GRE Vocab

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  1. abate
    reduce in amount/degree/severity

    (KAPLAN)
  2. Abjure
    renounce, avoid
  3. Abnegate
    to deny oneself (some conveniences, etc), renounce
  4. abscond
    to leave secretly 

    (the thief absconded from the bank through the back door)

    (KAPLAN)
  5. Abstain
    refrain from
  6. abstemious
    Moderate, temperate in eating/drinking
  7. Abstruse
    Hard to understand, esoteric
  8. Acquiesce
    comply w/o protest
  9. acridity
    irritating, stinging, bitter taste/smell
  10. acrimony
    harshness, bitterness in speech/disposition
  11. acumen
    keen insight; shrewdness
  12. adulterate
    • to make impure
    • (KAPLAN)
  13. adumbrate
    outline/sketch, foreshadow
  14. affable
    pleasant, friendly
  15. aggradize
    to increase in power, influence, reputation

    (KAPLAN)
  16. amalgamate
    combine, mix together

    (the companies amalgated into a conglomerate)

    (KAPLAN)
  17. ambrosial
    delicious, fragrant, divine
  18. ameliorate
    to make better, improve

    (dr was ble to ameliorate the pain using sedatives)

    (KAPLAN)
  19. anachronism
    dated, out of place in time (saying "groovy")

    (KAPLAN)
  20. antipathy
    extreme dislike

    (KAPLAN)
  21. apathy
    • lack of interest
    • (KAPLAN)
  22. apocryphal
    of doubtful authorship/authenticity
  23. apogee
    climax, highest point
  24. approbation
    (official) approval
  25. arbitrate
    judge dispute between 2 opposing parties

    (KAPLAN)
  26. arcane
    mysterious, secret, esoteric
  27. ardor
    intense and passionate feeling

    (KAPLAN)
  28. artifice
    trickery, cunning
  29. assuage
    relieve, soothe

    • (She used aspirin to assuage her headache)
    • (KAPLAN)
  30. attenuate
    to weaken

    (KAPLAN)
  31. audacious
    fearless, daring

    • (Her audacious nature pushed her to skydive)
    • (KAPLAN)
  32. austere
    severe/stern in appearance; undecorated

    (military barracks are plain and look austere)

    (KAPLAN)
  33. avarice
    insatiable greed
  34. balk
    stop (at obstacle) and refuse to proceed
  35. banal
    boring, predictable

    (KAPLAN)
  36. bedlam
    scene of uproar, confusion
  37. behest
    command (noun)
  38. belligerent
    warlike, aggressively hostile, truculent
  39. bolster
    support, prop up (the presence of footprints bolstered the argument that he was in the area)

    (KAPLAN)
  40. bombastic
    pompous in speech/manner

    (KAPLAN)
  41. cabal
    group of plotters (against govt, authority)
  42. cacophony
    dissonance, harsh sounds (cacophony from city traffic during rush hour)

    (KAPLAN)
  43. callow
    immature, inexperienced
  44. calumny
    slander, false malicious statement to injure someone's reputation; obloquy, censure, lambast, pan
  45. capitulate
    surrender unconditionally
  46. capricious
    • changing my mind quickly and often, indecisive
    • (KAPLAN)
  47. castigate
    • criticize severely, punish, censure, lambast, excoriate
    • (KAPLAN)
  48. catholic
    broad range of interests, universal
  49. caustic
    • biting in wit
    • (KAPLAN)
  50. censure
    strong disapproval, official reprimand, excoriate, lambast, castigate
  51. chauvinist
    person prejudiced in favor of group that he/she belongs to
  52. chicanery
    clever trickery/deception

    • (Used car salesmen use chicanery to sell old cars)
    • (KAPLAN)
  53. circuitous
    roundabout, indirect
  54. cleave
    cling to closely, remain faithful
  55. cloying
    causing disgust/aversion thru excess (cloying perfume sweetness)
  56. cogent
    convincing, believable, relevant, well reasoned

    (the lawyer presented a cogent argument to the jury)

    (KAPLAN)
  57. conciliate
    overcome hostility of, placate, win over
  58. condone
    disregard, pardon, overlook

    (KAPLAN)
  59. contradistinction
    opposite of distinction, plants and animals vs. humans
  60. contumacious
    stubbornly disobedient
  61. convoluted
    intricate, complicated

    (KAPLAN)
  62. corroborate
    • provide supporting evidence
    • (KAPLAN)
  63. credulous
    gullible

    (KAPLAN)
  64. cretaceous
    resembling/containing chalk???
  65. decorum
    appropriateness of behavior/conduct; propriety

    (KAPLAN)
  66. denigrate
    criticize, belittle
  67. deride
    speak or treat w/contempt; to mock

    (KAPLAN)
  68. derision
    ridicule, mockery
  69. despondent
    showing profound hopelessness, dejection, gloom
  70. desultory
    jumping from 1 thing to another; disconnected

    (KAPLAN)
  71. diaphanous
    sheer, almost transparent
  72. diatribe
    abusive, condemnatory speech

    • (angry driver screamed a diatribe at someone who took his parking spot)
    • (KAPLAN)
  73. diffident
    lacking self-confidence

    (KAPLAN)
  74. dilate
    to make larger, to expand

    (KAPLAN)
  75. dilatory
    intended to delay (the congressman used dilatory measures to delay the bill from passing)

    (KAPLAN)
  76. dilettante
    someone w/amateur, superficial interest in topic

    (KAPLAN)
  77. diluvial
    related to or caused by flood
  78. dirge
    funeral hymn, mournful speech ~elegy, eulogy

    (KAPLAN)
  79. disabuse
    set right, to free from error

    (KAPLAN)
  80. disavowal
    disowning, denial
  81. disparate
    fundamentally different

    (KAPLAN)
  82. dispassion
    emotionally uninvolved
  83. dispersive
    tending to disperse (scatter)
  84. dissemble
    disguise true intentions/character

    (KAPLAN)
  85. dogma
    firmly held opinion, often religious

    (KAPLAN)
  86. dogmatic
    dictatorial in opinion

    (KAPLAN)
  87. duress
    coercion, forcible restraint
  88. ebullience
    exhilaration, happy, enthusiastic
  89. efficacy
    effectiveness

    (KAPLAN)
  90. effulgent
    radiant
  91. effusive
    overflowing, lacking reserve, unctuous
  92. egregious
    extraordinary in a bad way (egregious liar)
  93. elegy
    sad poem/speech

    (KAPLAN)
  94. emulate
    to copy, try to equal or excel

    (KAPLAN)
  95. enervate
    reduce in strength

    (KAPLAN)
  96. engender
    produce, cause

    (KAPLAN)
  97. enigma
    puzzle, mystery

    (The artist gained a reputation as something of an enigma)

    (KAPLAN)
  98. ennui
    feeling of weariness/discontent from boredom (college lecture)
  99. ephemeral
    lasting a short time

    (KAPLAN)
  100. equanimity
    emotional stability, calmness
  101. equivocal
    deliberately ambiguous, using double meaning to deceive

    (KAPLAN)
  102. ersatz
    artificial substitute (ersatz coffee made from grain)
  103. erudite
    knowledgable, wise, scholarly (DUMBLEDORE)

    (KAPLAN)
  104. esoteric
    known/understood by only a few

    (KAPLAN)
  105. estimable
    admirable

    (KAPLAN)
  106. excogitate
    think out, plan
  107. excoriate
    censure, criticize severely, lambast, castigate
  108. exculpate
    to clear from blame, prove innocent

    (KAPLAN)
  109. exigent
    urgent, r/q immediate action

    • (patient bleeding so much, it was exigent to find the
    • source)

    (KAPLAN)
  110. exonerate
    to clear of blame (the fugitive was exonerated when another person confessed to the crime)

    (KAPLAN)
  111. extol
    praise enthusiastically
  112. extort
    obtain by force/threats
  113. facetious
    inappropriate humor in serious situations; flippant
  114. fanatical
    excessively enthusiastically, extreme devotion

    (KAPLAN)
  115. fawn
    to grovel

    (KAPLAN)
  116. fervid
    excessively enthusiastic, intensely emotional

    (The fans would do anything to catch a glimpse of the singer)

    (KAPLAN)
  117. fetid
    really stinky
  118. florid
    excessively decorated/embellished

    (the palace decorations were florid, every surface was meticulously carved)

    (KAPLAN)
  119. foment
    instigate/stir up

    (protestors tried to foment feelings against the war through demonstrations)


    (KAPLAN)
  120. forwent
    past of "forgo" (abstain from)
  121. fulsome
    excessively complimentary, unctuous
  122. gainsay
    deny/contradict
  123. garrulous
    excessively chatty, loquacious

    (KAPLAN)
  124. gregarious
    sociable; affable

    (KAPLAN)
  125. guile
    deceit, trickery

    (KAPLAN)
  126. hedonism
    pursuit of pleasure
  127. hegemony
    indirect governance w/threat of force (like Ancient Rome)
  128. histrionic
    very emotional, dramatic
  129. hurly-burly
    commotion, confusion, tumult
  130. iconoclast
    one who opposes established beliefs/customs/institutions
  131. idiosyncrasy
    thought/behavior unique to individual
  132. idyllic
    very happy, peaceful, picturesque
  133. ignominious
    humiliating, embarrassing
  134. imbroglio
    an extremely confused, complicated, embarrassing situation (noun)
  135. Impecunious
    poor, indigent
  136. imperious
    assuming power/authority w/o justification; arrogant, domineering
  137. imperturbation
    calmness, tranquility
  138. impervious
    impossible to penetrate

    (a good raincoat is impervious to moisture)
  139. impetuous
    quick to act w/o thinking

    (KAPLAN)
  140. impinge
    have negative impact
  141. implacable
    unable to be calmed down (his rage was so great that he remained implacable for weeks)

    (KAPLAN)
  142. imprecation
    spoken curse
  143. impugn
    call into question
  144. inchoate
    not fully formed, disorganized

    (KAPLAN)
  145. incipient
    in initial stage, developing
  146. incommensurate
    not judgable w/common standard of measurement
  147. incongruous
    unsuited to surroundings
  148. indigent
    poor, needy, impecunious
  149. indolence
    laziness
  150. ineffable
    indescribable
  151. ineluctable
    inescapable
  152. ingenuous
    innocent, unsuspecting

    (KAPLAN)
  153. inimical
    harmful, destructive, pernicious

    (KAPLAN)
  154. innocuous
    harmless

    (KAPLAN)
  155. insipid
    lacking interest or flavor

    (KAPLAN)
  156. intemperate
    unrestrained, having lack of self-control
  157. interdict
    forbid, prohibit
  158. interloper
    trespasser, intruder
  159. intransigent
    uncompromising; stubborn

    (KAPLAN)
  160. irascible
    short-tempered
  161. irresolute
    hesitant, uncertain
  162. japery
    joking (noun)
  163. kismet
    fate
  164. laconic
    using very few words; succinct

    (laconic poet)

    (KAPLAN)
  165. lambast
    criticze harshly, censure, excoriate
  166. lament
    to express sorrow, to grieve

    (KAPLAN)
  167. lascivious
    horny
  168. lassitude
    lack of energy
  169. laudable
    praiseworthy
  170. lexicon
    vocabulary
  171. loquacious
    talkative, garrulous

    (KAPLAN)
  172. lucid
    expressed clearly, easy to understand, cogent

    (KAPLAN)
  173. lucre
    money, regarded distastefully or ill-gotten
  174. maladroit
    clumsy
  175. malapropism
    mistakenly replacing word w/similar sounding one (dance a flamingo/flamenco)
  176. malinger
    to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

    (many men tried to avoid the draft by malingering)

    (KAPLAN)
  177. mellifluous
    pleasant to hear, sweet, musical
  178. mien
    demeanor, indicating mood/character
  179. misanthrope
    person who dislikes others (SCROOGE, GRINCH)

    (KAPLAN)
  180. mollify
    calm, make less severe

    (KAPLAN)
  181. myopic
    nearsighted
  182. nepotism
    powerful ppl unfairly giving jobs/favors to relatives
  183. nugatory
    not important
  184. obdurate
    hardened, resistant to persuasion
  185. obfuscation
    hiding meaning, being ambiguous
  186. obloquy
    strong public criticism, verbal abuse; calumny, censure, opprobrium, pan, lambast
  187. obstinate
    stubborn, unyielding

    (KAPLAN)
  188. obviate
    prevent, make unnecessary

    (KAPLAN)
  189. occlude
    to prevent passage

    (KAPLAN)
  190. ochlocracy
    govt by masses, mob rule
  191. onerous
    troublesome, oppressive, burdensome

    (KAPLAN)
  192. opaque
    not transparent
  193. opprobrium
    harsh criticism; public disgrace; censure, calumny, obloquy, lambast, pan

    (He resigned in utter opprobrium)

    (KAPLAN)
  194. ostentation
    excessive showiness

    (ostentatious royal court had lavish decorations)

    (KAPLAN)
  195. paean
    song of praise/triumph
  196. panegyrical
    elaborate praise, eulogy (noun)
  197. panned
    criticized severely, opprobrium, censure, calumny, obloquy, lambast
  198. paradigm
    typical example, model
  199. paradox
    contradiction or dilemma (it is paradoxical that the neediest patients often are least tended to)

    (KAPLAN)
  200. paragon
    model of excellence or perfection

    (KAPLAN)
  201. pat
    superficially complete (pat answer won't satisfy him), completely (got it down pat)
  202. peccadillo
    small unimportant offense, misdemeanor
  203. pedant
    person excessively concerned w/minor details/rules or displaying academic learning (HERMIONE)

    (KAPLAN)
  204. penury
    extreme poverty, destitution, impecunious
  205. perfidious
    willing to betray one's trust (WORMTAIL)

    (KAPLAN)
  206. perfunctory
    done in routine way, indifferent

    (KAPLAN)
  207. pernicious
    inimical, subtly harmful
  208. petulant
    childishly bad-tempered
  209. phlegmatic
    relaxed, thoughtful
  210. piddling
    insignificant
  211. piquant
    pleasantly sharp, appetizing taste, ~ toothsome
  212. placate
    make someone less angry; pacify, conciliate

    (KAPLAN)
  213. placid
    not easily upset or excited
  214. plastic
    able to be molded, altered

    (KAPLAN)
  215. plutocracy
    govt by rich ppl
  216. pragmatic
    practical, sensible

    (Pragmatic people don't anticipate winning the lotto)

    (KAPLAN)
  217. precipitate
    unexpectedly, abruptly, throw violently

    (KAPLAN)
  218. preponderance
    being greater in quantity or importance
  219. prescient
    seeing into future
  220. prevaricate
    to lie

    (KAPLAN)
  221. probity
    honesty, decency, integrity
  222. prodigal
    spending money recklessly, wastefully extravagant

    (KAPLAN)
  223. prolixity
    wordy
  224. promulgate
    publicize, promote
  225. propitiate
    to conciliate, appease

    (KAPLAN)
  226. propriety
    correct behavior; obedience to rules/customs

    (KAPLAN)
  227. prudence
    wisdom, caution, restraint

    (KAPLAN)
  228. pusillanimous
    timid
  229. quiescent
    motionless

    (KAPLAN)
  230. quittance
    release from debt/obligation
  231. quixotic
    very unrealistic, impractical
  232. quotidian
    daily
  233. raillery
    good humored teasing
  234. rarefy
    to make thinner/sparser

    (the atmosphere rarefies as altitude increases)

    (KAPLAN)
  235. recalcitrant
    uncooperative attitude toward authority, rebellious
  236. repudiate
    reject validity of

    (the pregnancy test repudiated the possible father)

    (KAPLAN)
  237. reticent
    introverted, reserved, taciturn

    (KAPLAN)
  238. rhetoric
    effective writing/speaking

    (KAPLAN)
  239. ribald
    vulgar sex humor
  240. rudiment
    1st principles of subject (as in, rudimentary)
  241. salubrious
    healthy
  242. sanguine
    pleasure seeking, sociable ~ hedonism
  243. scanty
    insufficient, meager (scantily clad)
  244. scintillate
    emit flashes of light, sparkle
  245. scurrilous
    spreading scandalous rumors to damage someone's reputation
  246. seditious
    inciting rebellion against authority of state/monarch
  247. seminal
    strongly influencing later developments
  248. sinecure
    r/q little or no work but yielding profit, easy job
  249. slipshod
    careless, haphazard
  250. soporific
    causing sleep or lethargy

    (the lecture was so soporific, you could hear snoring)

    (KAPLAN)
  251. specious
    superficially plausible, but wrong, deceptively attractive

    (KAPLAN)
  252. staid
    respectable, unadventurous
  253. stentorian
    loud, powerful (voice)
  254. stolid
    unemotional, lacking sensitivity

    (KAPLAN)
  255. sublime
    lofty, grand

    (KAPLAN)
  256. supercilious
    behaving arrogantly, pompous, haughty
  257. superfluous
    unnecessary, redundant, excessive
  258. surreptitious
    secretive, stealthy, sneaky
  259. seance
    communicating with spirits, like with a weegee board
  260. tacit
    done w/o using words

    (KAPLAN)
  261. taciturn
    saying little, reticence

    (KAPLAN)
  262. toothsome
    temptingly tasty ~piquant
  263. torpor
    extreme mental and physical sluggishness

    (the patient experienced torpor after taking the sedatives)

    (KAPLAN)
  264. transitory
    temporary, brief

    (KAPLAN)
  265. trenchancy
    sharp, keen
  266. trepidation
    fear, dread, anxiety, foreboding
  267. truculent
    ready for a fight, belligerent
  268. ubiquitous
    found everywhere
  269. unctuous
    excessively flattering, obsequious, effusive
  270. unhinged
    mentally deranged
  271. vacillate
    be indecisive

    (KAPLAN)
  272. vacuous
    stupid
  273. venerate
    to respect deeply

    (KAPLAN)
  274. veracity
    accuracy, truth

    (KAPLAN)
  275. verbiage
    long winded, excessively technical speech/writing, wordiness, loquacity
  276. verbose
    wordy

    (KAPLAN)
  277. vicissitude
    unfortunate change of circumstance
  278. vociferous
    loud/forceful (voice)
  279. volatile
    changing quickly, unpredictably, for the worse

    (KAPLAN)
  280. waggish
    mischievously humorous, playful
  281. zeal
    strong enthusiasm, eagerness, determination

    (KAPLAN)

Card Set Information

Author:
 kimaduong
ID:
 250063
Filename:
 GRE Vocab
Updated:
2013-12-03 00:58:16
Tags:
GRE
Folders:
GRE,vocab
Description:
GRE vocab words
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