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GRE Vocabulary
The vocabulary taken from the Princeton Review "Cracking the GRE 2010." and ETS's "Practicing to take the GRE General Test 10th Ed"
295
English
Graduate
12/08/2010

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Cards

Term
abate
Definition
means to lessen in intensity
Term
aberrant
Definition
means deviating from the norm
Term
abscond
Definition
means to depart clandestinely
Term
accolade
Definition
means an expression of praise
Term
acerbic
Definition
means having sour of bitter taste or character
Term
acumen
Definition
means keen, accurate insight
Term
adulation
Definition
means intense adoration
Term
adulterate
Definition
means to reduce in purity by combining with inferior ingredients
Term
aggrandize
Definition
means to increase in size, intensity, power or prestige
Term
alchemy
Definition
means a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals
Term
alloy
Definition
means as a verb to debase by mixing with something inferior
Term
amalgamate
Definition
means to combine several elements into a whole
Term
ameliorate
Definition
means to make more satisfactory or improve
Term
amenable
Definition
means agreeable or responsive to suggestion
Term
amortize
Definition
means to reduce a debt by periodic payments
Term
anachronism
Definition
means something out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
Term
anomaly
Definition
means something that deviates from the rule
Term
approbation
Definition
is an expression of praise
Term
archaic
Definition
means outdated
Term
arduous
Definition
means taxing or burdensome
Term
arrest
Definition
means as a verb to hold or to engage
Term
ascetic
Definition
means someone who practices rigid self denial
Term
assuage
Definition
means to soothe or appease
Term
astringent
Definition
means harsh or caustic or having a tightening effect on the tissue
Term
audacious
Definition
means bold and fearless
Term
august
Definition
means majestic or venerable
Term
austere
Definition
means bare in detail
Term
avarice
Definition
means greed, especially with respect to money
Term
aver
Definition
means to state as fact
Term
axiomatic
Definition
means self evidently true
Term
bent
Definition
means an inclination or proclivity
Term
bolster
Definition
means to provide support or reinforcement
Term
bombastic
Definition
means pompous or pretentious
Term
brook
Definition
means to tolerate or endure; countenance
Term
bucolic
Definition
means characteristic of rural areas and their people
Term
burgeon
Definition
means to flourish
Term
cacophony
Definition
means harsh discordant sounds
Term
canonical
Definition
means in agreement with accepted traditional standards
Term
capricious
Definition
means inclined to impulsive mind changing
Term
cardinal
Definition
means major, as in a cardinal sin
Term
castigation
Definition
means harsh punishment or criticism
Term
catalyst
Definition
means something that causes another thing
Term
caustic
Definition
means capable of burning or corroding
Term
censure
Definition
means to officially reject or criticize
Term
chary
Definition
means wary or cautious
Term
chicanery
Definition
means trickery or subterfuge
Term
cogent
Definition
means powerfully convincing to reason
Term
complaisance
Definition
means willingness to comply with the desires of others
Term
connoisseur
Definition
means an expert in matters of taste
Term
contentious
Definition
means causing controversy or disagreement
Term
contiguous
Definition
means sharing a border or adjacent
Term
contrite
Definition
means seeking forgiveness
Term
convention
Definition
means a generally agreed upon practice
Term
credulous
Definition
means tending to believe too readily; gullible
Term
culpable
Definition
means blameworthy
Term
cynicism
Definition
means the attitude that all people are motivated by selfishness
Term
dearth
Definition
a lack of; a small number of something
Term
decorum
Definition
means polite or appropriate attitude or behavior
Term
demur
Definition
means to question or oppose
Term
derision
Definition
means scorn, ridicule or contemptuous treatment
Term
desiccate
Definition
means to dry up or dehydrate
Term
diatribe
Definition
means a harsh denunciation
Term
didactic
Definition
means intended to teach or instruct
Term
dilettante
Definition
means one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or area of knowledge
Term
disabuse
Definition
means to free from error
Term
discordant
Definition
means conflicting in sound
Term
discretion
Definition
means cautious and careful reserve in speech
Term
disparage
Definition
means to belittle or discredit
Term
disparage
Definition
means to slight or belittle
Term
disparate
Definition
means fundamentally different
Term
dissemble
Definition
means to disguise, conceal or mislead
Term
divulge
Definition
means to disclose something secret
Term
ebullience
Definition
means joyous enthusiasm
Term
eccentric
Definition
means departing from norms or convention
Term
eclectic
Definition
means drawing from several distinct sources
Term
effrontery
Definition
means shameless boldness
Term
elegy
Definition
means a mournful poem especially for the dead
Term
emollient
Definition
means soothing to the skin
Term
empirical
Definition
means based on observation
Term
endemic
Definition
means characteristic of a particular locality, region or people
Term
enervate
Definition
means to reduce in vitality
Term
enigmatic
Definition
means obscure or mysterious
Term
ennui
Definition
means restlessness from extreme boredom
Term
ephemeral
Definition
means brief or fleeting
Term
epithet
Definition
means a word or phrase used to describe something, sometimes used as a term of abuse
Term
equivocate
Definition
means to use ambiguous language with the intention to deceive
Term
erudite
Definition
means very learned or scholarly
Term
esoteric
Definition
means highly specialized knowledge meant for a small group of experts
Term
essay
Definition
means to test or try; to attempt
Term
eulogy
Definition
a speech honoring the dead
Term
evanescent
Definition
means tending to disappear like vapor or vanishing
Term
exacerbate
Definition
means to make worse or more severe
Term
excoriate
Definition
means to flay the skin off of a body or denounce severely (to flay verbally)
Term
exculpate
Definition
means to clear of blame
Term
exigent
Definition
means urgent or pressing
Term
exonerate
Definition
to free from blame
Term
extemporaneous
Definition
means improvised
Term
facetious
Definition
means playful or amusing
Term
fawn
Definition
to seek notice or favor by servile behavior
Term
fervent
Definition
means greatly emotional or zealous
Term
filibuster
Definition
means speech making meant to cause delays or intentional obstruction
Term
flag
Definition
as a verb, means to fall off in vigor
Term
flout
Definition
means to show contempt for a rule or convention
Term
fortuitous
Definition
means happening by accident or chance
Term
fulminate
Definition
means to denounce or attack
Term
furtive
Definition
means clandestine or surreptitious
Term
garrulous
Definition
means pointlessly talkative; talking too much
Term
germane
Definition
means relevant to the subject at hand
Term
glib
Definition
means marked by informality, nonchalance, superficiality
Term
grandiloquence
Definition
means pompous speech or expression; bombastic
Term
gregarious
Definition
means socially outgoing
Term
hackneyed
Definition
means rendered commonplace by frequent usage; trite
Term
halcyon
Definition
means calm and peaceful
Term
harangue
Definition
means a long pompous speech
Term
hedonism
Definition
means devotion to pleasurable pursuits
Term
hegemony
Definition
means the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over the other
Term
heretical
Definition
means in violation of accepted dogma
Term
hubris
Definition
means overbearing pride or presumptuousness
Term
iconoclast
Definition
means someone who attacks or undermines traditional institutions or conventions
Term
idolatrous
Definition
means given to intense or excessive devotion to something
Term
imminent
Definition
means about to happen; impending
Term
immutable
Definition
means not capable of change
Term
impassive
Definition
means revealing no emotion
Term
impecunious
Definition
means lacking funds
Term
imperturbable
Definition
means marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness; stoic
Term
impetuous
Definition
means hastily impulsive and vehement
Term
implacable
Definition
means not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
Term
impunity
Definition
means immunity from punishment or penalty
Term
inchoate
Definition
means in initial states; not fully formed
Term
incipient
Definition
means coming into being
Term
incorrigible
Definition
means beyond correction or reform
Term
indifferent
Definition
means having no interest or concern
Term
inert
Definition
means unmoving or lethargic
Term
infelicitous
Definition
means ill suited for the occasion; awkward
Term
ingenuous
Definition
means frank and candid
Term
inimical
Definition
means damaging, harmful, or injurious
Term
innocuous
Definition
means harmless
Term
insipid
Definition
means without taste or flavor (as in food) or without distinctive interesting qualities (as in people)
Term
intractable
Definition
means not easily managed or directed
Term
intransigent
Definition
means unwilling to compromise
Term
intrepid
Definition
means bold and fearless
Term
inured
Definition
means accustomed to hardship or difficulty
Term
inveigle
Definition
means to obtain by flattery
Term
irascible
Definition
means easily angered
Term
jocular
Definition
means in jest
Term
jocular
Definition
means in jest
Term
laconic
Definition
means using few words; terse
Term
laud
Definition
means to praise highly
Term
loquacious
Definition
means extremely talkative
Term
luminous
Definition
means characterized by brightness and the emission of light
Term
malevolent
Definition
means showing vicious ill will
Term
malleable
Definition
means capable of being shaped or formed
Term
maverick
Definition
means an independent individual who does not go along with group or party
Term
mendacity
Definition
means the condition of being untruthful
Term
mercurial
Definition
means rapid and unpredictable changes in mood
Term
meticulous
Definition
means characterized by extreme care and precision
Term
minatory
Definition
means menacing or threatening
Term
misanthrope
Definition
means someone who hates all other humans
Term
mitigate
Definition
means to make less severe or intense; to moderate
Term
mollify
Definition
means to calm or to soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
Term
morose
Definition
means melancholy
Term
nascent
Definition
means in the early stages of development
Term
nebulous
Definition
means lacking clearly defined form
Term
neologism
Definition
means a newly coined word or phrase
Term
neophyte
Definition
means a recent convert; a beginner or novice
Term
noxious
Definition
means physically or morally harmful
Term
obdurate
Definition
means unyielding; hardheaded
Term
obdurate
Definition
means hardheaded or unyielding
Term
obfuscate
Definition
means to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
Term
obsequious
Definition
means servile complaisance or deference
Term
obstinate
Definition
means stubborn, hardheaded or uncompromising
Term
obtuse
Definition
means lacking sharpness of intellect
Term
obviate
Definition
means to predict and so render unnecessary
Term
occlude
Definition
means to obstruct or block
Term
odious
Definition
means evoking aversion or dislike
Term
onerous
Definition
means burdensome
Term
opaque
Definition
means impenetrable by light
Term
opprobrium
Definition
means disgrace or contempt
Term
oscillation
Definition
means swinging back and forth
Term
ostentatious
Definition
means given to pretentious displays; showy
Term
paean
Definition
means a song of praise or joy
Term
peccadillo
Definition
means something causing a small offense
Term
pedagogy
Definition
means the profession or principles of teaching
Term
pedantic
Definition
means overly concerned with trivial details of learning
Term
penurious
Definition
means very thrifty
Term
perennial
Definition
means existing through the year or many years
Term
perfidy
Definition
means a deliberate breach of trust
Term
perfunctory
Definition
means done without care or interest
Term
pernicious
Definition
means ruinous or causing great harm
Term
perspicacious
Definition
means having keen intellect
Term
peruse
Definition
means to examine with great care
Term
pervade
Definition
means to permeate throughout
Term
pervasive
Definition
means spread throughout or widespread; permeate
Term
phlegmatic
Definition
means not easily exited to action or displays of emotion
Term
pine
Definition
to yearn intensely
Term
pirate
Definition
means to illegally use or reproduce
Term
pith
Definition
means the essential or central part
Term
pithy
Definition
means precise and brief
Term
placate
Definition
means to appease or calm by making concessions
Term
platitude
Definition
means a superficial remark, especially one intended as meaningful
Term
plethora
Definition
means an overabundance
Term
plummet
Definition
means a plunge or drop straight down
Term
polemical
Definition
means argumentative; inducing conflict
Term
pragmatic
Definition
means practical rather than idealistic
Term
pragmatic
Definition
means concerning what is practical
Term
prattle
Definition
means chatter or babble
Term
precipitate
Definition
means to act impulsively
Term
predilection
Definition
means a disposition in favor of something
Term
preen
Definition
means to dress smartly
Term
prescience
Definition
means foreknowledge of events
Term
presumptuous
Definition
means overstepping due bounds or taking liberties
Term
prevaricate
Definition
means to deliberately avoid the truth
Term
pristine
Definition
means pure, uncorrupted, clean
Term
probity
Definition
means complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
Term
proclivity
Definition
means a natural predisposition or predilection
Term
prodigal
Definition
means recklessly wasteful
Term
prodigious
Definition
means abundant in size, force or extent
Term
profligate
Definition
means excessively wasteful or extravagant
Term
profuse
Definition
means made or done freely or abundantly
Term
proliferate
Definition
means to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
Term
prolific
Definition
means having a voluminous output
Term
propensity
Definition
means a natural tendency or inclination
Term
propitiate
Definition
means to appease or conciliate
Term
prosaic
Definition
means dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
Term
pungent
Definition
means having a strong smell or taste
Term
putrefy
Definition
means to rot or decay
Term
quaff
Definition
means to drink deeply
Term
qualms
Definition
means reservations about something
Term
queries
Definition
questions; inquiries
Term
querulous
Definition
means prone to complaining or grumbling
Term
quiescence
Definition
means stillness or motionless
Term
quixotic
Definition
means foolishly impractical
Term
quotidian
Definition
means daily or commonplace
Term
rancorous
Definition
means characterized by bitter long standing resentment
Term
rarefy
Definition
means to become thin or to refine
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
means defiant of authority; difficult to manage
Term
recant
Definition
means to retract a previously held opinion
Term
recondite
Definition
means difficult to understand; profound; esoteric
Term
redoubtable
Definition
means commanding respect or reverence; formidable
Term
refulgent
Definition
means radiant or shiny
Term
relegate
Definition
means to assign to a lower position
Term
renege
Definition
means to fail to honor a commitment
Term
repudiate
Definition
means to refuse to have anything to do with
Term
rescind
Definition
means to repeal; to retract
Term
reticent
Definition
means reserved or reluctant
Term
reverent
Definition
means marked by feelings of deep respect
Term
rhetoric
Definition
means the art or study of effective use of language for communication or persuasion
Term
salubrious
Definition
means promoting good health or well being
Term
sanction
Definition
means an authoritative permission or penalty
Term
sedulous
Definition
means diligent or persistent; hardworking
Term
solicitous
Definition
means concerned and attentive
Term
solvent
Definition
means able to pay debts; or able to dissolve another substance
Term
soporific
Definition
means tending to induce sleepiness
Term
sordid
Definition
means characterized by grime or filth
Term
sparse
Definition
means thin, not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
Term
specious
Definition
means apparently true but actually being fallacious
Term
spendthrift
Definition
means one who spends money wastefully
Term
sporadic
Definition
means occurring occasionally
Term
spurious
Definition
means lacking authenticity or validity
Term
squalid
Definition
means sordid from neglect
Term
squander
Definition
means to waste by using irresponsibly
Term
stoic
Definition
means indifferent to pleasure or pain
Term
stymie
Definition
means to block or thwart
Term
stymie
Definition
means to block or thwart
Term
subpoena
Definition
a court order requiring appearance or testimony
Term
succinct
Definition
means brief or concise
Term
superfluous
Definition
means exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
Term
supplant
Definition
means to take the place of
Term
surfeit
Definition
means an abundant oversupply or to feed or supply to excess
Term
synthesis
Definition
means the combination of parts to make a whole
Term
tacit
Definition
means implied or not explicitly stated
Term
tenacity
Definition
means adherence or persistence to something valued; persistent determination
Term
tenuous
Definition
means having little substance or strength; weak or flimsy
Term
terse
Definition
means brief and concise in wording
Term
tirade
Definition
a long and extremely critical speech; diatribe
Term
torpid
Definition
means sluggish or lethargic
Term
torque
Definition
means a force that causes rotation
Term
tout
Definition
means to publicly praise or promote
Term
tractability
Definition
means easily managed or controlled
Term
transient
Definition
means fleeting or passing quickly; brief; ephemeral
Term
trenchant
Definition
means sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
Term
truculent
Definition
means brutally harsh
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
means wide-spread; existing in many places at many times
Term
unfeigned
Definition
means genuine; not false
Term
untenable
Definition
means not viable or defensible
Term
urbane
Definition
means refined or sophisticated
Term
vacillate
Definition
means to waver between one course of action and another
Term
variegated
Definition
means multi-colored
Term
veracity
Definition
means truthfulness
Term
vexation
Definition
means annoyance or irritation
Term
virulent
Definition
means very harmful or antagonistic
Term
vituperate
Definition
means to use harsh, condemnatory language
Term
waver
Definition
means to go back and forth on a decision
Term
wistful
Definition
means melancholy
Term
zealous
Definition
means ardent devotion to a cause
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