GRE Master Deck Flashcards
Abandon
Complete lack of inhibition or restraint
Abrasive
Showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh.
Abreast
up to date with the latest news, ideas, or information
Abridge
Shorten a piece of writing without losing the sense
Abstruse
Difficult to understand; obscure
Accentuate
To make something more prominent or noticeable
Accord
An official agreement or treaty
Acerbic
Sharp;y pr bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone
Acquisitive
Excessively interested in acquiring money or material things
Activism
The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change
Acumen
Superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, especially in practical matters
Acute
1) Present or experienced to a severe or intense degree
2) Having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; shrewd
Adroit
Clever or skillful in using the hands or mind
Adulation
Obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise
Aesthetic
Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty
Affable
friendly, good-natured, or easy tp talk to
Affectation
behavior,speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress
Aghast
Filled with horror or shock
Alacrity
brisk and cheerful readiness
Allegorical
Used in or characteristic of or containing allegory
Aloof
Conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste.
Ameliorate
Make something bad or unsatisfactory better, improve
Amuse
Cause someone to find something funny; entertain
Anachronism
Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed
Anecdote
Short account of an incident especially a biographical one
Anoint
Administer an oil or ointment to; often in a religious ceremony of blessing; choose by or as if by divine intervention.
Antagonistic
Showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something
Antedate
Precede in time; come before something in date
Antiquity
The ancient past, especially the period before the middle ages
Aphorism
A short pithy instructive saying
Aplomb
Complete and confident composure or self assurance
Apposite
Apt in the circumstances or in relation to something
Appropriate
Take something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission
Arcane
Understood by few; mysterious or secret
Archaic
Little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type; so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
Ascetic
Practicing great self denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Assiduous
Showing great care and perseverance
Assuage
Provide physical relief, as from pain; satisfy thirst; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
Astound
Shock or greatly surprise
Augment
Make something greater by adding to it; increase
Austerity
Extreme plainness and simplicity of style or appearance
Aversion
A strong dislike or disniclination
Avert
Prevent or ward off an undesirable occurrence
Banal
So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
Banish
Send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment
Bearing
relation; relevance
Befriend
act as a friend to someone by offering help or support
Beguile
1)Charm or enchant someone, sometimes in a deceptive way.
2)trick someone into doing something
3)help time pass pleasantly
Beholden
Owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service
Belie
Of an appearance fail to give a true notion or impression of something disguise or contradict
Bemuse
puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone).
Benign
harmless, kind, gentle
Betray
unintentionally reveal; be evidence of
Bias
prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with
another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Blemish
spoil the appearance of (something) that is otherwise aesthetically perfect.
Blight
have a severely detrimental effect on.
Blithe
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
Blunt
(of a person or remark) uncompromisingly forthright.
Bogus
not genuine or true; fake.
Bolster
support or strengthen; prop up.
Boon
a thing that is helpful or beneficial.
Braggart
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions.
Brandish
wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.
Brazen
bold and without shame. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.
Brevity
concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
Bridle
bring (something) under control; curb.
Bucolic
relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Bouyancy
an optimistic and cheerful disposition.
Calamitous
involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous.
Callous
feeling or showing no sympathy for others
Calumny
a false and slanderous statement.
Canny
having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters.
Canonize
treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance.
Caprice
a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior.
Catastrophe
an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.
Cerebral
intellectual rather than emotional or physical.
Check
stop or slow down the progress of (something undesirable).
Cherish
protect and care for (someone) lovingly.
Circumscribe
restrict (something) within limits.
Circumstantial
pointing indirectly toward someone’s guilt but not conclusively proving it.
Clangor
a continuous loud banging or ringing sound.
Clearheaded
alert and thinking logically and coherently.
Clerical
1) (of a job or person) concerned with or relating to work in an office, especially routine documentation and administrative tasks.
2) Relating to the clergy
Cloak
hide, cover, or disguise (something).
Clumsy
done awkwardly or without skill or elegance.
Coalesce
come together to form one mass or whole.
Cogent
(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
Coherent
(of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent.
Collusion
secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others.
Acceding
To agree to do what people have asked you to do
Accolades
to receive praise or approval.
Alacrity
speed and eagerness
Obsolete
Out of date no longer in use
Resurgence
A new increase of activity or interest in a particular subject or idea that had been forgotten for some time
Tepid
1)(of liquid) not very warm 2)feelings or actions not very strong
Emaciated
Very thin and weak usually because of extreme illness or hunger
Prodigious
Extremely great in ability, amount, or strength
Furtively
Secretly and often dishonestly
Benevolently
In a way that is kind or helpful
Stentorian
Using a very loud voice
Expository
Explaining or describing something
Felicitous
Suitable or right and expressing well the intended thought or feeling
Garrulous
Having a habit of talking a lot, especially about things that are not important
Poignant
Causing or having a sharp feeling of sadness
Vociferous
Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech, and vociferous demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly
Trepidation
fear or worry about what is going to happen
Imperturbable
Being able to stay calm and controlled even in difficult situations
Malevolent
Causing or wanting to cause harm or evil
Reviling
To criticize someone strongly, or say unpleasant things to or about someone
Indelible
Impossible to remove by washing or by any other method
Melodious
Very pleasant to listen to
Acerbic
Used to describe something that is spoken or written in a way that is direct, witty, and cruel
Caustic
A way of speaking that is hurtful, critical, or intentionally unkind
Sonorous
full, deep, or rich in sound; impressive in style
Diffident
Shy and not confident of your abilities
