Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GRE Study Vocabulary > Essential GRE Words > Flashcards

Essential GRE Words Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
GRE® Vocabulary flashcards Vocab Builder flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

Megalomania

A

Delusions of power or importance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Euthanasia

A

Mercy killing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Dormant

A

Inactive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Raiment

A

Clothing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Impinge

A

To strike; encroach

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Preternatural

A

Beyond the normal course of nature; supernatural

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Plumb

A

To determine the depth; to examine deeply

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Argot

A

Specialized vocabulary used by a group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Quibble

A

To argue over insignificant and irrelevant details

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Quail

A

To cower; lose heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Compliant

A

Yielding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Piquant

A

Appealingly stimulating; pleasantly pungent; attractive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Presage

A

To foretell; indicate in advance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Abscission

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Punctilious

A

Careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Fetid

A

Having a bad smell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Fissure

A

Crevice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Clamor

A

Noisy outcry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Cardinal

A

Of foremost importance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Sardonic

A

Cynical; scornfully mocking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Appellation

A

Name

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Odyssey

A

A long, adventurous voyage; a quest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Atavism

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Factotum

A

A person who does all sorts of work; a handyman

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Arabesque

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Extrinsic

A

Not inherent or essential

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Hirsute

A

Covered with hair

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Errant

A

Mistaken; straying from the proper course

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Fallow

A

Plowed but not sowed; uncultivated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Egotistical

A

Excessively self-centered; conceited

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Grouse

A

To complain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Machinations

A

Plots or schemes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Impecunious

A

Poor; having no money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Oligarchy

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Plummet

A

To fall; plunge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Clique

A

A small, exclusive group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Abject

A

Miserable; pitiful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Negate

A

To cancel out; nulify

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Primordial

A

Original; Existing from the beginning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Occult

A

Relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Debauchery

A

Corruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Premonition

A

Forewarning; presentiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Denizen

A

An inhabitant; a regular visitor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Glib

A

Fluent in a insincere way; offhand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Minatory

A

Threatening; menacing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Affected

A

Pretentious, phony

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Essay

A

To make an attempt; subject to a test

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Covetous

A

Desiring something owned by another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Machiavellian

A

Crafty; double-dealing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Analgesic

A

Medication that reduces or eliminates pain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Peregrination

A

A wandering from place to place

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Banter

A

Playful converstation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Dirge

A

Funeral hymn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Bard

A

Poet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Insuperable

A

Insurmountable; unconquerable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Minuscule

A

Very small

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Fulsome

A

So excessive as to be disgusting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

Exact

A

To force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

Bacchanalian

A

Pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

Invidious

A

Likely to provide ill will; offensive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

Savor

A

To enjoy; have a distinctive flavor or smell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Covert

A

Hidden; secret

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Abstinence

A

The giving up of certain pleasures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

Distrait

A

Inattentive; preoccupied

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Incorporate

A

Introduce something into another thing already in existence; combine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

Apex

A

The highest point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

Exorcise

A

To expel evil spirits; free from bad influences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

Abysmal

A

Very bad

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

Nugatory

A

Trifling; invalid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

Discredit

A

To dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

Amulet

A

Ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

Militate

A

To work against

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

Flora

A

Plants of a region or era

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

Clairvoyant

A

One who can predict the future; psychic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

Daunt

A

To discourage; intimidate; dishearten

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

Renege

A

To go back on one’s word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

Goad

A

To prod; urge on

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

Bifurcate

A

To divide into two parts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

Bovine

A

Cowlike

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

Plutocracy

A

Society ruled by the wealthy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

Libido

A

Sexual desire

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

Encomium

A

A formal expression of praise

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

Mendicant

A

Beggar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
94
Q

Fidelity

A

Loyalty; exact correspondence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
95
Q

Nostalgia

A

Sentimental longing for a past time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
96
Q

Copious

A

Abundant; plentiful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
97
Q

Assuage

A

To make less severe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
98
Q

Antecedent

A

Something that comes before

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
99
Q

Pallid

A

Lacking color or liveliness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
100
Q

Redoubtable

A

Formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
101
Q

Explicate

A

To explain; interpret; clarify

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
102
Q

Levee

A

An embankment that prevents a river from overflowing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
103
Q

Rail

A

To scold with bitter or abusive language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
104
Q

Distend

A

To expand; swell out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
105
Q

Brazen

A

Bold; shameless

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
106
Q

Juggernaut

A

Huge force destroying everything in its path

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
108
Q

Antediluvian

A

Prehistoric

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
110
Q

Repine

A

Fret; complain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
111
Q

Credo

A

Statement of belief or principle; creed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
112
Q

Sextant

A

Navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
116
Q

Servile

A

Submissive; obedient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
117
Q

Itinerant

A

Wandering from place to place; unsettled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
118
Q

Jibe

A

To be in agreement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
119
Q

Dissident

A

A person who disagrees about beliefs, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
120
Q

Prattle

A

Meaningless, foolish talk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
121
Q

Cadge

A

To beg; sponge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
123
Q

Ambrosia

A

Something delicious; the food of the gods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
124
Q

Luminous

A

Bright; brilliant; glowing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
125
Q

Latent

A

Present but hidden; potential

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
126
Q

Categorical

A

Absolute; without exception

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
127
Q

Impede

A

To hinder; block

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
128
Q

Incarnate

A

Having bodily form

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
129
Q

Maelstrom

A

Whirlpool; turmoil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
130
Q

Apogee

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
130
Q

Blandishment

A

Flattery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
131
Q

Introspective

A

Contemplating one’s own thoughts and feelings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
135
Q

Apothegm

A

A terse, witty saying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
137
Q

Preamble

A

Preliminary statement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
138
Q

Modicum

A

Limited quantity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
139
Q

Abdicate

A

To give up a position, right or power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
140
Q

Punctilious

A

Careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
141
Q

Lilliputian

A

Extremely small

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
142
Q

Appease

A

To calm; pacify; placate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
143
Q

Plaintive

A

Melancholy; mournful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
144
Q

Centrifugal

A

Moving away from a center

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
145
Q

Poseur

A

Person who affects an attitude or identity to impress others

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
146
Q

Discomfit

A

To make uneasy; disconcert

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
148
Q

Porous

A

Full of holes; permeable to liquids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
149
Q

Froward

A

Stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
150
Q

Distill

A

Extract the essential elements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
152
Q

Forbearance

A

Patience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
153
Q

Qualm

A

Sudden feeling of faintness or nausea; uneasy feeling about the rightness of actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
154
Q

Physiognomy

A

Facial features

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
155
Q

Cantankerous

A

Irritable; ill-humored

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
156
Q

Avuncular

A

Like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
157
Q

Lustrous

A

Shining

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
158
Q

Deterrent

A

Something that discourages or hinders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
159
Q

Quagmire

A

Marsh; difficult situation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
160
Q

Axiomatic

A

Taken for granted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
161
Q

Gouge

A

To tear out; scoop out; overcharge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
162
Q

Satyr

A

A creature that is half-man, half-beast with the horns and legs of a goat; it is a follower of Dionysos; a lecher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
163
Q

Apposite

A

Strikingly appropriate and relevant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
164
Q

Bucolic

A

Characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
165
Q

Placid

A

Calm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
166
Q

Celestial

A

Concerning the sky or heavens; sublime

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
167
Q

Saturate

A

To soak thoroughly; imbue throughout

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
168
Q

Diverge

A

To vary; go in different directions from the same point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
169
Q

Junta

A

Group of people united in political intrigue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
170
Q

Dupe

A

To deceive; trick

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
171
Q

Blase

A

Bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
172
Q

Seismic

A

Relating to earthquakes; earthshaking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
173
Q

Default

A

To fail to act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
176
Q

Liberal

A

Tolerant; broad-minded; generous; lavish

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
177
Q

Saturnine

A

Gloomy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
178
Q

Defunct

A

No longer existing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
179
Q

Pungent

A

Strong or sharp in smell or taste; penetrating; caustic; to the point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
180
Q

Riposte

A

A retaliatory action or report

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
181
Q

Patois

A

A regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
182
Q

Coalesce

A

To cause to become one

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
183
Q

Convention

A

Practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
184
Q

Complement

A

Something that completes or makes up a whole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
185
Q

Broach

A

To mention for the first time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
186
Q

Frieze

A

Ornamental band on a wall

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
190
Q

Behemoth

A

Huge creature; anything very large and powerful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
192
Q

Concave

A

Curving inward

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
193
Q

Regale

A

To entertain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
194
Q

Beatify

A

To sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
195
Q

Expiate

A

To atone for

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
196
Q

Amendable

A

Agreeable; cooperative; suited

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
196
Q

Avarice

A

Greed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
198
Q

Purport

A

To profess; suppose; claim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
199
Q

Compunction

A

Uneasiness caused by guilt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
200
Q

Pusillanimous

A

Cowardly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
201
Q

Artifact

A

Item made by human craft

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
201
Q

Captious

A

Faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
202
Q

Discretion

A

Quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one’s own

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
205
Q

Divest

A

To strip; deprive; rid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
206
Q

Nonplussed

A

Bewildered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
207
Q

Allure

A

The power to entice by charm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
208
Q

Onomatopoeia

A

Formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
209
Q

Hieroglyphics

A

A system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meaning or sounds; writing or symbols that are difficult to decipher; the symbols used in advanced mathematics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
210
Q

Petulant

A

Rude; peevish

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
211
Q

Literati

A

Scholarly or learned persons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
212
Q

Quail

A

To cower; lose heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
213
Q

Insouciant

A

Indifferent; lacking concern or care

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
214
Q

Cloister

A

To confine; seclude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
215
Q

Adamant

A

Uncompromising; unyielding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
216
Q

Equable

A

Steady; unvarying; serene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
217
Q

Malign

A

To speak evil of

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
218
Q

Concoct

A

To invent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
219
Q

Discerning

A

Perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
220
Q

Collage

A

Artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
223
Q

Egoism

A

The tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
224
Q

Founder

A

To sink; fail; collapse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
225
Q

Connoisseur

A

A person possessing expert knowledge or training; a person of informed and discriminating taste

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
228
Q

Primordial

A

Original; existing from the beginning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
229
Q

Perturb

A

To disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious; cause a body to deviate from its regular orbit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
230
Q

Evince

A

To show plainly; be an indication of

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
231
Q

Litany

A

Lengthy recitation; repetitive chant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
232
Q

Autonomous

A

Self-governing; independent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
233
Q

Contiguous

A

Touching; neighboring; connecting without a break

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
234
Q

Guise

A

Outward appearance; false appearance; pretense

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
235
Q

Avocation

A

Secondary occupation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
236
Q

Sedition

A

Behavior prompting rebellion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
237
Q

Ornithologist

A

Scientist who studies birds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
238
Q

Pusillanimous

A

Cowardly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
239
Q

Alchemy

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
239
Q

Centripetal

A

Moving or directed toward a center

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
240
Q

Prohibitive

A

So high as to prevent the purchase or use of; preventing; forbidding

241
Q

Coquette

A

Woman who flirts

242
Q

Callous

A

Thick-skinned; insensitive

244
Q

Purport

A

To profess; suppose; claim

245
Q

Monolithic

A

Solid and uniform; constituting a single, unified whole

246
Q

Digression

A

Act of straying from the main point

247
Q

Itinerary

A

Route of a traveler’s journey

248
Q

Inveigh

A

To disapprove; protest vehemently

249
Q

Aggrandize

A

To make larger or greater

251
Q

Cognizant

A

Informed; conscious; aware

252
Q

Puissant

A

Powerful

253
Q

Archeology

A

The study of material evidence of past human life

253
Q

Contend

A

To assert

254
Q

Qualm

A

Sudden feeling or faintness or nausea; uneasy feeling about the rightness of actions

255
Q

Conscript

A

Person compulsorily enrolled for military service

256
Q

Adulterate

A

To corrupt or make impure

258
Q

Expatriate

A

To send into exile

260
Q

Caste

A

Any of the hereditary social classes of Hindu society; social stratification

260
Q

Causal

A

Involving a cause

261
Q

Codify

A

To systematize

261
Q

Disjointed

A

Lacking order or coherence; dislocated

262
Q

Premonition

A

Forewarning; presentiment

263
Q

Carnal

A

Of the flesh or body; related to physical appetites

263
Q

Contrite

A

Very sorrowful for a wrong

264
Q

Hallowed

A

Holy; sacred

266
Q

Reprise

A

Repetition; especially of a piece of music

267
Q

Preternatural

A

Beyond the normal course of nature; supernatural

268
Q

Incursion

A

Sudden invasion

269
Q

Phoenix

A

Mythical, immortal bird that lives for 500 years, burns itself to death, and rises from its ashes; anything that is restored after suffering great destruction

270
Q

Gustatory

A

Affecting the sense of taste

272
Q

Prate

A

To talk idly; chatter

273
Q

Mettle

A

Courage; endurance

274
Q

Fracas

A

A loud quarrel; brawl

275
Q

Abjure

A

To reject; abandon formally

276
Q

Harrowing

A

Extremely distressing; terrifying

277
Q

Provident

A

Providing for future needs; frugal

278
Q

Interdict

A

To forbid; prohibit; to confront and halt the activities advance, or entry of

280
Q

Implode

A

Collapse inward violently

281
Q

Litigation

A

Legal proceedings

282
Q

Implausible

A

Unlikely; unbelievable

283
Q

Fusion

A

Union; synthesis

284
Q

Shard

A

A piece of broken glass or pottery

285
Q

Remonstrate

A

To object or protest

286
Q

Futile

A

Ineffective; useless; fruitless

287
Q

Allay

A

To lessen; ease; soothe

291
Q

Calumny

A

False and malicious accusation; slander

292
Q

Ethnocentric

A

Based on the attitude that one’s group is superior

293
Q

Dearth

A

Scarcity

295
Q

Exhort

A

To urge by strong appeals

296
Q

Fresco

A

A painting done on plaster

298
Q

Coda

A

Concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes

299
Q

Lascivious

A

Lustful

300
Q

Perigee

A

Point in an orbit that is closest to the Earth

301
Q

Amenity

A

Something that increases comfort

301
Q

Astringent

A

Harsh; severe

303
Q

Paean

A

Song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy

304
Q

Presage

A

To foretell; indicate in advance

305
Q

Ameliorate

A

To improve

306
Q

Adjunct

A

Something added, attached, or joined

307
Q

Bawdy

A

Obscene

308
Q

Approbation

A

Praise; approval

309
Q

Convivial

A

Sociable

310
Q

Asperity

A

Severity; harshness; irritability

310
Q

Doggerel

A

Poor verse

311
Q

Rococo

A

Excessively ornate; highly decorated; style of architecture in eighteenth-century Europe

312
Q

Perennial

A

Present throughout the years; persistent

313
Q

Prehensile

A

Capable of grasping

314
Q

Filibuster

A

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

315
Q

Finesse

A

To handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; to use finesse, that is, refinement in performance

317
Q

Convex

A

Curved outward

318
Q

Extirpate

A

To root up; to destroy

322
Q

Imbroglio

A

Complicated situation; an entanglement

323
Q

Estimable

A

Admirable; possible to estimate

324
Q

Ardor

A

Great emotion or passion

324
Q

Florid

A

Ruddy; reddish; flowery

325
Q

Effervescence

A

State of high spirits or liveliness; the process of bubbling as gas escapes

326
Q

Accrue

A

To accumulate; grow by additions

327
Q

Intimate

A

Marked by close acquaintence

328
Q

Pungent

A

Strong or sharp in smell or taste; penetrating; caustic; to the point

329
Q

Feral

A

Existing in a wild or untamed state

331
Q

Churlish

A

Rude; boorish

331
Q

Eugenics

A

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

333
Q

Reverent

A

Expressing deep respect; worshipful

334
Q

Secrete

A

Produce and release substance into organism

335
Q

Quorum

A

Number of members necessary to conduct a meeting

336
Q

Entomology

A

The scientific study of insects

336
Q

Halcyon

A

Calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous

337
Q

Abate

A

To decrease; reduce

337
Q

Enhance

A

To increase; improve

338
Q

Inveigle

A

To win over by flattery or coaxing

339
Q

Gambol

A

To frolic; leap playfully

341
Q

Canon

A

An established principle; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works

342
Q

Reparation

A

Amends; compensation

343
Q

Accretion

A

Growth in size or increase in amount

343
Q

Canard

A

False, deliberately misleading story

344
Q

Conjugal

A

Pertaining to marriage agreement

345
Q

Nostrum

A

Medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness; supposed cure

346
Q

Bolster

A

To give a boost to; prop up; support

347
Q

Preempt

A

To supersede; appropriate for oneself

348
Q

Homeostasis

A

Automatic maintenance by an organism of normal temperature, chemical balance, etc. within itself

349
Q

Caucus

A

Smaller group within an organization

349
Q

Complacent

A

Self-satisfied

349
Q

Herbivorous

A

Relating to a herbivore, an animal that feeds mainly on plants

350
Q

Eulogy

A

High praise, especially of a person who has recently died

350
Q

Impute

A

To relate to a particular cause or source; attribute the fault to; assign as a characteristic

351
Q

Continence

A

Self-control; abstention from sexual activity

351
Q

Cornucopia

A

Horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance

351
Q

Cozen

A

To mislead by trick or fraud; deceive

352
Q

Neologism

A

New word or expression

353
Q

Abscond

A

To depart secretly

353
Q

Caustic

A

Sarcastically biting; burning

355
Q

Fetter

A

To bind; confine

356
Q

Rebus

A

Puzzle to which pictures or symbols represent words

357
Q

Gauche

A

Coarse and uncouth; clumsy

357
Q

Inveterate

A

Confirmed; long-standing; deeply rooted

358
Q

Paleontology

A

Study of past geological eras through fossil remains

359
Q

Facilitate

A

To make less difficult

360
Q

Internecine

A

Deadly to both sides

361
Q

Euphoria

A

A feeling of extreme happiness

361
Q

Flout

A

To treat scornfully

362
Q

Fawning

A

Seeking favor by flattering

362
Q

Inconsequential

A

Insignificant; unimportant

364
Q

Champion

A

To defend or support

364
Q

Geniality

A

Cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability

366
Q

Congenial

A

Similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to

367
Q

Rue

A

To regret

368
Q

Forswear

A

Renounce; repudiate

369
Q

Deride

A

To work

370
Q

Chivalry

A

The qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women

370
Q

Fiat

A

Arbitrary order; authorization

371
Q

Metaphysics

A

A branch of philosophy that investigates the ultimate nature of reality

373
Q

Admonish

A

To caution or reprimand

373
Q

Expatiate

A

To speak or write at length

374
Q

Asylum

A

Place of refuge or shelter

375
Q

Refulgent

A

Brightly shining; resplendent

376
Q

Quagmire

A

Marsh; difficult situation

377
Q

Raconteur

A

Witty; skillful storyteller

378
Q

Puissant

A

Powerful

379
Q

Labile

A

Likely to change

380
Q

Arrest

A

To stop; to seize

380
Q

Bedizen

A

To dress in a vulgar, showy manner

381
Q

Sedulous

A

Diligent

382
Q

Desuetude

A

State of disuse

382
Q

Libertine

A

One without moral restraint

383
Q

Flourish

A

An embellishment or ornamentation

387
Q

Elixir

A

A substance believed to have the power to cure ills

388
Q

Condone

A

To overlook voluntarily; forgive

389
Q

Enunciate

A

To pronounce clearly

389
Q

Etymology

A

Origin and history of a word

390
Q

Defame

A

To malign; harm someone’s reputation

390
Q

Kudos

A

Fame; glory; honor

391
Q

Pique

A

Fleeting feeling of hurt pride

393
Q

Jocose

A

Fond of joking; jocular; playful

394
Q

Carping

A

To find fault; complain

394
Q

Cataclysm

A

A violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change

395
Q

Motley

A

Many colored; made up of many parts

396
Q

Converge

A

To approach; come together; tend to meet

398
Q

Salacious

A

Lascivious; lustful

399
Q

Hermetic

A

Tightly sealed; magical

402
Q

Minutia

A

Petty details

403
Q

Flux

A

Flowing; a continuous moving

404
Q

Lambaste

A

To thrash verbally or physically

405
Q

Fervor

A

Warmth and intensity of emotion

405
Q

Menagerie

A

Variety of animals kept together

405
Q

Mettlesome

A

Full of courage and fortitude; spirited

406
Q

Engender

A

To cause; produce

406
Q

Expository

A

Explanatory

406
Q

Flag

A

To droop; grow weak

406
Q

Mesmerize

A

To hypnotize

407
Q

Document

A

To provide with written evidence to support

408
Q

Emollient

A

Soothing; mollifying

408
Q

Microcosm

A

A small system having analogies to a larger system; small world

409
Q

Necromancy

A

Black magic

410
Q

Demographic

A

Related to population balance

411
Q

Apropos

A

Relevant

411
Q

Extemporaneous

A

Unrehearsed

411
Q

Formidable

A

Menacing; threatening

411
Q

Intangible

A

Not material

412
Q

Etiology

A

Causes or origins

412
Q

Imprecation

A

Curse

412
Q

Log

A

Record of a voyage; record of daily activities

412
Q

Olfactory

A

Concerning the sense of smell

413
Q

Sidereal

A

Relating to the stars

414
Q

Alloy

A

A combination; a mixture of two or more metals

415
Q

Aggregate

A

Amounting to a whole; total

416
Q

Gossamer

A

Sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs

416
Q

Interregnum

A

Interval between reigns; gap in continuity

417
Q

Affinity

A

Fondness; liking; similarity

417
Q

Epistemology

A

Branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge

417
Q

Prohibitive

A

So high as to prevent the purchase or use of; preventing; forbidding

418
Q

Query

A

To question

419
Q

Dross

A

Waste; worthless matter; trivial matter

420
Q

Jaundiced

A

Having a yellowish discoloration of the skin; affected by envy; resentment, or hostility

420
Q

Lucre

A

Money or profits

421
Q

Limn

A

To draw; describe

422
Q

Panegyric

A

Elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise

423
Q

Ruse

A

Trick; crafty stratagem; subterfuge

424
Q

Fauna

A

Animals of a period or region

424
Q

Obsequy

A

Funeral ceremony (often used in the plural, obsequies)

426
Q

Evocative

A

Tending to call to mind or produce a reaction

426
Q

Linguistic

A

Pertaining to language

426
Q

Ramification

A

Implication; outgrowth; consequence

427
Q

Schematic

A

Relating to or in the form of an outline or diagram

428
Q

Chasten

A

To correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue

428
Q

Diaphanous

A

Transparent; fine-textured; insubstantial; vague

429
Q

Anodyne

A

Something that calms or soothes pain

429
Q

Emaciated

A

Thin and wasted

430
Q

Multifarious

A

Diverse

431
Q

Nexus

A

A means of connection; a connected group or series; a center

432
Q

Cartography

A

Science of making maps

432
Q

Consecrate

A

To declare sacred

432
Q

Divulge

A

To make known something that is secret

432
Q

Elysian

A

Blissful; delightful

432
Q

Interpolate

A

To insert; change by adding new words or material

432
Q

Meteorological

A

Concerned with the weather

432
Q

Mnemonic

A

Related to memory; assisting memory

432
Q

Platonic

A

Spiritual; without sensual desire; theoretical

432
Q

Provident

A

Providing for future needs; frugal

433
Q

Detraction

A

The act of taking away; derogatory comment on a person’s character

433
Q

Miscellany

A

Mixture of writings on various subjects

433
Q

Overweening

A

Presumptuous; arrogant; overbearing

433
Q

Rubric

A

Title or heading; category; established mode of procedure or conduct; protocol

434
Q

Rationale

A

Fundamental reason

435
Q

Gerrymander

A

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

436
Q

Circuitous

A

Roundabout

437
Q

Contumacious

A

Disobedient; rebellious

437
Q

Miscreant

A

Villain; criminal

437
Q

Precept

A

Principle; law

437
Q

Recluse

A

Person who lives in seclusion and often in solitude

438
Q

Simian

A

Apelike; relating to apes

439
Q

Simile

A

Comparison of one thing with another using “like or “as”

440
Q

Sinecure

A

Well-paying job or office that requires little or no work

441
Q

Singular

A

Unique; extraordinary; odd

442
Q

Sinuous

A

Winding; intricate; complex

443
Q

Sobriety

A

Seriousness

444
Q

Sodden

A

Thoroughly soaked; saturated

445
Q

Soliloquy

A

Literary or dramatic speech by one character, not addressed to others

446
Q

Solvent

A

Able to meet financial obligations

447
Q

Somatic

A

Relating to or affecting the body; corporeal

448
Q

Sordid

A

Filthy; contemptible and corrupt

449
Q

Spectrum

A

Band of colors produced when sunlight passes through a prism; a broad range of related ideas or objects

450
Q

Spendthrift

A

Person who spends money recklessly

451
Q

Squalor

A

Filthy, wretched condition

452
Q

Staccato

A

Marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds

453
Q

Stanch

A

To stop or check the flow of

454
Q

Stentorian

A

Extremely loud

455
Q

Stint

A

To be sparing; (noun) a period of time spent doing something

456
Q

Stratified

A

Arranged in layers

457
Q

Stricture

A

Something that restrains; negative criticism

458
Q

Strident

A

Loud; harsh; unpleasantly noisy

459
Q

Strut

A

To swagger; display to impress others

460
Q

Stultify

A

To impair or reduce to uselessness

461
Q

Stupefy

A

To dull the senses of; stun; astonish

462
Q

Stygian

A

Dark and gloomy; hellish

463
Q

Subpoena

A

Notice ordering someone to appear in court

464
Q

Subside

A

To settle down; grow quiet

465
Q

Substantive

A

Essential; pertaining to the substance

466
Q

Subversive

A

Intended to undermine or overthrow, especially an established government

467
Q

Succor

A

Relief; help in time of distress or want

468
Q

Suffrage

A

The right to vote

469
Q

Sundry

A

Various

470
Q

Supine

A

Lying on the back; marked by lethargy

471
Q

Supplant

A

To replace; substitute

472
Q

Suppliant

A

Beseeching

473
Q

Supplicant

A

One who asks humbly and earnestly

474
Q

Syllogism

A

A form of deductive reasoning that has a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion

475
Q

Sylvan

A

Related to the woods or forest

476
Q

Talisman

A

Charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune

477
Q

Tautology

A

Unnecessary repetition

478
Q

Taxonomy

A

Science of classification; in biology, the process of classifying organisms in categories

479
Q

Tenet

A

Belief; doctrine

480
Q

Theocracy

A

Government by priests representing a god

481
Q

Thespian

A

An actor or actress

482
Q

Timbre

A

The characteristic quality of sound produced by a particular instrument or voice; tone color

483
Q

Toady

A

Flatterer; hanger-on; yes-man

484
Q

Tome

A

Book, usually large and academic

485
Q

Torque

A

A turning or twisting force; the moment of a force; the measure of a force’s tendency to produce twisting or turning and rotation around an axis

486
Q

Tout

A

To promote or praise energetically

487
Q

Transient

A

Temporary; short-lived; fleeting

488
Q

Translucent

A

Partially transparent

489
Q

Travail

A

Work, especially arduous work; tribulation; anguish

490
Q

Travesty

A

Parody; exaggerated imitation; caricature

491
Q

Treatise

A

Article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly

492
Q

Tremulous

A

Trembling; quivering; frugal; timid

493
Q

Trepidation

A

Fear and anxiety

494
Q

Tryst

A

Agreement between lovers to meet; rendezvous

495
Q

Tumid

A

Swollen; distended

496
Q

Turbid

A

Muddy; opaque; in a state of great confusion

497
Q

Tutelary

A

Serving as a guardian or protector

498
Q

Uncanny

A

Mysterious; strange

499
Q

Undulating

A

Moving in waves

500
Q

Unfeigned

A

Not false; not made up; genuine

501
Q

Untoward

A

Not favorable; troublesome; adverse; unruly

502
Q

Usury

A

Practice of lending money at exorbitant rates

503
Q

Vacuous

A

Empty; void; lacking intelligence; purposeless

504
Q

Valedictory

A

Pertaining to a farewell

505
Q

Variegated

A

Varied; marked with different colors

506
Q

Vaunt

A

To boast; brag

507
Q

Venal

A

Bribable; mercenary; corruptible

508
Q

Vendetta

A

Prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility

509
Q

Vertigo

A

Dizziness

510
Q

Vexation

A

Irritation; annoyance; confusion; puzzlement

511
Q

Vindictive

A

Spiteful; vengeful; unforgiving

512
Q

Virtuoso

A

Someone with masterly skills; expert musician

513
Q

Visage

A

Countenance; appearance; aspect

514
Q

Vivisection

A

Dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research

515
Q

Vogue

A

Prevailing fashion or practice

516
Q

Vortex

A

Whirlpool; whirlwind; center or turbulence

517
Q

Warranted

A

Justified

518
Q

Wary

A

Careful; cautious

519
Q

Welter

A

To wallow or roll; toss about; be in turmoil

520
Q

Wistful

A

Vaguely longing; sadly thoughtful

GRE Study Vocabulary (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions