GRE Vocabulary 4 Flashcards
acerbic
(adj.) having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
aggrandize
(verb) to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
alchemy
(noun) a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold (noun: alchemist)
amenable
(adj.) agreeable responsive to suggestion
anachronism
(noun) something or someone out of place in terms of a historical chronological context
astringent
(adj.) having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
contiguous
(adj.) sharing a border; touching; adjacent
convention
(noun) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
credulous
(adj.) tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun: credulity)
cynicism
(noun) an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj: cynical)
decorum
(noun) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj: decorous)
derision
(noun) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment (adj.: derisive; verb: deride)
dessicate
(verb) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
dilettante
(noun) one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
disaparage
(verb) to slight or belittle
divulge
(verb) to disclose something secret
fawn
(verb) to flatter or praise excessively
flout
(verb) to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
garrulous
(adj.) pointlessly talkative; talking too much
glib
(adj.) marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
hubris
(noun) overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
imminent
(adj.) about to happen; impending
immutable
(adj.) not capable of change
impetuous
(adj.) hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
indifferent
(adj.) having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
inimical
(adj.) damaging; harmful; injurious
intractable
(adj.) not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
intrepid
(adj.) steadfast and courageous
laconic
(adj.) using few words; terse
maverick
(noun) an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
mercurial
(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
mollify
(verb) to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
neophyte
(noun) a recent convert; a beginner; novice
obfuscate
(verb) to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
obstinate
(adj.) stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising
obstenatious
(adj.) characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
pervade
(verb) to permeate throughout (adj pervasive)
phlegmatic
(adj.) calm; sluggish; unemotional
plethora
(noun) an overabundance; a surplus
pragmatic
(adj.) practical rather than idealistic
presumptuous
(adj.) overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
pristine
(adj.) pure; uncorrupted; clean
probity
(noun) adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
proclivity
(noun) a natural predisposition or inclination
profligate
(adj.) excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun: profligacy)
propensity
(noun) a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
prosaic
(adj.) dull, lacking in spirit or imagination
pungent
(adj.) characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
quixotic
(adj.) foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
quotidian
(adj.) occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
rarefy
(verb) to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
recondite
(adj.) hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
refulgent
(adj.) radiant;shiny; brilliant
renege
(verb) to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
sedulous
(adj.) diligent; persistent; hard-working
shard
(noun) a piece of broken pottery or glass
soporific
(adj.) causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
sparse
(adj.) thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
spendthrift
(noun) one who spends money wastefully
subtle
(adj.) not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
tacit
(adj.) implied; not explicitly stated
terse
(adj.) brief and concise in wording
tout
(verb) to publicly praise or promote
trenchant
(adj.) sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
unfeigned
(adj.) genuine; not false or hypocritical
untenable
(adj.) indefensible; no viable; unihabitable
vacillate
(verb) to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another
variegated
(adj.) multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
vexation
(noun) annoyance; irritation (noun: vex)
vigilant
(adj.) alertly watchful (noun: vigilance)
vituperate
(verb) to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abrasively; to berate
volatile
(adj.) readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (noun: volatility)
