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GRE Verbal Workbook > The Other Top 128 > Flashcards

The Other Top 128 Flashcards

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1
Q

Abate

A

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

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

———

ebb, lapse, let up, moderate, relent, slacken, subside, wane

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2
Q

Abscond

A

to leave secretly

The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.

———

flee, decamp, escape

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3
Q

Abyss

A

an extremely deep hole

The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths.

———

abyssal: pertaining to great depth
abysmal: extremely bad

chasm, void

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4
Q

Aesthetic

A

concerning the appreciation of beauty

Followers of the Aesthetic Movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.

———

aesthete: someone unusally sensitive to beauty
aestheticism: concern with beauty

artistic, tasteful

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5
Q

Aggrandize

A

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

The supervisor sought to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own.

———

amplify, apotheosize, augment, dignify, elevate, enlarge, ennoble, exalt, glorify, magnify, swell, uplift, wax

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6
Q

Alleviate

A

to make more bearable

Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache.

———

allay, assuage, comfort, ease, lessen, lighten, mitigate, palliate, relieve

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7
Q

Amalgamate

A

to combine; to mix together

Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated.

———

amalgam: a mixture, especially of two metals

admix, blend, combine, commingle, commix, compound, fuse, intermingle, intermix, merge, mingle, mix

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8
Q

Ambiguous

A

doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

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

———

ambiguity: the quality of being ambiguous

cloudy, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, indeterminate, nebulous, obscure, unclear, vague

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9
Q

Ameliorate

A

to make better; to improve

The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient’s suffering using painkillers.

———

amend, better, improve, pacify, upgrade

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10
Q

Anachronism

A

something out of place in time

The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases like “groovy” and “far out” that had not been popular for years.

———

archaism, incongruity

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11
Q

Analogous

A

similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent “clockmaker.”

———

analogy: a similarity between things that are otherwise dissimilar
analogue: something that is similar in some way to something else.

alike, comparable, corresponding, equivalent, homogeneous, parallel, similar

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12
Q

Antagonize

A

to annoy or provoke to anger

The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail.

———

antagonistic: tending to provoke conflict
antagonist: someone who fights another

clash, conflict, incite, irritate, oppose, pester, provoke, vex

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13
Q

Arbitrate

A

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings.

———

arbitration: a process by which a conflict is resolved
arbitrator: a judge

adjudge, adjudicate, decide, determine, judge, moderate, referee, rule

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14
Q

Archaic

A

ancient, old-fashioned

Her archaic Commodore computer could not run the latest software.

———

archaism: an outdated word or phrase

ancient, antediluvian, antique, bygone, dated, dowdy, fusty, obsolete, old-fashioned, outdated, outmoded, passé, prehistoric, stale, superannuated, superseded, vintage

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15
Q

Ardor

A

intense and passionate feeling

Bishop’s ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.

———

ardent: expressing ardor; passionate

devotion, enthusiasm, fervency, fervidity, fervidness, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, zealousness

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16
Q

Articulate

A

able to speak clearly and expressively

She is such an articulate defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.

———

eloquent, expressive, fluent, lucid, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken

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17
Q

Attenuate

A

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will.

———

debiliate, devitalize, dilute, enervate, enfeeble, rarefy, sap, thin, undermine, undo, unnerve, water, weaken

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18
Q

Austere

A

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye.

———

austerity: severity, especially povery

bleak, dour, grim, hard, harsh, severe

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19
Q

Banal

A

predictable, clichéd, boring

He used banal phrases like “Have a nice day,” or “Another day, another dollar.”

———

banality: the quality of being banal

bland, bromidic, clichéd, commonplace, fatuous, hackneyed, innocuous, insipid, jejune, musty, platitudinous, prosaic, quotidian, shopworn, stale, stereotypic, threadbare, timeworn, tired, trite, vapid, worn-out

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20
Q

Bombastic

A

pompous in speech and manner

Mussolini’s speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.

———

bloated, declamatory, fustian, grandiloquent, grandiose, high-flown, magniloquent, orotund, pretentious, rhetorical, self-important

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21
Q

Candid

A

impartial and honest in speech

The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and upretentious.

———

direct, forthright, frank, honest, open, sincere, straight, straightforward, undisguised

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22
Q

Castigate

A

to punish or criticize harshly

Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.

———

admonish, chastise, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, tax, upbraid

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23
Q

Catalyst

A

something that brings about a change in something else

The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution.

———

Catalyze: to bring about a change in something else

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24
Q

Caustic

A

biting in wit

Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

———

acerbic, biting, moridant, trenchant

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25
Q

Chaos

A

great disorder or confusion

In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos.

———

Chaotic: jumbled, confused

clutter, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, disorderliness, disorganization, jumble, mess, muddle, scramble, snarl, topsy-turviness, turmoil

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26
Q

Chauvinist

A

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**s.

———

partisan

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27
Q

Chicanery

A

deception by means of craft or guile

Dishonest used car salespeople often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars.

———

artifice, conniving, craftiness, deception, deviousness, misrepresentation, pettifoggery, shadiness, sneakiness, sophistry, subterfuge, underhandedness

28
Q

Cogent

A

convincing and well-reasoned

Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

———

Cogitate: to think deeply

convincing, persuasive, solid, sound, telling, valid

29
Q

Condone

A

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

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

———

exculpate, excuse, pardon, remit

30
Q

Convoluted

A

intricate and complicated

Although many people bought “A Brief History of Time,” few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.

———

byzantine, complex, elaborate, intricate, knotty, labyrinthine, perplexing, tangled

31
Q

Credulous

A

too trusting; gullible

Although some 4-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most credulous 9-year-olds also believe in him.

———

Credulity: the quality of being credulous

naive, susceptible, trusting

32
Q

Crescendo

A

steadily increasing in volume or force

The crescendo of tension became unbearbale as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.

33
Q

Decorum

A

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

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

———

Decorous: conforming to acceptable standards

correctness, decency, etiquette, manners, mores, propriety, seemliness

34
Q

Deference

A

respect, courtesy

The respectful young law clark treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference.

———

Defer: to delay; to show someone deference

Deferential: courteous and respectful

courtesy, homage, honor, obeisance, respect, reverence, veneration

35
Q

Desultory

A

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

Diane had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.

———

aimless, disconnected, erratic, haphazard, indiscriminate, objectless, purposeless, random, stray, unconsidered, unplanned

36
Q

Diatribe

A

an abusive, condemnatory speech

The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.

———

fulmination, harangue, invective, jeremiad, malediction, obloquy, tirade

37
Q

Diffident

A

lacking self-confidence

Steve’s diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

———

backward, bashful, coy, demure, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid

38
Q

Dilate

A

to make larger; to expand

When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate to let in more light.

———

amplify, develop, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate

39
Q

Dilatory

A

intended to delay

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

———

dragging, flagging, laggard, lagging, slow, slow-footed, slow-going, slow-paced, tardy

40
Q

Dilettante

A

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

Jerry’s friends were such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.

———

amateur, dabbler, superficial, tyro

41
Q

Dirge

A

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

Melville wrote the poem “A Dirge for James McPherson” for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.

———

elegy, lament

42
Q

Disabuse

A

to set right; to free from error

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

———

correct, undeceive

43
Q

Discern

A

to perceive; to recognize

It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

———

Discernment: taste and cultivation

catch, descry, detect, cifferentiate, discriminate, distinguish, espy, glimpse, know, separate, spot, spy, tell

44
Q

Disparate

A

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate.

———

different, dissimilar, divergent, diverse, variant, various

45
Q

Dissemble

A

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

The villian could dissemble to the police no longer—he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.

———

act, affect, assume, cloak, counterfeit, camouflage, cover up, disguise, dissimulate, fake, feign, mask, masquerade, pose, pretend, put on, sham, simulate

46
Q

Dogma

A

a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

Linus’s central dogma was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.

———

creed, doctrine, teaching, tenet

47
Q

Dogmatic

A

dictatorial in one’s opinions

The dictator was dogmatic—he, and only he, was right.

———

authoritatian, bossy, dictatorial, doctrinaire, domineering, imperious, magisterial, masterful, overbearing, peremptory

48
Q

Dupe

A

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

Bugs Bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.

———

beguile, betray, bluff, cozen, deceive, delude, fool, hoodwink, humburg, mislead, take in, trick

49
Q

Eclectic

A

selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

Budapest’s architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles.

———

broad, catholic, selective

50
Q

Efficacy

A

effectiveness

The efficacy of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

———

Efficacious: effective; productive

dynamism, effectiveness, efficiency, force, power, productiveness, proficiency, strength, vigor

51
Q

Elegy

A

a sorrowful poem and 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.

———

Elegiac: like an elegy; mournful

dirge, lament

52
Q

Eloquent

A

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.

———

articulate, expressive, fluent, meaningful, significant, smooth-spoken

53
Q

Emulate

A

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.

———

ape, imitate, simulate

54
Q

Enumerate

A

to count, list, or itemize

Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were enumerated.

———

catalog, index, tabulate

55
Q

Erratic

A

wandering and unpredictable

The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience.

———

Errant:straying, mistaken, roving

capricious, inconstant, irresolute, whimsical

56
Q

Esoteric

A

known or understood by only a few

Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particle physics.

———

abstruse, arcane, obscure

57
Q

Estimable

A

admirable

Most people consider it estimable that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.

———

Esteem: high regard

admirable, commendable, creditable, honorable, laudable, meritorious, praiseworthy, respectable, venerable, worthy

58
Q

Euphemism

A

use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism “sleeping” instead of the word “dead.”

———

circumlocution, whitewash

59
Q

Exacerbate

A

to make worse

It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem.

———

annoy, aggravate, intensify, irritate, provoke

60
Q

Exculpate

A

to clear from blame; prove innocent

The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.

———

absolve, acquit, clear, exonerate, vindicate

61
Q

Exigent

A

urgent; requiring immediate action

The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the source of the bleeding.

———

critical, imperative, needed, urgent

62
Q

Exonerate

A

to clear of blame

The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.

———

absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, vindicate

63
Q

Explicit

A

clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

The owners of the house left a list of explicit instructions detailing their house sitter’s duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants.

———

Explicable: capable of being explained

Explicate: to give a detailed explanation

candid, frank, straightforward, unequivocal

64
Q

Fanatical

A

acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestionable devotion

The stormtroopers were fanatical in their devotion to the Emeror, readily sacrificing their lives for him.

———

extremist, fiery, frenzied, zealous

65
Q

Fawn

A

to govel

The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.

———

bootlick, grovel, pander, toady

GRE Verbal Workbook (4 decks)

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