GRE Top 20 Words Flashcards
abstain
(v) hold back from doing; prevent
(v) not vote
abstaining from chocolate
forty-one voted with the opposition, and some sixty more abstained
adulterate
(v) alter or debase, often for profit; make impure; corrupt
the meat was ground fine and adulterated with potato flour
apathy
(n) lack of interest; indifference; lethargy
widespread apathy among students
audacious
(adj) reckless; daring; bold; arrogant
a series of audacious takeovers
an audacious remark
capricious
(adj) given to sudden behavior change; fickle; arbitrary
a capricious and often brutal administration
corroborate
(v) to back up information, story; confirm; authenticate
the witness had corroborated the boy’s account of the attack
desiccate
(v) to take moisture out of; to dehydrate; to dry
desiccated coconut
a desiccated history of ideas
engender
(v) cause to happen; cause an action
(v) beget; generate
the issue engendered continuing controversy.
ephemeral
(adj) lasting for a very short time
(adj) momentary, passing
fashions are ephemeral
gullible
(adj) naive; trusting
an attempt to persuade a gullible public to spend their money
homogenous
(adj) of the same kind; alike; similar
timbermen prefer to deal with homogeneous woods
laconic
(adj) short; to the point; brief
His laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic.
laudable
(adj) admirable; praiseworthy
Reorganizing the files was a laudable idea.
loquacious
(adj) talkative
a loquacious dinner guest.
mitigate
(v) make less severe, serious, or painful =alleviate; reduce
He wanted to mitigate misery in the world
