Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GRE Vocab > GRE Vocab > Flashcards

GRE Vocab Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
GRE® Vocabulary flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

abate

A

To reduce in amount, degree, or severity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

abscond

A

To leave secretly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

abstain

A

To choose not to do something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

abyss

A

An extremely deep hole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

adulterate

A

To make impure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

advocate

A

To speak in favor of

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

aesthetic

A

Concerning the appreciation of beauty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

aggrandize

A

To increase in power, influence, and reputation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

alleviate

A

To make more bearable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

amalgamate

A

To combine; to mix together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

ambiguous

A

Doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

ameliorate

A

To make better; to improve

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

anachronism

A

Something out of place in time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

analogous

A

Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

anomaly

A

Deviation from what is normal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

antagonize

A

To annoy or provoke to anger

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

antipathy

A

Extreme dislike

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

apathy

A

Lack of interest or emotion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

arbitrate

A

To judge a dispute between two opposing parties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

archaic

A

Ancient, old-fashioned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

ardor

A

Intense and passionate feeling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

articulate

A

Able to speak clearly and expressively

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

assuage

A

To make something unpleasant less severe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

attenuate

A

To reduce in force or degree; to weaken

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

audacious

A

Fearless and daring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

austere

A

Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

banal

A

Predictable, cliched, boring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

bolster

A

To support; to prop up

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

bombastic

A

Pompous in speech and manner

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

cacophony

A

Harsh, jarring noise

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

candid

A

Impartial and honest in speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

capricious

A

Changing one’s mind quickly and often

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

castigate

A

To punish or criticize harshly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

catalyst

A

Something that brings about a change in something else

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

caustic

A

Biting in wit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

chaos

A

Great disorder or confusion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

chauvinist

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

chicanery

A

Deception by means of craft or guile

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

cogent

A

Convincing and well-reasoned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

condone

A

To overlook, pardon, or disregard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

convoluted

A

Intricate and complicated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

corroborate

A

To provide supporting evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

credulous

A

Too trusting; gullible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

crescendo

A

Steadily increasing volume or force

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

decorum

A

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

deference

A

Respect, courtesy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

deride

A

To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

desiccate

A

To dry out thoroughly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

desultory

A

Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

diatribe

A

An abusive, condemnatory speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

diffident

A

Lacking self-confidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

dilate

A

To make larger; to expand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

dilatory

A

Intended to delay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

dilettante

A

Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

dirge

A

A funeral hymn or mournful speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

disabuse

A

To set right; to free from error

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

discern

A

To perceive; to recognize

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

disparate

A

Fundamentally different; entirely unlike

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

dissemble

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

dissonance

A

A harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

dogma

A

A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

dogmatic

A

dictatorial in one’s opinions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

dupe

A

To deceive; a person who is easily deceived

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

eclectic

A

Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

efficacy

A

Effectiveness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

elegy

A

A sorrowful poem or speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

eloquent

A

Persuasive and moving, especially in speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

emulate

A

To copy; to try to equal or excel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

enervate

A

To reduce in strength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

engender

A

To produce, cause, or bring about

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

enigma

A

A puzzle; a mystery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

enumerate

A

To count, list, or itemize

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

ephermeral

A

Lasting a short time

74
Q

equivocal

A

Open to more than one interpretation; misleading

75
Q

equivocate

A

To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

76
Q

erratic

A

Wandering and unpredictable

77
Q

erudite

A

Learned, scholarly, bookish

78
Q

esoteric

A

Known or understood by only a few

79
Q

estimable

A

Admirable

80
Q

eulogy

A

Speech in praise of someone

81
Q

euphemism

A

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

82
Q

exacerbate

A

To make worse

83
Q

exculpate

A

To clear from blame; prove innocent

84
Q

exigent

A

Urgent; requiring immediate action

85
Q

exonerate

A

To clear of blame

86
Q

explicit

A

Clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

87
Q

fanatical

A

Acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

88
Q

fawn

A

To grovel

89
Q

fervid

A

Intensely emotional; feverish

90
Q

florid

A

Excessively decorated or embellished

91
Q

foment

A

To arouse or incite

92
Q

frugality

A

A tendency to be thrifty or cheap

93
Q

garrulous

A

Tending to talk a lot

94
Q

gregarious

A

Outgoing, sociable

95
Q

guile

A

Deceit or trickery

96
Q

gullible

A

Easily deceived

97
Q

homogeneous/homogenous

A

Of a similar kind

98
Q

iconoclast

A

One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

99
Q

imperturbable

A

Not capable of being disturbed

100
Q

impervious

A

Impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected

101
Q

impetuous

A

Quick to act without thinking

102
Q

implacable

A

Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

103
Q

inchoate

A

Not fully formed; disorganized

104
Q

ingenous

A

Showing innocence or childlike simplicity

105
Q

inimical

A

Hostile, unfriendly

106
Q

innocuous

A

Harmless

107
Q

insipid

A

Lacking interest or flavor

108
Q

intransigent

A

Uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

109
Q

inundate

A

To overwhelm; to cover with water

110
Q

irascible

A

Easily made angry

111
Q

laconic

A

Using few words

112
Q

lament

A

To express sorrow; to grieve

113
Q

Laud

A

To give praise; to glorify

114
Q

Lavish

A

To give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.)

115
Q

Lethargic

A

Acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

116
Q

Loquacious

A

Talkative

117
Q

Lucid

A

Clear and easily understood

118
Q

Luminous

A

Bright, brilliant, glowing

119
Q

Malinger

A

To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

120
Q

Malleable

A

Capable of being shaped

121
Q

Metaphor

A

A figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol

122
Q

Meticulous

A

Extremely careful about details

123
Q

misanthrope

A

A person who dislikes others

124
Q

mitigate

A

To soften; to lessen

125
Q

mollify

A

To clam or make less severe

126
Q

monotony

A

Lack of variation

127
Q

naive

A

Lacking sophistication or experience

128
Q

obdurate

A

Hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion

129
Q

obsequious

A

Overly submissive and eager to please

130
Q

obstinate

A

Stubborn, unyielding

131
Q

obviate

A

To prevent; to make unnecessary

132
Q

occlude

A

To stop up; to prevent the passage of

133
Q

onerous

A

Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

134
Q

opaque

A

Impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light

135
Q

opprobrium

A

Public disgrace

136
Q

ostentation

A

Excessive showiness

137
Q

paradox

A

A contradiction or dilemma

138
Q

paragon

A

Model of excellence or perfection

139
Q

pedant

A

Someone who shows off learning

140
Q

perfidious

A

Willing to betray one’s trust

141
Q

perfunctory

A

Done in a routine way; indifferent

142
Q

permeate

A

To penetrate

143
Q

philanthropy

A

Charity; a desire or an effort to promote goodness

144
Q

placate

A

To soothe or pacify

145
Q

plastic

A

Able to be molded, altered, or bent

146
Q

plethora

A

Excess

147
Q

pragmatic

A

Practical as opposed to idealistic

148
Q

precipitate

A

To throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

149
Q

prevaricate

A

To lie or deviate from the truth

150
Q

pristine

A

Fresh and clean; uncorrupted

151
Q

prodigal

A

Lavish, wasteful

152
Q

proliferate

A

To increase in number quickly

153
Q

propitiate

A

To conciliate; to appease

154
Q

propriety

A

Correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs

155
Q

prudence

A

Wisdom, caution, or restraint

156
Q

pungent

A

Sharp and irritating to the senses

157
Q

quiescent

A

Motionless

158
Q

rarefy

A

To make thinner or sparser

159
Q

repudiate

A

To reject the validity of

160
Q

reticient

A

Silent, reserved

161
Q

rhetoric

A

Effective writing or speaking

162
Q

satiate

A

To satisfy fully or overindulge

163
Q

soporific

A

Causing sleep or lethargy

164
Q

specious

A

Deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

165
Q

stigma

A

A mark of shame or discredit

166
Q

stolid

A

Unemotional; lacking sensitivity

167
Q

sublime

A

Lofty or grand

168
Q

tacit

A

Done without using words

169
Q

taciturn

A

Silent, not talkative

170
Q

tirade

A

Long, harsh speech or verbal attack

171
Q

torpor

A

Extreme mental and physical sluggishness

172
Q

transitory

A

Temporary, lasting a brief time

173
Q

vacillate

A

To sway physically; to be indecisive

174
Q

venerate

A

To respect deeply

175
Q

veracity

A

Truthfulness; accuracy

176
Q

verbose

A

Wordy

177
Q

vex

A

To annoy

178
Q

volatile

A

Easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive

179
Q

waver

A

To fluctuate between choices

180
Q

whimsical

A

Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

181
Q

zeal

A

Passionate, excitement

GRE Vocab (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions