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GRE Vocab > Set 9 > Flashcards

Set 9 Flashcards

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1
Q

Plebeian
adj
(plee bee uhn)

A

Crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners

After five weeks of rigorous studying, the graduate settled in for a weekend of PLEBEIAN socializing and television watching.

Synonyms: conventional; unrefined

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2
Q

Umbrage
noun
(uhm brihj)

A

Offense; resentment

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

Synonyms: asperity; dungeon; ire; pique; rancor

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3
Q

Tyro
noun
(tie roh)

A

Beginner; novice

An obvious TYRO at salsa, Millicent received no invitations to dance.

Synonyms: apprentice; fledgling; greenhorn; neophyte; tenderfoot

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4
Q

Coffer
noun
(kah fuhr)

A

A strongbox; a large chest for money

The bulletproof glass of the COFFER is what keeps the Crown Jewels secure.

Synonyms: chest; exchequer; treasury; war chest

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5
Q

Pungent
adj
(puhn juhnt)

A

Sharp and irritating to the senses

The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT.

Synonyms: acrid; caustic; piquant; poignant; stinging

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6
Q

Rejoinder
noun
(rih joyn duhr)

A

Response

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

Synonyms: retort; riposte

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7
Q

Lassitude
noun
(laas ih tood)

A

A state of diminished energy

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

Synonyms: debilitation; enervation; fatigue; languor; listlessness; tiredness; weariness

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8
Q

Obsequious
adj
(uhb see kwee uhs)

A

Overly submissive and eager to please

The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor’s tie and agree with him on every issue.

Synonyms: compliant; deferential; servile; subservient

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9
Q

Sportive
adj
(spohr tihv)

A

Frolicsome; playful

The lakeside vacation meant more SPORTIVE opportunities for the kids than the wine tour through France.

Synonyms: frisky; merry

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10
Q

Diaphanous
adj
(die aaf uh nuhs)

A

Allowing light to show through; delicate

These DIAPHANOUS curtains do nothing to block out the sunlight.

Synonyms: gauzy; sheer; tenuous; translucent; transparent

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11
Q

Licentious
adj
(lie sehn shuhs)

A

Immoral; unrestrained by society

Religious citizens were outraged by the LICENTIOUS exploits of the free-spirited artists living in town.

Synonyms: lewd; wanton

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12
Q

Augury
noun
(aw guh ree)

A

A prophecy; a prediction of events

Troy hoped the rainbow was an AUGURY of good things to come.

Synonyms: auspice; harbinger; omen; portent; presage

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13
Q

Catholic
adj
(kaa thlihk)

A

Universal; broad and comprehensive

His CATHOLIC musical tastes included everything from opera to rap.

Synonyms: extensive; general

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14
Q

Philanthropy
noun
(fihl aan throh pee)

A

Charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness

The Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.

Synonyms: altruism; humanitarianism

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15
Q

Molt
verb
(muhlt)

A

Hot shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically

The snake MOLTED its skin and left it behind in a crumpled mass.

Synonyms: cast; defoliate; desquamate

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16
Q

Fatuous
adj
(fah choo uhs)

A

Stupid; foolishly self-satisfied

Ted’s FATUOUS comments always embarrassed his keen-witted wife at parties.

Synonyms: absurd; ludicrous; preposterous; ridiculous; silly

17
Q

Solecism
noun
(sah lih sihz uhm)

A

Grammatical mistake

“I ain’t going with you,” she said, obviously unaware of her SOLECISM.

Synonyms: blooper; faux pas; vulgarism

18
Q

Grievous
adj
(gree vuhs)

A

Causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing

Maude and Bertha sobbed loudly throughout the GRIEVOUS event.

Synonyms: dire; dolorous; grave; mournful

19
Q

Heterogenous
adj
(heh tuh ruh jee nee uhs)

A

Composed of unlike parts; different; diverse

The United Nations is by nature a HETEROGENEOUS body.

Synonyms: assorted; miscellaneous; mixed; motley; varied

20
Q

Mendacious
adj
(mehn day shuhs)

A

Dishonest

So many of her stories were MENDACIOUS that I decided she must be a pathological liar.

Synonyms: deceitful; false; lying; untruthful

21
Q

Placate
verb
(play cayt)

A

To soothe or pacify

The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by referring to it as a “nice doggy” and offering it a treat.

Synonyms: appease; conciliate; mollify

22
Q

Noisome
adj
(noy suhm)

A

Stinking; putrid

A dead mouse trapped in your walls produces a NOISOME odor.

Synonyms: disgusting; foul; malodorous

23
Q

Demur
verb
(dih muhr)

A

To express doubts or objections

When scientific authorities claimed that all the planets revolved around the Earth, Galileo, with his superior understanding of the situation, was forced to DEMUR.

Synonyms: dissent; expostulate; protest; remonstrate

24
Q

Pusillanimous
adj
(pyoo suh laa nih muhs)

A

Cowardly; without courage

The PUSILLANIMOUS man would not enter the yard where the miniature poodle was barking,

Synonyms: cowardly; timid

25
Q

Diurnal
adj
(die uhr nuhl)

A

Active or occurring during the day

DIURNAL creatures tend to become inactive during the night.

Synonyms: daylight; daytime

26
Q

Antagonize
verb
(aan taa guh niez)

A

To annoy or provoke to anger

The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling his tail.

Synonyms: clash; conflict; incite; irritate; oppose; pester; provoke; vex

27
Q

Unconscionable
adj
(uhn kahn shuhn uh buhl)

A

Unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust

After she promised me the project, the fact that she gave it to someone else is UNCONSCIONABLE.

Synonyms: dishonorable; indefensible

28
Q

Militate
verb
(mihl ih tayt)

A

To operate against; work against

Lenin MILITATED against the tsar for years before he overthrew and established the Soviet Union.

Synonyms: affect; change; influence

29
Q

Lavish
adj
(laa vish)

A

Extremely generous or extravagant; giving unsparingly

She was so LAVISH with her puppy that it soon became overweight and spoiled.

Synonyms: extravagant; exuberant; luxuriant; opulent; prodigal; profuse; superabundant

30
Q

Stratagem
noun
(straa tuh juhm)

A

Trick designed to deceive an enemy

The Trojan Horse must be one of the most successful military STRATAGEMS used in all of history.

Synonyms: artifice; feint; maneuver; ruse; wile

GRE Vocab (17 decks)

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