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GRE Vocabulary > Deck 5 > Flashcards

Deck 5 Flashcards

1
Q

lionize

A

verb: assign great social importance to

Students in the US learn to lionize Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington because they are the founding fathers of the nation.

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2
Q

precipitous

A

adjective: done with great haste and without due deliberation

Instead of calling his financial advisor, Harold acted precipitously, buying 4,000 shares of the latest hot stock, only to find out that the company had a history of inflating its year end numbers.

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3
Q

prodigious

A

adjective: so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe

After the relatively small homerun totals in the “dead ball” era, Babe Ruth’s homerun totals were truly prodigious: every year, he set a new all-time record.

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4
Q

audacity

A

noun: aggressive boldness in social situations

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5
Q

repudiate

A

verb: reject as untrue or unfounded

Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO crash outside town, so the chief of police did everything he could to repudiate the rumors.

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6
Q

admonish

A

verb: to warn strongly, even to the point of reprimanding

Before the concert began, security personnel admonished the crowd not to come up on stage during the performance.

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7
Q

sycophant

A

noun: a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage

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8
Q

subversive

A

adjective: in opposition to an established system or institution

The ruling political party has begun a campaign to shut down subversive websites that it deems as a threat to national safety.

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9
Q

circumscribe

A

verb: restrict or confine

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10
Q

reverent

A

adjective: feeling or showing profound respect

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11
Q

garrulous

A

adjective: full of trivial conversation

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12
Q

myriad

A

noun: a large indefinite number

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13
Q

sporadic

A

adjective: recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances

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14
Q

obsequious

A

adjective: attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

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15
Q

posit

A

verb: assume as fact

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16
Q

stringent

A

adjective: demanding strict attention to rules and procedures

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17
Q

polemic

A

noun: a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something

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18
Q

timorous

A

adjective: timid by nature or revealing fear and nervousness

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19
Q

craven

A

adjective: pathetically cowardly

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20
Q

mendacity

A

noun: the tendency to be untruthful

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21
Q

nonplussed

A

adjective: unsure how to act or respond

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22
Q

contrition

A

noun: the feeling of remorse or guilt that comes from doing something bad

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23
Q

duress

A

noun: compulsory force or threat

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24
Q

censor

A

verb: to examine and remove objectionable material
noun: an official who censors material

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25
demure
adjective: to be modest and shy
26
affable
adjective: likeable; easy to talk to
27
spendthrift
noun: one who spends money extravagantly
28
voracious
adjective: very hungry; apporaching an activity with gusto
29
indict
verb: to formally charge or accuse of wrongdoing The bankrobber was indicted on several major charges, including possession of a firearm.
30
pine
verb: to yearn for
31
underwrite
verb: to support financially
32
variance
noun: the quality of being different The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie".
33
amiable
adjective: friendly
34
slapdash
adjective: carelessly and hastily put together The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner and broke during an earthquake.
35
zenith
noun: the highest point; culmination
36
stipend
noun: a regular allowance (of money)
37
thrifty
adjective: spending money wisely
38
dog
verb: to pursue relentlessly; to hound
39
embroiled
verb: involved in argument or contention to be embroiled in scandal
40
screed
noun: an abusive rant (often tedious)
41
profuse
adjective: plentiful; pouring out in abundance
42
bleak
adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook
43
peruse
verb: to read very carefully to peruse important documents
44
telling
adjective: significant and revealing of another factor Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.
45
err
verb: to make an error
46
cadaverous
adjective: very thin, pale and bony
47
melee
noun: a wild, confusing fight or struggle
48
hodgepodge
noun: a confusing mixture or jumble
49
badger
verb: repeatedly ask (someone) to do something; pester
50
sanguine
adjective: cheerful, optimistic
51
flush
adjective: to be in abundance The exam's passage is flush with difficult words.
52
heyday
noun: the pinnacle or top of a time period or career
53
lassitude
noun: extreme tiredness, either mental or physical
54
ferret
verb: to search for something persistently Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of highly obscure words.
55
cogent
adjective: clear and persuasive A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.
56
beatific
adjective: blissfully happy Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha.
57
unconscionable
adjective: unreasonable; unscrupulous; excessive The lawyer's demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exhorbitant sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a new lawyer.
58
aboveboard
adjective: open and honest
59
desecrate
verb: to willfully violate or destroy a sacred place
60
wax
verb: to gradually increase in size or intensity Her enthusiasm for the diva's new album only waxed with each song.
61
errant
adjective: to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed plan Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus.
62
becoming
adjective: appropriate, and matches nicely
63
preemptive
adjective: done before someone else can do it
64
amok
adverb: in a frenzied or uncontrolled state
65
imponderable
adjective: impossibel to estimate or figure out
66
badger
verb: to pester
67
ascendancy
noun: a state that exists when one person or group has power over another The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear - they have a decade of championships behind them.
68
moot
adjective: open to argument or debate; undecidable in a meaningless or irrelevant state Since the Board just terminated Steve as the CEO, what the finance committee might have thought of his proposed marketing plan for next year is now a moot point.
69
entice
verb: get someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises
70
pithy
adjective: concise and full of meaning
71
appreciable
adjective: large enough to be noticed (usually refers to an amount) an appreciable difference
72
proponent
noun: a person who pleads for a cause of propounds an idea
73
consummate
adjective: having or revealing supreme mastery or skill verb: to make perfect and complete in every respect
74
renege
verb: fail to fulfill a promise or obligation We will not longer work with that vendor since he has reneged on nearly every agreement.
75
apprehension
noun: fearful expectation Test day can be one of pure apprehension, as many students worry about their test scores.
76
ingenuity
noun: the power of creative imagination
77
jocular
adjective: characterized by jokes and good humor
78
resolve
verb: reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation After much thought, Ted resolved not to travel abroad this summer because he didn't have much money left.
79
impermeable
adjective: does not allow fluids to pass through an impermiable barrier for flood protection
80
respite
noun: a pause from doing something (as work)
81
disenfranchise
verb: deprive of voting rights
82
stolid
adjective: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited Elephants may appear stolid, but they actually have passionate emotional lives.
83
meander
verb: to wander aimlessly
84
sentimental
adjective: insincerely emotional, especially in art, music and literature
85
genial
adjective: agreeable, conducive to comfort
86
precedent
noun: an example that is used to justify similar occurences at a later time
87
whimsical
adjective: determined by impulses or whim rather than by necessity or reason
88
facetious
adjective: cleverly amusing in tone Facetious behavior will not be tolerated during sex ed class.
89
vacuous
adjective: having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless; empty
90
hamstrung
verb: made ineffective or powerless
91
tumult
noun: a state of chaos, noice and confusion
92
commendable
adjective: worthy of high praise
93
uncompromising
adjective: not making concessions
94
inadvertent
adjective: happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
95
tarnish
verb. make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
96
connive
verb: taking part in immortal and unethical plots With the help of the prince, the queen connived to overthrow the king.
97
unseemly
adjective: not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right of proper in polite society He acted in an unseemly manner, insulting the hostess and then speaking ill of her deceased husband.
98
devolve
verb: 1) pass on or delegate to another 2) grow worse (devolve into)
99
convoluted
adjective: highly complex or intricate Instead of solving the math problem in three simple steps, Kumar used a convoluted soluting requiring fifteen steps.
100
presumption
noun: 1) an assumption that is taken for granted 2) audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
101
quip
noun: a witty saying or remark verb: to make a witty remark
102
exemplify
verb: 1) to be characteristic of 2) clarify by giving an example of
103
eke
verb: to live off meager resources, to scrape by
104
travail
noun: use of physical or mental energy; hard work; agony or anguish
105
irk
verb: irritate or vex
106
credulity
noun: tendency to believe readily
107
obstinate
adjective: unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says
108
leery
adjective: openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
109
impregnable
adjective: immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with an impregnable fortress
110
discord
noun: lack of agreement or harmony
111
enmity
noun: a state of deep-seated ill-will
112
pastoral
adjective: relating to the countryside in a pleasant sense
113
reservation
noun: an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedly
114
rash
adjective: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences; imprudently incurring risk
115
goad
verb: urge on with unpleasant comments
116
exasperate
verb: to irritate intensely
117
diligent
adjective: characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks
118
foible
noun: a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
119
placid
adjective: not easily irritated
120
brusquely
adverb: in a blunt, direct manner
121
savvy
noun: a perceptive understanding verb: get the meaning of something adjective: well-informed or perceptive
122
ploy
noun: a clever plan to turn a situation to one's advantage
123
derogative
adjective: showing strong disapproval and not showing respect
124
steadfast
adjective: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable a good captain is steadfast
125
tout
verb: advertize in strongly positive terms; show off
126
elude
verb: escape understanding
127
tact
noun: consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense
128
squander
verb: spend thoughtlessly; waste time, money or an opportunity
129
serene
adjective: calm and peaceful
130
taxing
adjective: difficult or needing a lot of thought or effort

GRE Vocabulary (11 decks)

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