GRE vocab part 2

Terms in this set (96)

abscond
to leave secretly
aggrandize
to increase in power, influence, and reputation
amalgamate
to combine, to mix together
ambiguous
doubtful or uncertain
analogous
similar or alike in some way; equivalent
ardor
intense or passionate feeling
attenuate
to weaken
banal
predictable, bording
cogent
convincing and well-reasoned
chicanery
deception
convoluted
complex or complicated
credulous
too trusting; gullible
deride
to mock
diatribe
an abusive speech
diffident
lacking self-confidence
dessiccate
to dry out
dilatory
intended to delay
discern
perceive or recognize (something)
disparate
entirely unlike
dilettante
someone with superficial interest in a topic
dogma
a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
electic
choosing from various sources
efficacy
effectiveness
engender
to cause, produce
enumerate
to count, list, or itemize
ephemeral
lasting a short time
equivocate
to use expressions of double meaning to mislead
erudite
learned, scholarly, bookish
estimable
admirable
Euphemism
less offensive way of saying something that is unpleasant
exigent
urgent, critical
fanatical
(adj) excessively devoted, enthusiastic
florid
excessively decorated or embellished
garrulous
talkative
foment
(v.) to promote trouble or rebellion; incite
fawn
to grovel
gregarious
outgoing; sociable
iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
imperturbable
(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
impetuous
rash, impulsive
implacable
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
impervious
not affected or hurt by
ingenuous
innocent and naive
insipid
lacking interest or flavor; dull
inimical
hostile, unfriendly
innocuous
harmless
intransigent
refusing to compromise
irascible
easily angered, irritable
laconic
using few words
lament
to express sorrow; to grieve
laud
to give praise, to glorify
loquacious
talkative
lucid
clear and easily understood
malinger
(v.) to pretend illness to avoid duty or work, or responsibility
misanthrope
a person who dislikes others
mollify
to make less severe
monotony
lack of variation
obdurate
hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
obsequious
overly submissive, brown-nosing
obviate
to prevent
occlude
to obstruct or block
onerous
troublesome and oppressive
opaque
(adj.) not letting light through; not clear
opprobrium
public disgrace
ostentation
excessive showiness
paradox
a contradiction or dilemma
perfunctory
done without care; in a routine fashion
permeate
to penetrate
perfidious
willing to betray ones trust
placate
to soothe
pragamatic
practical
prodigal
wastefully extravagant and self-indulgent
proliferate
to increase in number quickly
propitiate
to win over, appease
propriety
the state of being proper, or socially acceptable
prudence
wisdom, caution, or restraint
pungent
sharp and irritating to the senses
quiescent
motionless
rarefy
to make thinner, or less dense
repudiate
to reject he validity of
reticent
silent reserved
satiate
to satisfy fully or overindulge
soporific
causing sleep or fatigue
specious
deceptively attractive or seeming true but actually false
stolid
unemotional; lacking sensitivity
tacit
done without using words
taciturn
silent, not talkative
torpor
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
transitory
temporary
vacillate
to be indecisive; to waver
venerate
to respect deeply
veracity
filled with truth and accuracy
verbose
wordy
vex
to annoy
whimsical
unpredictable
zeal
passion, excitement
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