GRE Words Group 2

Question 1

adulterate

Answer 1

render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one.

Question 2

advocate

Answer 2

a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.

Question 3

aggrandize

Answer 3

increase the power, status, or wealth of.

Question 4

alacrity

Answer 4

brisk and cheerful readiness.

Question 5

ambivalent

Answer 5

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.

Question 6

ameliorate

Answer 6

make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.

Question 7

amenable

Answer 7

(of a person) open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled.

Question 8

anachronistic

Answer 8

belonging to a period other than that being portrayed.

Question 9

audacious

Answer 9

showing a willingness to take risks or offend people

Question 10

avaricious

Answer 10

having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

Question 11

banal

Answer 11

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.

Question 12

benign

Answer 12

1. gentle and kindly. or 2. (of a disease) not harmful in effect.

Question 13

brazen

Answer 13

adj. bold and without shame. verb. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.

Question 14

calumny

Answer 14

the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander.

Question 15

castigate

Answer 15

to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism

Question 16

caustic

Answer 16

able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.

Question 17

construe

Answer 17

interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.

Question 18

contrite

Answer 18

feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.

Question 19

convoluted

Answer 19

(especially of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow.

Question 20

covet

Answer 20

yearn to possess or have (something).

Question 21

craven

Answer 21

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.

Question 22

decorum

Answer 22

socially acceptable behavior

Question 23

deft

Answer 23

demonstrating skill

Question 24

demur

Answer 24

raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

Question 25

derivative

Answer 25

(typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason.

Question 26

desiccate

Answer 26

remove the moisture from (something); cause to become completely dry.

Question 27

diatribe

Answer 27

a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something.

Question 28

incredulous

Answer 28

feeling or showing an inability to believe something

Question 29

ingenuous

Answer 29

(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting.

Question 30

phlegmatic

Answer 30

(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.