GRE H and I Words Flashcards by TED CHAN

hackneyed

So commonplace as to be stale; not fresh or
original

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halcyon

Calm and peaceful, carefree; prosperous,
successful, happy

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handwringing

Grasping, squeezing, etc. of the hands as
an expression of nervousness, guilt, etc.;
extend debate over what to do about an
issue

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hapless

Unlucky, unfortunate

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harangue

Long, intense verbal attack, esp. when
delivered publicly

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hardy

Bold, brave, capable of withstanding
hardship, fatigue, cold, etc.

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harrow

Farming tool that breaks up soil (noun);
painfully disturb or distress (verb)

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hearken

Listen, pay attention to

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hedge

Avoid commitment by leaving provisions for
withdrawal or changing one’s mind; protect
a bet by also betting on the other side

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hedonist

Person devoted to pleasure

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hegemony

Domination, authority; influence by one
country over others socially, culturally,
economically, etc.

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hermetic

Airtight, sealed, isolated; reclusive;
pertaining to alchemy, occult

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hew

Strike, chop, or hack (as with an axe,
sword. etc.); make or shape something
(such as a statue) with a cutting tool

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hoary

Very old, gray or white as from old age

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hodgepodge

Mixture of different kinds of things, jumble

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homage

Honor or respect demonstrated publicly

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hoodwink

Trick, deceive

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hyberbole

Deliberate exaggeration for effect

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iconoclast

Attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions

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idolatry

Idol worship; excessive or unthinking
devotion or adoration

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idyllic

Presenting a positive, peaceful view of rural
life (as poetry or prose); pleasant in a
natural, simple way

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ignoble

Not noble; having mean, base, low motives;
low quality

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illiberality

Narrow-mindedness, bigotry; strictness or
lack of generosity

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imbue

Permeate or saturate, as dye in a fabric;
influence throughout

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imminent

Ready to occur, impending

immutable

Unchangeable

impair

Make worse, weaken

impartial

Unbiased, fair

impassive

Not having or not showing physical feeling or emotion

impecunious

Poor, without money

imperious

Commanding, domineering; acting like a high-ranking person; urgent

imperturbable

Calm, not able to be upset or agitated

impervious

Impenetrable, not able to be harmed or emotionally disturbed

impetuous

Passionately impulsive, marked by sudden, hasty emotion; forceful, violent

impious

Not religious, lacking reverence, ungodly

implacable

Not able to be appeased, calmed, or satisfied

imprecation

Curse; prayer for harm to come to someone

impugn

Attack the truth or integrity of

impute

Credit, attribute; lay blame or responsibility for (sometimes falsely)

inadvertent

Unintentional; characterized by a lack of attention, careless

incarnadine

Blood red or flesh-colored

incendiary

Setting on fire, pertaining to arson; arousing strife, rebellion, etc.; "inflaming" the senses

inchoate

Just begun, undeveloped, unorganized

incipient

Just beginning; in a very early stage

incongruous

Out of place, inappropriate, not harmonious

inconstancy

Fickleness, unreliability; the state of changing without good reason

inculcate

Teach persistently, implant (an idea) in a person

indefatigable

Untiring, not able to become fatigued

indigence

Extreme poverty

indolent

Lazy, slothful

inexorable

Relentless, unyielding; not moved by pleading

ingenuous

Genuine, sincere, not holding back; naive

ingrate

Ungrateful person

ingratiate

Make an effort to gain favor with

inimical

Hostile, adverse, harmful

iniquity

Injustice, wickedness, sin

innocuous

Harmless, inoffensive

inordinate

Excessive, not within proper limits, unrestrained

inquest

Legal or judicial inquiry, especially before a jury and especially made by a coroner into the cause of someone's death; the results of such an inquiry

insipid

Dull, stale, lacking taste or interest

insular

Pertaining to an island; detached, standing alone; narrow-minded, provincial

insurrection

Rebellion or revolt against a government or similarly established authority

interregnum

A time in between two reigns or regimes during which there is no ruler; a period during which government does not function; any period of freedom from authority or break or interruption in a series

intractable

Difficult to control, manage, or manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn

intransigent

Refusing to compromise, inflexible, having extreme attitudes

intrepid

Fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity

inundate

Flood, cover with water, overwhelm

inure

Toughen up; accustom or habituate to pain, hardship, etc.

invective

Violent denunciation; accusations, insults, or verbal abuse

inveigle

Entice, lure; get something by flattery, cleverness, or offering incentives

investiture

Investing; formally giving someone a right or title

invidious

Hateful, offensive, injurious

irascible

Irritable, easily angered

irresolute

Wavering, not sure how to proceed, not firm in one's decision-making

itinerant

Traveling from place to place, esp. as part of a job