Top GRE words
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178 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 abate | to reduce in amount, severity |
| abscond | to leave secretly |
| abstain | to choose not to do something |
| abyss | an extremely deep hole |
| adulterate | to make impure |
| advocate | to speak in favor of |
| aesthetic | concerning the appreciation of beauty |
| aggrandize | to increase in power |
| alleviate | to make more bearable |
| amalgamte | to combine to mix together |
| ambiguous | doubtful or uncertain |
| ameliorate | to make better, improve |
| anachronism | something out of place |
| analogous | similar or alike in some way |
| anomaly | deviation from normal |
| antagonize | to annoy or provoke |
| antipathy | extreme dislike |
| apathy | lack of caring |
| arbitrate | to judge a dispute between two opposing parties |
| archaic | ancient |
| ardor | intense and passionate |
| articulate | able to speak clearly |
| assuage | to make something less severe |
| attenuate | to reduce in force or degree |
| audacious | bold, fearless |
| austere | severe or stern in appearance |
| banal | predictable |
| bolster | to support |
| bombastic | pompous in speech and manner |
| cacophony | harsh noise |
| candid | impartial and honest in speech |
| capricious | changing ones mind quickly |
| castigate | to punish or criticize |
| catalyst | something that brings about a change |
| caustic | biting in wit |
| chaos | great disorder |
| chauvinist | someone prejudiced in favor of a group that he/she belongs |
| chicancery | deception by means of craft |
| cogent | convincing and well reasoned |
| condone | to overlook, pardon or disregard |
| convuluted | intricate and complicated |
| corroborate | to provide supporting evidence |
| credulous | too trusting |
| crescendo | steadily increasing |
| decorum | appropriateness of behavior |
| deference | respect, courtesy |
| deride | to mock, to speak of or treat with contempt |
| desicate | to dry out |
| desultory | jumping from one thing to another |
| diatribe | an abusive condemnatory speech |
| diffident | lacking self confidence |
| dilate | to make larger |
| dilatory | intended to delay |
| dilettante | someone with an amateurish interest in topic |
| dirge | funeral with hymn or mournful speech |
| disabuse | to set right |
| discern | to perceive, to recognize |
| disparate | fundamentally different |
| dissemble | to present a false appearance |
| dissonance | a harsh sound |
| dogma | firm opinion |
| dogmatic | dictatorial in ones opinions |
| dupe | to deceive |
| eclectic | selecting from variety of sources |
| efficacy | effectiveness |
| elegy | a sorrowful poem or speech |
| eloquent | persuasive and moving |
| emulate | to copy |
| enervate | to reduce in strength |
| engender | to produce |
| enigma | puzzled |
| enumerate | to count, list, itemize |
| ephemeral | lasting a short time |
| equivocate | to use expressions of double meaning to mislead |
| erratic | wandering, unpredictable |
| erudite | learned, scholarly |
| esoteric | known or understood by a few |
| estimable | admirable |
| eulogy | speech in praise of someone |
| euphemism | use of an inoffensive word or phrase in replace of a worse one |
| exacerbate | to make worse |
| exculpate | to clear from blame |
| exigent | urgent, requiring immediate action |
| exonerate | to clear of blame |
| explicit | clearly stated or shown |
| fanatical | acting extra enthusiastic |
| fawn | to grovel |
| fervid | emotional, |
| florid | excessively decorated |
| foment | to arouse |
| frugality | tendency to be thrifty |
| garrulous | tending to talk a lot |
| gregarious | outgoing, sociable |
| guile | deceit or trickery |
| gullible | easily deceived |
| iconoclast | one who opposes beliefs or customs |
| imperturbable | not capable of being disturbed |
| impervious | impossible to penetrate |
| impetuous | quick to act without thinking |
| implacable | unable to be calmed down |
| inchoate | not fully formed, disorganized |
| ingenuous | showing innocence or childlike simplicity |
| inimical | hostile, unfriendly |
| innocuous | harmless |
| insipid | lacking interest or flavor |
| intransigent | uncompromising |
| inundate | to overwhelm |
| irascible | easily made angry |
| laconic | using few words |
| lament | to express sorrow |
| laud | to give praise |
| lethargic | acting slow or sluggish |
| loquacious | talkative |
| lucid | clear |
| luminous | bright, glowing |
| malinger | to evade by pretending to be ill |
| malleable | capable of being shaped |
| metaphor | comparing two different things |
| meticulous | extra careful about details |
| misanthrope | dislikes humans |
| mitigate | to soften, to lesson |
| mollify | to calm or make less severe |
| monotony | lack of variation |
| naive | lacking experience |
| obdurate | hardened in feeling, resistant to persuasion |
| obsequious | overly submissive and eager to please |
| obsinate | stubborn |
| obviate | to prevent |
| occlude | to stop up, prevent passage |
| onerous | troublesome and oppressive |
| opaque | impossible to see through |
| opprobrium | public disgrace |
| ostentation | excessive showiness |
| paradox | a contradiction |
| paragon | model of excellence |
| pedant | someone who shows off learning |
| perfidious | willing to betray ones trust |
| perfunctory | done in a routine way |
| permeate | to penetrate |
| philanthropy | desire to promote goodness |
| placate | to soothe |
| plastic | able to be molded |
| plethora | excess |
| pragmatic | practical as opposed to idealistic |
| precipitate | to throw violently or bring about abruptly |
| prevaricate | to lie |
| pristine | fresh and clean |
| prodigal | lavish, wasteful |
| proliferate | to increase in number |
| propitiate | to conciliate, to appease |
| propriety | correct behavior |
| prudence | wisdom, caution |
| pungent | sharp, irritating to senses |
| quiscent | motionless |
| rarefy | to make thinner or sparser |
| repudiate | to reject the validity of |
| reticent | silent, reserved |
| rhetoric | effective writing |
| satiate | overindulgence |
| soporific | causing sleep or lethargy |
| specious | deceptively attractive |
| stigma | mark of shame or discredit |
| stolid | unemotional |
| sublime | lofty or grand |
| tacit | done without using words |
| taciturn | silent, not talkative |
| tirade | long, harsh verbal attack |
| torpor | extreme mental and physical sluggishness |
| transitory | temporary, lasting short time |
| vacillate | to sway, be indecisive |
| venerate | to respect |
| veracity | filled with truth |
| verbose | wordy |
| vex | to annoy |
| volatile | easily aroused, changeable |
| waver | to fluctuate between choices |
| whimsical | acting in fanciful unpredictable manner |
| zeal | passionate |
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