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Kaplan's 500: Review Flashcards

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GRE® Vocabulary flashcards
1
Q

Acidulous (adj.)

A

sour in taste or manner

The ACIDULOUS taste of the spoiled milk made the young boy’s lips pucker.

SYN: acerbic; acetous; biting; piquant; pungent; tart

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2
Q

Amortize (verb)

A

to diminish by installment payments

While college students are notorious for accumulating credit card debt, they are not as well known for AMORTIZING it.

SYN: decrease; reduce

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3
Q

Affected (adj.)

A

phony; artificial

The AFFECTED hairdresser spouted French phrases, though he had never been to France.

SYN: insincere; pretentious; put-on

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4
Q

Bonhomie (noun)

A

good-natured geniality; an atmosphere of good cheer

The aspects of her job that Dana loved the most were the flexible hours and the pleasant BONHOMIE in the office.

SYN: affability; amiability; cordiality; geniality

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5
Q

Impetus (noun)

A

stimulation or encouragement resulting in increased activity

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6
Q

Decorum (noun)

A

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a visit to the palace.

SYN: correctness; decency; etiquette; manners; mores; propriety; seemliness

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7
Q

Condone (verb)

A

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness.

SYN: exculpate; excuse; pardon; remit

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8
Q

Cupidity (adj.)

A

greed; strong desire

Aladin and Abu stared at the jules in the Cave of Wonders with CUPIDITY

SYN: avarice; covetousness; rapacity

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9
Q

comme il faut (adj.)

A

“as it should be;” correct or correctly

SYN: appropriate; courteous; polite

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10
Q

Jingoist (noun)

A

nationalistic chauvinist

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11
Q

Corroborate (verb)

A

to support with evidence

All the DA needed were fingerprints to CORROBORATE the witness’s testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim’s department.

SYN: authenticate; back; buttress; confirm

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12
Q

Disabuse (verb)

A

to set right; to free from error

Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.

SYN: correct; undecieve

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13
Q

Dogmatic (adj.)

A

dictatorial in one’s opinions

SYN: imperious; prepemptory

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14
Q

Dither (verb)

A

to act confusedly or without clear purpose

Ellen DITHERED around her apartment, uncertain how to tackle the family crisis.

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15
Q

Dissonance (noun)

A

a harsh and disagreeable combination, especially of sounds

Attempting to recall previous vocabulary words with similar definitions and/or spellings is creating much cognitive DISSONANCE.

SYN: clash; contention; discord; dissension; dissent; dissidence; friction; strife; variance

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16
Q

Deference (noun)

A

respect; courtesy

The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court Justice with the utmost DEFERENCE.

SYN: courtesy; homage; honor; obeisance; respect; reverence; veneration

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17
Q

Doctrinaire (adj.)

A

rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic

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18
Q

Diffident (adj.)

A

lacking self-confidence

Steve was DIFFIDENT during the job interview because of his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

SYN: backward; bashful; coy; demure; modest; retiring; self-effacing; shy; timid

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19
Q

Contumacious (adj.)

A

rebellious

DaeNeshya and Maqwai are very contumacious teenagers; they often run out of the classroom to avoid completing their assignments.

SYN: factious; insubordinate; insurgent; mutinous; rebellious; seditious

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20
Q

Encomium (noun)

A

warm praise

She wrote an encomium in praise of the outgoing president.

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21
Q

Equivocate (verb)

A

to use expressions of double-meaning in order to mislead

When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.

SYN: ambiguous; evasive; waffling

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22
Q

Euphony (noun)

A

pleasant, harmonious sound

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23
Q

Ephemeral (adj.)

A

lasting only a short time

The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies’ average lifespan is a matter of hours.

SYN: evanescent; fleeting; momentary; transient

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24
Q

Ethos (noun)

A

the beliefs or character of a group

It is the Boy Scouts’ ETHOS that one should always be prepared.

SYN: culture; ethic; philosophy

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25
Q

Edify (verb)

A

to instruct morally and spiritually

The guru was paid to EDIFY the actress in the ways of Buddhism.

SYN: enlighten; guide; teach; educate

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26
Q

Efficacy (noun)

A

effectiveness

SYN: dynamism; efficiency; force

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27
Q

Eulogy (noun)

A

a speech in praise of someone

SYN: commend; extol; laud

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28
Q

Enigma (noun)

A

a puzzle; a mystery

conundrum; perplexity

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29
Q

Eloquent (adj.)

A

persuasive and moving, especially in speech

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30
Q

Engender (verb)

A

to produce, cause, or bring about

His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed a bank-robbery carried out by five men wearing clown suits and makeup.

SYN: beget; generate; spawn

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31
Q

Erudite (adj.)

A

learned; scholarly; bookish

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32
Q

Droll (adj.)

A

amusing in a wry, subtle way

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33
Q

Hapless (adj.)

A

unfortunate; having bad luck

I wish someone would give that pour, hapless soul some food and shelter.

SYN: ill-fated; jinxed; luckless

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34
Q

Garrulous (adj.)

A

tending to talk a lot

SYN: effusive; loquacious

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35
Q

Imbue (verb)

A

to infuse, dye, wet, or moisten

Marcia struggled to IMBUE her children with decent values.

SYN: charge; freight; impregnate; permeate; pervade

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36
Q

Forestall (verb)

A

to prevent or delay; anticipate

The landlord FORESTALLED TJ’s attempt to avoid paying the rent by waiting for him outside his door.

SYN: obviate; preclude; avert; deter; hinder

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37
Q

Fractious (adj.)

A

unruly; rebellious

The general had a hard time maintaining discipline among his FRACTIOUS troops.

SYN: contentious; cranky; quarellsome

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38
Q

Gambol (verb)

A

to dance or skip around playfully

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39
Q

Foment (verb)

A

to arouse or incite

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40
Q

Fecund (adj.)

A

fertile; fruitful; productive

Rachel hopes to have great fecundity in her child-bearing years. Which she hopes are very very soon.

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41
Q

Glib (adj.)

A

fluent in an insincere manner; off-hand; casual

SYN: superficial

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42
Q

Gregarious (adj.)

A

outgoing; sociable

Social butterflies are, by definition, GREGARIOUS

SYN: affable; communicative; congenial

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43
Q

Hegemony (noun)

A

the domination of one state or group over its allies

When Germany claimed HEGEMONY over Russia, Stalin was outraged.

SYN: authority; power

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44
Q

Hoary (adj.)

A

very old; whitish from old age

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45
Q

Husband (verb)

A

to manage economically; to use sparingly

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46
Q

Iconoclast (noun)

A

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions.

His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST.

SYN: maverick; nonconformist; rebel; revolutionary

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47
Q

Investiture (noun)

A

ceremony conferring authority

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48
Q

Intransigent (adj.)

A

uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

The professor was INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

SYN: implacable; inexorable; irreconcilable; obdurate; obstinate; remorseless; rigid; unbending; unrelenting; unyielding

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49
Q

Intractable (adj.)

A

not easily managed or manipulated

INTRACTABLE for hours, the wild horse eventually allowed for the rider to mount.

SYN: stubborn; unruly

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50
Q

Implacable (adj.)

A

unable to calm down or be made peaceful

His rage at the betrayal was so great that he was implacable for weeks.

SYN: inexorable; intransigent; irreconcilable; relentless; remorseless; unforgiving

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51
Q

Impetuous (adj.)

A

quick to act without thinking

I didn’t think, and then I acted. Impetuously.

SYN: impulsive; precipitate

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52
Q

Intransigent (adj.)

A

refusing to agree or compromise; inflexible; unyielding

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53
Q

innocuous (adj.)

A

harmless

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54
Q

insurrection (noun)

A

rebellion

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55
Q

Ingratiate (verb)

A

to gain favor through effort

The new intern tried to INGRATIATE herself with the managers so that they might consider her for a future job.

SYN: curry; flavor; flatter

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56
Q

Intrepid (adj.)

A

fearless

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57
Q

Impugn (verb)

A

to call into question; to attack verbally

“How dare you impugn my motives?!” protested the lawyer, on being accused of ambulance chasing.

SYN: challenge; dispute

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58
Q

imperturbable (adj.)

A

not able to be disturbed

SYN: composed; dispassionate; impassive; serene; stoical

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59
Q

Incardanine (adj.)

A

blood-red

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60
Q

Inure (verb)

A

to harden; accustom

Eventually, Hassad became INURED to the sirens that went off every night and could sleep through them.

SYN: familiarize; condition; habituate

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61
Q

Invective (noun)

A

abusive language

My students sometimes shout streams of INVECTIVES.

SYN: denunciation; revilement; vituperation

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62
Q

Jingoism (noun)

A

belligerent support of one’s own country

The professor’s JINGOISM made it difficult for the students to participate in an open political discussion.

SYN: chauvinism; nationalism

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63
Q

Jocular (adj.)

A

playful; humorous

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64
Q

Irascible (adj.)

A

easily angered

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65
Q

Itinerant (adj.)

A

wandering from place to place; unsettled

The ITINERANT tomcat came back to the Quinn homestead every two months.

SYN: nomadic; vagrant

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66
Q

Licentious (adj.)

A

immoral; unrestrained by society

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67
Q

Lissome (adj.)

A

limber; agile; lithe

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68
Q

Limpid (adj.)

A

clear; transparent

SYN: lucid; pellucid; serene

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69
Q

Loquacious (adj.)

A

talkative

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70
Q

Machination (noun)

A

a plot or scheme

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71
Q

Levity (noun)

A

an inappropriate lack of seriousness

The joke added a jarring note of LEVITY to the otherwise serious meeting.

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72
Q

Listless (adj.)

A

lacking energy and enthusiasm

SYN: faineant; indolent; languid; lethargic; sluggish

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73
Q

Mendacious (adj.)

A

dishonest

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74
Q

Mendicant (noun)

A

beggar

Some Street Sense vendors come across as MENDICANTS, pleading for money rather than trying to sell a paper.

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75
Q

Monastic (adj.)

A

extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery

The philosopher retired to his MONASTIC lodgings to contemplate life free from any worldly distraction.

SYN: austere; contemplative; self-abnegating

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76
Q

Mores (noun)

A

fixed customs or manners; moral attitudes

SYN: conventions; practices

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77
Q

Multifarious (adj.)

A

diverse

Ken opened the hotel room window, letting in the MULTIFARIOUS noises of the great city.

SYN: assorted; heterogeneous; legion; varied

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78
Q

Neologism (noun)

A

new word or expression

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79
Q

Invidious (adj.)

A

envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will

It is cruel and INVIDIOUS for parents to play favorites with their children.

SYN: discriminatory; jaundiced; insulting; resentful

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80
Q

Lugubrious (adj.)

A

sorrowful; mournful; dismal

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81
Q

Inexorable (adj.)

A

inflexible; unyielding

The INEXORABLE force of the hurricane swept away the house.

SYN: adamant; obdurate; relentless

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82
Q

Mollify (verb)

A

to calm; to make less severe

Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise could MOLLIFY them.

SYN: apease; assuage; conciliate; pacify

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83
Q

Nadir (noun)

A

lowest point

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84
Q

Myopic (adj.)

A

short-sighted; lacking foresight

Not wanting to spend a lot of money up front, the MYOPIC business owner would likely suffer the consequences later

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85
Q

Nascent (adj.)

A

starting to develop; coming into existence

The ad-campaign was still at a NASCENT stage, and nothing had been finalized yet.

SYN: inchoate; embryonic; incipient; emerging

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86
Q

Punctilious (adj.)

A

careful; finicky

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87
Q

Militate (verb)

A

to work against

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88
Q

Meretricious (adj.)

A

falsely attractive

SYN: flashy; gaudy; loud; specious; insincere

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89
Q

Misanthrope (noun)

A

a person who dislikes others

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90
Q

Mercurial (adj.)

A

quick, shrewd, and unpredictable

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91
Q

Obviate (verb)

A

to make redundant; to anticipate (and prevent)

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92
Q

Obdurate (adj.)

A

hardened in feeling

The group-member was completely OBDURATE on the issue: no amount of persuasion would change her mind.

SYN: inflexible; intransigent; recacitrant; tenacious; unyielding

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93
Q

Opprobrium (noun)

A

public disgrace

SYN: disrepute; ignominy; obloquy; shame

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94
Q

Ostentation (noun)

A

excessive showiness

SYN: flashiness; pretentiousness

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95
Q

Ostensible (adj.)

A

apparent

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96
Q

Laconic (adj.)

A

using few words

SYN: taciturn

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97
Q

Palliate (verb)

A

to make less serious; to ease

The alleged crime was so vicious that the defense lawyer could not PALLIATE it for the jury.

SYN: allieve; assuage; extenuate; mitigate; placate

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98
Q

Lachrymose (adj.)

A

tearful

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99
Q

Orotund (adj.)

A

pompous

SYN: aureate; bombastic; euphuistic; grandiloquent; magniloquent; sonorous; overblown; oratorial

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100
Q

Occlude (verb)

A

to block

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101
Q

Obsequious (adj.)

A

overly submissive; eager to please

SYN: compliant; deferential; servile

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102
Q

Obstinate (adj.)

A

stubborn; unyielding

SYN: intransigent; mulish; persistent; pertinacious

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103
Q

Officious (adj.)

A

too helpful; meddlesome

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104
Q

Noisome (adj.)

A

stinking; putrid

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105
Q

Nominal (adj.)

A

existing in name only; negligible

SYN: minimal; titular

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106
Q

Neophyte (noun)

A

novice; beginner

SYN: apprentice; greenhorn; tyro

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107
Q

Calumny (noun)

A

a misrepresentation; a false/malicious accusation

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108
Q

Craven (adj.)

A

lacking courage

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109
Q

Arrogate (verb)

A

to claim without justification

Gretchen watched in astonishment as her boss ARROGATED the credit for her brilliant work on the project.

SYN: presume; appropriate; take

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110
Q

Approbation (noun)

A

approval and praise

SYN: acclaim; adulation; extolment; praise

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111
Q

Anodyne (noun)

A

something that calms or soothes pain

SYN: nepenthe; opiate

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112
Q

Distaff (noun)

A

the maternal branch of a family

I’m losing my hair because of the genetics on the distaff’s side of my family.

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113
Q

Dilatory (adj.)

A

intended to delay

The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.

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114
Q

Desultory (adj.)

A

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

SYN: aimless; disconnected; erratic; objectless; unplanned

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115
Q

Demur (verb)

A

to express doubts or objections

Geocentric model of the solar system? Galileo had to DEMUR.

SYN: dissent; expostulate; protest; remonstrate

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116
Q

Expurgate (verb)

A

to censor

SYN: bowdlerize

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117
Q

Exigent (adj.)

A

urgent

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118
Q

Effrontery (noun)

A

impudent boldness

SYN: brashness; temerity; presumption; gall

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119
Q

Enervate (verb)

A

to weaken

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120
Q

Ebullient (adj.)

A

exhilarated

SYN: ardent; avid; bubbly; zestful

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121
Q

Iniquity (noun)

A

a sin; an evil act

SYN: enormity; wickedness; injustice

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122
Q

Ingenuous (adj.)

A

showing innocence or childlike simplicity

SYN: artless; guileless; innocent; unaffected

123
Q

Indolent (adj.)

A

habitually lazy; idol

SYN: faineant; languid; lethargic

124
Q

Inimical (adj.)

A

hostile; unfriendly

SYN: recalcitrant; adverse; antagonistic

125
Q

Inculcate (verb)

A

to teach; to impress in the mind

126
Q

Imprecation (noun)

A

a curse

127
Q

Insipid (adj.)

A

lacking interest or flavor

SYN: banal; dull; stale; vapid

128
Q

Inchoate (adj.)

A

not fully formed; disorganized

My INCHOATE plans for a massive capture the flag game on Sunday fell through due to their disorder.

SYN: incoherent; incomplete

129
Q

Collusion (noun)

A

conspiracy; collaboration

It came to light that the police chief and the mafia had a COLLUSION in running the numbers racket.

SYN: connivance; intrigue; machination

130
Q

Castigate (verb)

A

to punish or criticize harshly

SYN: admonish; chastise; reprimand; reproach; reprove

131
Q

Cosset (verb)

A

to pamper

132
Q

Cogent (adj.)

A

convincing and well-reasoned

133
Q

credulous (adj.)

A

too trusting

134
Q

August (adj.)

A

dignified; grandiose

135
Q

Banal (adj.)

A

predictable; boring

SYN: bromidic; cliched; commonplace; fatuous; hackneyed; innocuous; insipid; jejune; musty; platitudinous; prosaic; quotidian; shopworn; stale; vapid

136
Q

Abeyance (noun)

A

temporary suspension or suppression

137
Q

Abstemious (adj.)

A

moderate in appetite

SYN: continent; self-restraining; abstinent; sober; temperate

138
Q

Dissemble (verb)

A

to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

SYN: dissimulate

139
Q

Deleterious (adj.)

A

unexpectedly harmful

SYN: hurtful; inimical; injurious

140
Q

Fallow (adj.)

A

dormant; unused

141
Q

Endemic (adj.)

A

belonging to a particular area; inherent

SYN: indigenous; local; native

142
Q

Veracity (noun)

A

filled with truth and accuracy

SYN: candor; exactitude; fidelity; probity

143
Q

Verdant (adj.)

A

green with vegetation; inexperienced

144
Q

Vernal (adj.)

A

relating to spring; fresh

145
Q

Vestige (noun)

A

a trace or remnant

146
Q

Usury (noun)

A

the practice of lending money at exorbitant rates

The moneylender was convicted of USURY when it was discovered that he charged 50 percent interest on all his loans.

147
Q

Variegated (adj.)

A

varied; marked with different colors

SYN: diversified

148
Q

Vex (verb)

A

to annoy, irritate, puzzle, or confuse

149
Q

Volatile (adj.)

A

easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive

SYN: capricious; erratic; fickle; mercurial

150
Q

Wanton (adj.)

A

undisciplined; unrestrained; reckless

SYN: capricious; lewd; licentious

151
Q

Whimsical (adj.)

A

lightly acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets.

SYN: capricious; erratic; flippant; frivolous

152
Q

Wizened (adj.)

A

shriveled; withered; wrinkled

153
Q

Xenophobia (noun)

A

a fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers

154
Q

Winsome (adj.)

A

charming; happily engaging

Sarah gave the old man a WINSOME smile, and he came in his pants.

SYN: attractive; delightful

155
Q

Zephyr (noun)

A

a gentle breeze; something airy or unsubstantial

156
Q

Wan (adj.)

A

sickly pale

157
Q

Vim (noun)

A

vitality and energy

158
Q

Vicissitude (noun)

A

a change or variation

Investors must be prepared for VICISSITUDES of the stock market.

SYN: inconstancy; mutability

159
Q

Vituperate (verb)

A

to verbally abuse; to berate

My students frequently VITUPERATE each other in class - it’s really become a problem.

SYN: castigate; reproach; scold

160
Q

Voluble (adj.)

A

talkative; glib; speaking easily

The VOLUBLE man and his reserved wife proved the old saying that opposites attract.

SYN: loquacious; verbose

161
Q

Pariah (noun)

A

an outcast

SYN: castaway; derelict; leper; offscouring; untouchable

162
Q

Perfunctory (adj.)

A

done routinely; indifferent

The machine-like teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile.

SYN: apathetic; automatic; mechanical

163
Q

Panegyric (noun)

A

elaborate praise; a formal hymn of praise

164
Q

Lassitude (noun)

A

a state of diminished energy

The lack of energy that characterizes patients with anemia makes LASSITUDE one of the primary symptoms of the disease.

SYN: debilitation; enervation; fatigue; languor; listlessness; tiredness

165
Q

Perspicacious (adj.)

A

shrewd; astute; keen-witted

SYN: insightful; sagacious

166
Q

Panoply (noun)

A

impressive array

167
Q

Paragon (noun)

A

a model of excellence or perfection

SYN: apotheosis; ideal; quintessence; standard

168
Q

Parry (verb)

A

to ward off or deflect, especially by a quick-witted answer

169
Q

Pastiche (noun)

A

a piece of literature or music imitating other works

170
Q

Elegy (noun)

A

a sorrowful poem or speech

SYN: dirge; lament

171
Q

Pejorative (noun)

A

having bad connotations; disparaging

172
Q

Penury (noun)

A

oppressive lack of resources; severe poverty

Once a famous actor, he eventually died in PENURY and anonymity.

SYN: destitution; impoverishment

173
Q

Peripatetic (adj.)

A

wandering from place to place, especially on foot

SYN: itinerant; nomadic; wayfaring

174
Q

Permeate (verb)

A

to penetrate

SYN: imbue; infuse; pervade; suffuse

175
Q

Perfidious (adj.)

A

willing to betray someone’s trust

176
Q

Peregrinate (verb)

A

to wander around from place to place, to travel, especially on foot.

177
Q

Peccadillo (noun)

A

a minor sin or offense

178
Q

Pedant (noun)

A

someone who shows off learning

SYN: doctrinaire; nit-picker; pedagogue; sophist; school-master

179
Q

Panache (noun)

A

flamboyance or dash in style and action; verve

180
Q

Largess (noun)

A

generous giving (often money) to others who may seem inferior

She always relied on her parents’ LARGESS, but after graduation she had to get a job.

181
Q

Latent (adj.)

A

potentially available, but not readily apparent

SYN: concealed; dormant; inert; potential; quiescent

182
Q

Languid (adj.)

A

lacking energy; indifferent; slow

183
Q

Philistine (adj.)

A

a person who is guided by materialism and is disdainful of intellectual or artistic values

The PHILISTINE never even glanced at the rare violin in his collection but instead kept an eye on its value and sold it at a profit.

SYN: boor; bourgeois; capitalist; materialist; vulgarian

184
Q

Phlegmatic (adj.)

A

calm and unemotional in temperament

SYN: apathetic; calm; emotionless; impassive

185
Q

Phalanx (noun)

A

a close-knit body of people, animals, or things

186
Q

Pithy (adj.)

A

profound or substantial yet concise, succinct, and to the point

Martha’s PITHY comments during the interview must have been impressive because she got the job.

SYN: brief; compact; laconic; terse

187
Q

Placate (verb)

A

to soothe or pacify

SYN: appease; conciliate; mollify

188
Q

Plebeian (adj.)

A

crude or course; characteristic of commoners

189
Q

Plethora (noun)

A

excess

SYN: glut; overabundance; superfluity; surfeit

190
Q

Plucky (adj.)

A

courageous; spunky

191
Q

Polemic (noun)

A

a controversy; an argument; a personal attack

The candidate’s POLEMIC against his opponent was vicious and small-minded rather than convincing and cogent.

SYN: denunciation; refutation

192
Q

Politic (adj.)

A

shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic

She was wise to curb her tongue and was able to explain her problem to the judge in a respectful and POLITIC manner.

SYN: tactful

193
Q

Polyglot (noun)

A

a speaker of many languages

Mr. Winn’s extensive travels and studies have helped him to become a true POLYGLOT.

194
Q

Posit (verb)

A

to assume as real or conceded; to propose as an explanation

Before proving the math formula, we need to POSIT that x and y are real numbers.

SYN: suggest

195
Q

Potentate (noun)

A

a monarch or ruler with great power

Alex was much kinder before he assumed the role of POTENTATE.

196
Q

Pragmatic (adj.)

A

practical, as opposed to idealistic

197
Q

Prattle (noun)

A

meaningless, foolish talk

198
Q

Precipitate (adj.)

A

lacking deliberation; brought about abruptly

Their army wedding was a PRECIPITATE marriage–they had only known each other for two weeks before they wed.

SYN: abrupt; hasty; headlong; hurried; ill-considered; impetuous

199
Q

Precis (noun) (PRAY–SEE)

A

short summary of facts

Farah wrote a PRECIS of her her thesis on the epic poem to share with the class

SYN: summary

200
Q

Prescient (adj.)

A

having foresight

SYN: augural; divinatory; mantic; oracular; premonitory

201
Q

Prevaricate (verb)

A

to deviate from the truth; to lie

Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.

SYN: equivocate; lie; perjure

202
Q

Probity (noun)

A

complete honesty and integrity

George Washington’s reputation for PROBITY is illustrated in the legend about his inability to lie after he chopped down the cherry tree.

SYN: integrity; morality; rectitude; uprightness; virtue

203
Q

Propriety (noun)

A

the quality of behaving in a proper manner; obeying rules and customs

The aristocracy maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to even the most minor social rules.

SYN: appropriateness; decency; decorum; modesty

204
Q

Proclivity (noun)

A

a natural inclination or predisposition

Her childhood love of acting, singing, and adoration indicated a PROCLIVITY for the theater in later life.

SYN: bias; leaning; partiality; penchant; predilection; predisposition; prejudice; propensity

205
Q

Profligate (adj.)

A

corrupt; degenerate

Some historians claim that it was the Romans’ decadent, PROFLIGATE behavior that led to the decline of the Roman Empire.

SYN: dissolute; extravagant; improvident; wasteful; prodigal

206
Q

Propitiate (verb)

A

to conciliate; appease

Because their gods were angry and vengeful, the Vikings PROPITIATED them with many sacrifices.

SYN: appease; conciliate; mollify; pacify; placate

207
Q

Prodigal (adj.)

A

lavish; wasteful

208
Q

Reticent (adj.)

A

silent; reserved

The RETICENT student didn’t say much in the classroom, even when called upon.

SYN: cool; introverted; laconic; taciturn

209
Q

Restive (adj.)

A

impatient; restless; uneasy

SYN: agitated; anxious; fretful

210
Q

Repudiate (v)

A

to reject the validity of

I REPUDIATE Mr. Proxmire’s claims about the car accident.

SYN: deny; disavow; renounce; disown

211
Q

Redress (noun)

A

relief from injury

Seeking REDRESS for the damage done to my car, I called Geico to request payment for Diminution of value.

SYN: amends; indemnity; quittance;

212
Q

Indemnity (noun)

A

protection or security against damage or loss (see redress)

213
Q

Quittance (noun)

A

discharge from a debt or obligation

214
Q

Restitution (noun)

A

reparation made by equivalent compensation for loss or damage

215
Q

Pusillanimous (adj.)

A

cowardly

216
Q

Rejoinder (noun)

A

reply; retort

He tried desperately to think of a clever REJOINDER to Sarah’s joke, but he couldn’t.

SYN: retort; riposte

217
Q

Riposte (noun)

A

quick, sharp response

218
Q

Repose (noun)

A

relaxation; leisure

219
Q

Sybarite (noun)

A

person devoted to leisure and luxury

SYN: hedonist; sensualist

220
Q

Sycophant (noun)

A

self-serving flatterer

SYN: toady

221
Q

Ribald (adj.)

A

humorous in a vulgar way

222
Q

Prudence (noun)

A

wisdom; caution; restraint

SYN: astuteness; circumspection; judiciousness; providence; thrift

223
Q

Pugilism (noun)

A

boxing

224
Q

Pulchritude (noun)

A

beauty

SYN: comeliness

225
Q

Pungent (adj.)

A

irritating to the senses

SYN: acrid; caustic; piquant

226
Q

piquant (adj.)

A

agreeably pungent and sharp in taste or manner

227
Q

Quiescent (adj.)

A

motionless

SYN: dormant; latent

228
Q

Acquiescent (adj.)

A

compliant

229
Q

Quixotic (adj.)

A

irrationally idealistic

SYN: capricious; impulsive; romantic; unrealistic

230
Q

Quotidian (adj.)

A

daily; commonplace

231
Q

Raconteur (noun)

A

a witty, skillful storyteller

SYN: anecdotalist

232
Q

Querulous (adj.)

A

inclined to complain; irritable

First-year teachers are a QUERULOUS bunch; but their complaints and frustrations are understandable.

SYN: peevish; puling; whiny

233
Q

Peevish (adj.)

A

cross, querulous, or fretful

234
Q

Puling (adj.)

A

whining or whimpering

235
Q

Repast (noun)

A

meal or mealtime

SYN: banquet; feast

236
Q

Requite (verb)

A

to repay

SYN: compensate; reciprocate

237
Q

Replete (noun)

A

complete; abundantly supplied

SYN: abounding; full

238
Q

Sacrosanct (adj.)

A

extremely sacred; beyond criticism

SYN: holy; inviolable; off-limits

239
Q

Bucolic (adj.)

A

pastoral

240
Q

Sagacious (adj.)

A

shrewd; wise

SYN: astute; judicious; perspicacious; wise

241
Q

obloquy (noun)

A

abusive language aimed at someone; a fulmination/diatribe

242
Q

Trenchant (adj.)

A

acute, sharp, or incisive; forceful; effective

Tyrone’s TRENCHANT observations in class made him the professor’s favorite student.

SYN: biting; caustic; cutting; keen

243
Q

Salubrious (adj.)

A

healthful

The doctor hoped that the sea air would have a SALUBRIOUS effect on the grandmother.

SYN: bracing; curative; medicinal; tonic; therapeutic

244
Q

Taciturn (adj.)

A

silent; not talkative

SYN: laconic; reticent

245
Q

Tangential (adj.)

A

digressing; diverting

246
Q

Tirade (noun)

A

long, harsh speech or verbal attack

SYN: diatribe; fulmination; harangue; obloquy; revilement; vilification

247
Q

Tome (noun)

A

a book, usually a large and academic one

SYN: codex; volume

248
Q

Torpor (noun)

A

extreme mental and physical sluggishness

SYN: apathy; languor; stupor

249
Q

Transitory (adj.)

A

temporary; lasting for a brief time

SYN: ephemeral; evanescent; fleeting; impermanent

250
Q

Terrestrial (adj.)

A

earthly; down-to-earth; commonplace

SYN: earthbound; mundane; sublunary; tellurian; terrene

251
Q

Syncopation (noun)

A

temporary irregularity in musical rhythm

252
Q

Tacit (adj.)

A

done without using words

SYN: implicit; implied; unsaid

253
Q

symbiosis (noun)

A

cooperation; mutual helpfulness

254
Q

Tawdry (adj.)

A

gaudy; cheap; or showy

SYN: meretricious; flashy; loud

255
Q

Toady (noun)

A

one who flatters to gain favors

The king was surrounded by TOADIES who rushed to agree with whatever outrageous thing he said.

SYN: parasite; sycophant

256
Q

Sinecure (noun)

A

a well-paying job or office that requires little or no work

257
Q

Specious (adj.)

A

falsely attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious.

SYN: illusory; ostensible; plausible; sophistic; spurious

258
Q

Sophistic (adj.)

A

tricky; fallacious; spurious

259
Q

Spurious (adj.)

A

not being what it purports to be

260
Q

Somnolent (adj.)

A

sleepy or drowsy

261
Q

Spartan (adj.)

A

self-disciplined; frugal; austere

SYN: restrained; simple

262
Q

Sportive (adj.)

A

frolicsome; playful

263
Q

Stigma (noun)

A

a mark of shame or discredit

SYN: blemish; stain; opporbrium

264
Q

Stolid (adj.)

A

unemotional; lacking sensitivity

The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge’s harsh sentence.

SYN: phlegmatic; impassive; indifferent;apathetic; stoic; unconcerned

265
Q

Stasis (noun)

A

a state of equilibrium; stagnation

SYN: inertia; standstill

266
Q

Solecism (noun)

A

grammatical error

SYN: blooper; vulgarism

267
Q

Stentorian (adj.)

A

extremely loud

MOVIE TITLE: “Stentorian and Incredibly Close”

268
Q

Sully (verb)

A

to taint; tarnish

SYN: besmirch; defile

269
Q

Supplant (verb)

A

to replace (another) by force; to take the place of

270
Q

Surly (adj.)

A

rude and bad-tempered

271
Q

Stratagem (noun)

A

a trick designed to deceive an opponent

SYN: artifice; feint; maneuver; ruse; wile

272
Q

Sublime (adj.)

A

lofty or grand

SYN: august; exalted; glorious; grand; resplendent; majestic

273
Q

Subliminal (adj.)

A

below the threshold of cognition; subconscious

274
Q

Sanguine (adj.)

A

ruddy; cheerfully optimistic

A sanguine person thinks the glass is half full.

SYN: positive; rosy; rubicund

275
Q

Rubicund (adj.)

A

having a ruddy complexion

276
Q

Sardonic (adj.)

A

cynical; scornfully mocking

SYN: acerbic; caustic; sarcastic; satirical

277
Q

Sartorial (adj.)

A

of or relating to tailoring clothes

278
Q

Sentient (adj.)

A

aware; conscious; able to perceive

SYN: feeling; intelligent; thinking

279
Q

Seraphic (adj.)

A

angelic; sweet

SYN: cherubic; heavenly

280
Q

Providence (noun)

A

prudence; foresight

281
Q

Scintilla (noun)

A

trace amount

SYN: atom; iota; mote; speck

282
Q

Sedition (noun)

A

behavior that promotes rebellion or civil disorder against the state

Li was arrested for SEDITION after he gave a fiery speech in the main square

SYN: conspiracy; insurrection

283
Q

Salient (adj.)

A

prominent; of notable significance

284
Q

Satiate (verb)

A

to satisfy or overindulge

SYN: cloy; glut; gorge; surfeit

285
Q

Slake (verb)

A

to calm down or moderate

In order to SLAKE his curiosity, Ben finally took a tour backstage at the theater.

SYN: moderate; quench; satisfy

286
Q

Soporific (adj.)

A

causing sleep or lethargy

SYN: hypnotic; narcotic; slumberous; somnolent

287
Q

Surfeit (noun)

A

excessive amount

SYN: glut; plethora; repletion; superfluity; surplus

288
Q

Sobriquet (noun)

A

a nickname

SYN: alias; pseudonym

289
Q

unequivocal (adj.)

A

absolute; certain

SYN: categorical; clear; explicit; express; unambiguous

290
Q

Umbridge (noun)

A

offense; resentment

The businessman took UMBRIDGE at the security guard’s accusation that he had shoplifted a packet of gum.

SYN: asperity; dudgeon; ire; pique; rancor

291
Q

Rancor (noun)

A

bitter resentment; umbridge

292
Q

Pique (noun)

A

offended; irritated

293
Q

Upbraid (verb)

A

to scold sharply

294
Q

Unconscionable (adj.)

A

unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust

SYN: dishonorable; indefensible

295
Q

Malinger (verb)

A

to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

296
Q

Malediction (noun)

A

a curse; a wish of evil upon another

SYN: anathema; imprecation

297
Q

Magnate (noun)

A

a powerful or influential person

298
Q

Maelstrom (noun)

A

whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind

299
Q

Zealot (noun)

A

someone passionately devoted to a cause

300
Q

Mannered (adj.)

A

artificial or stilted in character

SYN: affected; unnatural

301
Q

Martinet (noun)

A

disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows the rules

302
Q

Maudlin (adj.)

A

overly sentimental; bathetic

303
Q

Tyro (noun)

A

beginner; novice

SYN: greenhorn; neophyte; tenderfoot

304
Q

Turgid (adj.)

A

swollen from fluid; bloated

SYN: distended

GRE Review Cards (7 decks)

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