Bree and Danny GRE English Vocab

GRE

anomaly

something that is unusual or unexpected

equivocal

Not easily understood or explained

lucid

clear and easily understood

precipitate

To cause something to happen quickly

assuage

to make something unpleasant less severe

Erudite

Having or showing great knowledge

Opaque

Not able to be seen through/understood

Prodigal

wastefully extravagant

enigma

a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand

fervid

extremely emotional; passionate

Placate

Make someone less hostile

Zeal

great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective

Audacious

fearless and daring; bold

desiccate

remove moisture from

laudable

deserving praise and commendation

pedant

someone who shows off learning

vacillate

to waver; to sway indecisively

Adulterate

to make impure; to contaminate

capricious/mercurial

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

Engender

to produce, cause, or bring about

Homogenous

of a similar kind

Loquacious/garrulous

very talkative

Pragmatic

practical, as opposed to idealistic

Volatile

easily changeable; lively or explosive

apathy

a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest

Corroborate

to support with evidence

ephemeral

lasting a very short time

laconic

brief and to the point

Mitigate

to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity

Propriety

proper, appropriateness; standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

advocate

to recommend; to speak in favor of

cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

enervate

to reduce in strength; drain energy

ingenuous

innocent and naive

misanthrope

a person who dislikes others

paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory

venerate

to honor, to revere

antipathy

strong dislike

deride

to ridicule, laugh at with contempt

lethargic

sluggish, lacking energy

obdurate

stubborn; unyielding

philanthropic

charitable, giving

waver

to fluctuate between choices

bolster

strengthen, support

dissonance

lack of harmony

malleable

easily influenced; pliable

ostentation

excessive display of wealth

prevaricate

deliberately deviate from the truth in answering

Jejune

without interest; dull; naive

debilitating

weakening, harmful

arresting

striking; eye-catching

beseeched

beg urgently, request

audacious

bold, daring, fearless

recondite

little known, obscure

disconcerting

causing someone to feel unsettled

accretion

Slow build up of growth

onerous

difficult

tacit

left unspoken, implied

quixotic

unrealistic, impractical

nascent

just beginning

perfunctory

performed with minimal effort

recalcitrant/refractory

against/uncooperative towards authority

tractable

easy to control

admonished

reprimanded

ineluctable

assured

invidious

causing envy

plangent

full of lamentation

nugatory

inconsequential

contentious

contested

denouement

predetermined

tenuous

having little substance or strength

diffidence

shyness from lack of self-confidence

abdicate

renounce, give up

aberrant

abnormal, deviant

abeyance

delayed, suspended

abjure

renounce upon an oath

affected (adjective)

artificial, pretend

aggrandize

increase, intensify, raise

alacrity

cheerful promptness

ameliorate

improve

analgesic

causing insensitivity to pain

anodyne

pain-relieving drug

appellation

name, title

ardor

heat, passion, zeal

argot

slang

attenuate

make thin, weaken

austere

strict, stern

banal

trite, common

beatify

to sanctify or bless

bedizen

dressed in vulgar clothes

blase

Bored with please

boorish

rude, insensitive

broach

open up, approach

bucolic

rustic, pastoral

burgeon

grow, send out buds

cadge

to beg, ask for

canard

unbased rumor

cant

speech of criminals

carnal

of the flesh, human

carping

faultfinding, petty criticism