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GRE Vocabulary > 800 High-Frequency GRE Words > Flashcards

800 High-Frequency GRE Words Flashcards

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1
Q

abate

A

decrease, reduce

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2
Q

abdicate

A

to give a position, right, or power

“abdicate the throne”

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3
Q

abject

A

pitiful

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4
Q

abjure

A

abandon formally

“immigrants must abjure allegiances to other countries”

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5
Q

abscission

A

the act of cutting

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6
Q

abstemious

A

moderate in appetite

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7
Q

accretion

A

increase or growth

antonym: abatement

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8
Q

accrue

A

accumulate

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9
Q

adjunct

A

attachment

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10
Q

adulterate

A

to corrupt or make impure

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11
Q

affected

A

pretentious, phony

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12
Q

affinity

A

liking

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13
Q

aggrandize

A

make larger or greater

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14
Q

alchemy

A

a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation; medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold

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15
Q

allay

A

ease, soften, lessen

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16
Q

ambrosia

A

something delicious, the food of the gods

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17
Q

amenable

A

open and responsive to suggestion, easily controlled (e.g. amenable children); susceptible

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18
Q

amenity

A

something that increases comfort

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19
Q

analgesic

A

medication that reduces pain

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20
Q

anodyne

A

something that calms or soothes pain

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21
Q

antecedent

A

precursor

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22
Q

antediluvian

A

prehistoric

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23
Q

apogee

A

the point in an orbit farthest away from the body being orbited; apex

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24
Q

apposite

A

apt

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25
Q

apropos

A

relevant

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26
Q

arabesque

A

ornate design; a ballet move

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27
Q

ardour

A

great emotion or passion

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28
Q

arduous

A

extremely difficult, laborious

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29
Q

argot

A

jargon

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30
Q

artefact

A

item made by human craft

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31
Q

asperity

A

severity, harshness, irritability

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32
Q

aspersion

A

slander, rumour

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33
Q

astringent

A

sharp, severe

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34
Q

arrest

A

to stop; seize

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35
Q

atavism

A

reappearance of a characteristic or a trait

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36
Q

avarice

A

greed

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37
Q

avocation

A

secondary occupation

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38
Q

avuncular

A

like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant

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39
Q

bacchanalian

A

pertaining to revelry, pertaining to drunken festivity

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40
Q

banal

A

commonplace, trite

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41
Q

bard

A

poet

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42
Q

bawdy

A

obscene (think Canterbury Tales)

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43
Q

beautify

A

bless, sanctify

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44
Q

bedizen

A

to dress in a vulgar showy manner

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45
Q

behemoth

A

a huge creature; anything very large and powerful

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46
Q

bifurcate

A

divide into two parts

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47
Q

blandishment

A

flattery

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48
Q

blasé

A

bored because of frequent indulgence, unconcerned

“the student’s blasé attitude towards school”

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49
Q

bovine

A

cowlike

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50
Q

broach

A

to mention for the first time

“broach the subject”

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51
Q

bucolic

A

rustic

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52
Q

cadge

A

beg

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53
Q

calumny

A

false accusations, slander

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54
Q

canard

A

false, deliberately misleading story

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55
Q

cant

A

insincere talk; jargon, argot

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56
Q

cantankerous

A

irritable, ill-humoured

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57
Q

captious

A

faultfinding; (of an argument) intending to entrap (e.g. captious critics)

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58
Q

carnal

A

of the flesh and body; related to physical appetites (e.g. carnal desires)

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59
Q

carping

A

to find fault; complain

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60
Q

caste

A

a hereditary class of the Hindu society or any group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct; the system of dividing society into classes

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61
Q

castigation

A

chastisement, criticism

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62
Q

categorically

A

absolutely, without exception

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63
Q

caucus

A

smaller group within an organisation

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64
Q

caustic

A

corrosive, burning; sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

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65
Q

celestial

A

sublime, supremely good

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66
Q

centrifugal

A

acting away from the centre

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67
Q

chasten

A

to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain

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68
Q

churlish

A

rude, boorish

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69
Q

circuitous

A

roundabout

“circuitous path”

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70
Q

clamour

A

noisy outcry; to cry out noisily

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71
Q

clique

A

a small, exclusive group

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72
Q

cloister

A

to confine, seclude; a monastery

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73
Q

codify

A

to systematise

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74
Q

cognizant

A

aware, conscious, informed

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75
Q

collage

A

an artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; a collection of diverse elements

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76
Q

compunction

A

uneasiness caused by guilt

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77
Q

concoct

A

make up or invent

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78
Q

concomitant

A

existing concurrently

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79
Q

condone

A

accept

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80
Q

congenial

A

similar in tastes and habits; suited to

“the universe is surprisingly congenial to life”

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81
Q

conjugal

A

pertaining to marriage agreement

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82
Q

contend

A

assert

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83
Q

contiguous

A

touching, neighbouring

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84
Q

continence

A

self-control; abstention from sexual activity

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85
Q

contrite

A

very sorrowful for a wrong

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86
Q

contumacious

A

disobedient; rebellious

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87
Q

convivial

A

sociable

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88
Q

coquette

A

woman who flirts

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89
Q

cornucopia

A

state of abundance; horn overflown with fruit and grain

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90
Q

cosmology

A

theory of the origin and structure of the universe

“Einstein’s cosmology”

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91
Q

cozen

A

deceive

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92
Q

credence

A

acceptance of something as true

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93
Q

credo

A

a statement of belief or principle; creed

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94
Q

daunt

A

dishearten, discourage, intimidate

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95
Q

dearth

A

scarcity, paucity

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96
Q

default

A

fail to act

“defaulting on a loan”

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97
Q

demur

A

to express doubt

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98
Q

defunct

A

no longer existing

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99
Q

demotic

A

pertaining to people

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100
Q

denizen

A

an inhabitant; a regular visitor

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101
Q

deride

A

to mock

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102
Q

detraction

A

the act of taking away; derogatory comment

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103
Q

diaphanous

A

transparent and fine-textured (of a fabric); insubstantial, intangible, impalpable, vague
“diaphanous dreams”

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104
Q

desuetude

A

a state of disuse

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105
Q

deterrent

A

something that discourages or hinders

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106
Q

discomfit

A

make uneasy, disconcert

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107
Q

discretion

A

the freedom to act on one’s own

“local authorities should use their discretion in setting the charges”

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108
Q

disseminate

A

disperse, spread

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109
Q

distrait

A

inattentive, preoccupied

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110
Q

divest

A

strip, deprive, rid

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111
Q

divulge

A

to make known something that is secret (e.g. divulge a secret, divulge information)

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112
Q

doggerel

A

poor verse

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113
Q

dogmatic

A

inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true.

“she was not tempted to be dogmatic about what she believed”

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114
Q

dross

A

waste, worthless matter; trivial matter

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115
Q

effete

A

affected, over-refined, and ineffectual; (of a man) weak or effeminate

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116
Q

elixir

A

a substance believed to have the power to cure ills

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117
Q

Elysian

A

blissful, delightful

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118
Q

emaciated

A

abnormally thin

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119
Q

emollient

A

mollifying, soothing

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120
Q

emulate

A

imitate

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121
Q

encomium

A

a formal expression of praise

“an encomium for the retiring general”

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122
Q

entomology

A

the study of insects

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123
Q

epistemology

A

a branch of philosophy that examined the nature of knowledge

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124
Q

equable

A

steady, unvarying, serene

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125
Q

essay

A

attempt

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126
Q

estimable

A

respectable

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127
Q

ethnocentric

A

based on the attitude that one’s group is superior

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128
Q

etiology

A

causes or origins

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129
Q

eugenics

A

study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities

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130
Q

evince

A

to show plainly

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131
Q

exact

A

demand and obtain by authority

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132
Q

execrable

A

abhorrent, detestable

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133
Q

exhort

A

urge by strong appeals

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134
Q

expatiate

A

to speak or write at length

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135
Q

expatriate

A

exile

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136
Q

expiate

A

to atone for

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137
Q

explicate

A

explain

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138
Q

expository

A

explanatory

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139
Q

extant

A

existing, not lost

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140
Q

extemporaneous

A

unrehearsed, spontaneous, impromptu

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141
Q

extirpate

A

to root up, to destroy

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142
Q

factotum

A

handyman

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143
Q

fallow

A

plowed but not sowed, uncultivated

“fallow field”

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144
Q

fauna

A

animals of a period or region

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145
Q

fetid

A

malodorous

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146
Q

fetter

A

bind, confine

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147
Q

fiat

A

decree, authorisation; arbitrary order

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148
Q

fidelity

A

loyalty

“pledge fidelity”

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149
Q

filibuster

A

use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law

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150
Q

finesse

A

to handle with deceptive or evasive strategy; refine

151
Q

flora

A

plants of a region or era

152
Q

florid

A

ruddy, reddish; flowery, flamboyant

153
Q

flourish

A

embellishments, ornamentations

154
Q

forbearance

A

patience

155
Q

forswear

A

abjure, renounce

156
Q

founder

A

fail, sink, collapse

157
Q

fracas

A

a noisy quarrel, kerfuffle

158
Q

fractious

A

quarrelsome

159
Q

fresco

A

a painting done on plaster

160
Q

frieze

A

ornamental band on a wall

161
Q

froward

A

stubbornly contrary, obstinately disobedient

162
Q

fulminate

A

to attack loudly, denounce

163
Q

fulsome

A

so excessive as to be disgusting

164
Q

gambol

A

frolic, leap playfully

165
Q

gauche

A

coarse and uncouth; clumsy

166
Q

geniality

A

cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability

167
Q

gerrymander

A

to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party

168
Q

glib

A

fluent but insincere

169
Q

gossamer

A

light and delicate, like cobwebs

170
Q

grouse

A

to complain

171
Q

halcyon

A

peaceful (e.g. halcyon days, halcyon years)

172
Q

hermetic

A

tightly sealed; magical

“hermetic traditions”

173
Q

heterodox

A

unorthodox

174
Q

hirsute

A

covered with hair

175
Q

homeostatis

A

the automatic maintenance of an organism’s temperature, chemical balance, etc. within itself

176
Q

homily

A

sermon; tediously moralising lecture

177
Q

imbroglio

A

complicated situation, entanglement

178
Q

immutable

A

unchangeable, unyielding

179
Q

impecunious

A

poor

antonym: opulent

180
Q

impinge

A

strike; encroach, intrude

181
Q

imprecation

A

curse

“uttering imprecations”

182
Q

impute

A

to relate to a particular cause or source; to assign as a characteristic
“scientists impute intelligence to chimpanzees”

183
Q

incursion

A

sudden invasion

184
Q

ineluctable

A

inevitable

185
Q

inert

A

unable to move; lacking vigour

186
Q

ingenuous

A

naïve and trusting; lacking sophistication

187
Q

insouciant

A

indifferent, uncaring

188
Q

interdict

A

prohibit (e.g. interdicted goods); to confront and halt the activities, advance, or entry of

189
Q

internecine

A

deadly to both sides

“an internecine conflict”

190
Q

interpolate

A

insert

191
Q

interregnum

A

interval between reigns; gap in continuity

192
Q

intimate

A

to make known subtly and indirectly

193
Q

introspective

A

contemplating one’s own feelings and thoughts

194
Q

inveigh

A

disapprove, protest vehemently

195
Q

inveterate

A

confirmed, deeply-rooted, incorrigible (e.g. an inveterate iconoclast, inveterate gambler)

196
Q

invidious

A

likely to provoke ill will, offensive

“invidious comparisons between racial groups”

197
Q

irresolute

A

unsure how to act, weak, equivocating

198
Q

itinerant

A

unsettled (e.g. itinerant workers, itinerant salesperson)

199
Q

inveigle

A

to win over by flattery or coaxing, cajole

200
Q

jaundiced

A

having a yellow discoloration of the skin; affected by hostility, resentment, or envy
“a jaundiced view of the world”

201
Q

jibe

A

agree

“make sure that the documents jibe”

202
Q

jocose

A

fond of joking, jocular, playful

203
Q

junta

A

a group of people united in political intrigue

204
Q

labile

A

likely to change

205
Q

lambaste

A

to thrash verbally or physically

206
Q

lascivious

A

lustful

207
Q

lethargic

A

inactive

208
Q

liberal

A

broad-minded; generous, lavish, tolerant

antonym: stringent

209
Q

libertine

A

one without moral restraint

210
Q

libido

A

sexual desire

211
Q

Lilliputian

A

extremely small

212
Q

limn

A

draw; describe

213
Q

limpid

A

clear, transparent

“the limpid pond”

214
Q

litany

A

lengthy recitation; repetitive chant

215
Q

literati

A

scholarly or learned persons, erudites

216
Q

litigation

A

legal proceedings

217
Q

lucre

A

money, profit

218
Q

lustrous

A

shining

“the lustrous stars”

219
Q

Machiavellian

A

crafty, cunning, double-dealing

220
Q

machination

A

plot, scheme

221
Q

maelstrom

A

whirlpool (e.g. the maelstrom that was WWII); turmoil

222
Q

malign

A

speak evil of

223
Q

megalomania

A

delusions of power or importance

224
Q

menagerie

A

a variety of animals kept together

225
Q

mendicant

A

beggar

“a mendicant monk”

226
Q

meretricious

A

plausible but false, specious; gaudy, garish

227
Q

metaphysics

A

a branch of philosophy that investigates the ultimate nature of reality
“to sceptics, metaphysics is an arbitrary search for a chimerical truth”

228
Q

mettle

A

courage; endurance

229
Q

mettlesome

A

full of courage and fortitude

230
Q

microcosm

A

a small system having analogies to a larger system

231
Q

militate

A

to work against

232
Q

minatory

A

threatening, menacing

“minatory troop concentrations on the border”

233
Q

miscellany

A

mixture of writings on various subjects

234
Q

miscreant

A

villain; criminal

235
Q

monolithic

A

solid and uniform, constituting a single unified whole

236
Q

motley

A

multicoloured; made up of many parts

237
Q

multifarious

A

diverse, multi-faceted

238
Q

necromancy

A

black magic

239
Q

neologism

A

new word or expression

240
Q

nexus

A

connection

241
Q

nonplussed

A

bewildered

242
Q

nostrum

A

supposed cure; and ineffective remedy

243
Q

nugatory

A

trifling, invalid

“nugatory information”

244
Q

obsequy

A

funeral ceremony

245
Q

odyssey

A

a long, adventurous voyage

246
Q

oligarchy

A

a form of government in which power belongs to only a few leaders

247
Q

ornithologist

A

scientist who studies birds

248
Q

overweening

A

arrogant, presumptuous, overbearing (e.g. overweening pride, overweening ambition)

249
Q

paean

A

song of joy or triumph; fervent expression of joy

250
Q

pallid

A

lacking colour or liveliness

251
Q

panegyric

A

elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise

252
Q

patois

A

regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon

253
Q

pellucid

A

transparent, easily understood
“pellucid style”;
translucent

254
Q

peregrination

A

wandering from place to place

255
Q

peremptory

A

imperative, imperious

“the general spoke in a peremptory tone”

256
Q

perigee

A

point in an orbit that is closest to the body being orbited

antonym: apogee

257
Q

petulant

A

rude, querulous

“petulant child”

258
Q

physiognomy

A

facial features

259
Q

piquant

A

appealingly stimulating, pleasantly pungent

260
Q

pique

A

feeling of hurt pride

261
Q

placid

A

calm, phlegmatic

262
Q

plaintive

A

melancholy, mournful

“plaintive cries of the widows”

263
Q

plumb

A

examine deeply

“plumb the depths of despair”

264
Q

plutocracy

A

a society ruled by the wealthy

265
Q

poseur

A

poser

266
Q

prate

A

to talk idly, chatter

267
Q

prattle

A

meaningless, foolish talk

synonym: gossip

268
Q

precept

A

principle

269
Q

precipitate

A

rash, hasty, sudden
“precipitate action”;
to throw down from a height

270
Q

preempt

A

forestall; take priority over, supersede

271
Q

prehensile

A

capable of grasping

“prehensile tails”

272
Q

premonition

A

warning

273
Q

presage

A

foretell; indicate in advance

274
Q

preternatural

A

supernatural

275
Q

prevaricate

A

quibble; evade the truth

276
Q

primordial

A

original

277
Q

prohibitive

A

preventive, forbidding

“prohibitive price”

278
Q

provident

A

providing for future needs; frugal, thrifty

antonym: spendthrift, prodigal

279
Q

punctilious

A

careful in observing rules of ceremony or behaviour

280
Q

quagmire

A

difficult situation (e.g. legal quagmire); marsh

281
Q

quail

A

to cower, lose heart

“the defendant quailed when the judge entered the room to announce his sentence”

282
Q

qualified

A

limited, restricted

283
Q

qualm

A

an uneasy feeling on the rightness of an action; a sudden feeling of nausea or faintness

284
Q

quibble

A

fight over insignificant details

285
Q

quorum

A

number of members necessary to conduct a meeting

286
Q

raconteur

A

witty, skilful storyteller

287
Q

rail

A

to criticise with bitter or abusive language

288
Q

raiment

A

clothing

289
Q

ramification

A

consequence

290
Q

rebus

A

puzzle in which pictures or symbols represent words

291
Q

redoubtable

A

formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect

“the redoubtable prosecutor”

292
Q

refulgent

A

brightly shining

“a refulgent diamond”

293
Q

regale

A

entertain

294
Q

remonstrate

A

object, protest

295
Q

renege

A

to go back on one’s word

296
Q

reparation

A

compensation

297
Q

repine

A

complain

298
Q

reproach

A

blame

299
Q

riposte

A

a retaliatory action or retort

300
Q

rubric

A

established mode of procedure or conduct, protocol; title or heading; category

301
Q

rue

A

regret

302
Q

salacious

A

lascivious, lustful

303
Q

salutary

A

beneficial

304
Q

sartorial

A

pertaining to tailors or clothing

305
Q

saturnine

A

gloomy; sluggish

306
Q

satyr

A

a creature that is half-man, half-beat with the horns and legs of a goat; a man who has a strong sexual desire

307
Q

sedition

A

behaviour prompting rebellion, fomentation of discontent

308
Q

sedulous

A

diligent, assiduous

309
Q

sensuous

A

relating to the senses, operating through the senses, sensual

310
Q

servile

A

submissive, obedient

“the king’s servile citizens”

311
Q

sextant

A

navigational device that determines latitude and longitude

312
Q

sidereal

A

relating to the stars

313
Q

simian

A

apelike, relating to apes

314
Q

sinecure

A

well-paying job that requires little or no work

315
Q

singular

A

unique, extraordinary, odd

316
Q

sinuous

A

winding, complex

317
Q

sobriety

A

seriousness

318
Q

sodden

A

thoroughly soaked, saturated

“sodden field”

319
Q

solicitous

A

eager, attentive, concerned

320
Q

soliloquy

A

monologue

321
Q

solvent

A

able to meet financial obligations

322
Q

somatic

A

relating to or affecting the body, corporeal

“somatic functions”

323
Q

sordid

A

filthy, contemptable and corrupt

324
Q

staccato

A

marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds

325
Q

stanch

A

to stop or check the flow of

326
Q

stentorian

A

extremely loud

“the stentorian speaker”

327
Q

stratify

A

divide into layers or strata

328
Q

striated

A

marked with thin, shallow grooves or channels

329
Q

strictures

A

negative criticism; something that restrains

330
Q

strident

A

loud, unpleasantly noisy; harsh

331
Q

stultify

A

to impair or reduce to uselessness

332
Q

substantive

A

essential, pertaining to the substance

“substantive evidence”

333
Q

subsume

A

include, incorporate

334
Q

subversive

A

intended to undermine or overthrow

335
Q

stupefy

A

to dull the senses

336
Q

succour

A

relief; help in time of distress or want

337
Q

suffrage

A

the right to vote

338
Q

sundry

A

various

339
Q

supine

A

lying on the back; marked by lethargy

340
Q

supplant

A

replace, substitute

341
Q

suppliant

A

pleading, begging, imploring, beseeching

342
Q

supplicant

A

one who asks humbly and earnestly

343
Q

syllogism

A

a form of deductive reasoning that has a major argument, a minor argument, and a conclusion
“X is Y;Y is Z; therefore, X is Z”

344
Q

sylvan

A

relating the woods or forest

345
Q

tautology

A

unnecessary repetition, redundancy

346
Q

tenet

A

belief, doctrine

347
Q

timbre

A

the characteristic quality of sound produced by an instrument or voice, tone colour

348
Q

toady

A

flatterer, yes-man

349
Q

tome

A

book, usually large and academic

350
Q

tout

A

promote or praise energetically

351
Q

travail

A

arduous work, tribulations, anguish

352
Q

travesty

A

parody

353
Q

tremulous

A

trembling, quivering; frugal; timid

354
Q

trepidation

A

fear and anxiety

355
Q

tryst

A

rendezvous (between lovers)

356
Q

tumid

A

swollen, distended

357
Q

turbid

A

opaque; in a state of great confusion; muddy

358
Q

turgid

A

swollen, bloated, distended, tumid; pompous

359
Q

tutelary

A

guarding

“tutelary spirits”

360
Q

undulating

A

moving in waves

“undulated terrain”

361
Q

untenable

A

indefensible

362
Q

untoward

A

not favourable, adverse; unruly, troublesome

363
Q

usury

A

lending money at exorbitant, unreasonably high rates

364
Q

vacuous

A

void, empty; lacking intelligence; purposeless

365
Q

valedictory

A

pertaining to a farewell

“valedictory performance”

366
Q

vapid

A

tasteless, dull, prosaic

367
Q

variegated

A

varied

“variegated species”

368
Q

vaunt

A

boast

369
Q

venal

A

bribable, corruptible

370
Q

vexation

A

puzzlement, confusion; irritation, annoyance

371
Q

vindictive

A

vengeful

372
Q

virtuoso

A

master (musician)

373
Q

vitiate

A

to impair the quality of, make inoperative, stultify; morally corrupt

374
Q

vivisection

A

dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on live animals for scientific purposes

GRE Vocabulary (6 decks)

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