GRE Flashcards
She gave an equivocal answer
Trump’s equivocal relationship with white nationalism
ambiguous, ambivalent, vague (veɪɡ) (ɪˈkwɪvəkl)
But that may not be enough to assuage voters.
ease or lessen, alleviate (pain), satisfy (hunger); soothe, appease, mollify, placate (anger), allay (əˈsweɪdʒ)
she was a well-respected and erudite scholar
They are most erudite when speaking of violence
learned; scholarly (ˈerudaɪt)
prodigal in their expenditures
they countenance prodigal borrowing
He is a bit of a prodigal son figure
wasteful, squandering; profligate (ˈprɑːflɪɡət), squanderer (ˈprɑːdɪɡl)
the enigma of Irene’s disappearance
it’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma
conundrum, puzzle, mystery (ɪˈnɪɡmə)
The advertisement is aimed at gullible young women
gullible Trump supporters are still convinced that he is a self-made man
naive, credulous, easily deceived, unwary (ʌnˈweri) (ˈɡʌləbl)
fervid melodrama
fervid opposition to the Iran nuclear deal
a fervid day in August
passionate, fervent (ˈfɜːrvənt), fierce (fɪrs), ardent (ˈɑːrdnt), earnest (ˈɜːrnɪst), zealous (ˈzeləs) vehement (ˈviːəmənt) (ˈfɜːrvɪd)
he shimmering wheat fields are desiccated
a desiccate romance/culture
dehydrate, dry up, exsiccate; arid, dull (ˈdesɪkeɪtɪd)
The water supply had been adulterated with chemicals from the soil
contaminate, spoil, dilute (əˈdʌltəreɪt)
problems engendered by the restructuring of the company
The place engendered immediate feelings of friendship
caused to happen, bring about, instil, inculcate (ɪnˈdʒendər)
He is particularly loquacious on the topic of politics
garrulous (ˈɡærələs), chatty, talkative, voluble (ləˈkweɪʃəs)
It is a critic’s job to follow every ephemeral fashion
short-lived, transient, transitory
impermanent, temporary (ɪˈfemərəl)
His laconic comment was, ‘Too bad!’
succinct, concise, curt, terse (ləˈkɑːnɪk)
Nobody questioned the propriety of her actions
They were careful to observe the proprieties
Putting aside questions of propriety, is this true?
suitableness, correctness, properness (prəˈpraɪəti) - correct and acceptablemoral and social behaviour
They do not advocate the use of violence
experts advocate rewarding your child for good behaviour
campaign for, tout, urge, promote (ˈædvəkeɪt)
our fear of hell purports to enervate good behavior
this energy bill would enervate America
weaken, make feeble - enfeeble, debilitate, incapacitate (ˈenərveɪt)
our fear of hell purports to enervate good behavior
The main purport of my writing is, to tell you that
aim, intend, mean; profess (pərˈpɔːrt)
At one time, he was venerated across China
revere, esteem, admire, adore (rɪˈvɪr) (ˈvenəreɪt)
It is ingenuous to suppose that money did not play a part in his decision
You’re too ingenuous
naive, gullible; innocent, frank, open (ɪnˈdʒenjuəs)
He gave a funeral eulogy for James Baldwin
a eulogy to marriage
a praising speech, tribute, acclamation (ˈjuːlədʒi)
to remain obdurate
Some members are likely to prove obdurate on this matter
stubborn, obstinate, implacable, inexorable (ɪnˈeksərəbl), relentless, indomitable (ɪnˈdɑːmɪtəbl) (ˈɑːbdərət)
In 90 days, if Beijing prevaricates, tariffs will increase
Stop prevaricating and come to the point
And once again Trump prevaricated on the war in Iraq
beat about the bush, equivocate, dodge, avoid straight answer, mislead (prɪˈværɪkeɪt)
He became positively garrulous after a few glasses of wine
loquacious (ləˈkweɪʃəs) , chatty, talkative, voluble (ˈɡærələs)
It’s easier to learn when you’re young and malleable
the truth is malleable, instrumental, subjective
flexible, adaptable, easily influenced or changed, pliable (ˈmæliəbl)
The weather made her lethargic
I was lethargic and tired all the time
lazy, sluggish, lackadaisical, slothful (ləˈθɑːrdʒɪk)
He still sees no need to indulge in ornament or ostentation
boasting, bragging, flamboyance, pretentiousness (ˌɑːstenˈteɪʃn)
a demure smile/blouse
he did not demur at using words like “craven”
modest, shy, reticent; hesitate, falter (ˈfɔːltər), wobble on (ˈwɑːbl), waver on/about/between (ˈweɪvər), dither over (ˈdɪðər), vacillate between (ˈvæsəleɪt), scruple about (ˈskruːpl) (dɪˈmjʊr)/(dɪˈmɜːr)
The government is keen to allay the public’s fears
The inquiry has done little to allay suspicion
assuage, console, solace, quell, soothe, appease, mollify, placate, mitigate (əˈleɪ)
can be construed as a violation
Her words could hardly be construed as an apology
interpret, deduce (kənˈstruː)
Capital punishment is a highly emotive issue
emotional, causing to feel strong emotions (ɪˈmoʊtɪv)
bland special effects
bland background music
After the meeting, a bland statement was issued
humdrum, dull, insipid, tasteless, unexciting (blænd)
chicken served with a piquant sauce
spicy, savory, pungent (ˈpʌndʒənt) (ˈpiːkənt)
I look forward to some serious indolence, like binge- watching “Babylon Berlin”
sloth, laziness, slothfulness, sluggishness, torpidness, lackadaisicalness (ˈɪndələns)
She felt a slight queasiness in the mornings
It’s possible that Amazon is feeling a similar queasiness around the show
nausea, wanting to vomit; anxiety, nervousness, misgiving, qualm, disquiet, apprehension, agitation (ˈkwiːzinəs)
he cloying sentimentality of her novels
sickly sweet, over-sentimental (ˈklɔɪɪŋ)
Petrodollars and the fear of a knock on the door still buy quiescence
A new study sheds light on a biological process called quiescence
dormancy, inactivity, ease (kwiˈesns)
The captain’s behaviour is above/beyond reproach
Such living conditions are a reproach to our society
rebuke, reprehension, reproof, admonishment (rɪˈproʊtʃ)
to draw conclusions about the drugs’ efficacy
effectiveness (ˈefɪkəsi)
I offer a berry to Locke, but he demurs
show reluctance; hesitate, falter (ˈfɔːltər), wobble on (ˈwɑːbl), waver on/about/between (ˈweɪvər), dither over (ˈdɪðər), vacillate between (ˈvæsəleɪt) scruple about (ˈskruːpl) (dɪˈmɜːr)
whimsical story
whimsical trip to Europe
weird, amusing, fanciful;
capricious, impulsive (ˈwɪmzɪkl)
I overcame my moral scruples
He had no scruples about spying on her
principle, rule/standard of good behavior;
misgiving, qualm, queasiness, dimur, agitation (ˈskruːpl)
a shout of approbation
approval, agreement (ˌæprəˈbeɪʃn)
Canada’s public castigation of Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices
severe scolding, verbal punishment, chastisement, rebuke, reproof (ˈtʃæstɪzmənt) (ˌkæstɪˈɡeɪʃn)
the beneficent powers of Nature
giving help; showing kindness; generous, benevolent (bəˈnevələnt)
benign (bɪˈnaɪn) (bɪˈnefɪsnt)
chastisement
castigation, rebuke, reproof (ˈtʃæstɪzmənt)
physical chastisement leads to a lower quality of parent-child relationship
castigation, rebuke, reproof (ˈtʃæstɪzmənt)
an egregious error
brazen, atrocious (əˈtroʊʃəs), flagrant (ˈfleɪɡrənt), nefarious (nɪˈferiəs), deplorable (ɪˈɡriːdʒiəs)
