Common GRE words in context Flashcards
adulterate
to make impure.
The chef made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water.
aggrandize
to increase in power, influence, and reputation.
The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.
anachronism
something out of place in time.
The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases, like “groovy” and “far out:, that had not been popular for years.
arbitrate
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties.
Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings.
ardor
intense and passionate feeling.
Bishop’s ARDOR for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.
assuage
to make something unpleasant less severe.
Serena used aspiring to ASSUAGE her pounding headache.
attenuate
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken.
The Bill of Rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of governments to change laws at will.
austere
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated.
The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem AUSTERE to the civilian eye.
banal
predictable, cliched, boring.
He used BANAL phrases like ‘have a nice day” and “another day, another dollar.”
capricious
changing one’s mind quickly and often.
Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICIOUS; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.
castigate
to punish or criticize harshly.
Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.
caustic
biting in wit.
Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.
chicanery
deception by means of craft or guile.
Dishonest used car salespeople often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.
cogent
convincing and well reasoned.
Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.
credulous
too trusting; gullible.
Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds still believe in him.
deride
to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock.
The awkward child was often DERIDED by his “cooler” peers.
desultory
jumping from one things to another; disconnected.
Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years.
diatribe
an abusive, condemnatory speed
The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the driver who had cut him off.
diffident
lacking self-confidence.
Steve’s DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.
dilatory
intended to delay.
The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.
dilettante
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
Jerry’s friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.
dirge
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
Melville wrote the poem “A DIRGE for James McPherson” for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.
disabuse
to set right; to free from error
Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.
dissemble
to present a false appearancel to disguise one’s real intentions or character
The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer - he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.
dissonance
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Cognitive DISSONANCE is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence.
dogmatic
dictatorial in one’s opinions
The dictator was DOGMATIC - he, and only he, was right.
eclectic
selecting from or made up from a variety of sources.
Budapest’s architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of Eastern and Western styles.
elegy
a sorrowful poem or speech
Although Thomas Gray’s “ELEGY Written in a Country Churchyard” is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality.
emulate
to copy; to try to equal or excel
The graduate student sought to EMULATE his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class.
enervate
to reduce in strength
The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army.
engender
to produce, cause, or bring about
His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.
