GRE Common Words Flashcards
commensurate
adjective: to be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount
The convicted felon’s life sentence was commensurate with the heinousness of his crime.
involved
adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend
The physics lecture became so involved that the undergraduate’s eyes glazed over.
anomalous
adjective: not normal
According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over the last five years is simply anomalous—daily temperatures should return to their old averages, they believe.
venality
noun: the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption
Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to venality, as many of the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.
betray
verb: to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally
With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip betraying his intense emotions.
innocuous
adjective: harmless and doesn’t produce any ill effects
Everyone found Nancy’s banter innocuous—except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.
veracious
adjective: truthful
While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be veracious, history has shown that such a hope is naive.
parsimonious
adjective: extremely frugal; miserly
Katie is so parsimonious that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them.
amorphous
adjective: shapeless
His study plan for the GRE was at best amorphous; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books.
prevaricate
verb: to speak in an evasive way
The cynic quipped, “There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to prevaricate”.
ambiguous
adjective: open to more than one interpretation
The coach told his team, “Move towards that side of the field”; because he did not point, his directions were ambiguous, and the team had no idea to which side he was referring.
venerate
verb: to respect deeply
The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was venerated amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.
belie
verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent
The smile on her face belies the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.
maintain
verb: to assert
The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate.
enervate
verb: to sap energy from
John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he’d spent the day sightseeing.
mercurial
adjective: (of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood
The fact that Ella’s moods were as mercurial as the weather was problematic for her relationships—it didn’t help that she lived in Chicago.
amenable
adjective: easily persuaded
Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally amenable and so her brother was able to persuade her to go camping.
vindicate
verb: to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof
Even seven Tour de France wins cannot vindicate Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the public–that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.
auspicious
adjective: favorable, the opposite of sinister
Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike’s road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.
ingenuous
adjective: to be naïve and innocent
Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an ingenuous girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.
upbraid
verb: to reproach; to scold
Bob took a risk walking into the “Students Barbershop”—in the end he had to upbraid the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.
castigate
verb: to reprimand harshly
Drill sergeants are known to castigate new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training.
qualify
verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement)
Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding he didn’t like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles.
gregarious
adjective: to be likely to socialize with others
Often we think that great leaders are those who are gregarious, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted.
impertinent
adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold
Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer’s questions impertinent—after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline’s favorite snack was?
acrimony
noun: bitterness and ill will
The acrimony between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.
amalgam
noun: a mixture of multiple things
The band’s music was an amalgam of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three styles with surprising results.
frugal
adjective: not spending much money (but spending wisely)
Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.
extant
adjective: still in existence (usually refers to documents).
Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be extant generations from now.
prodigal
adjective: rashly or wastefully extravagant
Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to prodigality seem to be the exception—most live decadent lives.
intimate
verb: to suggest something subtly
At first Manfred’s teachers intimated to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy’s precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade.
disinterested
adjective: unbiased; neutral
The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of disinterested members.
aberration
noun: a deviation from what is normal or expected
Aberrations in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines.
egregious
adjective: standing out in a negative way; shockingly bad
The dictator’s abuse of human rights was so egregious that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide.
galvanize
verb: to excite or inspire (someone) to action
At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read, “Go Kyle”; galvanized, he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.
laconic
adjective: (describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words
While Martha always swooned over the hunky, laconic types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative—and not very hunky.
profligate
adjective: spending resources recklessly or wastefully
The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so profligate as to line all the walls of his apartment with pure silk.
noun: someone who spends resources recklessly or wastefully
Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright profligates who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.
harangue
noun: a long pompous speech; a tirade
Dinner at Billy’s was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table would have to listen to Billy’s father’s interminable harangues against the government.
verb: to deliver a long pompous speech or tirade
Tired of his parents haranguing him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.
demur
verb: to object or show reluctance
Wallace disliked the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps.
wanting
adjective: lacking
She did not think her vocabulary was wanting, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn’t know.
chastise
verb: to reprimand harshly
Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother’s harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.
artful
adjective: exhibiting artistic skill
Picasso is generally considered the most artful member of the Cubist movement.
adjective: clever in a cunning way
Bernie Madoff’s artful Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.
iconoclastic
noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an iconoclast for wearing a “meat dress” to a prominent awards show.
equivocal
adjective: confusing or ambiguous
The findings of the study were equivocal—the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified.
parochial
adjective: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work out because his culinary tastes were simply too parochial; “After all,” she quipped on her blog, “he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food.”
undermine
verb: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term)
The student undermined the teacher’s authority by questioning the teacher’s judgment on numerous occasions.
restive
adjective: restless
The crowd grew restive as the comedian’s opening jokes fell flat.
calumny
noun: making of a false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation
With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with calumny, and the mud already waist-high.
censure
verb: to express strong disapproval
After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly censured by the city council.
ambivalent
adjective: mixed or conflicting emotions about something
Sam was ambivalent about studying for the exam because doing so ate up a lot of his time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills.
culpability
noun: a state of guilt
Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted culpability for Martha’s broken leg.
chortle
verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way
Walking into the cafe, I could hear happy, chortling people and smell the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans
platitude
noun: a trite or obvious remark
The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere platitudes.
predilection
noun: a strong liking
Monte had a predilection for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and trips to the French Riviera.
mitigate
verb: make less severe or harsh
I can only spend so much time mitigating your disagreements with your wife, and at certain point, you need to do it on your own.
verb: lessen the severity of an offense
If it weren’t for the mitigating circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.
culminate
verb: reach the highest or most decisive point
Beethoven’s musical genius culminated in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.
gall
noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent
The speeding car had the gall to switch five lanes at once, run through a red light, and then cut off a police car before finally coming to a stop in front of a sea of flashing red lights.
noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
In an act of gall, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.
volubility
noun: the quality of talking or writing easily and continuously
The professor’s volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick’s Day to the next.
diffident
adjective: showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence
As a young girl she was diffident and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident and assertive.
decorous
adjective: characterized by good taste in manners and conduct
Sally’s parties are decorous affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is tea and intellectual conversation.
dogmatic
adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that one’s own beliefs may not be correct
Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.
torpor
noun: inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy
After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I found them in a state of complete torpor.
conspicuous
adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
Among the tall trees and flower fields, the building seemed out of place with its conspicuous, cold concrete and angular steel exterior.
eschew
verb: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
Politicians are the masters of eschewing morals; academics are the masters of eschewing clarity.
exacerbate
verb: make worse
Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold–when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.
glut
noun: an excessive supply
The Internet offers such a glut of news related stories that many find it difficult to know which story to read first.
verb: supply with an excess of
In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes glutted with resumes.
aesthete
noun: one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature
A true aesthete, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at the same Picasso.
inexorable
adjective: impossible to stop or prevent
The rise of the computer was an inexorable shift in technology and culture.
dictatorial
dictatorial
adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler
The coach was dictatorial in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.
obscure
verb: make unclear
On the Smith’s drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith’s big head obscured much of Mrs. Robinson’s view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock.
adjective: known by only a few
Many of the biggest movie stars were once obscure actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films.
apathetic
adjective: marked by a lack of interest
Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally apathetic students took interest.
rustic
adjective: characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial
The vacation cabin had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences, Nigel adored its rustic charm.
cryptic
adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally
Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered cryptically when he would ask her questions about it.
deferential
adjective: showing respect
If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be deferential.
bucolic
adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country
The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.
gainsay
verb: deny or contradict; speak against or oppose
I can’t gainsay a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don’t trust his conclusion.
perfidy
noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust
Sure, he was the best salesman in the company; but Michael had abused the trust of the firm, sharing product secrets with a competitor, and for such perfidy he was terminated.
perfidy
noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust
Sure, he was the best salesman in the company; but Michael had abused the trust of the firm, sharing product secrets with a competitor, and for such perfidy he was terminated.
banal
adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
The professor used such banal expression that many students in the class either fell asleep from boredom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends.
concede
verb: acknowledge defeat
I concede. You win!
verb: admit (to a wrongdoing)
After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia conceded to having broken the window.
verb: give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another
The Spanish were forced to concede much of the territory they had previously conquered.
entrenched
adjective: fixed firmly or securely
By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so entrenched that it is difficult for us to change.
reticent
adjective: disinclined to talk, not revealing one’s thoughts
When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather reticent.
gossamer
adjective: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
The gossamer wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate that they are often damaged.
frivolous
adjective: not serious in content or attitude or behavior
Compared to Juliet’s passionate concern for human rights, Jake’s non-stop concern about football seems somewhat frivolous.
audacious
adjective: willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks
As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight, audaciously tracked down the bear that had raided their food.
mawkish
adjective: overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting
The film was incredibly mawkish, introducing highly likeable characters only to have them succumb to a devastating illness by the end of the movie.
meticulous
adjective: marked by extreme care in treatment of details
The Japanese noodle maker was meticulous in making his noodles and would never let another person take over the task.
querulous
adjective: habitually complaining
The querulous old woman was beginning to wear down even the happier members of the staff with her ceaseless complaining.
recondite
adjective: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
I found Ulysses recondite and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.
prescience
noun: the power to foresee the future
Baxter’s warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of prescience after the whole market declined significantly.
fortuitous
adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause
Missing my train turned out to be quite fortuitous since I ran into a childhood friend on the next train and we were able to reconnect after so many years.
superflous
adjective: serving no useful purpose
How can we hope to stay open if we don’t eliminate all superfluous spending, like catered meetings and free acupuncture Tuesday?
adjective: more than is needed, desired, or required
The third paragraph in your essay is superfluous and can be deleted.
incisive
adjective: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
The lawyer had an incisive mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue and isolate the essential laws at play.
preclude
verb: keep from happening or arising; make impossible
The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to preclude the possibility of persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.
aesthetic
adjective: concerned with the appreciation of beauty
The director, not known for his aesthetic sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at all, and put on the play in everyday clothing.
noun: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.
The artist operated according to a peculiar aesthetic, not considering any photograph to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.
germane
adjective: relevant and appropriate
The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn’t germane to the charges in the cases.
engender
verb: give rise to
The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they engendered deep hatred and resentment in the German people.
didactic
adjective: instructive (especially excessively)
Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a didactic novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.
impudent
adjective: improperly forward or bold
In an impudent move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things to the judge.
vociferous
adjective: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around and look at them angrily.
itinerant
adjective: traveling from place to place to work
Doctors used to be itinerant, traveling between patients’ homes.
supplant
verb: take the place or move into the position of
For many, a cell phone has supplanted a traditional phone; in fact, most 20-somethings don’t even have a traditional phone anymore.
mollify
verb: to make someone who is angry less angry; placate
In the morning, Janine was unable to mollify Harry, if he happened to become angry, unless he’d had his cup of coffee.
derivative
adjective: not original but drawing strongly on something already in existence, especially in reference to a creative product (e.g. music, writing, poetry etc.).
Because the movies were utterly derivative of other popular movies, they did well at the box office.
juxtapose
verb: place side by side for contrast
The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is juxtaposed with modern themes.
delineate
verb: describe in detail
After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach delineated the specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.
ephemeral
adjective: lasting a very short time
The lifespan of a mayfly is ephemeral, lasting from a few hours to a couple of days.
ascetic
adjective: practicing self-denial
His ascetic life is the main reason he inspired so many followers, especially since he gave up wealth and power to live in poverty.
noun: one who practices great self-denial
Historically, ascetics like Gandhi are often considered wise men partially because of their restraint.
contrive
verb: to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery
Despite a low GPA, he contrived to get into college, going so far as to write his own glowing letters of recommendation.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
quotidian
adjective: found in the ordinary course of events
Phil gets so involved thinking about Aristotle’s arguments that he totally forgets quotidian concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.
ameliorate
verb: make something bad better
“Three Cups of Tea” tells the story of western man who hopes to ameliorate poverty and the lack of education in Afghanistan.
subsume
verb: contain or include
The rogue wave quickly subsumed the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in its path.
verb: consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle
Don Quixote of La Mancha subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.
elucidate
verb: make clearer and easier to understand
Youtube is great place to learn just about anything–an expert elucidates finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.
vilify
verb: spread negative information about
Todd was noble after the divorce, choosing to say only complimentary things about Barbara, but Barbara did not hesitate to vilify Todd.
