GRE Vocab

reduce in amount/degree/severity

(KAPLAN)

renounce, avoid

to deny oneself (some conveniences, etc), renounce

to leave secretly 

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

(KAPLAN)

refrain from

Moderate, temperate in eating/drinking

Hard to understand, esoteric

comply w/o protest

irritating, stinging, bitter taste/smell

harshness, bitterness in speech/disposition

keen insight; shrewdness

• to make impure
• (KAPLAN)

outline/sketch, foreshadow

pleasant, friendly

to increase in power, influence, reputation

(KAPLAN)

combine, mix together

(the companies amalgated into a conglomerate)

(KAPLAN)

delicious, fragrant, divine

to make better, improve

(dr was ble to ameliorate the pain using sedatives)

(KAPLAN)

dated, out of place in time (saying "groovy")

(KAPLAN)

extreme dislike

(KAPLAN)

• lack of interest
• (KAPLAN)

of doubtful authorship/authenticity

climax, highest point

(official) approval

judge dispute between 2 opposing parties

(KAPLAN)

mysterious, secret, esoteric

intense and passionate feeling

(KAPLAN)

trickery, cunning

relieve, soothe

• (She used aspirin to assuage her headache)
• (KAPLAN)

to weaken

(KAPLAN)

fearless, daring

• (Her audacious nature pushed her to skydive)
• (KAPLAN)

severe/stern in appearance; undecorated

(military barracks are plain and look austere)

(KAPLAN)

insatiable greed

stop (at obstacle) and refuse to proceed

boring, predictable

(KAPLAN)

scene of uproar, confusion

command (noun)

warlike, aggressively hostile, truculent

support, prop up (the presence of footprints bolstered the argument that he was in the area)

(KAPLAN)

pompous in speech/manner

(KAPLAN)

group of plotters (against govt, authority)

dissonance, harsh sounds (cacophony from city traffic during rush hour)

(KAPLAN)

immature, inexperienced

slander, false malicious statement to injure someone's reputation; obloquy, censure, lambast, pan

surrender unconditionally

• changing my mind quickly and often, indecisive
• (KAPLAN)

• criticize severely, punish, censure, lambast, excoriate
• (KAPLAN)

broad range of interests, universal

• biting in wit
• (KAPLAN)

strong disapproval, official reprimand, excoriate, lambast, castigate

person prejudiced in favor of group that he/she belongs to

clever trickery/deception

• (Used car salesmen use chicanery to sell old cars)
• (KAPLAN)

roundabout, indirect

cling to closely, remain faithful

causing disgust/aversion thru excess (cloying perfume sweetness)

convincing, believable, relevant, well reasoned

(the lawyer presented a cogent argument to the jury)

(KAPLAN)

overcome hostility of, placate, win over

disregard, pardon, overlook

(KAPLAN)

opposite of distinction, plants and animals vs. humans

stubbornly disobedient

intricate, complicated

(KAPLAN)

• provide supporting evidence
• (KAPLAN)

gullible

(KAPLAN)

resembling/containing chalk???

appropriateness of behavior/conduct; propriety

(KAPLAN)

criticize, belittle

speak or treat w/contempt; to mock

(KAPLAN)

ridicule, mockery

showing profound hopelessness, dejection, gloom

jumping from 1 thing to another; disconnected

(KAPLAN)

sheer, almost transparent

abusive, condemnatory speech

• (angry driver screamed a diatribe at someone who took his parking spot)
• (KAPLAN)

lacking self-confidence

(KAPLAN)

to make larger, to expand

(KAPLAN)

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

(KAPLAN)

someone w/amateur, superficial interest in topic

(KAPLAN)

related to or caused by flood

funeral hymn, mournful speech ~elegy, eulogy

(KAPLAN)

set right, to free from error

(KAPLAN)

disowning, denial

fundamentally different

(KAPLAN)

emotionally uninvolved

tending to disperse (scatter)

disguise true intentions/character

(KAPLAN)

firmly held opinion, often religious

(KAPLAN)

dictatorial in opinion

(KAPLAN)

coercion, forcible restraint

exhilaration, happy, enthusiastic

effectiveness

(KAPLAN)

radiant

overflowing, lacking reserve, unctuous

extraordinary in a bad way (egregious liar)

sad poem/speech

(KAPLAN)

to copy, try to equal or excel

(KAPLAN)

reduce in strength

(KAPLAN)

produce, cause

(KAPLAN)

puzzle, mystery

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

(KAPLAN)

feeling of weariness/discontent from boredom (college lecture)

lasting a short time

(KAPLAN)

emotional stability, calmness

deliberately ambiguous, using double meaning to deceive

(KAPLAN)

artificial substitute (ersatz coffee made from grain)

knowledgable, wise, scholarly (DUMBLEDORE)

(KAPLAN)

known/understood by only a few

(KAPLAN)

admirable

(KAPLAN)

think out, plan

censure, criticize severely, lambast, castigate

to clear from blame, prove innocent

(KAPLAN)

urgent, r/q immediate action

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

(KAPLAN)

to clear of blame (the fugitive was exonerated when another person confessed to the crime)

(KAPLAN)

praise enthusiastically

obtain by force/threats

inappropriate humor in serious situations; flippant

excessively enthusiastically, extreme devotion

(KAPLAN)

to grovel

(KAPLAN)

excessively enthusiastic, intensely emotional

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

(KAPLAN)

really stinky

excessively decorated/embellished

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

(KAPLAN)

instigate/stir up

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


(KAPLAN)

past of "forgo" (abstain from)

excessively complimentary, unctuous

deny/contradict

excessively chatty, loquacious

(KAPLAN)

sociable; affable

(KAPLAN)

deceit, trickery

(KAPLAN)

pursuit of pleasure

indirect governance w/threat of force (like Ancient Rome)

very emotional, dramatic

commotion, confusion, tumult

one who opposes established beliefs/customs/institutions

thought/behavior unique to individual

very happy, peaceful, picturesque

humiliating, embarrassing

an extremely confused, complicated, embarrassing situation (noun)

poor, indigent

assuming power/authority w/o justification; arrogant, domineering

calmness, tranquility

impossible to penetrate

(a good raincoat is impervious to moisture)

quick to act w/o thinking

(KAPLAN)

have negative impact

unable to be calmed down (his rage was so great that he remained implacable for weeks)

(KAPLAN)

spoken curse

call into question

not fully formed, disorganized

(KAPLAN)

in initial stage, developing

not judgable w/common standard of measurement

unsuited to surroundings

poor, needy, impecunious

laziness

indescribable

inescapable

innocent, unsuspecting

(KAPLAN)

harmful, destructive, pernicious

(KAPLAN)

harmless

(KAPLAN)

lacking interest or flavor

(KAPLAN)

unrestrained, having lack of self-control

forbid, prohibit

trespasser, intruder

uncompromising; stubborn

(KAPLAN)

short-tempered

hesitant, uncertain

joking (noun)

fate

using very few words; succinct

(laconic poet)

(KAPLAN)

criticze harshly, censure, excoriate

to express sorrow, to grieve

(KAPLAN)

horny

lack of energy

praiseworthy

vocabulary

talkative, garrulous

(KAPLAN)

expressed clearly, easy to understand, cogent

(KAPLAN)

money, regarded distastefully or ill-gotten

clumsy

mistakenly replacing word w/similar sounding one (dance a flamingo/flamenco)

to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

(many men tried to avoid the draft by malingering)

(KAPLAN)

pleasant to hear, sweet, musical

demeanor, indicating mood/character

person who dislikes others (SCROOGE, GRINCH)

(KAPLAN)

calm, make less severe

(KAPLAN)

nearsighted

powerful ppl unfairly giving jobs/favors to relatives

not important

hardened, resistant to persuasion

hiding meaning, being ambiguous

strong public criticism, verbal abuse; calumny, censure, opprobrium, pan, lambast

stubborn, unyielding

(KAPLAN)

prevent, make unnecessary

(KAPLAN)

to prevent passage

(KAPLAN)

govt by masses, mob rule

troublesome, oppressive, burdensome

(KAPLAN)

not transparent

harsh criticism; public disgrace; censure, calumny, obloquy, lambast, pan

(He resigned in utter opprobrium)

(KAPLAN)

excessive showiness

(ostentatious royal court had lavish decorations)

(KAPLAN)

song of praise/triumph

elaborate praise, eulogy (noun)

criticized severely, opprobrium, censure, calumny, obloquy, lambast

typical example, model

contradiction or dilemma (it is paradoxical that the neediest patients often are least tended to)

(KAPLAN)

model of excellence or perfection

(KAPLAN)

superficially complete (pat answer won't satisfy him), completely (got it down pat)

small unimportant offense, misdemeanor

person excessively concerned w/minor details/rules or displaying academic learning (HERMIONE)

(KAPLAN)

extreme poverty, destitution, impecunious

willing to betray one's trust (WORMTAIL)

(KAPLAN)

done in routine way, indifferent

(KAPLAN)

inimical, subtly harmful

childishly bad-tempered

relaxed, thoughtful

insignificant

pleasantly sharp, appetizing taste, ~ toothsome

make someone less angry; pacify, conciliate

(KAPLAN)

not easily upset or excited

able to be molded, altered

(KAPLAN)

govt by rich ppl

practical, sensible

(Pragmatic people don't anticipate winning the lotto)

(KAPLAN)

unexpectedly, abruptly, throw violently

(KAPLAN)

being greater in quantity or importance

seeing into future

to lie

(KAPLAN)

honesty, decency, integrity

spending money recklessly, wastefully extravagant

(KAPLAN)

wordy

publicize, promote

to conciliate, appease

(KAPLAN)

correct behavior; obedience to rules/customs

(KAPLAN)

wisdom, caution, restraint

(KAPLAN)

timid

motionless

(KAPLAN)

release from debt/obligation

very unrealistic, impractical

daily

good humored teasing

to make thinner/sparser

(the atmosphere rarefies as altitude increases)

(KAPLAN)

uncooperative attitude toward authority, rebellious

reject validity of

(the pregnancy test repudiated the possible father)

(KAPLAN)

introverted, reserved, taciturn

(KAPLAN)

effective writing/speaking

(KAPLAN)

vulgar sex humor

1st principles of subject (as in, rudimentary)

healthy

pleasure seeking, sociable ~ hedonism

insufficient, meager (scantily clad)

emit flashes of light, sparkle

spreading scandalous rumors to damage someone's reputation

inciting rebellion against authority of state/monarch

strongly influencing later developments

r/q little or no work but yielding profit, easy job

careless, haphazard

causing sleep or lethargy

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

(KAPLAN)

superficially plausible, but wrong, deceptively attractive

(KAPLAN)

respectable, unadventurous

loud, powerful (voice)

unemotional, lacking sensitivity

(KAPLAN)

lofty, grand

(KAPLAN)

behaving arrogantly, pompous, haughty

unnecessary, redundant, excessive

secretive, stealthy, sneaky

communicating with spirits, like with a weegee board

done w/o using words

(KAPLAN)

saying little, reticence

(KAPLAN)

temptingly tasty ~piquant

extreme mental and physical sluggishness

(the patient experienced torpor after taking the sedatives)

(KAPLAN)

temporary, brief

(KAPLAN)

sharp, keen

fear, dread, anxiety, foreboding

ready for a fight, belligerent

found everywhere

excessively flattering, obsequious, effusive

mentally deranged

be indecisive

(KAPLAN)

stupid

to respect deeply

(KAPLAN)

accuracy, truth

(KAPLAN)

long winded, excessively technical speech/writing, wordiness, loquacity

wordy

(KAPLAN)

unfortunate change of circumstance

loud/forceful (voice)

changing quickly, unpredictably, for the worse

(KAPLAN)

mischievously humorous, playful

strong enthusiasm, eagerness, determination

(KAPLAN)