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GRE Vocab > GRE Common Words > Flashcards

GRE Common Words Flashcards

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GRE® Vocabulary flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

Abate

A

to reduce in amount, degree, severity

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2
Q

Abscond

A

to leave secretly

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3
Q

Abstain

A

to choose not to do something

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4
Q

Abyss

A

an extremely deep hole

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5
Q

Adulterate

A

to make impure

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6
Q

Advocate

A

to speak in favor

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7
Q

Aesthetic

A

concerning the appreciation of beauty

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8
Q

Aggrandize

A

to increase in power, influence, reputation

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9
Q

Alleviate

A

to make bearable

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10
Q

Ambiguous

A

doubtful/uncertain, able to be interpreted in several ways

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11
Q

Ameliorate

A

to make better, improve

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12
Q

Anachronism

A

something out of place in time

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13
Q

Analogous

A

similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

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14
Q

Antagonize

A

to annoy/provoke anger

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15
Q

Antipathy

A

extreme dislike

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16
Q

Apathy

A

lack of interest/emotion

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17
Q

Andor

A

intense and passionate feeling

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18
Q

Articulate

A

able to speak clearly and epressively

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19
Q

Assuage

A

to make something unpleasant less severe

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20
Q

Attenuate

A

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

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21
Q

Austere

A

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

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22
Q

Banal

A

predictable, cliched, boring

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23
Q

Bolster

A

to support; to prop up

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24
Q

Bombastic

A

pompous in speech and manner

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25
Q

Cacophony

A

harsh, jarring noise

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26
Q

Candid

A

impartial and honest in speech

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27
Q

capricious

A

changing one’s mind quickly and often

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28
Q

castigate

A

to punish or criticize harshly

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29
Q

catalyst

A

something that brings about a change in something else

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30
Q

caustic

A

biting in wit

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31
Q

chaos

A

great disorder or confusion

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32
Q

chauvinist

A

someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

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33
Q

chicanery

A

deception by means of craft or guile

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34
Q

cogent

A

convincing and well-reasoned

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35
Q

Condone

A

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

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36
Q

Convuluted

A

intricate and complicated

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37
Q

corroborate

A

to provide supporting evidence

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38
Q

credulous

A

too trusting;; gullible

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39
Q

cresendo

A

steadily increasing volume or force

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40
Q

Decrum

A

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

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41
Q

Deference

A

respect, courtesy

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42
Q

Deride

A

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

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43
Q

Desiccate

A

to dry out thourougly

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44
Q

Desultory

A

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

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45
Q

Diatribe

A

an abusive, condemnatory speech

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46
Q

Diffident

A

lacking self-confidence

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47
Q

Dilate

A

to make larger; to expand

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48
Q

Dilatory

A

intended to delay

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49
Q

Dilettante

A

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

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50
Q

Dirge

A

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

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51
Q

Disabuse

A

to set right; to free from error

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52
Q

Discern

A

to perceive; to recognize

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53
Q

Disparate

A

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

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54
Q

Dissemble

A

to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

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55
Q

Dissonance

A

a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

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56
Q

Dogma

A

a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

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57
Q

Dogmatic

A

dictatorial in one’s opinions

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58
Q

Dupe

A

to deceive, a person who is easily deceived

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59
Q

Eclectic

A

selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

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60
Q

Efficacy

A

effectiveness

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61
Q

elegy

A

a sorrowful poem or speech

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62
Q

eloquent

A

persuasive and moving, especially in speech

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63
Q

emulate

A

to copy, to try to equal or excel

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64
Q

enervate

A

to reduce in strength

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65
Q

engener

A

to produce, cause, or bring about

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66
Q

enigma

A

a puzzle, a mystery

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67
Q

enumerate

A

to count, list, or itemize

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68
Q

ephemeral

A

lasting a short time

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69
Q

equivocal

A

open to more than one interpretation; misleading

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70
Q

equivocate

A

to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

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71
Q

erratic

A

wandering and unpredictable

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72
Q

erudite

A

learned, scholarly, bookish

73
Q

esoteric

A

known or understood by only a few

74
Q

estimable

A

admirable

75
Q

eulogy

A

speech in praise of someone

76
Q

euphemism

A

use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

77
Q

exacerbate

A

to make worse

78
Q

exculpate

A

to clear from blame; prove innocent

79
Q

exigent

A

urgent, requiring immediate action

80
Q

exonerate

A

to clear of blame

81
Q

explicit

A

clearly stated or shown, forthright in expression

82
Q

Fanatical

A

acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

83
Q

Fawn

A

to grovel

84
Q

Fervid

A

intensely emotional; feverish

85
Q

Florid

A

excessively decorated or embellished

86
Q

Foment

A

to arouse or incite

87
Q

Frugality

A

a tendency to be thrifty or cheap

88
Q

Garrulous

A

tending to talk a lot

89
Q

Gregarious

A

outgoing, sociable

90
Q

Guile

A

deceit or trickery

91
Q

Gulliable

A

easily deceived

92
Q

Homogeneous

A

of a similar kind

93
Q

Iconoclast

A

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

94
Q

Imperturbable

A

not capable of being distrubed

95
Q

Impervious

A

impossible to penetrate, incapable of being affected

96
Q

Impetuous

A

Quick to act without thinking

97
Q

Implacable

A

unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

98
Q

Inchoate

A

not fully formed; disorganized

99
Q

Ingenous

A

showing innocent or childlike simplicity

100
Q

Inimical

A

hostile; friendly

101
Q

Innocuous

A

harmless

102
Q

insipid

A

lacking interest or flavor

103
Q

Intransigient

A

uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

104
Q

Inundate

A

to overwhelm; to cover with water

105
Q

Irascible

A

easily made angry

106
Q

Laconic

A

using few words

107
Q

Lament

A

to express sorrow; to grieve

108
Q

Laud

A

to give praise; to glorify

109
Q

Lavish

A

to give unsparingly; extremely generous or extravagant

110
Q

Lethargic

A

acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

111
Q

Loquacious

A

talkative

112
Q

Lucid

A

clear and easily understood

113
Q

Luminous

A

bright, brilliant, glowing

114
Q

somnolence

A

sleepiness, or drowsiness

115
Q

invective

A

insult or abuse

116
Q

alacrity

A

speed or rapidity

117
Q

admonitions

A

criticisms or warnings about behavior

118
Q

verbosity

A

wordiness

119
Q

puerility

A

silliness or childishness

120
Q

vertiginous

A

dizzying

121
Q

soporific

A

sleep inducing

122
Q

exacting

A

severe

123
Q

placid

A

calm or peaceful

124
Q

excruciating

A

implies pain, not illness

125
Q

tractable

A

easily led

126
Q

ffable

A

friendly

127
Q

inscrutable

A

hard to understand

128
Q

recalcitrant

A

resistant, or not obedient

129
Q

amenable

A

cooperative

130
Q

intrusive

A

invasive or pushy

131
Q

neatly

A

concisely or efficiently

132
Q

flippantly

A

disrespectful or casually

133
Q

congenially

A

pleasantly having the same tastes

134
Q

cosseted

A

pampered

135
Q

dandled

A

pampered

136
Q

tolerated/borne

A

to put up with

137
Q

exculpated

A

excused

138
Q

moderated

A

reduced in severity

139
Q

calamitous

A

catastrophic

140
Q

bengin/inconsequential

A

not harmful

141
Q

beneficial

A

positive word meaning helpful

142
Q

insidious

A

describes something that is innocuous, but which is actually harmful

143
Q

palliative

A

tending to relieve

144
Q

lascivious

A

lustful

145
Q

picayune

A

insightful or commonplace

146
Q

pervasive

A

widespread

147
Q

lenient

A

permissive or merciful

148
Q

obdurate

A

stubborn

149
Q

apathetic

A

uninterested

150
Q

clemency

A

mercy

151
Q

severity

A

harshness

152
Q

impartiality

A

fairness

153
Q

sojourn/respite

A

temporary stay or rest

154
Q

copse

A

a group of trees

155
Q

conspiracy

A

an agreement to perform an illegal or wrongful act

156
Q

mutiny

A

open rebellion

157
Q

fashion

A

the prevailing style or custom

158
Q

licentious

A

lewd or immoral

159
Q

erroneous

A

mistaken

160
Q

credulous

A

willing to believe/gullible

161
Q

mercurial

A

flighty and changing

162
Q

Malinger

A

to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

163
Q

malleable

A

capable of being shaped

164
Q

metaphor

A

a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol

165
Q

meticulous

A

extremely careful about details

166
Q

misanthrope

A

a person who dislikes others

167
Q

mitigate

A

to soften; to lessen

168
Q

mollify

A

to calm or make less severe

169
Q

monotomy

A

lack of variation

170
Q

naive

A

lacking sophistication or experience

171
Q

obdurate

A

hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion

172
Q

obsequious

A

overly submissive and eager to please

173
Q

obstinate

A

stubborn; unyielding

174
Q

obviate

A

to prevent; make unnecessary

175
Q

occlude

A

to stop up; to prevent passage of

176
Q

nerous

A

troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

177
Q

opaque

A

impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light

178
Q

opprobium

A

public disgrace

179
Q

ostentation

A

excessive showiness

GRE Vocab (2 decks)

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