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GRE Vocab > Set 8 > Flashcards

Set 8 Flashcards

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1
Q

Inquest
noun
(ihn kwehst

A

An investigation; an inquiry

The police chief ordered an INQUEST to determine what went wrong.

Synonyms: prove; quest; research

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2
Q

Monastic
adj
(muh naas tihk)

A

Extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery

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

Synonyms: austere; contemplative; disciplines; regimented; self-abnegating

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3
Q

Eulogy
noun
(yoo luh jee)

A

A speech in praise of someone

His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents.

Synonyms: commend; extol; laud

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4
Q 
Paradox
      noun
(par uh doks)
A

A contradiction or dilemma

It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.

Synonyms: ambiguity; incongruity

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5
Q

Doctrinaire
adj
(dahk truh nayr)

A

Rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic

The professor’s manner of teaching was considered DOCTRINAIRE for such a liberal school.

Synonyms: dictatorial; inflexible

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6
Q

Abstemious
adj
(aab stee me uhs)

A

Moderate in appetite

Because Alyce is a vegetarian, she was able to eat only an ABSTEMIOUS meal at the Texas Steakhouse.

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

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7
Q

Chicanery
noun
(shi kay nuh ree)

A

Deception by means of craft or guile

Dishonest used-car salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.

Synonyms: artifice; conniving; craftiness; deception; deviousness; misrepresentation; pettifoggery; shadiness; sneakiness; sophistry; subterfuge; underhandedness

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8
Q

Torpor
noun
(tohr puhr)

A

Extreme mental and physical sluggishness

After surgery, the patient’s TORPOR lasted several hours until the anesthesia wore off.

Synonyms: apathy; languor

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9
Q

Deride
verb
(dih ried)

A

To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

The awkward child was often DERIDED by his “cooler” peers.

Synonyms: gibe; mock; ridicule; jeer; scoff; sneer; taunt

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10
Q

Libertine
noun
(lihb uhr teen)

A

A free thinker (usually used disparagingly); one without moral restraint

The LIBERTINE took pleasure in gambling at his family’s money.

Synonyms: hedonist

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11
Q

Levity
noun
(leh vih tee)

A

An inappropriate lack of seriousness; an overly casual atmosphere

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

Synonyms: amusement; humor

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12
Q

Ambiguous
adj
(aam bihg yoo uhs)

A

Doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways

The directions he gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.

Synonyms: cloudy; doubtful; dubious; equivocal; indeterminate; nebulous; obscure; unclear; vague

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13
Q

Hermetic
adj
(huhr meh tihk)

A

Tightly sealed

The HERMETIC seal of the proved impossible to break.

Synonyms: airtight; impervious; watertight

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14
Q

Peripatetic
adj
(peh ruh puh teh tihk)

A

Wandering from place to place, especially on foot

Eleana’s PERIPATETIC meanderings took her all over the countryside in the summer months.

Synonyms: itinerant; nomadic; wayfaring

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15
Q

Soporific
adj
(sahp uhr ihf ihk)

A

Causing sleep or lethargy

The movie prove to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the cinema.

Synonyms: hypnotic; narcotic; slumberous; somnolent

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16
Q

Phlegmatic
adj
(flehg maa tihk)

A

Calm and unemotional in temperament

Although the bomb could go off at any moment, the PHLEGMATIC demolition expert remained calm and unafraid.

Synonyms; apathetic; calm; emotionless; impassive; indifferent; passionless; unemotional

17
Q

Articulate
adj
(ahr tih kyuh luht)

A

Able to speak clearly and expressively

She is extremely ARTICULATE when it comes to expressing her pro-labor views; as a result, unions are among her strongest supporters.

Synonyms: eloquent; expressive; fluent; lucid; silver-tongued; smooth-spoken

18
Q

Numismatics
noun
(nu miz maa tiks)

A

Coin collecting

Tomas’s passion for NUMISMATICS has resulted in an impressive collection of coins from all over the world.

19
Q

Ebullient
adj
(ih buhl yuhnt)

A

Exhilarated; full of enthusiasm and high spirits

The EBULLIENT child exhausted the baby-sitter, who lacked the energy to keep up with her.

Synonyms: ardent; avid; bubbly; zestful

20
Q

Cupidity
noun
(kyoo pih dih tee)

A

Greed; strong desire

The their stared at the shining jewels with CUPIDITY in his gleaming eyes.

Synonyms: avarice; covetousness; rapacity

21
Q

Jocular
adj
(jahk yuh luhr)

A

Playful; humorous

The JOCULAR old man entertained his grandchildren for hours.

Synonyms: amusing; comical

22
Q

Grovel
verb
(grah vuhl)

A

To humble oneself in a demeaning way

Thor GROVELED to his ex-girlfriend, hoping she would take him back.

Synonyms: bootlick; cringe; fawn; kowtow; toady

23
Q

Vernal
adj
(vuhr nuhl)

A

Related to spring; fresh

Bea basked in the balmy VERNAL breezes, happy that winter was coming to an end.

Synonyms: springlike; youthful

24
Q

Exacerbate
verb
(ihg zaas uhr bayt)

A

To make worse

It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn since, instead of providing relief, it will only EXACERBATE the problem.

Synonyms: aggravate; annoy; intensify; irritate; provoke

25
Q

Plastic
adj
(plaa stihk)

A

Able to be molded, altered, or bent

The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shape.

Synonyms: adaptable; ductile; malleable; pliant

26
Q

Analgesia
noun
(aah nuhl jee zhuh)

A

A lessening of pain without loss of consciousness

After having her appendix removed, Tatiana welcomed the ANALGESIA that the painkillers provided.

27
Q

Expurgate
verb
(ehk spuhr gayt)

A

To censor

Government propagandists EXPURGATED all negative references to the dictator from the film.

Synonyms: bowdlerize; cut; sanitize

28
Q

Analogous
adj
(uh naal uh guhs)

A

Similar or alike in some way; equivalent

His mother argued that not going to college was was ANALOGOUS to throwing his life away.

Synonyms: alike; comparable; corresponding; equivalent; homogeneous; parallel; similar

29
Q

Reticent
adj
(reh tih suhnt)

A

Silent; reserved

Physically small and verbally RETICENT, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those she was reporting on.

Synonyms: cool; introverted; laconic; standoffish; taciturn; undemonstrative

30
Q

Credulous
adj
(kreh juh luhs)

A

Too trusting; gullible

Although some four-year-olds believe in the Tooth Fairy, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds also believe in her.

Synonyms: naive; susceptible; trusting

GRE Vocab (17 decks)

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