Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

GRE Vocab > Vocabs > Flashcards

Vocabs Flashcards

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

Verisimilitude

A

N; Seeming true; appearance of being real

She included photos in the book to lend verisimilitude to the story

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

Inclement

A

Adj; (of weather) unpleasant

The concert was cancelled due to inclement weather

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

Bucolic

A

Adj; Relating to the countryside\

The painting shows bucolic scenes with farmers

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

Intrepid

A

Adj; Extremely brave; showing no fear in danger

A team of intrepid explorers set out for the jungles

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

Behooves

A

V; Behooves sb to do sth; right for someone to do something

It behooves the team to consider profitability

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

Forthwith

A

Adv; Immediately

We expect the malpractice to cease forthwith

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

Promulgate

A

V; Spread belief/ideas among a lot of people

The new laws were promulgated last year

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

Mawkish

A

Adj; Showing emotion or love in an awkward/silly way

The novel falls into mawkish sentimentality in the end

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

Draconian

A

Adj; Extremely severe; go further than necessary; usually laws/policies
The crowd protested the draconian laws on abortion

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

Perfunctory

A

Adj; Done quickly without care/interest

He gave a perfunctory nod to her detailed explanation

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

Asceticism, abnegation

A

N; Avoiding physical pleasures and living simple life, often for religious reasons
The nun lived an ascetic life, prioritising simplicity over pleasures

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

Libertine

A

N/Adj; A person who lives in a way that is not moral, having sexual relationship with many
He is a libertine who indulges in amorous impulses

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

Crestfallen

A

Adj; Disappointed/sad to have failed unexpectedly

He looked crestfallen at their inappropriate decision

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

Circumscribe

A

V; To limit sth

Their movements have been circumscribed by quarantine rules during the pandemic

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

Incendiary

A

Adj; Designed to cause fire

An incendiary bomb

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

Decrepit

A

Adj; In very bad condition due to being old/not taken care of/used a lot
The decrepit buildings dated back to the pre-war period

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Paean

A

N; A song/film/writing that praises someone/sth enthusiastically
The song is a paean to the heroic general

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Cower

A

V; lower head/body in fear, moving backwards

The child cowered in a corner when reprimanded

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Bristle

A

N; hair
V; react angrily
She bristled at the suggestion to reduce budget for her team
Phrasal: bristle with sth; Full of sth
The helicopter hovered above them bristling with guns

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Vacillate, Dither

A

V; uncertain what to do/change between 2 opinions

His policies vacillated between strictness and laxness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Prevaricate

A

V; Evasion of truth or duty

He accused the minister of prevaricating. None of his speech addressed why the disaster happened.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Equivocation

A

N; way of speaking that is intentionally not clear/confusing to hide the truth
He answered openly and without equivocation
(Unequivocal: expressed clearly and certainly)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Candor

A

N; Honest and true, especially about a difficult/embarrassing subject
The manager reported the failure with candor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Glibness

A

N; Quality of being confident, but simple and lacking in careful thought
The young violinist played with glibness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Stridency

A

N; (1) Forcefulness; expressed in forceful language that does not try to avoid upsetting people (2) Loud, unpleasant and rough in sound
The activist expressed her opinions with stridency.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Brazenness, audacity

A

N; behaviour in which someone does sth in an obvious way, without trying to hide it
The authorities were surprised by the brazenness of the museum theft

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Parsimony

A

N; quality of not willing to spend/ give and use a lot of sth
Corporate parsimony over staff salaries creates barriers to minimum wage legislation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Treachery

A

N; Behavior that deceives/is not loyal to someone who trusts you
Shakespeare’s plays are often about treachery and betrayal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Perfidy

A

N; Not loyal

The leader denounces perfidy and highlights the importance of trust and loyalty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Hamstrung

A

V hamstring; To limit the ability/power of someone to do sth

The reform was hamstrung by bureaucratic red tapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Hobble

A

V; (1) Walk awkwardly, usually because legs are injured (2) To limit sth
The prolonged Congress debate hobbled the quick implementation of this policy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Erudite

A

Adj; Very knowledgeable, from reading/studying

She is erudite and well-read

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Innumerable

A

Adj; too many to be counted

Innumerable civilians died in the explosion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Immutable

A

Adj; Unable to be changed

The Constitution is generally regarded as an immutable set of principles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Legion

A

Adj; large in number

The inconsistencies surrounding this court case are legion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Thoroughgoing

A

Adj; Complete, detailed, careful

The thoroughgoing research report resulted in an overhaul of draconian policies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Precis

A

N; Short form of a text that gives only the important parts

To enhance clarity, you should begin the report with a précis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Amenable

A

Adj; willing to accept or be influenced by suggestion

She might be more amenable to your suggestion if you tell her how much money it would save

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Posterity

A

N; the people who will exist in the future

Sustainability initiatives ensure that the environment is preserved for posterity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Apogee

A

N; the most successful/popular/powerful point

At its apogee, the novel claimed top spot on the NYT bestseller list

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Nadir

A

N; the worst moment

The economic crash precipitated the nadir of the stock market

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Forlorn

A

Adj; hopeless

After the scandal, the President appeared on TV in a forlorn attempt to save his public image

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Arriviste

A 
N; a person who is trying to move into a higher class in society
The entrepreneur is sometimes described as an arriviste, due to his close ties with the aristocracy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Bungling

A

Adj; doing sth badly, in a careless or stupid way

The essay presents a bungling string of misinformed thoughts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Bogus

A

Adj; False, not real

“Bogus!” cried the minister over fakes news

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Happenstance

A

N; chance situation, esp one producing a good result

By happenstance the long lost friends bumped into each other in Italy!

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Rambling

A

Adj; (1) too long and confused (talk); (2) large and spreading out in many different directions
The rambling speech lasted an hour and delivered few arguments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Torrid

A

Adj; (1) involving strong emotions, especially those of sexual love (emotion); (2) extremely hot (weather)
Call Me By Your Name is about a summer of torrid love

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Aver

A

V; say sth that is certainly true

The lawyer averred his client’s innocence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Abstruse; inscrutable

A

Adj; not known/understood by many

This is an abstruse philosophy essay directed at academics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Impugn

A

V; cause doubt by criticising

The opinion piece published yesterday impugned the politician’s competence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Pithy

A

Adj; concise and meaningful

The short book is a pithy introduction to American politics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Sedulously

A

Adv; Carefully and with effort/determination

The art collector searched sedulously for rare pieces of baroque art

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Chiseled

A

Adj; Strong and sharp, in an attractive way

The attractive young man has chiseled features

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Brio

A

N; energy and confidence

She stepped into her managerial position with brio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Cumbrous/Cumbersome

A

Adj; Awkward because off being large, heavy, ineffective

A government troubled by cumbrous bureaucracy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Ponderous

A

Adj; Slow and awkward being of being heavy/large

The ponderous reporting style market the evening news dull viewing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Preponderance

A

N; largest part or greatest amount

The preponderance of evidence suggests he is guilty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Prosaic

A

Adj; without interest, imagination, excitement

The lecture was boring and prosaic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

Recondite

A

Adj; not known by many people and difficult to understand

We had to work with material that was complex and recondite

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Muckraking

A

N; Activity, especially by newspapers and reporters, of trying to find unpleasant info about people/organization to make it public
There was so much muckraking about his family that he ultimately decided against running for election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Hobnob

A

V; Spend time being friendly with someone who is important and famous
She often hobnobs with the rich and famous in the Hamptons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Machinate

A

V; To make secret plans in order to get an advantage

The politician machinated a plan to gain more votes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

Cravenness

A

N; Not brave

The situation is made worse by the cravenness of politicians to take action

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

Heinous

A

Adj; very bad and shocking

A heinous crime of looting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

Audacious

A

Adj; Willingness to take risks/offend people

He had the audacity to request my support after betraying me earlier on

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

Foolhardy

A

Adj; brave in a silly way, taking unnecessary risks

Sailing the ocean in such a tiny boat wasn’t so much brave as foolhardy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

Plucky

A

Ad; Brave

It was plucky of you to chase after the burglar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Derelict

A

Adj; buildings/places not cared for and in bad condition

The city needs funding to revitalise the derelict factory buildings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Corral

A

V; To bring a group of people together and keep them in one place in order to control them
The police corralled most demonstrators in a small area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

Rile

A

V; To annoy/make angry

The loud music riled up the neighbours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Hoodwink

A

V; To deceive or trick someone

He hoodwinked us into signing this unfair contract

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

Drivel

A

N; Nonsense/boring/unnecessary info

You don’t believe the drivel you read on the internet, do you?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

Plodding

A

Adj; Slow, continuous, not exciting

The novel is heavy and plodding, with little excitement in it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

Miasma

A

N; A very unpleasant general feeling or character of a situation
After the layoffs, the office descended into a miasma of depression for a whole week

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

Attenuate

A

V; To make sth less or weaker

They proposed more peacekeeping troops to attenuate the violence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

Belabor

A

V; To explain sth more than necessary

I belaboured the point to the interns

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

Forthright

A

Adj; too honest or direct in behaviour

His forthright manner can be mistaken for rudeness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

Cavil

A

V; To make unreasonable complaints, especially about things that are not important
The main cavil is that the film went on for too long

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

Gloating

A

Adj; express satisfaction due to someone else’s failure

The troops made a gloating victory after earlier defeats

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

Carp

A

V; To complain all the time about matters that are not important
However much people carp about junk mail, many of them read it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

Groveling

A

Adj; behave sycophantically

He sent a grovelling note of apology to his boss in order to save his own job

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

Evanescent

A

Adj; Lasting a short time, then disappearing quickly/forgotten
Her fame was evanescent and subsided after the one hit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

Forsake

A

V; leave someone when they need you

God please don’t forsake us at this time of need

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

Affability

A

N; Friendly

Her affability made her a well liked member of the team

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

Diffidence

A

Adj; quality of being shy/not confident about abilities

There was a diffident quality in her soft voice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

Boorish

A

Adj; rude, clownish, no manners

I found him rather boorish and aggressive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

Apocryphal

A

Adj; story of questionable authenticity

It’s a good story but apocryphal at best

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

Unassailable

A

Adj; Can’t be defeated/doubted

The president looked unassailable with over 60% of votes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

Apprehend

A

V; (1) understand (2) catch/arrest someone

The police finally apprehended the killer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

Fastidious

A

Adj; Giving attention to details

He is fastidious about how a suitcase should be packed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
92
Q

Trenchant

A

Adj; Strong criticism

He reserved his most trenchant criticism for the leader

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

Countermand

A

V; Change an order already given, especially by giving a new order
The amendment countermanded the bill

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
94
Q

Nettlesome

A

Adj; Annoying, difficult

He attempted to tackle the nettlesome issue of police brutality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
95
Q

Proffer

A

V; Offer advice/opinion

I didn’t think it wise to proffer an opinion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
96
Q

Forthcoming

A

Adj; (1) Happening soon (2) Helpful

I had difficulty getting details because she wasn’t forthcoming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
97
Q

Insolence

A

N; Rude behaviour that does not show respect

There is no excuse for such insolence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
98
Q

Temerity

A

N; fearless daring

She had the temerity to call her manager a liar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
99
Q

Wherewithal

A

N; the money necessary for a particular purpose

I’d like to buy a bigger house, but I don’t have the wherewithal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
100
Q

Modicum

A

N; small amount of sth good such a truth/honesty

Anyone with a modicum of common sense would have seen that this plan doesn’t work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
101
Q

Misgiving

A

N; doubt/worry about future event

Many teachers expressed misgivings about the new tests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
102
Q

Facile

A

Adj; Simple and lacking depth

A facile explanation does not suffice at this level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
103
Q

Recriminations

A

N; Arguments between people who are blaming each other

The peace talks failed and ended in bitter mutual recriminations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
104
Q

Recalcitrant

A

Adj; Rebellious

A group of recalcitrant teenagers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
105
Q

Debonair

A

Adj; attractive, confident, and carefully dressed

A debonair young man

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
106
Q

Histrionic

A

Adj; Overtly theatrical

The heir to the family’s great fortune put on a histrionic display of grief at the funeral

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
107
Q

Lionized

A

V; to make someone famous

Modern sportsmen are often lionised by mainstream media

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
108
Q

Fortuitous

A

Adj; happening by chance

The collapse of its rival was a fortuitous opportunity for the company

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
109
Q

Obtuse

A

Adj; stupid and slow to understand

I’m not trying to be obtuse - but I don’t understand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
110
Q

Wily

A

Adj; cunning and sly

A wily politician

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
111
Q

Artless

A

Adj; Simple and not wanting to deceive

He is an artless straight shooter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
112
Q

Itinerant

A

Adj; traveling from place to place

An itinerant trader selling goods across continents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
113
Q

Penurious

A

Adj; Extremely poor

The daughter was left penurious and deserted after her family’s betrayal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
114
Q

Peripatetic

A

Adj; traveling around to different places, usually because you work in more than pone place
A consultant has a peripatetic lifestyle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
115
Q

Abscond

A

V; to leave suddenly and securely in order to escape

Two prisoners absconded last night, triggering a nationwide search

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
116
Q

Abjure

A

V; to say formally/publicly that you no longer agree with a belief
He abjured his religion after much reflection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
117
Q

Cleave

A

V; separate violently

With one mighty blow, the rock cleaved

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
118
Q

Sanguine

A

Adj; Positive and hoping for good things

They are less sanguine about the prospects for peace after years of civil war

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
119
Q

Imperious

A

Adj; Unpleasantly proud and expecting to be obeyed

She sent them away with an imperious wave of hand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
120
Q

Egregious

A

Adj; Oustandingly bad

It was an egregious error for a statesman to show such ignorance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
121
Q

Timorous

A

Adj; nervous

He is a timorous employee not likely to challenge his managers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
122
Q

Bellicose

A

Adj; wishing to fight/start a war

The general made some bellicose statements about his country’s military strength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
123
Q

Thrall

A

N; in thrall; someone has a lot of power to control you

She was completely in thrall to his love

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
124
Q

Offing

A

N; in the offing; likely to happen soon

With an election in the offing, the PM is keen to maintain his popularity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
125
Q

Vexed

A

Adj; difficult, causes disagreement

Economists argue over the vexed question of how to reduce income inequality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
126
Q

Agog

A

Adj; Excited and eager to know more

We waited agog for the news

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
127
Q

Preclude

A

V; To prevent sth

His NDA precludes him from discussing his work with anyone outside the company

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
128
Q

Intransigent

A

Adj; refusing to change opinions

Management continues to maintain an intransigent position towards the demands of the union

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
129
Q

Implacable

A

Adj; Having strong opinions that are impossible to change

An implacable army surrounded the walled city for days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
130
Q

Stolid

A

Adj; not showing emotion

He is a stolid and serious man

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
131
Q

Ebb

A

V; becomes less strong

His strength is ebbing away

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
132
Q

Ameliorate

A

V; Make a bad situation better

Foreign aid is badly needed to ameliorate the effects of the famine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
133
Q

Sanction

A

N/V; (1) An official order to make usually a country obey (2) formal permission
UN has imposed sanctions on the country because of its violation of human rights

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
134
Q

Superfluity

A

N; An excess and unnecessary amount

The new director said there is a superfluity of staff in the company, gesturing a potential round of cuts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
135
Q

Auguries

A

N; A sign of what might happen in the future

These sales figure are a good augury for another profitable year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
136
Q

Trope

A

N; An idea often used in a particular artist’s work

Human-like robots are a classic trope of science fiction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
137
Q

Anodyne

A

Adj; Soothing

This is a relaxing song with anodyne lyrics about love and happiness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
138
Q

Jingoism

A

N; Extreme patriotism, in support of war

Patriotism can turn into jingoism and intolerance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
139
Q

Restive

A

Adj; Unwilling to be controlled

The audience was becoming restive as they waited for the performance to start

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
140
Q

Cupidity

A

N; A strong desire to have sth, esp wealth

The embezzlement evidence revealed the cupidity of the company’s directors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
141
Q

Urbane

A

Adj; Civil and courteous

His urbane and worldly manners impressed me

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
142
Q

Lurid

A

Adj; Shocking because involving violence/sex

You can read all the lurid details of the affair in today’s tabloid paper

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
143
Q

Nonplussed

A

Adj; Surprised and not sure how to react

I was completely nonplussed by his abrupt comment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
144
Q

Cede

A

V; to allow someone else to have sth

Hong Kong was ceded to Britain after the Opium War

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
145
Q

Lambaste

A

V; to criticise severely

His first novel was lambasted by the critics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
146
Q

Languish

A

V; To exist in an unwanted situation

He languished in jail for the past 20 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
147
Q

Chafe

A

V; Become annoyed because of rules

We have been chafing under draconian regulations for too long

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
148
Q

Coterminous

A

Adj; Having a shared limit/coextensive in scope

Elizabeth’s rule was coterminous with Brtiain’s golden age

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
149
Q

Voracious

A

Adj; eager for sth

He is a voracious reader of historical novels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
150
Q

Sated

A

Adj; having had more than enough

Sated with food, he said he’s full

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
151
Q

Reticent

A

Adj; Unwilling to speak

He is very reticent about his abusive childhood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
152
Q

Scrupulous, painstaking

A

Adj; Extreme care/clear sense of right and wrong

A scrupulous politician would not lie about his business interest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
153
Q

Simpering

A

V; Smile in a silly way

The little girl gave her teacher a simpering smile after causing a mess

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
154
Q

Impervious

A

Adj; Not influenced by sth

Our freedom is not impervious to external threats

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
155
Q

Requisite

A

Adj; Necessary for a purpose

He lacked the requisite skills for the job

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
156
Q

Approbation

A

N; Approval

The council indicated approbation of the plans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
157
Q

Resplendent

A

Adj; Bright/beautiful appearance

She stood in the room, resplendent in a red dress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
158
Q

Panache

A

N; A stylish, original, confident way of doing things that makes people admire you
The orchestra played with panache

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
159
Q

Truculent

A

Adj; Combative and argumentative

He was truculent and difficult to deal with

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
160
Q

Obsequious, grovelling

A

Adj; too eager to praise

She is embarrassingly obsequious to anyone in authority

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
161
Q

Commensurate

A

Adj; Suitable amount compared to sth

A salary that is commensurate with skills and experience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
162
Q

Caustic

A

Adj; hurtful/critical

She’s famous for her caustic wit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
163
Q

Insolvent

A

Adj; not having enough money

The insolvent company had no choice but to declare bankruptcy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
164
Q

Specious

A

Adj; Seems right, but wrong

The essay is filled with specious arguments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
165
Q

Exactitude

A

N; Quality of being exact

She laid out her arguments in exactitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
166
Q

Vindicate

A

V; Prove that someone was right, after other people thought wrong
The jury ultimately vindicated the innocent suspect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
167
Q

Hard-pressed

A

Adj; lots of difficulties

The education reform put extra pressure on teachers who were already hard-pressed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
168
Q

Stymie

A

V; prevent something from happening

In our search for evidence, we were stymied by bureaucracy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
169
Q

Iota

A

N; Extremely small amount

I haven’t seen one iota of evidence to support his claim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
170
Q

Sullen

A

Adj; ill humour and not pleasant

His daughter stared back with an expression of sullen resentment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
171
Q

Aghast

A

Adj; Suddenly filled with strong feelings of shock and worry

Workers were aghast at the layoffs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
172
Q

Unbidden

A

Adj; Spontaneous/uninvited

Unbidden images came into her mind, causing insomnia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
173
Q

Erstwhile

A

Adj; former

The erstwhile president of the company attended the event

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
174
Q

Gall

A

N; rudeness

Considering that he never even bothers to visit his parents, I’m amazed that he has the gall to ask them for money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
175
Q

Disabuse

A

V; Cause someone no longer to have a wrong idea

He thought all women liked children, but she soon disabused him of that notion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
176
Q

Debase

A

V; To reduce the value of sth

Some argue that money has debased football

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
177
Q

Rankle

A

V; To make someone annoyed or angry for a long time

The way she left him still rankles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
178
Q

Mull

A

V; mull sth over; to think carefully

I need a few days to mull things over before I decide if I’m taking the job

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
179
Q

Discomfit

A

V; To make someone uncomfortable

The campaign’s religious undertone discomfited many voters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
180
Q

Ruffle

A

V; to annoy/upset someone

He’s easily ruffled by criticisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
181
Q

Blase

A 
Adj; Bored/not excited
He flies first class so often he's become blasé about it
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
182
Q

Cavalier

A

Adj; Not considering other people’s feelings/safety

Trump’s administration had a cavalier attitude towards public health concerns during the pandemic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
183
Q

Disingenuous

A

Adj; Slightly dishonest

It was disingenuous of her to claim she had no financial interest in the case

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
184
Q

Extant

A

Adj; Very old that is still existing

Extant parish records from the 16th century

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
185
Q

Belie

A

V; To show sth to be false

Her calm face belied her internal terror

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
186
Q

Machiavellian

A

Adj; manipulative in a deceitful way

Frank Underwood is a machiavellian character

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
187
Q

Gregarious

A

Adj; Liking to be with other people

She is a gregarious outgoing individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
188
Q

Garrulous

A

Adj; Talkative

I talked so many about myself I felt like a garrulous fool

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
189
Q

Taciturn

A

Adj; tending not to speak much

He is a reserved taciturn person

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
190
Q

Obdurate

A

Adj; Stubborn

The president remains obdurate on immigration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
191
Q

Insipid

A

Adj; No interest or energy

A pale insipid wine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
192
Q

Chicanery

A

N; Clever, dishonest talk used to deceive people

The investigation revealed political chicanery and corruption at the highest level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
193
Q

Paragon

A

N; extremely large amount of good characteristics

Virgin Mary is the paragon of virtue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
194
Q

Tirade

A

N; A long, angry speech

She launched into an angry tirade about how she had been unfairly treated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
195
Q

Estimable

A

Adj; deserving praise

He writes estimable poetry under a pseudonym

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
196
Q

Florid

A

Adj; too much decoration

A florid architectural style

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
197
Q

Ingenuous

A

Adj; overtly trusting/innocent

It was rather ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger to take care of his luggage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
198
Q

Irascible

A

Adj; Angry easily

She’s becoming more and more irascible and cranky as she grows older

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
199
Q

Opprobrium

A

N; Severe criticism

International opprobrium has been heaped on the country following its invasion of its neighbours

200
Q

Disconsolate

A

Adj; Extremely disappointed

They players were disconsolate after losing what should have been an easy game

201
Q

Doleful

A

Adj; Very sad

A doleful and sad expression

202
Q

Sojourn

A

N; A temporary stay

After a brief sojourn in Holland to study dutch, he moved to Germany to study German

203
Q

Munificence

A

N; very generous

We thanked the donors for their munificence

204
Q

Precipitate

A

V; Cause quickly

An invasion precipitated a political and economic crisis

205
Q

Fervid

A

Adj; Having strong beliefs

He is a fervid supporter of the communist party

206
Q

Loquacious

A

Adj; talkative

He is a loquacious and talkative guy

207
Q

Laconic

A

Adj; Using few words

He is reticent and laconic

208
Q

Engender

A

V; Cause

Her latest book about the hidden lives of celebrities engendered a lot of controversy

209
Q

Desiccated

A

V; damaged

He was politically desiccated by the scandal

210
Q

Assuage

A

V; To mitigate

The government tried to assuage public fear

211
Q

Corroborate

A

V; to confirm/add proof

Recent research corroborates his theory

212
Q

Opaque

A

Adj; Not transparent

His poetry is opaque and arcane

213
Q

Propriety

A

N; Correct behaviour

The director insisted there was no question as to the propriety of how the funds were raised

214
Q

Ignominy

A

N; Public embarrassment

The incumbent party experienced the ignominy of total defeat in the most recent election

215
Q

Lugubrious

A

Adj; Sad and serious

A lugubrious and sullen face

216
Q

Mirth

A

N; Happiness

Her comedic impersonations were a source of mirth

217
Q

Arcane

A

Adj; known by few

He was the only person who understood the arcane details of the treaty

218
Q

Plunder

A

V; to steal violently (during a war)

The future of our planet is in danger if we continue to plunder its resources

219
Q

Callow

A

Adj; Behaves in a way that shows little experience

Mark was a callow youth when he first started the job

220
Q

Callous

A

Adj; Cruel disregard for others

His callous comments about the murder made me shiver

221
Q

Deferential

A

Adj; Polite and showing respect

She is deferential towards her teachers

222
Q

Fortitude

A

N; Courage and strength

She showed remarkable fortitude in her battle against cancer

223
Q

Anachronism

A

N; Sth that exists out of its time in history

For some people, marriage is an anachronism

224
Q

Hortatory

A

Adj; Trying to strongly persuade someone to do sth

He delivered his speeches in a hortatory style

225
Q

Incumbent

A

Adj; (1) necessary/duty (2) person that holds office

The incumbent president faces election

226
Q

Abrogate

A

V; revoke/relinquish formally
As part of the agreement between the labor union and the company, the workers abrogated their right to strike for 4 years in exchange for better health insurance

227
Q

Torpor

A

N; lethargy

As winter descended, the soldiers fell into a state of torpor and hunger

228
Q

Aberrant

A

Adj; different from an accepted norm

When the manager became violent towards his co-workers, the police had to come in to deal with his aberrant behaviour

229
Q

Contrived

A

Adj; unnatural, forced

Though an esteemed actress, her recent performances appear contrived

230
Q

Staid

A

Adj; serious and boring

In an attempt to change its staid image, the newspaper created a new section for young readers

231
Q

Bumbling

A

Adj; Lacking physical movement skills

Within a week of starting, the bumbling new waiter broke 10 glasses and was fired

232
Q

Prosaic

A

Adj; dull and lacking imagination

Paul is not talented in art and ended up painting a prosaic mosaic

233
Q

Apprehend

A

V; understand

The global model was already widely apprehended by the time Columbus made his first transatlantic voyage

234
Q

Bemoan

A

V; express discontent and sorrow

They bemoaned the loss of dinner allowance

235
Q

Luddite

A

V; person opposed to new technology

A small-minded Luddite resisting progress

236
Q

Elusive

A

Adj; difficult to find/achieve

These rare birds are elusive, so the ecologists were excited to see them

237
Q

Dispatch

A

N; property of being efficient

She finished her thesis with dispatch, amazing her advisor who couldn’t believe she finished 60 pages so quickly

238
Q

Smitten

A

V; smitten with; in love, struck hard

The story’s about a man smitten with love for the princess

239
Q

Uncanny

A

Adj; surpassing normal, supernatural

Sam has an uncanny ability to connect with animals

240
Q

Prodigious

A

Adj; remarkably large scale

The stove consumed a prodigious amount of fuel

241
Q

Snide

A

Adj; express contempt
The chairman interpreted Taylor’s question about promotions as a snide remark, but he was honestly trying to understand the process

242
Q

Artifice

A

N; cunning tricks used to deceive

The candidates accused each other of artifices designed to mislead the public

243
Q

Bastardisation

A

N; an act that corrupts

The move adaptation is a complete bastardisation of the book

244
Q

Humdrum

A

Adj; dull

Growing up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished in NYC after moving

245
Q

Spartan

A

Adj; simple, self-denial

After losing everything, Tim decided to live in spartan conditions

246
Q

Austere

A

Adj; simple, self-denial

The government practiced austerity to improve the nation’s dire financial situation

247
Q

Valor

A

Adj; fighting bravely

The soldier is a man of valor

248
Q

Imperil

A

V; put at risk of harm

They advised against the tax increase for fear of imperilling the economy

249
Q

Pugnacious

A

Adj; quarrelsome and combative

250
Q

Retiring

A

Adj; shy

He was retiring and made no effort to be expansive

251
Q

Allay

A

V; Put at rest (fear, suspicion)

The report attempted to educate the public and allay fears

252
Q

Ramshackle

A

Adj; out of repair

The empty old industrial building was in ramshackle conditions

253
Q

Sedate

A

Adj; calm and beautiful

In the old days, business was carried on at a rather more sedate pace

254
Q

Calumniate

A

V; utter maliciously false statements

They spoke of being persecuted and calumniated by a small group of rich and powerful people

255
Q

Subterfuge

A

N; sth that misrepresents the true nature of an activity

Finally deciding to abandon all subterfuge, Arthur revealed to his wife everything about his secret affair

256
Q

Fulsome

A

Adj; Excessively flattering

The press is embarrassingly fulsome in their appreciation

257
Q

Derision

A

N; Contemptuous ridicule

My Stories were greeted with derision and disbelief

258
Q

Cloistered

A

Adj; Solitary

He lived a cloistered lifestyle following retirement

259
Q

Ebullient

A

Adj; joyously unrestrained

Can you blame him for his ebullient mood? He just graduated from medical school

260
Q

Dysphoric

A

Adj; distressed

Adolescents can often experience dysphoria and an uncertain outlook on life

261
Q

Unflappable

A

Adj; extreme composure

My dad was unflappable and comforted the family when the earthquake hit

262
Q

Taciturn

A

Adj; habitually reserved

While the CEO is gregarious, the CFO is far more taciturn, rarely revealing his perspective

263
Q

Despondent

A

Adj; extremely sad and hopeless

Sally was a very strong woman and never appeared despondent no matter how many misfortunes she went through

264
Q

Consummate

A

Adj; great skill and flair

She dressed with consummate elegance

265
Q

Persnickety

A

Adj; fussy

She’s very persnickety about her food

266
Q

Impertinent, impudent

A

Adj; disrespectful
Dexter, distraught over losing his pet, found the police officer’s questions impertinent - did she have to pry into such details as to what his pet’s favourite snack was?

267
Q

Stonewall

A

V; refuse to cooperate

She has repeatedly stonewalled queries about her love life

268
Q

Vicissitude

A

N; Change of fortune

Her husband’s sharp vicissitudes of fortune left the family penurious

269
Q

Apotheosis

A

N; highest point of development

Many believe that the apotheosis of Mark Zuckerberg’s career is yet to come

270
Q

Celerity

A

N; speed

We aim to respond to customer queries with celerity, with no longer than a 24 hour wait time

271
Q

Deliberation

A

N; slowness and carefulness in decision

He replaced the glass on the table with deliberation

272
Q

Fecklessness

A

N; Lazy and irresponsible

Two years after graduation, Charlie still lived with his parents, becoming more feckless with each passing day

273
Q

Pastoral

A

Adj; pleasant countryside

I want a holiday in the pastoral southern parts of France

274
Q

Myopic

A

Adj; lacking foresight/imagination

The company went bankrupt because the myopic managers did not adapt to the changing business climate

275
Q

Remiss

A

Adj; negligent

Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning, the principal was swiftly dismissed

276
Q

Punctilious

A

Adj; precise attention to details
The colonel was so punctilious about enforcing regulations that his troops felt compelled to polish even the soles of their shoes

277
Q

Magnanimity

A

N; Generosity

Both sides will have to show magnanimity to peacefully resolve the conflict

278
Q

Chastening

A

N; punishment

He was chastened by his mother for coming home late

279
Q

Castigate

A

V; reprimand severely

He was castigated for not setting a good example

280
Q

Trounce

A

V; punish severely/win by wide margin

Insider dealing has been roundly trounced

281
Q

Dithering

A

N; undecided

I can’t bear people who dither and can’t make a decision

282
Q

Bewildered

A

Adj; confused

I was bewildered by his rash decision and didn’t know how to best react

283
Q

Stoke

A

V; stir up

His composure had the effect of stoking her anger

284
Q

Aesthete

A

N; one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature
A true aesthete, Marty would spend hours at the museum, staring at the same painting

285
Q

Chauvinist

A

N; a person who believes in the superiority of their group
Chauvinists live on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with their own

286
Q

Philistine

A

Adj; ignorant towards artistic and cultural values

Although Jane consider Al completely philistine, she didn’t know how well read he really was

287
Q

Untoward

A

Adj; unfavorable/inconvenient
Some academics find teaching untoward as having to prepare for lectures and conduct office hours prevents them from focusing on their research

288
Q

Propitious

A

Adj; favourable

Although her symptoms are still severe, I am seeing some propitious signs and I think that she may be healing

289
Q

Pandemonium

A

N; wild and noisy disorder

There was complete pandemonium - everyone panicked

290
Q

Straitened

A

Adj; confined/poverty

They lived in straitened circumstances

291
Q

Halcyon

A

Adj; Calm and peaceful

The first decade after WWI was a halcyon period in America with new found wealth and improving technology

292
Q

Snub

A

N/V; ignore/rebuff disdainfully

The opposition party’s action was a snub to the government

293
Q

Revile

A

V; Criticise in an insulting manner

He was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead

294
Q

Supercilious

A

Adj; arrogant

A bunch of supercilious elites

295
Q

Germane

A

Adj; relevant

This is not germane to our topic discussed today

296
Q

Aplomb

A

N; composure under strain

Nancy acted with aplomb, remaining calm throughout the rescue mission

297
Q

Subjugation

A

N; Bringing someone under control

The colonial subjugation of a country by means of force

298
Q

Incontrovertible

A

Adj; Impossible to deny

Unless you can provide incontrovertible evidence, I will remain skeptical

299
Q

Sacerdotal

A

Adj; priestly/relating to priest

He was dismissed from his sacerdotal duties after allegations of misconduct

300
Q

Warped

A

Adj; perverse

He has a warped sense of humour that can be mistaken as crudeness

301
Q

Racket

A

N; illegal scheme for obtaining money

He sensed that this insurance scheme was a racket and quickly ended the conversation

302
Q

Besotted

A

Adj; Drunk/strongly affectionate

Even though her father did not approve, Juliet became besotted with the young Romeo

303
Q

Somber

A

Adj; melancholy

The somber church bell rang as the funeral proceeded

304
Q

Protean

A

Adj; versatile

He was a truly protean actor, readily mastering different roles

305
Q

Noxious

A

Adj; harmful

They were overcome by the noxious fumes

306
Q

Disparage

A

V; regard as being of little worth

He never missed an opportunity to disparage his opponent

307
Q

Evanescent

A

Adj; Quickly fading

The evanescent Arctic summer

308
Q

Effervescent

A

Adj; Vivacious and enthusiastic

Effervescent young people

309
Q

Mollify

A

V; make someone less angry, placate

No one can mollify Harry in the morning unless he had his cup of coffee

310
Q

Floundering

A

Adj; in serious difficulty

Many firm are floundering during the economic crisis

311
Q

Assiduity

A

Adj; care and perseverance

She was assiduous in belabouring every feature to her client

312
Q

Sartorial

A

Adj; related to fashion/clothes

Monte was astute at his job; sartorially, however, he was founding wanting - he typically wore pyjamas to work

313
Q

Inchoate

A

Adj; Not fully developed

A still inchoate democracy

314
Q

Obsolete

A

Adj; not used anymore

Vinyl record are generally obsolete as a way to play music

315
Q

Vanguard

A

N; group of people leading in new developments

Nokia was once at the vanguard of mobile phone innovations

316
Q

Epigrammatic

A

Adj; a brief and memorable statement

317
Q

Apothegm

A

N; short, pithy saying

318
Q

Pejoratives

A

N; Expressing contempt

What he said was inflammatory and filled with pejoratives

319
Q

Platitude

A

N; a remark used too often to be interesting/thoughtful

She began uttering liberal platitudes

320
Q

Maladroit

A

Adj; Clumsy

As a child she was quite maladroit, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer

321
Q

Dilatory

A

Adj; Wasting time

Lawyer use dilatory tactics so that it take years before the case is actually decided

322
Q

Stultify

A

V; Lose energy through routine

As an undergrad Mark felt stultified by classes outside his area of study

323
Q

Spurn

A

V; reject with disdain

She spurned my offers of help and preferred to go off on her own

324
Q

Hamper

A

V; hinder

Their work is hampered by lack of funds

325
Q

Perennial

A

Adj; Everlasting

David Beckham is a perennial favourite of soccer fans

326
Q

Protracted

A

Adj; lasting for a long time

A protracted and bitter dispute led to huge financial losses on both sides

327
Q

Lachrymose

A

Adj; sorrow

Lachrymose and depressed, Alex walked two miles home in the rain after learning his wife was having an affair

328
Q

Admonish

A

V; advise/warn/reprimand

She admonished him to drink no more than one glass of wine daily

329
Q

Diminution

A

N; Lessening

The President’s diminution of power was precipitated by a string of defeats in recent battles

330
Q

Cronies

A

N; (disapproving) a close partner

Corrupted by handshakes, the leader cared only for his cronies and nothing for his languishing people

331
Q

Chum

A

N; close friends

She shared the cake with her chums

332
Q

Coffer

A

N; money an organisation can spend

Government coffers

333
Q

Largesse

A

N; gift/money given out of benevolence

Presumably public money is not dispensed with such largesse to anyone else

334
Q

Strictures

A

N; restriction/sternly critical instruction

His strictures on their lack of civic virtue

335
Q

Heckler

A

N; person who interrupts performer/public speaker with derisive abuse
He was adept at dealing with hecklers

336
Q

Amorphous

A

Adj; without defined form

An amorphous and leaderless legislature

337
Q

Spinelessness

A

N; cowardly

The spineless individual cutler off, head down, as soon as he has been identified

338
Q

Stealthy, Furtive, Surreptitious

A

Adj; secretive

The silence and stealth of a hungry cat

339
Q

Ambivalent

A

Adj; mixed/conflicting emotions about sth
Sam was ambivalent about studying for the exam because doing so ate up lots of time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills

340
Q

Impeach

A

V; act of declaring guilt

The federal judge faces impeachment

341
Q

Aboveboard

A

Adj; legitimate, honest and open

We felt the judging was above board and fair

342
Q

Untenable

A

Adj; indefensible

With the new factual evidence, the old theory became untenable to most educated people

343
Q

Recapitulate

A

V; Summarise again main points

He began to recapitulate his arguments with care

344
Q

Sacrosanct

A

Adj; too important to be interfered with

The individual’s right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct

345
Q

Pellucid

A

Adj; easily understandable

The professor had a remarkable ability to make the most abstruse concepts seem pellucid

346
Q

Efflorescence

A

N; state of flowering

These works are the efflorescence of his genius

347
Q

Genial

A

Adj; conducive to comfort

Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meets is put at ease by her grace

348
Q

Surliness

A

N; gloomy

His surly temper was well known to all his employees

349
Q

Solicitous

A

Adj; concerned

She was always delicious about the welfare of her students

350
Q

Substantive

A

Adj; firm basis in reality and so meaningful; independent

There is no substantive evidence for the efficacy of these drugs

351
Q

Misnomer

A

N; misname

Morning sickness is a misnomer for many pregnant women, since the nausea can occur any time during the day

352
Q

Braggadocio

A

N; boastful person

Infamous for his braggadocio, Trump lists out his “achievements” in each rally

353
Q

Reproach

A

V; criticise

At first, Sarah was going to yell at the boy, but she didn’t want to reproach him for telling the truth

354
Q

Brusquely

A

Adv; Blunt, direct manner

Not one for social pleasantries, the Chief would brusquely ask his subordinates for anything he wanted, even coffee

355
Q

Pleasantries

A

N; Inconsequential remark made aspart of a polite convo

After an exchange of pleasantries, I proceeded to outline a plan

356
Q

Indecorous, unseemly

A

Adj; not keeping with accepted standards

Eating with elbows on table is considered indecorous in refined circles

357
Q

Sybarite

A

N; person who indulges in luxury

Max was a sybarite: when the police found him, he was at a $1,000 an hour spa in Manhattan

358
Q

Agnostic

A

Adj; a person who believes that nothing is known; expressing ignorance or unknowableness

359
Q

Sordid, lurid

A

Adj; arousing moral distate

The tabloid published all the sordid details of the affair

360
Q

Beleaguered

A

Adj; put in difficult situation

The board is supporting the beleaguered director

361
Q

Spasmodically, Intermittently

A

Adv; happening intermittently

The skirmishes happened spasmodically

362
Q

Spurious

A

Adj; plausible but false

When listening to a politician speak, it is hard to distinguish the spurious claims from the authentic ones

363
Q

Clemency

A

N; Leniency shown toward offenders

In the final moments of the trial, Phillips begged the judge for clemency

364
Q

Expansive

A

Adj; communicative, social

After a few sips of cognac, the usually irascible gentleman became expansive, speaking fondly of his childhood

365
Q

Facetious, flippant

A

Adj; treating serious issues with inappropriate humour

A facetious remark was made during the funeral

366
Q

Trite

A

Adj; lacking originality or freshness

The point may now seem obvious and trite

367
Q

Benighted

A

Adj; state of ignorance

Far from being a period of benightedness, the Medieval Ages produced some great works o theological speculation

368
Q

Beatification

A

N; supreme happiness

Often we imagine Buddhist monks to always wear a beatific smile, but, like any of us, they can have a bad day

369
Q

Inveterate

A

Adj; habitual

He is an inveterate smoker and told his family and friends there is no way he can quit

370
Q

Dogmatic

A

Adj; highly opinionated

Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are fake

371
Q

Exemplar

A

N; something to be imitated

Lena’s homework is on the wall because it is an exemplar of clean and thoughtful work

372
Q

Pedantic

A

Adj; excessively concerned with minor details

His analyses are careful and painstaking, but never pedantic

373
Q

Efface

A

V; erase/make oneself seem insignificant

To efface oneself is not the easiest of duties

374
Q

Vitriolic

A

Adj; harsh in tone

The teacher was vitriolic toward Peter’s paper, casting every flaw in the harshest light

375
Q

Convivial

A

Adj; lively atmosphere

The wedding reception was convivial; friends drink and ate together.

376
Q

Redoubtable

A

Adj; inspiring fear or awe

When you stand in front of a NBA player, his height is truly redoubtable

377
Q

Hodgepodge

A

N; a confusing jumble

Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city’s denizens, from chimney sweepers to stockbrokers

378
Q

Insouciance

A 
N; lack of concern
Surprisingly, Hank the CEO is remembered by his childhood friends as a boy who shrugged off each failed class with insouciance
379
Q

Begrudge

A

V; Envy/deny/give reluctantly

I don’t begrudge him his freedom

380
Q

Lucid

A

Adj; clear

His prose is lucid and easy to grasp

381
Q

Exegesis

A

N; critical explanation

The task of biblical exegesis

382
Q

Nebulous

A

Adj; vague

Nebulous concepts like quality of life

383
Q

Mar

A

V; impair quality

Violence marred a number of New Year celebrations

384
Q

Saturnine; morose

A

Adj; gloomy

Deprived of sunlight, humans become saturnine

385
Q

Antedate

A

V; come before

A civilisation that antedated the Roman Empire

386
Q

Pillory

A

V; attack publicly

He found himself pilloried by members of his own party

387
Q

Sclerotic

A

Adj; unresponsive

Sclerotic management plagued the company; management often did not adapt to situations

388
Q

Ossified

A

Adj; stagnate

Ossified political institutions

389
Q

Fiasco

A

N; Complete and ridiculous failure

The performance was a fiasco and ended up setting the stage on fire

390
Q

Nary

A

Adj; not

There was nary a murmur or complaint

391
Q

Qualm

A

N; uneasiness about an action

I believe in the plank, so I feel no qualms in pouring resources to it

392
Q

Politic

A

Adj; shrewd

He made a politic reply at the negotiation table

393
Q

Obscure

A

Adj; not discovered or known

His origins and parentage are obscure

394
Q

Interminable

A

Adj; Endless

We got bogged down in interminable discussions

395
Q

Boon

A

N; helpful or beneficial

The route will be a boon to many travellers

396
Q

Forestall

A

V; Obstruct

They will present their resignations to forestall a vote of no confidence

397
Q

Obviate

A

V; remove a difficulty/need

The presence of roller blinds obviated the need for curtains

398
Q

Beholden to

A

Adj; owing thanks

I don’t like to be beholden to anybody

399
Q

Inept

A

Adj; clumsy

The referee’s inept handling of the match

400
Q

Duplicity

A

Adj; deceitfulness

The president was accused of duplicity in his feelings with Congress

401
Q

Polemical

A

Adj; strongly critical

A polemical essay criticising the government

402
Q

Venality

A

N; dishonestly motivated by money

The government was plagued by venality and corruption

403
Q

Objurgation

A

N; Harsh reprimand

A teenager who gets home hours after curfew can expect objurgation from angry parents

404
Q

Portentous

A

Adj; momentous significance

This portentous year in Canadian history

405
Q

Plastic

A

Adj; Malleable

406
Q

Hand-wringing

A

N; excessive concern

There is no time for more hand-wringing about bias in the media, we must act

407
Q

Irresolute

A

Adj; uncertain

She stood irresolute outside his door

408
Q

Avarice

A

N; extreme greed for wealth

He was rich beyond the dreams of avarice

409
Q

Mendacity

A

N; Untruthfulness

He was publicly castigated for past mendacity

410
Q

Indefatigable

A

Adj; persisting tirelessly

An indefatigable defender of human rights

411
Q

Jettison

A

V; throw

Six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea

412
Q

Blighted

A

Adj; severe detrimental effect

The scandal blighted the careers of several leading politicians

413
Q

Apposite

A

Adj; apt given the circumstance

An apposite quotation

414
Q

Fitful

A

Adj; occurring intermittently

A few hours’ fitful sleep

415
Q

Prodigal

A

Adj; Spending money recklessly

Prodigal habits die hard

416
Q

Unscrupulous

A

Adj; without principles
In the courtroom, the lawyer was unscrupulous, using every manner of deceit and manipulation to secure a victory for himself

417
Q

Ingratiating

A

Adj; intend to win favour

He talked to his boss in an ingratiating manner

418
Q

Fawning

A

Adj; Obsequious

He look at the girl in fawning adoration

419
Q

Vociferous

A

Adj; vehement outcry
In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around and look at them bewildered

420
Q

Harried

A

Adj; troubled persistently

With a team of new hires to train, Martha was constantly harried with little questions and could not focus

421
Q

Disbarred

A

Adj; to exclude

Competitors wearing rings will be disbarred from the competition

422
Q

Fete

A

V; celebrate a person

After WW21, war heroes were feted at first but quickly forgotten

423
Q

Desist

A

V; stop doing something

Each pledged to desist from acts of sabotage

424
Q

Pernicious

A

Adj; exceedingly harmful
The most successful viruses are pernicious: an infected person may feel perfectly healthy for several months while incubating and spreading the virus

425
Q

Credence

A

N; belief in something
He placed no credence in psychics, claiming that they offered no special powers beyond the ability o mark people part with their money

426
Q

Inexorable

A

Adj; impossible to stop

As summer near its end, brown beats eat as much as possible to prepare for the inexorable coming of winter

427
Q

Incorrigible

A

Adj; impervious to correction by punishment
Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even Sawyer can’t match his fierce individual spirit

428
Q

Loath

A

Adj; unwilling

I was loath to leave

429
Q

Calumny

A

N; false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation

With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with calumny

430
Q

Slight

A

N; Disregard intentionally

An unintended slight can create grudges

431
Q

Litany

A

Adj; a tedious repetitive series

A litany of complaints

432
Q

Heretofore

A

Adj; before now

Diseases that heretofore were limited to rural areas

433
Q

Illusory

A

Adj; not real

You think you may see water in the distance in a desert, but it is only an illusory effect

434
Q

Quixotic

A

Adj; wildly idealistic, impractical
For every thousand startups with quixotic plans to the the next big name in e-commerce, only a handful ever become profitable

435
Q

Corollary

A

N; consequence

436
Q

Lapses

A

N; Temporary failure in judgement

A lapse in concentration in the second set cost her the match

437
Q

Flagrant

A

Adj; glaring, notorious

A flagrant crime against humanity was committed

438
Q

Paucity

A

N; a lack of something
There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most such jobs have either been automated or outsourced

439
Q

Menial

A

Adj; not requiring much skills

Menial factory jobs

440
Q

Smattering

A

N; small amount

I know only a smattering of German, but Helen is able to read German newspapers

441
Q

Concoct

A

V; Create a plan

His cronies concocted a simple plan

442
Q

Couch

A

V; express something in language of a specific style

The assurances were couched in general terms

443
Q

Tractable

A

Adj; Easily managed

Compared to middle school students, who are recalcitrant, high school students are somewhat more tractable

444
Q

Thoroughgoing

A

Adj; attending to every detail

A thoroughgoing reform of the whole economy

445
Q

Travail

A

N; Hard work, agony/anguish
While they experienced nothing but travails in refinishing the kitchen, they completed the master bedroom in less than a weekend

446
Q

Tribulations

A

N; distress, great trouble

His time of tribulation was just beginning

447
Q

Hold forth on

A

V; talk lengthily and assertively

He was holding forth on the merits of the band’s debut LP

448
Q

Profundity

A

N; great depth of insight

The simplicity and profundity of the message

449
Q

Intimation

A

N; in indirect suggestion
At first the hostess tried intimation, praising the benefits of cutlery; when Cecil continued eating with his hands, the hostess asked him to use a fork

450
Q

Contrivance

A

N; to pull off a plan through skill/trickery
Despite a low GPA, he contrived to get into college, going so far as to writing his own glowing letters of recommendation

451
Q

Churlish

A

Adj; lacking manners

The manager was unnecessarily churlish to his subordinates, rarely deigning to say hello

452
Q

Unstinting

A

Adj; very generous

Helen is unstinting with her time, often spending hours at the house of a sick friend

453
Q

Arch

A

Adj; deliberately teasing
The baroness was arch, making playful asides to the townspeople, but they couldn’t pick up on her dry humour and though she was supercilious

454
Q

Puckish

A

Adj; mischievous

A puckish sense of humour

455
Q

Stilted

A

Adj; elevated and formal

Stilted mode of expression

456
Q

Oblique

A

Adj; not direct

He issued an oblique attack on the President

457
Q

Discursively

A

Adv; digressing from subject to subject

Student often write dull, discursive prose

458
Q

Undergird

A

V; provide firm basis for

459
Q

Peccadillo

A

N; relatively minor fault

The sexual peccadilloes of celebrities aren’t necessarily news

460
Q

Chortle

A

V; chuckle

Walking into the cafe, I heard happy, chortling people and smelled the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans

461
Q

Guffaw

A

V; laugh boisterously

Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed

462
Q

Quibble

A

V; raise objections over trivial matter

They are always quibbling about the amount they are prepared to pay

463
Q

Bridle

A

V; restraining power/react angry

The hostess bridled at the tactless dinner guests who insisted on eating before everybody had gotten their food

464
Q

Enjoin

A

V; direct somebody to do something with authority/prohibit (law)
The government agency enjoined the chemical company to clean up the hazardous dump

465
Q

Askew

A

Adj; not in a level position, wrong

The plan went sadly askew

466
Q

Lampoon

A

V; publicly criticise by using ridicule

The actor was lampooned by the press

467
Q

Balk

A

V; hesitate to accept an idea

He balked at such a drastic solution

468
Q

Steel

A

V; fill with resolution or determination

He steeled himself for what would be a pugnacious news cycle

469
Q

Charlatan

A

N; Flamboyant deceiver
You may call him a “motivational speaker” but I call him a charlatan - he doesn’t have any idea what he’s really talking about

470
Q

Lickspittle

A

N; the practice of giving empty flattery for personal gain

471
Q

Arrant

A

Adj; complete

What arrant nonsense

472
Q

Conceit

A

Adj; excessive pride

he was puffed up with conceit

473
Q

Retrench

A

V; reduce quantity/spending

As a result of the recession the company retrenched

474
Q

Adroit

A

Adj; Skilful

He was adroit at tax evasion

475
Q

Aphorism, Dictum

A

N; pithy observation that contains a general truth

The old aphorism/dictum “might is right”

476
Q

Bromide

A

N; trite saying intended to soothe

Feel-good bromides create the illusion of problem solving

477
Q

Extemporaneous

A

Adj; spoken or done without much thought

An extemporaneous speech thrown together last minute

478
Q

Sloth

A

N; laziness

He should overcome his natural sloth and laziness

479
Q

Ingenuous

A

Adj; overtly trusting/innocent

It was rather ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger to take care of his luggage

480
Q

Ingenious

A

Adj; clever and original

He was ingenious enough to overcome the budget cut

481
Q

Probity

A

N; strong moral principles

The social enterprise is known for financial probity

482
Q

Edifying

A

Adj; provide moral instructions

Seeing a person blind drunk is not an edifying sight

483
Q

Waggish

A

Adj; humorous in a facetious manner

The facetious boy made a waggish remark that humoured nobody

484
Q

Maundering

A

Adj; talk in a rambling manner

Dennis maundered on about the wine

485
Q

Risible

A

Adj; provoking ludicrous laughter

A risible lovemaking scene in a tent

486
Q

Meretricious

A

Adj; apparently attractive but no real value

Meretricious souvenir for the tourist trade

487
Q

Mettlesome

A

Adj; filled with courage

Navy Seal, for many Americans, is the embodiment of mettle

488
Q

Obstreperous

A

Adj; noisily defiant

When the teacher asked the obstreperous student simply to behave, he threw a fit

489
Q

Subsume

A

V; include something in something else

Most of these phenomena can be subsumed in two categories

490
Q

Volubility

A

Adj; writing easily and continuously

The professor’s volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane.

491
Q

Graft

A

N; Corruption

In countries with rampant graft, getting a driver’s license can require no more than paying an official

492
Q

Querulous

A

Adj; habitually complaining

The querulous old woman was beginning to war down even the happier members of the staff

493
Q

Petulant

A

Adj; easily irritated
Although the kid was often described as mature for his age, he was petulant and whiny whenever his father forgot to remove the crust from his sandwich

494
Q

Redress

A

N; making something right

Barry’s redress for forgetting his wife’s birthday two years in a row was surprising her with a trip to Tahiti

495
Q

Inured to

A

Adj; made tough by habitual exposure

These children living in war zone have been inured to violence

GRE Vocab (1 decks)

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