Kaplan's GRE common words in context Flashcards
Abate
: to reduce in amount, degree, or severity
As the hurricane’s force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.
Abscond
: to leave secretly
The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking our of the back door.
Abstain
: to choose not to do something
She abstained from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray.
Abyss
: an extremely deep hole
The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths.
Adulterate
: to make impure
The chef made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water.
Advocate
: to speak in favor of
The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat.
Aesthetic
: concerning the appreciation of beauty
Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.
Aggrandize
: to increase in power, influence and reputation
The supervisor sought to aggrandize herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.
Alleviate
: to make more bearable
Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headach.
Amalgamate
: to combine; to mix together
Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated.
Ambiguous
: doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
The directions she gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn.
Ameliorate
: to make better; to improve
The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient’s suffering using painkillers.
Anachronism
: something out of place in time
The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases, like ‘groovy’ and ‘far out’ that had not been popular for years.
Analogous
: similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent ‘clockmaker’
Anomaly
: deviation from what is normal
The near-boiling river in Peru called Shanay-Timpishka is a geological anomaly: it is the only naturally heated body of water that is not heated by is proximity to a volcano.
Antagonize
: to annoy or provoke to anger
The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail.
Antipathy
The antipathy between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare.
Apathy
: lack of interest or emotion
The apathy of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so.
Arbitrate
: to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings.
Archaic
: ancient, old-fashioned
Her archaic commodore computer could not run the latest software.
Ardor
: intense and passionate feeling
Bishop’s ardor for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson valley.
Articulate
: able to speak clearly and expressively
She is such an articulate defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.
Assuage
: to make something unpleasant less severe
Serena used aspirin to assuage her pounding headache
Attenuate
: to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of governments to change laws at will.
Audacious
: fearless and daring
Her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.
Austere
:severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
The lack of decoration makes military barracks seems austere to the civilian eye.
Banal
: predictable, cliched, boring
He used banal phrases like ‘have a nice day’ and ‘another day, another dollar’
Bolster
: to support; to prop up
The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Sasquatch was in the area.
Bombastic
: pompous in speech and manner
The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.
Cacophony
: harsh, jarring noise
The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments.
Candid
: impartial and honest in speech
The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious
Capricious
: changing one’s mind quickly and often
Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy
Castigate
: to punish or criticize harshly
Many Americans area amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the US.
Catalyst
: something that brings about a change in something else
The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution
Caustic
: biting in wit
Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.
Chaos
: great disorder or confusion
In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos.
Chauvinist
: someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male chauvinist
Chicanery
: deception by means of craft or guile
Dishonest used car salespeople often use chicanery to sell their beat up old cars
Cogent
: convincing and well-reasoned
Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.
Condone
: to overlook, pardon or disregard
Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness
Convoluted
: intricate and complicated
Although many people bought A Brief history of Time, few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.
Corroborate
: to provider supporting evidence
Fingerprints corroborated the witness’s testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim’s apartment.
Creduluous
: too trusting; gullible
Although some 4 y/o believe in the easter bunny, only the most credulous 9 y/o still believe in him.
Crescendo
: steadily increasing volume or force
The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.
Decorum
:appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace.
Deference
: respect, courtesy
The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference.
Deride
: to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
The awkward child was often derided by his cooler peers.
Disccate
: to dry out thoroughly
After a few weeks of lying on the desert’s baking sands, the cow’s carcass became completely desiccated.
Desultory
: jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Diane had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years.
Diatribe
: an abusive, condemnatory speech
The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.
Diffident
: lacking self-confidence
Steve’s diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and ack of experience in the field.
Dilate
: to make larger; to expand
When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of our eyes dilate to let in more light.
Dilatory
: intended to delay
The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill.
Dilettante
: someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
Jerry’s friends wee such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.
Dirge
: a funeral hymn or mournful speech
Melville wrote the poem “a dirge for James McPerson” for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.
Disabuse
: to set right; to free from error
Galileo’s observations diabused scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.
Discern
: to perceive; to recognize
It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.
Disparate
: fundamentally different; entirely unlike
Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate
Dissemble
: to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character
The villain could dissemble to the police no longer- he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.
Dissonance
: a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contraindicated by new evidence.
Dogma
: a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
Linus’s central dogma was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.
Dogmatic
: dictatorial in one’s opinions
The dictator was dogmatic - he and only he was right
Dupe
: to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
Bugs Bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.
Eclectic
: selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Budapest’s architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles.
Efficacy
: effectiveness
The efficacy of PCN was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.
Elegy
: a sorrowful poem or speech
Although Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality.
Eloquent
: persuasive and moving, especially in speech
The gettysburg address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its eloquent words.
Emulate
: to copy; to try to equal or excel
The graduate student sought to emulate his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class.
Enervate
: to reduce in strength
The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.
Engender
: to produce, cause, or bring about
His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.
Enigma
: a puzzle; a mystery
By speaking in riddles and dressing in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an enigma.
Enumerate
: to count, list, or itemize
Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were enumerated.