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GRE Test Prep > Key Terms Group 4 > Flashcards

Key Terms Group 4 Flashcards

This is deck 4 of common words on the GRE. (72 cards)

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1
Q

acerbic (adjective)

A

having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting

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2
Q

aggrandize (verb)

A

to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige

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3
Q

alchemy (noun)

A

a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, especially base metals into gold

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4
Q

amenable (adjective)

A

agreeable; responsive to suggestion

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5
Q

anachronism (noun)

A

something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context

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6
Q

astringent (adjective)

A

having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue

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7
Q

contiguous (adjective)

A

sharing a border; touching; adjacent

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8
Q

convention (noun)

A

a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude

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9
Q

credulous (adjective)

A

tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun: credulity)

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10
Q

cynicism (noun)

A

an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adjective: cynical)

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11
Q

decorum (noun)

A

polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adjective: decorous)

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12
Q

derision (noun)

A

scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment (adjective: derisive; verb: deride)

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13
Q

desiccate (verb)

A

to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull

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14
Q

dilettante (noun)

A

one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge

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15
Q

disparage (verb)

A

to slight or belittle

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16
Q

divulge (verb)

A

to disclose something secret

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17
Q

fawn (verb)

A

to flatter or praise excessively

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18
Q

flout (verb)

A

to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention

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19
Q

garrulous (adjective)

A

pointlessly talkative; talking too much

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20
Q

glib (adjective)

A

marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial

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21
Q

hubris (noun)

A

overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance

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22
Q

imminent (adjective)

A

about to happen; impending

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23
Q

immutable (adjective)

A

not capable of change

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24
Q

impetuous (adjective)

A

hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement

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25
indifferent (adjective)
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
26
inimical (adjective)
damaging; harmful; injurious
27
intractable (adjective)
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
28
intrepid (adjective)
steadfast and courageous
29
laconic (adjective)
using few words; terse
30
maverick (noun)
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
31
mercurial (adjective)
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
32
mollify (verb)
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
33
neophyte (noun)
a recent convert; a beginner; novice
34
obfuscate (verb)
to deliberately obscure; to make convincing
35
obstinate (adjective)
stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising
36
ostentatious (adjective)
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
37
pervade (verb)
to permeate throughout (adjective: pervasive)
38
phlegmatic (adjective)
calm; sluggish; unemotional
39
plethora (noun)
an overabundance; a surplus
40
pragmatic (adjective)
practical rather than idealistic
41
presumptuous (adjective)
overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
42
pristine (adjective)
pure; uncorrupted; clean
43
probity (noun)
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
44
proclivity (noun)
a natural predisposition or inclination
45
profligate (adjective)
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun: profligacy)
46
propensity (noun)
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
47
prosaic (adjective)
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
48
pungent (adjective)
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
49
quixotic (adjective)
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
50
quotidian (adjective)
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
51
rarefy (verb)
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
52
recondite (adjective)
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
53
refulgent (adjective)
radiant; shining; brilliant
54
renege (verb)
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
55
sedulous (adjective)
diligent; persistent; hard-working
56
shard (noun)
a piece of broken pottery or glass
57
soporific (adjective)
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
58
sparse (adjective)
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
59
spendthrift (noun)
one who spends money wastefully
60
subtle (adjective)
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
61
tacit (adjective)
implied; not explicitly stated
62
terse (adjective)
brief and concise in wording
63
tout (verb)
to publicly praise or promote
64
trenchant (adjective)
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
65
unfeigned (adjective)
genuine; not false or hypocritical
66
untenable (adjective)
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
67
vacillate (verb)
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another
68
variegated (adjective)
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
69
vexation (noun)
annoyance; irritation (verb: vex)
70
vigilant (adjective)
alertly watchful (noun: vigilance)
71
vituperate (verb)
to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate
72
volatile (adjective)
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (noun: volatility)

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