GRE Vocab Practice More

Probity

The quality of having strong moral principles

Specious

Seemingly reasonable but actually wrong

Affectation

A pretense designed to impress

Spurious

Not genuine; false or fake

Dogged

Exhibiting strong tenacity

Transient

Extremely short lasting

Pertinacious

Stubbornly keep a course of action

Dissemble

Hide one’s true feelings or beliefs

Reproach

Express criticism towards; reprimand

Malign

(a) Evil and harmful

(v) Vilify or smear

Insular

Limited in outlook or experience; narrow

Prescient

Possessing foresight of upcoming events

Arbitary

Determined by chance, not reason

Soporific

Sleepy or drowsy

Immutable

Not capable of being changed

Tendentious

Showing a definite bias or purpose

Dearth

Scarcity or lack of something

Sanction

(v1) Authorize; permit

(v2) Penalize; punish

Intrepid

Resolutely fearless; brave

Neophyte

A beginner or novice in a field

Indefatigable

Persisting tirelessly

Platitude

An unoriginal or banal remark or statement

Indolent

Intentionally avoid activity; lazy

Robust

Able to withstand adverse conditions

Irreverent

Lacking proper respect or seriousness

Intransigent

Refusing to compromise; stubbornness

Sanction

(v1) Authorize; permit

(v2) Penalize; punish

Immutable

Incapable of being changed

Conjectural

Pertaining to a guess made with limited data

Innocuous

Harmless; having no ill effect

Utilitarian

Emphasizing practicality over aesthetics

Sanguine

Optimistic, particularly in a difficult situation

Egregious

Remarkably bad or shocking

Perfidy

An act of betrayal or unfaithfulness

Indiscriminate

Done at random or without careful judgement

Nullify

To render ineffective or cancel out; invalidate

Decadant

Luxuriously self-indulgent

Vapid

Uninteresting; lacking flavor; bland

Convivial

(Of an event) Friendly, lively, and enjoyable

Oust

Displace or eject from a position or place

Evanescent

Vanishing or fading away quickly

Obviate

To remove the need for something; to prevent

Galvanize

Shock or excite (someone) into taking action

Sagacious

Demonstrating wisdom or sound judgement

Felicitous

Well chosen or suited to the circumstances; pleasing to the eye

Boorish

Rude and bad-mannered

Haphazard

Lacking a precise plan, order, or direction

Precarious

Uncertain and likely to cause danger

Meticulous

Showing great attention to detail

Hodgepodge

A mixture of different things

Tact

Skill in handling situations politely

Forbear

Refrain from doing something

Dichotomy

A split into two contrasting parts

Impetuous

Acting or done quickly without thought or care

Commensurate

Comparable in size, extent, or degree

Mordant

Biting; sharply critical in thought

Circumspect

Wary and unwilling to take risks

Irascible

Easily irritated or angered

Elicit

Evoke a reply or action from someone; provoke

Edify

Instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually

Erudite

Possessing great knowledge

Repudite

Refuse to accept something

Turbulent

Full of conflict or chaos

Recondite

Unclear; difficult to understand

Brook

Tolerate or endure something

Comity

Mutual respect or a courteous behavior towards others

Deleterious

Having a harmful effect; dangerous

Fecund

Fertile or highly productive

Exculpate

Clear from blame or guilt

Slight

Treat with disrespect or neglect; insult

Wane

Decrease in power, size, or intensity

Lament

Express deep sorrow or regret

Fastidious

Very attentive to detail; hard to please

Eschew

Intentionally avoid or abstain from

Tout

Promote or praise energetically

Truculent

Aggressively combative

Tenable

(Of an idea or method) Rational and justifiable

Distressed

Experiencing irritation and sadness

Lucrative

Producing a significant amount of money

Opprobrium

Severe criticism or public shame

Exacerbate

Make a situation or condition worse

Laconic

Quiet; using very few words

Extraneous

Lacking relevance; unnecessary

Rational

Based on clear thought and reason

Scathing

Harshly or bitterly critical; vitriolic

Obscure

Making something unclear or vague

Subtle

Delicate or slight; not obvious

Acquiesce

Agree quietly without objection

Animus

Strong dislike or enmity

Astringent

Sharp or harsh in demeanor or style

Demur

Hesitate or object; express doubt

Abate

Decrease in intensity; lessen

Assuage

Decrease a negative feeling

Abjure

Strongly reject (an idea); forgo

Inimical

Damaging; hostile in manner or tone

Diffident

Reserved or shy; without confidence

Lax

Not diligent or careful; casual

Admonish

Reprimand someone firmly

Venerate

Regard with deep respect or reverence

Alleviate

Lessen the intensity of something