GRE Vocab II

Aesthete

An individual who possesses a deep, refined appreciation for beauty and art

Aesthetic

Concerned with the appreciation of beauty

A set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement

Apathetic

Marked by a lack of interest

Audacious

Willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks

Banal

Repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

Bucolic

Relating to the pleasant aspects of the country

Chortle

To chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way

Concede

Acknowledge defeat

Admit

Give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

Conspicuous

Without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

Cryptic

Mysterious or vague, usually intentionally

Culminate

Reach the highest or most decisive point

Culpability

A state of guilt

Decorous

Characterized by good taste in manners and conduct

Deferential

Showing respect

Dictorial

Expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler

Didactic

Intrusive (especially excessively)

Diffident

Showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence

Dogmatic

Highly opinionated, not accepting that one’s beliefs may not be correct

Engender

Give rise to

Entrenched

Fixed firmly or securely

Eschew

Avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of

Exacerbate

Make worse

Fortuitous

Occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause

Frivolous

Not serious in content or attitude or behavior

Gainsay

Deny or contradict; speak against or oppose

Gall

The trait of being rude and impertinent

The feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

To strongly bother, vex, annoy, exasperate

Germane

Relevant and appropriate

Glut

An excessive supply

Supply with an excess of

Gossamer

Characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy

Impudent

Improperly forward or bold

Incisive

Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

Inexorable

Impossible to stop or prevent

Lambast

Criticize severely or angrily

Mawkish

Overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting

Meticulous

Marked by extreme care in treatment of details

Mitigate

Make less severe or harsh

Lessen the severity of an offense

Obscure

Make unclear

Known by only a few

Perfidy

An act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust

Platitude

A trite or obvious remark

Preclude

Keep from happening or arising; make impossible

Predilection

A strong liking

Presience

The power to see the future

Querulous

Habitually complaining

Recondite

Difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

Reticent

Disinclined to talk, not revealing one’s thoughts

Rustic

Characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial

Superflous

Serving no useful purpose

More than is needed, desired, or required

Torpor

Inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy

Vociferous

Conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry

Volubility

The quality of talking or writing easily and continuously