GRE Vocab List 8

Question 1

Welter

Answer 1

messy pile of things

Eg- My work kept piling up and my desk soon turned into a welter of files.

Question 2

Suppliant

Answer 2

making or expressing a plea

Eg- The parents had a suppliant look on their face as the asked the doctor to save their child.

Question 3

Specious

Answer 3

Misleadingly attractive

Eg- The contract looked specious but upon perusing further it was clear that it was actually against my interests.

Question 4

Scrimp

Answer 4

Be thrifty or parsimonious

Eg- My parents have scrimped their whole life to get me a good education.

Question 5

Effrontery

Answer 5

Insolent behavior

Eg- The rookie had the effrontery to challenge the chiefs decision.

Question 6

Aver

Answer 6

Assert or claim

Eg- The defendant averred that he was innocent until the end.

Question 7

Fatuous

Answer 7

silly and pointless

Eg- Due to some people, the whole lock down has become fatuous.

Question 8

Unctuous

Answer 8

Excessively flattering or too obedient
Synonym- Sycophantic or obsequious
Eg- He seemed anxious to please his boss but not in an unctuous way.

Question 9

Rarefied

Answer 9

out of the ordinary or esoteric

Eg- To be a poet is a rarefied pursuit in life.

Question 10

Recondite

Answer 10

little known or hard to comprehend
obscure
Eg- The physics lecture seemed simple in the beginning but soon turned recondite for most of the class.

Question 11

Patently

Answer 11

Clearly or without a doubt

Eg- The actor was quick to dismiss the rumors are patently false.

Question 12

Jade

Answer 12

ill tempered woman

or bored and tired

Question 13

Opprobrium

Answer 13

Public disgrace arising from shameful conduct

Eg- The reputable businessman had to face the opprobrium of being associated with gangsters.

Question 14

Propitiate

Answer 14

Appease

Eg- Pagans used to sacrifice living things in order to propitiate the anger of their gods.

Question 15

Semblance

Answer 15

false appearance or pretence

Eg- Towards the end of the argument, both sides had given up an semblance of politeness.

Question 16

Abstemious

Answer 16

Constrained in matters regarding food or drinks
Eg- I’m trying to reduce my drinking habits. I only had 6 shots last night.
Oh, Thats very abstemious of you.

Question 17

Largesse

Answer 17

Money or gifts given generously

Eg- The lottery winner gave out largesse to his relatives.

Question 18

Bombastic

Answer 18

Pompous

Eg- The nouveau rich lived his life bombastically.

Question 19

Mendacious

Answer 19

Lying

Eg- The opposition spread mendacious rumors about the new law.

Question 20

Quiescent

Answer 20

being quiet and still

Eg- On being pushed too hard, the quiescent workers started to fulminate.

Question 21

Tortuous

Answer 21

full of twists and turns

excessively long and complicated

Question 22

Harangue

Answer 22

lengthy aggressive speech

Eg- The chief minister gave a 50 minute harangue about how Muslims and Hindus cant live together.

Question 23

Levee

Answer 23

an embankment to prevent overflow of a river

Question 24

Ignominy

Answer 24

public disgrace

Eg- Due to a false FIR, he had to suffer from years of ignominy.

Question 25

Amenable

Answer 25

open to suggestion or easily persuaded

Eg- Some children are too amenable and can hence go down the wrong path.