GRE300 Flashcards
aberrant
Deviating from what is normal or expected
abeyance
a state of suspension or temporary inaction
abscond
(v) to run off and hide
abstemious
(adj.) moderate, sparing (as in eating and drinking); characterized by abstinence and self-discipline
admonish
(v.) to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty
aesthetic
having to do with the appreciation of beauty
aggregate
(v.) - to gather, amass
alacrity
a cheerful readiness; brisk and eager action
amalgamate
(of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body
ambiguous
unclear in meaning
ambivalence
lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided
ameliorate
to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
anachronism
something or someone existing outside of its proper time
analogous
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
anomalous
(adj.) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
antipathy
(n.) a strong dislike, hostile feeling
apprise
(v.) to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice
approbation
(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval
appropriate
suitable or right for the purpose
artless
adj. Ingenuous.
ascetic
one who leads a life of self-denial and contemplation; absent of luxury
assiduous
hard-working
assuage
(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench
attenuate
make thin; weaken
audacious
bold
austere
stern; severe; plain
autonomous
independent
aver
(v.) to affirm, declare confidently
banal
hackneyed, trite, commonplace
belie
contradict; give a false impression
beneficent
(adj.) performing acts of kindness or charity; conferring benefits, doing good
bombastic
(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
boorish
(adj.) rude, unrefined; clumsy
burgeon
to grow rapidly or flourish
burnish
(v.) to make smooth or glossy by rubbing, polish; (n.) gloss, brightness, luster
buttress
(v.) to support, prop up, strengthen; (n.) a supporting structure
cacophonous
(adj.) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant
capricious
impulsive and unpredictable
castigation
severe criticism or punishment
catalyst
substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction
causality
the relation between causes and effects
chicanery
the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)
coagulate
thicken; congeal; clot
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
commensurate
proportional
compendium
a list or collection of items
complaisant
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others, trying to please; obliging; willing to please others
conciliatory
appeasing; soothing; showing willingness to reconcile
confound
to cause one to become confused
connoisseur
(n.) an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts
contention
heated disagreement
contentious
quarrelsome
conundrum
a difficult problem
conventional
in line with accepted ideas or standards; trite
convoluted
Intricate and complicated
craven
(adj.) cowardly; (n.) a coward
decorum
(n.) proper behavior, good taste; orderliness
deference
respect; courtesy, respect; consideration
delineate
to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
denigrate
to attack the reputation of; to speak ill of
derivative
something that comes from another source
desiccate
to dry out thoroughly
desultory
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected, marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose
diatribe
a bitter and prolonged verbal attack
dichotomy
a division into two parts
diffidence
timidity or shyness
diffuse
(v.) to spread or scatter freely or widely; (adj.) wordy, long-winded, or unfocused; scattered or widely spread
digression
straying from main point
dirge
a funeral hymn or lament
disabuse
(v.) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive
discordant
(adj.) disagreeable in sound, jarring; lacking in harmony, conflicting
discredit
(v.) to throw doubt upon, cause to be distrusted; to damage in reputation; (n.) a loss or lack of belief, confidence, or reputation
discrepancy
(n.) a difference, a lack of agreement
discrete
separate; unconnected
disingenuous
not straightforward or candid; crafty
disinterested
(adj.) fair-minded, free from selfish motives; indifferent
disjointed
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
dismiss
to send someone out; to let someone leave
disparage
to belittle, speak slightingly of; to undervalue
disparate
fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
dissemble
(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression
disseminate
(v.) to scatter or spread widely
dissolution
disintegration
dissonance
harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds
distend
to swell out or expand from internal pressure, as when overly full
distill
purify; refine; concentrate
doctrinaire
rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic
dogmatic
stubbornly opinionated
dupe
a person easily tricked
ebullient
overflowing with enthusiasm
eclectic
(adj.) drawn from different sources; (n.) one whose beliefs are drawn from various sources
efficacy
(n.) the power to produce a desired result
effrontery
(n.) shameless boldness, impudence
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation
elicit
(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)
embellish
to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
empirical
based on experience
emulate
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
endemic
native or confined to a particular region or people; characteristic of or prevalent in a field
enervate
to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring
engender
to cause, to produce, to create
ephemeral
momentary, fleeting
equanimity
(n.) calmness, composure, refusal to panic
equivocate
(v.) to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous
erudite
(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
esoteric
intended for or understood by only a small group
eulogy
(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise
euphemism
an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
exacerbate
to make worse
exculpate
to free from guilt or blame
exigency
(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency
extraneous
inessential; not constituting a vital part
facetious
(adj.) humorous, not meant seriously
facilitate
(v.) to make easier; to assist
fallacious
false; misleading
fatuous
stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
fawning
gaining the favor of another by acting overly kind or by flattery
felicitous
(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
flag
to decline in vigor or strength; to tire; to droop
fledgling
young bird that has just fledged or become capable of flying, an inexperienced person, beginner; a young bird about to leave the nest; inexperienced, budding
flout
(v.) to mock, treat with contempt
foment
(v.) to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm
forestall
(v.) to prevent by acting first
frugality
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
gainsay
(v.) to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose
garrulous
Talkative, rambling
goad
(v.) to drive or urge on; (n.) something used to drive or urge on
gouge
to tear out; scoop out; overcharge
grandiloquent
using lofty or pompous words; bombastic
gregarious
sociable, outgoing
gullible
easily deceived
harangue
a long, strongly expressed speech or lecture
homogenous
of a similar kind
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration
iconoclastic
(adj.) attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions
idolatry
excessive or blind adoration; worship of an object
immutable
(adj.) not subject to change, constant
impair
(v.) to make imperfect, damage, harm
impassive
(adj.) showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate; motionless
impede
To obstruct or interfere with; to delay
impermeable
not permitting passage (especially of fluids)
imperturbable
Not capable of being disturbed
impervious
incapable of being affected
implacable
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
implicit
(adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in
implode
collapse inward violently
inadvertently
unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly
inchoate
not fully formed; disorganized
incongruity
lack of harmony; absurdity
inconsequential
(adj.) trifling, unimportant
incorporate
to bring together features, ideas, or elements
indeterminate
uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite
indigence
seriously impoverished condition; poverty
indolent
adj. lazy
inert
(adj.) lifeless, unable to move or act; slow, inactive
ingenuous
(adj.) innocent, simple; frank, sincere
inherent
essential, firmly established by nature or habit
innocuous
harmless, inoffensive; insignificant
insensible
unresponsive to stimulation
insinuate
to suggest or hint slyly; to edge into something indirectly
insipid
lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
intractable
Stubborn, difficult to manage
intransigence
refusal of any compromise; stubbornness
inundate
(v.) to flood, overflow; to overwhelm by numbers or size
inured
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
invective
(n.) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj.) abusive, vituperative
inveighing
complaining about something and arguing it’s bad
irascible
irritable, easily angered, cranky, cross
irresolute
(adj.) unable to make up one’s mind, hesitating
jettison
(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
laconic
concise, using few words
lassitude
(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy
laud
praise, glorify, or honor
lethargic
sluggish
levee
an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river
levity
(n.) a lack of seriousness or earnestness, especially about things that should be treated with respect; buoyancy, lightness in weight
log
word or reason
loquacious
very talkative
lucid
easily understood
lurid
causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
magnanimity
having a lofty, generous, and courageous spirit
malingerer
person who deliberately tries to avoid work
malleable
Easy to shape or bend
maverick
one who is independent and resists adherence to a group
mendacious
lying; untruthful
metamorphosis
a transformation or dramatic change
meticulous
extremely careful; particular about details
misanthrope
a person who hates or despises people
mitigate
(v.) to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity
mollify
To calm or soothe
morose
(adj.) having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable
mundane
ordinary, commonplace
negate
(v.) to nullify, deny, bring to nothing
neophyte
beginner
obdurate
stubborn, unyielding
obsequious
Overly submissive and eager to please
obviate
(v.) to anticipate and prevent; to remove, dispose of
occlude
to obstruct or block
officious
intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
onerous
troublesome or oppressive; burdensome
opprobrium
(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach
oscillate
to swing back and forth
ostentatious
of a display that is tawdry or vulgar
paragon
a model of excellence or perfection
partisan
favoring one side of an issue
pathological
pertaining to disease
paucity
smallness in number; scarcity
pedantic
tending to show off one’s learning
penchant
(n.) a strong attraction or inclination
penury
a state of extreme poverty or destitution
perennial
(adj.) lasting for a long time, persistent; (n.) a plant that lives for many years
perfidious
treacherous
perfunctory
acting routinely with little interest or care
permeable
allowing (especially liquids) to pass or diffuse through
pervasive
dispersed throughout
phlegmatic
slow-moving, sluggish; unemotional
piety
devotion and reverence to God
placate
to appease, soothe, pacify
plasticity
ability to be molded
platitude
cliche, a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
plethora
overabundance; excess
plummet
(v.) to plunge straight down; (n.) a weight fastened to a line
pragmatic
practical rather than idealistic
precarious
Not safe or secure; dangerously uncertain
precipitate
(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process
precursor
forerunner; predecessor
presumptuous
too forward or bold; overstepping proper bounds
prevaricate
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
pristine
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
probity
honesty, complete honesty and integrity
problematic
doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing
prodigal
(adj.) wastefully extravagant; lavishly or generously abundant; (n.) one who is wasteful and self-indulgent
proliferate
to reproduce, increase, or spread rapidly
propensity
a natural inclination or predilection toward
propitiate
to conciliate; to appease
propriety
(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable
proscribe
prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
pungent
causing a sharp sensation; stinging, biting
qualified
Adj. limited; restricted
quibble
to evade or belittle a point by twisting words or raising minor objections; a petty objection, to complain about little things
quiescent
(adj.) inactive; at rest
rarefied
refined, made less dense (of a gas);
recalcitrant
stubbornly disobedient, resisting authority
recant
To withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
recapitulate
to review a series of facts; to sum up
recondite
exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding
refractory
stubborn; hard or difficult to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure
refute
to disprove
relegate
(v.) to place in a lower position; to assign, refer, turn over; to banish
reproach
to blame for something; a disgrace
reprobate
(n.) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel; (adj.) wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled; (v.) to disapprove of, condemn
repudiate
(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
rescind
(v.) to repeal, cancel
resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up
reticent
inclined to keep silent; reserved
reverent
respectful; worshipful
sage
a wise person
salubrious
promoting health or well-being
sanction
To give official authorization or approval； a penalty intended to enforce compliance
satiate
(v.) to satisfy completely; to fill to excess; (adj.) full, satisfied
saturate
infuse or fill completely
secrete
to produce and give off
shard
a broken piece of a brittle artifact
skeptic
someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
solicitous
(adj.) showing concern or care; fearful or anxious about someone or something
soporific
(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep
specious
plausible but false, based on pretense
spectrum
broad range of related values or qualities or ideas or activities
sporadic
recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances
stigma
a mark of shame or discredit
stint
(v.) to limit, be sparing or frugal; (n.) a limit or restriction; a fixed share of work or duty; a period of activity
stipulate
(v.) to arrange specifically; to require as a condition of agreement
stolid
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
striated
marked with parallel bands; grooved
strut
a proud stiff pompous gait, to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
subpoena
a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding
substantiate
make real or concrete
supersede
take the place or move into the position of
supposition
a hypothesis that is taken for granted
tacit
indicated by necessary connotation though not expressed directly
tangential
of superficial relevance if any, of or relating to or acting along or in the direction of a tangent
tenuous
having little substance or significance, very thin in gauge or diameter
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
torpor
inactivity resulting from torpidity and lack of vigor or energy, a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility
tortuous
not straightforward, marked by repeated turns and bends
tractable
easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
transgression
the spreading of the sea over land as evidenced by the deposition of marine strata over terrestrial strata
truculence
aggressiveness; ferocity
vacillate
move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern, be undecided about something
venerate
regard with feelings of respect and reverence
veracious
precisely accurate, habitually speaking the truth
verbose
using or containing too many words
viable
capable of life or normal growth and development
viscous
having the properties of glue, having a relatively high resistance to flow
vituperative
marked by harshly abusive criticism
volatile
liable to lead to sudden change or violence
warranted
secured by written agreement, justified; authorized
wary
marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
welter
wallow or roll, toss about, be in turmoil
whimsical
determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
Zealot
a fervent and even militant proponent of something
