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GRE TEST > GRE VOCAB > Flashcards

GRE VOCAB Flashcards

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GRE® Vocabulary flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

appraise

A

to determine the value of something

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2
Q

ascertain

A

to make certain of

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3
Q

assay

A

to evaluate, analyze or test

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4
Q

descry

A

to detect by looking carefully

use when you see the word although

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5
Q

peruse

A

to examine or consider with attention

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6
Q

aver

A

to state or prove as true

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7
Q

avert

A

to prevent

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8
Q

abate

A

to reduce in amount, degree or severity

As the hurricanes force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm

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9
Q

abscond

A

to leave secretly

The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door

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10
Q

abstain

A

to choose not to do something

She abstained from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray

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11
Q

abyss

A

an extremely deep hole

The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths

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12
Q

adulterate

A

to make impure

The chef made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water

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13
Q

advocate

A

to speak in favor of

The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat

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14
Q

aesthetic

A

concerning the appreciation of beauty

Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purposes of art

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15
Q

aggrandize

A

to increase in power, influence and reputation

The supervisor sought to aggrandize herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own

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16
Q

alleviate

A

to make more bearable

taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache

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17
Q

amalgamate

A

to combine; to mix together

Giant industries amalgamated with mega products to form giant-mega products incorporated

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18
Q

ambiguous

A

doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

The directions she gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn

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19
Q

ameliorate

A

to make better; to improve

The doctor was able to ameliorate the patients suffering using painkillers

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20
Q

anachronism

A

something out of place in time

The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases, like “groovy” and “far out”, that had not been popular for years

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21
Q

analogous

A

similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

We couldn’t decide between the two tiles because they were analogous to one another.

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22
Q

anomaly

A

deviation from what is normal

Since my son has a history of failing classes, his good grades are a welcome anomaly.

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23
Q

antagonize

A

to annoy or provoke to anger

The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail

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24
Q

antipathy

A

extreme dislike

The antipathy between the french and english regularly erupted into open warfare

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25
Q

apathy

A

lack of interest or emotion

the apathy of voters is so great that less than half

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26
Q

arbitrate

A

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings

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27
Q

Archaic

A

ancient, old-fashioned

her archaic commodore computer could not run the latest software

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28
Q

ardor

A

intense and passionate feeling

Bishops ardor for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.

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29
Q

Articulate

A

able to speak clearly and expressively

she is such an articulate defender of labor that unions are among her strongests supporters

30
Q

assuage

A

to make something unpleasant less severe

serena used aspirin to assuage her pounding headache

31
Q

attenuate

A

; to weaken

the bill of rights attenuated the traditional power of governments to change laws at will

32
Q

audacious

A

fearless and darling

her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving

33
Q

austere

A

severe or stern in appearance undecorated

the lack of decoration makes military barracks seem austere to the civilian eye

34
Q

banal

A

predictable, clichéd, boring

he used banal phrases like “have a nice day” and “another day, another dollar”

35
Q

bolster

A

to support; to prop up

the presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that sasquatch was in the area

36
Q

bombastic

A

pompous in speech and manner

the ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact

37
Q

cacophony

A

harsh, jarring noise

the junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments

38
Q

candid

A

impartial and honest in speech

the observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious

39
Q

carpricious

A

changing ones mind quickly and often

queen elizabeth i was quite capricious; her courtiers would never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy

40
Q

castigate

A

to punish or criticize harshly

many americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the US

41
Q

catalyst

A

something that brings about a change in something else

the imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution

42
Q

caustic

A

biting in wit

dorothy parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever insults

43
Q

chaos

A

great disorder or confusion

in many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos

44
Q

chauvinist

A

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

the attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male chauvinists

45
Q

chicanery

A

deception or being deceitful

dishonest used car salespeople often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars

46
Q

cogent

A

convincing and well reasoned

swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant

47
Q

condone

A

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness

48
Q

convoluted

A

intricate and complicated

although many people bought a brief history of time, few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories

49
Q

corroborate

A

to provide supporting evidence

fingerprints corroborated the witness’s testimony that he saw the defendant in the victims apartment

50
Q

credulous

A

too trusting; gullible

although some four year olds believe in the easter bunny only the most credulous nine-year olds still believe in him

51
Q

crescendo

A

steadily increasing volume of force

the crescendo of tension became unbearable as evel knievel prepared to jump his motor cycle over the school buses

52
Q

decorum

A

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

the countless complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the place

53
Q

deference

A

respect, courtesy

the respectful young law clerk treated the supreme court justice with the utmost deference

54
Q

deride

A

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

the awkward child was often derided by his “cooler” peers

55
Q

desiccate

A

to dry out thoroughly

after a few weeks of lying on the deserts baking sands, the cows carcass be aw completely desiccated

56
Q

desultory

A

lacking a plan

57
Q

diatribe

A

an abusive, condemnatory speech

the trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off

58
Q

diffident

A

lacking self-confidence

steve’s diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field

59
Q

dilate

A

to make larger; to expand

when you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate to let in more light

60
Q

dilatory

A

intended to delay

the congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill

61
Q

dilettante

A

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

jerry’s friends were such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week

62
Q

dirge

A

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

melville wrote the poem “a dirge for james mcpherson” for the funeral of a union general who was killed in 1864

63
Q

disabuse

A

to set right; to free form error

galileos observations disabused scholars of the notion that the sun resolved around the earth

64
Q

discern

A

to perceive; to recognize

it is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping

65
Q

disparate

A

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate

66
Q

dissemble

A

to present a false appearance; to disguise ones real intentions or character

the villain could dissemble to the police no longer- he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man

67
Q

dissonance

A

a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence

68
Q

dogma

A

a firmly help opinion, often a religious belief

linus’s central dogma was that children who believed in the great pumpkin would be rewarded

69
Q

dogmatic

A

dictatorial in ones opinions

the dictator was dogmatic- he, and only he was right

70
Q

dupe

A

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

bugs bunny was able to dupe elmer fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit

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