Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GRE Vocab > Set 11 > Flashcards

Set 11 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
GRE® Vocabulary flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

Zealot
noun
(zeh luht)

A

Someone passionately devoted to a cause

The religious ZEALOT had no time for those who failed to share his strong beliefs.

Synonyms: enthusiast; fanatic; militant; radical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Maudlin
adj
(mawd lihn)

A

Overly sentimental

The movie’s treatment of the mother’s death was so MAUDLIN that, instead of making the audience cry, it made them cringe.

Synonyms: bathetic; mawkish; saccharine; weepy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Acme
noun
(aak mee)

A

The highest point; the summit; the highest level or degree attainable

Just when he reached the ACME of his power, the dictator was overthrown.

Synonyms: apex; peak; summit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Dictum
noun
(dihk tuhm)

A

An authoritative statement

“You have time to lean, you have time to clean,” was the DICTUM our boss made us live by.

Synonyms: adage; aphorism; apothegm; decree; edict

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Stigma
noun
(stihg mah)

A

A mark of shame or discredit

In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery.

Synonyms: blemish; blot; opprobrium; stain; taint

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Inimical
adj
(ih nihm ih kuhl)

A

Hostile; unfriendly

Even though a cease-fire had been in place for months, the two sides were still INIMICAL to each other.

Synonyms: adverse; antagonistic; dissident; recalcitrant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Sedition
noun
(sih dih shuhn)

A

Behavior that promotes rebellion or civil disorder against the state

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

Synonyms: conspiracy; insurrection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Effigy
noun
(eh fuh jee)

A

A stuffed doll; a likeness of a person

Protesters burned EFFIGIES of the unpopular leader.

Synonyms: dummy; figure; image

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Distend
verb
(dih stehnd)

A

To swell, inflate, or bloat

Her stomach was DISTENDED after she gorged on the six-course meal.

Synonyms: broaden; bulge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Onerous
adj
(oh neh ruhs)

A

Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it.

Synonyms: arduous; backbreaking; burdensome; cumbersome; difficult; exacting; formidable; hard; laborious; oppressive; rigorous; taxing; trying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Abate
verb
(uh bayt)

A

To reduce in amount, degree, or severity

As the hurricane’s force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.

Synonyms: ebb; lapse; let up; moderate; relent; slacken; subside; wane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Implacable
adj
(ihm play kuh buhl)

A

Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

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

Synonyms: inexorable; intransigent; irreconcilable; relentless; remorseless; unforgiving; unrelenting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Lugubrious
adj
(loo goo bree uhs)

A

Sorrowful; mournful; dismal

Irish wakes are a rousing departure from the LUGUBRIOUS funeral services to which most people are accustomed.

Synonyms: funereal; gloomy; melancholy; somber; woeful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Panoply
noun
(paa nuh plee)

A

Impressive array

Her resume indicates a PANOPLY of skills and accomplishments.

Synonyms: array; display; fanfare; parade; pomp; shine; show

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Sybarite
noun
(sih buh riet)

A

A person devoted to pleasure and luxury

A confirmed SYBARITE, the nobleman fainted at the thought of having to leave his palace and live in a small cottage.

Synonyms: hedonist; sensualist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Mercurial
adj
(muhr kyoor ee uhl)

A

Quick, shrewd, and unpredictable

Her MERCURIAL personality made it difficult to guess how she would react to the bad news.

Synonyms: clever; crafty; volatile; whimsical

17
Q

Satiate
verb
(say shee ayt)

A

To satisfy fully or overindulge

His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could SATIATE it.

Synonyms: cloy; glut; gorge; surfeit

18
Q

Largess
noun
(laar jehs)

A

Generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior

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

Synonyms: benevolence; boom; compliment; favor; present

19
Q

Venerate
verb
(vehn uhr ayt)

A

To respect deeply

In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to the elders’ wisdom and experience.

Synonyms: adore; honor; idolize; revere

20
Q

Intrepid
adj
(ihn treh pihd)

A

Fearless; resolutely courageous

Despite freezing winds, the INTREPID hiker completed his ascent.

Synonym: brave

21
Q

Diffident
adj
(dih fih dint)

A

Lacking self confidence

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

Synonyms: backward; bashful; coy; demur; modest; retiring; self-effacing; shy; timid

22
Q

Surly
adj
(suhr lee)

A

Rude and bad-tempered

When asked to clean the windshield, the SURLY gas station attendant tossed a dirty rag at the customer and walked away.

Synonyms: gruff; grumpy; testy

23
Q

Encomium
noun
(ehn koh me uhm)

A

Warm praise

She wrote an ENCOMIUM in praise of the outgoing president.

Synonyms: citation; eulogy; panegyric; salutation; tribute

24
Q

Inculcate
verb
(ihn kuhl kayt)

A

To teach; to impress in the mind

Most parents INCULCATE their children with their beliefs and ideas instead of allowing their children to develop their own values.

Synonyms: implant; indoctrinate; instill; preach

25
Q

Accretion
noun
(uh kree shuhn)

A

A gradual growth in size; an increase in amount

The committee’s strong fund-raising efforts resulted in an ACCRETION in scholarship money.

Synonyms: accumulation; buildup

26
Q

Idiosyncrasy
noun
(ih dee uh sihn kruh see)

A

Peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity

His numerous IDIOSYNCRASIES included a fondness for wearing bright green shoes with mauve socks.

Synonyms: humor; oddity; quirk

27
Q

Obdurate
adj
(ahb duhr uht)

A

Hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion

The. President was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.

Synonyms: inflexible; intransigent; recalcitrant; tenacious; unyielding

28
Q

Tangential
adj
(taan jehn shuhl)

A

Digressing; diverting

Your argument is interesting, but it’s TANGENTIAL to the matter at hand, so I suggest we get back to the point.

Synonyms: digressive; extraneous; inconsequential; irrelevant; peripheral

29
Q

Imprecation
noun
(ihm prih kay shuhn)

A

A curse

Spouting violent IMPRECATIONS, Hank searched for the person who had vandalized his truck.

Synonym: damnation

30
Q

Wan
adj
(wahn)

A

Sickly pale

The sick child had a WAN face, in contrast to her rosy-cheeked sister.

Synonyms: ashen; sickly

GRE Vocab (17 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions