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

ebullience

A

the quality of being cheerful and full of energy; exuberance.
“the ebullience of happy children”
synonyms: exuberance, buoyancy, cheerfulness, cheeriness, merriment, jollity, sunniness, jauntiness, lightheartedness, high spirits, elation, euphoria, jubilation; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

ignoble

A 
not honorable in character or purpose.
"ignoble feelings of intense jealousy"
synonyms:	dishonorable, unworthy, base, shameful, contemptible, despicable, dastardly, vile, degenerate, shabby, sordid, mean; More
2.
of humble origin or social status.
"ignoble savages"
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

gainsaid

A

deny or contradict (a fact or statement).
“the impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid”
synonyms: deny, dispute, disagree with, argue with, dissent from, contradict, repudiate, challenge, oppose, contest, counter, controvert, rebut More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

benevolent

A

well meaning and kindly.
“a benevolent smile”
synonyms: kind, kindly, kindhearted, big-hearted, good-natured, good, benign, compassionate, caring, altruistic, humanitarian, philanthropic; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

vociferous

A

(esp. of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous.

“he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

nonplussed

A

(of a person) surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react.
“he would be completely nonplussed and embarrassed at the idea”
2.
informal
(of a person) not disconcerted; unperturbed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

abashed

A

cause to feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
“she was not abashed at being caught”
synonyms: embarrassed, ashamed, shamefaced, remorseful, conscience-stricken, mortified, humiliated, humbled, chagrined, crestfallen, sheepish, red-faced, blushing, put out of countenance, with one’s tail between one’s legs; More

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

abstruse

A

difficult to understand; obscure.
“an abstruse philosophical inquiry”
synonyms: obscure, arcane, esoteric, little known, recherché, rarefied, recondite, difficult, hard, puzzling, perplexing, cryptic, enigmatic, Delphic, complex, complicated, involved, over/above one’s head, incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, mysterious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

prosaic

A

having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty.
“prosaic language can’t convey the experience”
synonyms: ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward, routine, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

arcane

A

understood by few; mysterious or secret.
“modern math and its arcane notation”
synonyms: mysterious, secret;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

abjure

A 
solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim).
"his refusal to abjure the Catholic faith"
synonyms:	renounce, relinquish, reject, forgo, disavow, abandon, deny, repudiate, give up, wash one's hands of
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

supercilious

A

behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.
“a supercilious lady’s maid”
synonyms: arrogant, haughty, conceited, disdainful, overbearing, pompous, condescending, superior, patronizing, imperious, proud, snobbish, snobby, smug, scornful, sneering;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

sardonic

A

grimly mocking or cynical.
“Starkey attempted a sardonic smile”
synonyms: mocking, satirical, sarcastic, ironical, ironic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

fatuous

A

silly and pointless.
“a fatuous comment”
synonyms: silly, foolish, stupid, inane, idiotic, vacuous, asinine;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

ribald

A

referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude or irreverent way.
“a ribald comment”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

ignominious

A

deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.
“no other party risked ignominious defeat”
synonyms: humiliating, undignified, embarrassing, mortifying;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

apocryphal

A

(of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
“an apocryphal story about a former president”
synonyms: fictitious, made-up, untrue, fabricated, false, spurious;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

eschew

A

deliberately avoid using; abstain from.
“he appealed to the crowd to eschew violence”
synonyms: abstain from, refrain from, give up, forgo, shun, renounce, steer clear of, have nothing to do with, fight shy of;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

dilettantish

A

dilettante: showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish; “his dilettantish efforts at painting”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

ambrosial

A

extremely pleasing to the taste; sweet and fragrant; “a nectarous drink”; “ambrosial food”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

phlegmatic

A

(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
synonyms: calm, cool, composed, ‘calm, cool, and collected’, controlled, serene, tranquil, placid, impassive, imperturbable, unruffled, dispassionate, philosophical;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

truculent

A

eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.
“his days of truculent defiance were over”
synonyms: defiant, aggressive, antagonistic, combative, belligerent, pugnacious, confrontational, ready for a fight, obstreperous, argumentative, quarrelsome, uncooperative

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

convalesce

A

recover one’s health and strength over a period of time after an illness or operation.
“he spent eight months convalescing after the stroke”
synonyms: recuperate, get better, recover, get well, get back on one’s fee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

detritus

A

waste or debris of any kind.
“streets filled with rubble and detritus”
synonyms: debris, waste, refuse, rubbish, litter, scrap, flotsam and jetsam, rubble

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

punctilious

A

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
“he was punctilious in providing every amenity for his guests”
synonyms: meticulous, conscientious, diligent, scrupulous, careful, painstaking, rigorous, perfectionist, methodical, particular, strict

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

mien

A

a person’s look or manner, esp. one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.
“he has a cautious, academic mien”
synonyms: appearance, look, expression, countenance, aura, demeanor, attitude, air, manner, bearing;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

pointed

A

having a sharpened or tapered tip or end.
“his face tapers to a pointed chin”
synonyms: sharp, tapering, tapered, conical, jagged, spiky, spiked, barbed; More
2.
(of a remark or look) expressing criticism in a direct and unambiguous way.
“pointed comments were made about racial discrimination within the army”
synonyms: cutting, trenchant, biting, incisive, acerbic, caustic, scathing, venomous, sarcastic;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

orotund

A

(of the voice or phrasing) full, round, and imposing.

synonyms: deep, sonorous, strong, powerful, full, rich, resonant, loud, booming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

torrid

A

very hot and dry.
“the torrid heat of the afternoon”
synonyms: hot, scorching, searing, blazing, blistering, sweltering, burning, sultry; More
antonyms: cold, wet
full of passionate or highly charged emotions arising from sexual love.
“a torrid love affair”
synonyms: passionate, ardent, lustful, amorous; More
antonyms: passionless
2.
full of difficulty or tribulation.
“Wall Street is in for a torrid time in the next few weeks”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

extant

A

(esp. of a document) still in existence; surviving.
“the original manuscript is no longer extant”
synonyms: still existing, in existence, existent, surviving, remaining, undestroyed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

august

A

respected and impressive.
“she was in august company”
synonyms: distinguished, respected, eminent, venerable, hallowed, illustrious, prestigious, renowned, celebrated, honored, acclaimed, esteemed, exalted;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

harbinger

A

a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
“witch hazels are the harbingers of spring”
synonyms: herald, sign, indication, signal, portent, omen, augury, forewarning, presage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

cosset

A

care for and protect in an overindulgent way.
“all her life she’d been cosseted by her family”
synonyms: pamper, indulge, overindulge, mollycoddle, coddle, baby, pet, mother, nanny, nursemaid, pander to, spoil;

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

mollify

A

appease the anger or anxiety of (someone).
“nature reserves were set up around the power stations to mollify local conservationists”
synonyms: appease, placate, pacify, conciliate, soothe, calm (down)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

reticent

A

not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
“she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs”
synonyms: reserved, withdrawn, introverted, inhibited, diffident, shy;

64
Q

obviate

A

remove (a need or difficulty).
“the Venetian blinds obviated the need for curtains”
synonyms: preclude, prevent, remove, get rid of, do away with, get around, rule out, eliminate, make/render unnecessary

65
Q

mitigate

A

make less severe, serious, or painful.
“he wanted to mitigate misery in the world”
synonyms: alleviate, reduce, diminish, lessen, weaken, lighten, attenuate, take the edge off, allay, ease, assuage, palliate, relieve, tone down

66
Q

dogged

A

having or showing tenacity and grim persistence.
“success required dogged determination”
synonyms: tenacious, determined, resolute, resolved, purposeful, persistent, persevering, single-minded, tireless;

67
Q

Daedalean

A

confusing, tangled, puzzling, convoluted

68
Q

Gordian

A

extremely intricate; usually in phrase `Gordian knot

69
Q

picayune

A

petty; worthless.
“the picayune squabbling of party politicians”
noun
1.
a small coin of little value, esp. a 5-cent piece

70
Q

consummate

A

showing a high degree of skill and flair; complete or perfect.
“she dressed with consummate elegance”
synonyms: supreme, superb, superlative, superior, accomplished, expert, proficient, skillful, skilled, masterly, master, first-class, talented, gifted, polished, practiced, perfect, ultimate;

71
Q

unmitigated

A

absolute; unqualified.
“the tour had been an unmitigated disaster”
synonyms: absolute, unqualified, categorical, complete, total, downright, outright, utter, out-and-out, undiluted, unequivocal, untempered, veritable, perfect, consummate, pure, shee

72
Q

egregious

A

outstandingly bad; shocking.
“egregious abuses of copyright”
synonyms: shocking, appalling, terrible, awful, horrendous, frightful, atrocious, abominable, abhorrent, outrageous

73
Q

aver

A

past tense: averred; past participle: averred
1.
state or assert to be the case.
“he averred that he was innocent of the allegations”

74
Q

opine

A

hold and state as one’s opinion.
““The man is a genius,” he opined”
synonyms: suggest, say, declare, observe, comment, remark, submit, put forward;

75
Q

exigency

A

an urgent need or demand.

“women worked long hours when the exigencies of the family economy demanded it”

76
Q

conflagration

A

an extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property.
synonyms: fire, blaze, flames, inferno, firestorm

77
Q

Rubicon

A

A limit that when passed or exceeded permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment

78
Q

burnish

A

polish (something, esp. metal) by rubbing.
“highly burnished armor”
synonyms: polish, buff, rub, gloss

79
Q

slipshod

A

(typically of a person or method of work) characterized by a lack of care, thought, or organization.
“he’d caused many problems with his slipshod management”
synonyms: careless, lackadaisical, slapdash, disorganized, haphazard, hit-or-miss, untidy, messy, unsystematic, unmethodical, casual, negligent, neglectful, remiss, lax, slack;

80
Q

blithe

A

showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
“a blithe disregard for the rules of the road”
synonyms: casual, indifferent, unconcerned, unworried, untroubled, uncaring, careless, heedless, thoughtless;

81
Q

jaunty

A

having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner.
“there was no mistaking that jaunty walk”
synonyms: cheerful, cheery, happy, merry, jolly, joyful;

82
Q

parsimonious

A

unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.
“parsimonious New Hampshire voters, who have a phobia about taxes”
synonyms: cheap, miserly, mean, niggardly, close-fisted, close, penny-pinching, ungenerous, Scroogelike;

83
Q

avaricious

A

having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
“a corrupt and avaricious government”
synonyms: greedy, acquisitive, covetous, rapacious, grasping, materialistic, mercenary;

84
Q

penurious

A

extremely poor; poverty-stricken.
“a penurious old tramp”
synonyms: poor as a church mouse, poverty-stricken, destitute, necessitous, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, in need/want, badly off, in reduced/straitened circumstances, hard up, unable to make ends meet, penniless, without a cent (to one’s name), without a sou; More
antonyms: wealthy
characterized by poverty or need.
“penurious years”
2.
parsimonious; mean.
“he was generous and hospitable in contrast to his stingy and penurious wife”
synonyms: mean, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, close-fisted, Scroogelike;

85
Q

rapacious

A

aggressively greedy or grasping.
“rapacious landlords”
synonyms: grasping, greedy, avaricious, acquisitive, covetous;

86
Q

proscribe

A

forbid, esp. by law.
“strikes remained proscribed in the armed forces”
synonyms: forbid, prohibit, ban, bar, interdict, make illegal, embargo, outlaw, disallow, veto;

87
Q

contingency

A

a future event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
“a detailed contract that attempts to provide for all possible contingencies”
synonyms: eventuality, (chance) event, incident, happening, occurrence, juncture, possibility, fortuity, accident, chance, emergency

88
Q

appellation

A

a name or title.
“the city fully justifies its appellation “the Pearl of the Orient.””
synonyms: name, title, designation, tag, sobriquet, byname, nickname, cognomen;

89
Q

quotidian

A

adjective
1.
of or occurring every day; daily.
“the car sped noisily off through the quotidian traffic

90
Q

draconian

A

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

synonyms: harsh, severe, strict, extreme, drastic, stringent, tough;

91
Q

inured

A

accustom (someone) to something, esp. something unpleasant.
“these children have been inured to violence”
synonyms: harden, toughen, season, temper, condition;

92
Q

wizened

A

shriveled or wrinkled with age.
“a wizened, weather-beaten old man”
synonyms: wrinkled, lined, creased, shriveled (up), withered, weather-beaten, shrunken, gnarled, aged

93
Q

expurgate

A

remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book or account).
“the expurgated Arabian Nights”
synonyms: censor, bowdlerize, blue-pencil, cut, edit;

94
Q

edify

A

instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.

synonyms: educate, instruct, teach, school, tutor, train, guide;

95
Q

inchoate

A

just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
“a still inchoate democracy”
synonyms: rudimentary, undeveloped, unformed, immature, incipient, embryonic;

96
Q

borne/ bear

A

to carry/ support, move covey, hold up

97
Q

exculpate

A

show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing.

“the article exculpated the mayor”

98
Q

dandle

A

move (a baby or young child) up and down in a playful or affectionate way.
synonyms: bounce, jiggle, dance, rock More

99
Q

calimatous

A

involving calamity; catastrophic; disastrous.
“such calamitous events as fires, hurricanes, and floods”
synonyms: disastrous, catastrophic, cataclysmic, devastating, dire, tragic;

100
Q

parochially

A

of or relating to a church parish.

“the parochial church council”, small minded, limited, limited to things concerning a small area

101
Q

craven

A

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.
“a craven abdication of his moral duty”
synonyms: cowardly, lily-livered, faint-hearted, chicken-hearted, spineless, timid, timorous, fearful, pusillanimous, weak, feeble

102
Q

caustic

A

able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.
“a caustic cleaner”
synonyms: corrosive, corroding, abrasive, mordant, acid More
2.
sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way, sardonic, acerbic, mordant, vitrolic

103
Q

differential

A
  1. Of, relating to, or showing a difference.
  2. Constituting or making a difference; distinctive.
  3. Dependent on or making use of a specific difference or distinction.
  4. Mathematics Of or relating to differentiation.
  5. Involving differences in speed or direction of motion.
104
Q

alacrity

A

swiftness

105
Q

pulverous

A

Resembling or consisting of dust or powder

106
Q

pellucid

A

translucently clear.
“mountains reflected in the pellucid waters”
synonyms: translucent, transparent, clear, crystal clear, crystalline, glassy, limpid, unclouded, gin-clea

107
Q

adamantine

A

unbreakable; adamantine chains

108
Q

frangible

A

fragile; brittle

109
Q

tensile

A

of or relating to tension.
2.
capable of being drawn out or stretched.

110
Q

attenuated

A

unnaturally thin.

“she was a drooping, attenuated figure”; weaken

111
Q

primordial

A

existing at or from the beginning of time; primeval.
“the primordial oceans”
synonyms: ancient, earliest, first, prehistoric, antediluvian, primeval

112
Q

esoteric

A

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
“esoteric philosophical debates”
synonyms: abstruse, obscure, arcane, recherché, rarefied, recondite, abstract;

113
Q

modish

A

conforming to or following what is currently popular and fashionable.
“it seems sad that such a scholar should feel compelled to use this modish jargon”
synonyms: fashionable, stylish, chic, modern, contemporary, all the rage, in vogue, voguish, up-to-the-minute, à la mode, du jour;

114
Q

refractory

A

stubborn or unmanageable.
“his refractory pony”
synonyms: obstinate, stubborn, mulish, pigheaded, obdurate, headstrong, self-willed, wayward, willful, perverse, contrary, recalcitrant, obstreperous, disobedient, difficult; More
antonyms: obedient
2.
resistant to a process or stimulus.
“some granules are refractory to secretory stimuli”
MEDICINE
(of a person, illness, or diseased tissue) not yielding to treatment.
“healing of previously refractory ulcers”
MEDICINErare
(of a person or animal) resistant to infection.
technical
(of a substance) resistant to heat; hard to melt or fuse.

115
Q

philistine

A

a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them.
“a philistine government”
synonyms: uncultured, lowbrow, anti-intellectual, uncultivated, uncivilized, uneducated, unenlightened, commercial, materialist, bourgeois;

116
Q

specious

A

superficially plausible, but actually wrong.

“a specious argument”

117
Q

panacea

A

a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
“the panacea for all corporate ills”
synonyms: universal cure, cure-all, cure for all ills, universal remedy, elixir, wonder drug;

118
Q

irascibility

A

a feeling of resentful anger

119
Q

redress

A

remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation).
“the power to redress the grievances of our citizens”
synonyms: rectify, correct, right, put to rights, compensate for, amend, remedy, make good, resolve, settle More
even up, regulate, equalize
archaic
set upright again.
“some ambitious architect being called to redress a leaning wall”
noun
noun: redress; plural noun: redresses
1.
remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance.
“those seeking redress for an infringement of public law rights”
synonyms: compensation, reparation, restitution, recompense, repayment, indemnity, indemnification, retribution, satisfaction;

120
Q

enmity

A

the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.
“enmity between Protestants and Catholics”
synonyms: hostility, animosity, antagonism, friction, antipathy, animus, acrimony, bitterness, rancor, resentment, aversion, ill feeling, bad feeling, ill will, bad blood, hatred, hate, loathing, odium

121
Q

ennui

A

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
synonyms: boredom, tedium, listlessness, lethargy, lassitude, languor, weariness, enervation;

122
Q

quiescence

A

dormancy: a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction; “the volcano erupted after centuries of dormancy”

123
Q

ineluctable

A

unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable.

“the ineluctable facts of history”

124
Q

inveigh

A

speak or write about (something) with great hostility.
“nationalists inveighed against those who worked with the British”
synonyms: fulminate against, declaim against, protest (against), rail against/at, rage at, remonstrate against;

125
Q

levy

A

impose (a tax, fee, or fine).
“a new tax could be levied on industry to pay for cleaning up contaminated land”
synonyms: impose, charge, exact, raise, collect

126
Q

extol

A

praise enthusiastically.
“he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples”
synonyms: praise enthusiastically, go into raptures about/over, wax lyrical about, sing the praises of, praise to the skies, acclaim, exalt, eulogize, adulate, rhapsodize over, rave about, enthuse about/over, overpraise;

127
Q

pharmacopeia

A

a book, esp. an official publication, containing a list of medicinal drugs with their effects and directions for their use.

128
Q

assiduity

A

constant or close attention to what one is doing.

“the assiduity with which he could wear down his opponents”

129
Q

soporific

A

tending to induce drowsiness or sleep.
“the motion of the train had a somewhat soporific effect”
antonyms: invigorating
noun
noun: soporific; plural noun: soporifics
1.
a drug or other agent that induces sleep.
synonyms: sleeping pill, sedative, calmative, tranquilizer, narcotic, opiate;

130
Q

redound

A

contribute greatly to (a person’s credit or honor).
“his latest diplomatic effort will redound to his credit”
synonyms: contribute to, be conducive to, result in, lead to, effect; More
2.
archaic
come back upon; rebound on.
“may his sin redound upon his head!”
synonyms: contribute to, be conducive to, result in, lead to, effect

131
Q

macerate

A

(esp. with reference to food) soften or become softened by soaking in a liquid.
2.
archaic
cause to grow thinner or waste away, esp. by fasting.

132
Q

peripatetic

A

traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
“the peripatetic nature of military life”
synonyms: nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant, migratory, unsettled

133
Q

lugubrious

A

looking or sounding sad and dismal.
synonyms: mournful, gloomy, sad, unhappy, doleful, glum, melancholy, woeful, miserable, woebegone, forlorn, somber, solemn, serious, sorrowful, morose, dour, cheerless, joyless, dismal;

134
Q

supervene

A

occur later than a specified or implied event or action, typically in such a way as to change the situation.
“any plan that is made is liable to be disrupted by supervening events”

135
Q

postliminary

A

done or carried on after something else or as a conclusion : subsequent —opposed to preliminary

136
Q

iconoclastic

A

characterized by attack on cherished beliefs or institutions.
“a fresh, even an iconoclastic, influence could work wonders”

137
Q

pertinacious

A

holding firmly to an opinion or a course of action.
“he worked with a pertinacious resistance to interruptions”
synonyms: determined, tenacious, persistent, persevering, purposeful, resolute, dogged, indefatigable, insistent, single-minded, unrelenting, relentless, tireless, unshakable

138
Q

austere

A

severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.
“an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook”
synonyms: severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour, grim, cold, frosty, unemotional, unfriendly;

139
Q

assiduous

A

showing great care and perseverance.
“she was assiduous in pointing out every feature”
synonyms: diligent, careful, meticulous, thorough, sedulous, attentive, conscientious, punctilious, painstaking, rigorous, particular;

140
Q

intractable

A

hard to control or deal with.
“intractable economic problems”
synonyms: unmanageable, uncontrollable, difficult, awkward, troublesome, demanding, burdensome

141
Q

discursive

A

digressing from subject to subject.
“students often write dull, secondhand, discursive prose”
synonyms: rambling, digressive, meandering, wandering, maundering, diffuse, long, lengthy, wordy, verbose, long-winded, prolix; More
antonyms: concise
(of a style of speech or writing) fluent and expansive rather than formulaic or abbreviated.
“the short story is concentrated, whereas the novel is discursive”
synonyms: fluent, flowing, fluid, eloquent, expansive More
antonyms: terse
2.
of or relating to discourse or modes of discourse

142
Q

florid

A

having a red or flushed complexion.
“a stout man with a florid face”
synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; More
antonyms: pale
2.
elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated.
“florid operatic-style music was out”
synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy

143
Q

pithy

A

(of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive.
synonyms: succinct, terse, concise, compact, short (and sweet), brief, condensed, to the point, epigrammatic, crisp, thumbnail;

144
Q

vaunt

A

boast about or praise (something), esp. excessively.
“the much vaunted information superhighway”
synonyms: boast about, brag about, make much of, crow about, parade, flaunt;

145
Q

elegiac

A

(esp. of a work of art) having a mournful quality.
“the movie score is a somber effort, elegiac in its approach”
synonyms: mournful, melancholic, melancholy, plaintive, sorrowful, sad, lamenting, doleful;

146
Q

laggard

A

a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others.
“there was no time for laggards”
synonyms: straggler, loiterer, lingerer, dawdler, sluggard, snail, idler, loafer

147
Q

avarice

A

extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

synonyms: greed, greediness, acquisitiveness, cupidity, covetousness, rapacity, materialism, mercenariness;

148
Q

misanthrope

A

a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.

synonyms: hater of mankind, hater, cynic

149
Q

overawe

A

impress (someone) so much that they become silent or inhibited.
“he used firepower to overawe the hostile tribes”
synonyms: intimidate, daunt, cow, disconcert, unnerve, subdue, dismay, frighten, alarm, scare, terrify;

150
Q

bombastic

A

high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.
“bombastic rhetoric”
synonyms: pompous, blustering, turgid, verbose, orotund, high-flown, high-sounding, overwrought, pretentious, ostentatious, grandiloquent;

151
Q

moribund

A

(of a person) at the point of death.

synonyms: dying, expiring, terminal, on one’s deathbed, near death, at death’s door, not long for this world

152
Q

irresolute

A

showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain.
“she stood irresolute outside his door”
synonyms: indecisive, hesitant, vacillating, equivocating, dithering, wavering, shilly-shallying

153
Q

esurient

A

hungry or greedy

154
Q

plebian

A

commoner

155
Q

impecunious

A

having little or no money.
“a titled but impecunious family”
synonyms: penniless, poor, impoverished, indigent, insolvent, hard up, poverty-stricken, needy, destitute;

156
Q

insolvent

A

unable to pay debts owed.
“the company became insolvent”
synonyms: bankrupt, ruined, wiped out, in receivership

GRE (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions