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Essential GRE Words - Barron's > A > Flashcards

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1
Q

abate, v.

A

to decrease; reduce

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2
Q

abdicate, v.

A

to give up a position, right, or power

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3
Q

de facto, adj.

A

in fact, whether by right or not; exercising power without being legally established (Latin: from the fact)

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4
Q

aberrant, adj.*

A

deviating from what is normal

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5
Q

deviant, n.

A

a person whose behavior differs from the accepted standards of society

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6
Q

abeyance, n.*

A

temporary suppression or suspension

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7
Q

abject, adj.

A

miserable; pitiful

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8
Q

abjure, v.

A

to reject; abandon formally

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9
Q

abscission, n.

A

the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

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10
Q

abscond, v.

A

to depart secretly

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11
Q

abstemious, adj.*

A

moderate in appetite

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12
Q

abstinence, n.

A

the giving up of certain pleasures

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13
Q

accretion, n.

A

growth in size or increase in amount (from ad- “to” + crescere “grow”).

Accretion concerns the growth of natural bodies. Accrual, by contrast, concerns an increase or concerns something that accumulates. It therefore has less to do with natural bodies.

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14
Q

accrue, v.

A

to accumulate; grow by additions.

Accretion concerns the growth of natural bodies. Accrual, by contrast, concerns an increase or concerns something that accumulates. It therefore has less to do with natural bodies.

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15
Q

adamant, adj.

A

uncompromising; unyielding

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16
Q

adjunct, n.

A

something added, attached, or joined

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17
Q

admonish, v.

A

to caution or reprimand

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18
Q

adulterate, v.

A

to corrupt or make impure

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19
Q

aesthetic, adj.

A

relating to beauty or art

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20
Q

affected, adj.

A

pretentious, phony

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21
Q

affinity, n.

A

fondness; liking; similarity

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22
Q

aggrandize, v.

A

to make larger or greater

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23
Q

aggregate, adj.

A

amounting to a whole; total.

Aggregate means to bring together or to collect into a mass or sum while amalgamate means to merge, combine, blend or join. Amalgamate means to coalesce, hence any difference is blended or joined after the thing is amalgamated, while aggregate concerns the mere combination of particulars such that their identity is not lost after aggregation. As a noun aggregate is a mass, assemblage, or sum of particulars; something consisting of elements but considered as a whole.

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24
Q

*alacrity, n.

A

cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

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25
Q

alchemy, n.

A

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

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26
Q

allay, v.

A

to lessen; ease; soothe

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27
Q

*alleviate, v.

A

to relieve; improve partially

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28
Q

alloy, n.

A

a combination; a mixture of two or more metals

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29
Q

allure, n.

A

the power to entice by charm

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30
Q

*amalgamate, v.

A

to combine into a unified whole

Aggregate means to bring together or to collect into a mass or sum while amalgamate means to merge, combine, blend or join. Amalgamate means to coalesce, hence any difference is blended or joined after the thing is amalgamated, while aggregate concerns the mere combination of particulars such that their identity is not lost after aggregation. As a noun aggregate is a mass, assemblage, or sum of particulars; something consisting of elements but considered as a whole.

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31
Q

*ambiguous, adj.

A

unclear or doubtful in meaning

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32
Q

*ambivalence, n.

A

the state of having two conflicting emotional attitudes

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33
Q

ambrosia, n.

A

something delicious; the food of the gods

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34
Q

*ameliorate, v.

A

to improve

35
Q

amenable, adj.

A

agreeable; cooperative

36
Q

amenity, n.

A

something that increases comfort

37
Q

amulet, n.

A

ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

38
Q

*anachronism, n.

A

something out of the proper time

39
Q

analgesic, n.

A

medication that reduces or eliminates pain

40
Q

*analogous, adj.

A

comparable

41
Q

analogy, n.

A

similarity in some ways between things that are otherwise dissimilar

42
Q

*anarchy, n.

A

absence of government; state of disorder

43
Q

anodyne, n.

A

something that calms or soothes pain

44
Q

*anomalous, adj.

A

irregular; deviating from the norm

45
Q

antecedent, n.

A

something that comes before

46
Q

antediluvian, adj.

A

prehistoric

47
Q

*antipathy, n.

A

dislike; hostility

48
Q

*apathy, n.

A

indifference

49
Q

apex, n.

A

the highest point

As nouns the difference between apex and apogee is that apex is the highest point of something while apogee is (astronomy) the point, in an orbit about the earth, that is furthest from the earth: the apoapsis of an earth orbiter

50
Q

apogee, n.

A

the point in an orbit most distance from the body being orbited; the highest point

As nouns the difference between apex and apogee is that apex is the highest point of something while apogee is (astronomy) the point, in an orbit about the earth, that is furthest from the earth: the apoapsis of an earth orbiter.

51
Q

apothegm, n.

A

a terse, witty saying (pronounced AP-uh-them and also spelled apophthegm

52
Q

appease, v.

A

to calm; pacify; placate

As verbs the difference between pacify and appease is that pacify is to bring peace to (a place or situation), by ending war, fighting, violence, anger or agitation while appease is to make quiet; to calm; to reduce to a state of peace; to dispel (anger or hatred). Pacify deals more with places and objects, appease with emotions, though there’s little difference between them.

53
Q

appellation, n.

A

name

54
Q

apposite, adj. (apazit)

A

strikingly appropriate and relevant

55
Q

apprise, v. (apprize)

A

to inform

56
Q

approbation, n.

A

praise; approval

57
Q

appropriate, v.

A

to take possession of for one’s own use; confiscate

58
Q

apropos, adj.

A

relevant

59
Q

arabesque, n.

A

ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body

60
Q

archeology, n.

A

the study of material evidence of past human life

61
Q

ardor, n.

A

great emotion or passion

62
Q

arduous, adj.

A

extremely difficult; laborious

63
Q

argot, n.

A

a specialized vocabulary used by a group

64
Q

arrest, v.

A

to stop; to seize

65
Q

artifact, n.

A

item made by human craft

66
Q

artless, adj.

A

guileless; natural Ex: “The source of meaning of artless as guileless is the poet John Dryden, who wrote of William Shakespeare in 1672: ‘Such artless beauty lies in Shakespeare’s wit…’”

67
Q

ascetic, n.

A

one who practices self-denial

68
Q

asperity, n.

A

severity; harshness; irritability

69
Q

aspersion, n.

A

slander; false rumor

70
Q

assiduous, adj.

A

diligent; hard-working

71
Q

assuage, v.

A

to make less severe

72
Q

astringent, adj.

A

harsh; severe

73
Q

asylum, n.

A

place of refuge or shelter

74
Q

atavism, n.

A

in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence

75
Q

attenuate, v.

A

to weaken

76
Q

audacious, adj.

A

bold; daring

77
Q

austere, adj.

A

stern; unadorned

78
Q

autonomous, adj.

A

self-governing; independent

79
Q

avarice, n.

A

greed

80
Q

aver, v.

A

to affirm; declare to be true

81
Q

avocation, n.

A

secondary occupation

82
Q

avuncular, adj.

A

like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant

83
Q

axiomatic, adj.

A

taken for granted

Essential GRE Words - Barron's (5 decks)

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