GRE Vocab Flashcards D2
dilettante
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
dirge
funeral hymn or mournful speech
disabuse
to set right; to free from error
discern
to perceive; to recognize; see clearly
disparate
fundamentally different; entirely unlike
dissemble
to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character; pretend
dissonance
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds; inconsistent
dogma
a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
dogmatic
rigid & fixed opinion in arrogant manner; dictatorial in one’s opinion
dupe
to deceive (v); a person who is easily deceived (n)
ebullience
quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts & feelings
eccentric
departing from norms or conventions; quirky, odd
eclectic
selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
edify
enlighten, inform
efficacy
effectiveness
effrontery
extreme boldness; presumptuousness; temerity, supercilious
effusive
gushing; excessively demonstrative; outpouring
egress
exit
elegy
a sorrowful poem or speech; dirge
eloquent
persuasive and moving, especially in speech
emulate
to copy or imitate; to try to equal or excel
enervate
to weaken; to reduce in strength
engender
to produce, cause, or bring about
enigma
a puzzle; a mystery
enumerate
to count, list, or itemize
ephemeral
lasting a short time
equivocate
to make vague, unclear statements; intended to mislead; evade
erratic
wandering and unpredictable
erudite
learned, scholarly, bookish
esoteric
known or understood by only a few; confidential
estimable
admirable, worthy, formidable
eulogy
speech in praise of someone
euphemism
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
exacerbate
to make worse
exculpate
to clear from blame; prove innocent
exigent
urgent; requiring immediate action
explicit
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
facetious
playful; humorous; not serious
fallacy
invalid or incorrect notion; mistaken belief
fallow
untilled, inactive, dormant
fanatical
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme unquestioned devotion
fatuous
silly, inanely foolish
fawn
to grovel; praise excessively; toady, sycophant
feckless
ineffectual; irresponsible
fell
barren or stony hill; animal’s hide
fervid
intensely emotional; feverish
florid
excessively decorated or embellished; bedizen, ornate
foment
to rouse or incite
frugality
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
gainsay
to deny, dispute, contradict, oppose
gambol
to skip about playfully, frolic
garner
to gather & save, store up; acquire; collect
garrulous
overly talkative
gauche
crude, awkward, tasteless
germane
relevant to subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter; pertinent, apposite
glib
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
gossamer
delicate or tenuous web or thread; insincere
grandiloquence
pompous speech or expression; bombastic; brag
gregarious
outgoing, sociable
guile
deceit or trickery
gullible
easily deceived
hackneyed
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage; cliche
halcyon
calm & peaceful, prosperous
hallow
highly respected & venerated; set apart as holy
harangue
to deliver a loud, pompous speech or tirade; long angry rant
harrow
to distress, torment
hedonism
devotion to pursuing pleasure, especially pleasures of the senses
hegemony
dominance; authority over others
heretical
violating accepted dogma or convention, unorthodox; differing from accepted beliefs
hermetic
airtight, impervious to outside influence
homogenous
of a similar kind
iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
idolatrous
give intense or excessive devotion to something; worship physical object
idyll
carefree, light-hearted romantic experience; simple
imbroglio
difficult or embarrassing situation
imminent
about to happened; impending
immutable
not capable of change; fixed, inflexible
impassive
revealing no emotion or sensibility; apathetic, phlegmatic
impecunious
lacking funds; without money
imperturbable
not capable of being disturbed; tranquil, serene
impervious
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
