GRE Vocabulary Set 1

temerity

noun

reckless confidence

synonyms: audacity, boldness

depredate

verb

to plunder, pillage, destroy

synonyms: demolish, destroy

genuflect

verb

to bend knee to ground (as in worship), to grovel

synonyms: bow, curtsy, kneel

wend

verb

to go, proceed, walk

synonyms: meander, wander, stroll

pelagic

adjective

relating to open seas rather than waters adjacent to land

synonyms: marine, aquatic, maritime

froward

adjective

intractable, stubbornly disobedient, difficult to manage

synonyms: mischievous, rebellious, naughty

punctilious

adjective

precise, paying attention to trivialities of etiquette

synonyms: meticulous, conscientious, dilligent

aphorism

noun

a tersely phrased truth or opinion; adage; epigram; a brief statement of principle; or general truth

synonyms: proverb, expression, saying, epigram

purloin

verb

to steal

synonyms: steal, thieve, take, loot

esoteric

adjective

intended for or understood only by a particular group; not publicly disclosed; confidential

synonyms: obscure, perplexing, cryptic

succor

noun

relief during a time of struggle

synonyms: aid, support, guidance, easement

protean

adjective

readily assuming different forms or characters, versatile

synonyms: variable, shifting, changeable/ever-changing

callous

adjective

insensitive; having no feeling

synonyms: heartless, unfeeling, insensitive

proscribe

verb

to prohibit or forbid as harmful or unlawful

synonyms: forbid, prohibit, ban, disallow

denouement

noun

an outcome or solution to a complex series of events

synonyms: finale, epilogue, ending, culmination

supercilious

adjective

arrogant; overbearing; displaying condescending superiority over someone else

synonyms: conceited, disdainful, condescending, patronizing

parley

noun

discussion between enemies, often to prepare terms of surrender

synonyms: negotiation, discussion, conclave, deliberation

apoplectic

adjective

furious; enraged; overcome with anger

synonyms: infuriated, raging, wrathful, fuming, seething

simper

verb

to say with a coy smile; to smirk

synonyms: titter, smirk, snigger

miscegenation

noun

the interbreeding of different races; ALSO any mixture or hybrid

synonyms: crossbreeding, interbreeding

androgynous

adjective

not distinguishable between male and female

synonyms: genderless, unesex, asexual

covey

noun

a family of partridges; ALSO a small group

synonyms: swarm, gaggle, colony

supine

adjective

inactive; lying on one’s back apathetically; ALSO morally slack

synonyms: weak, spineless, docile

cozen

verb

to cheat, beguile, or deceive

synonyms: cheat, defraud, bamboozle

limpid

adjective

calm, untroubled, serene; ALSO transparent, clear

synonyms: glassy, translucent, see-through

refulgent

adjective

shining radiantly; brilliant

synonyms: luminous, dazzling, glowing

phlegmatic

adjective

hard to excite, calm, sluggish; unemotional, stoic

synonyms: composed, controlled, impassive

attenuate

verb

to weaken or reduce in force or value; to make small or fine

synonyms: weakened, reduced, lessened, diminished

disingenuous

adjective

lacking in sincerity or candor

synonyms: dishonest, insincere, false

epistle

noun

a written message, usually a formal letter

synonyms: letter, communication, correspondence, missive

factitious

adjective

produced artificially; not natural; fake

synonyms: bogus, fake, counterfeit, fraudulent

pied

adjective

containing patches of two or more colors, usually in blotches

synonyms: multicolored, spotted, polychromic

militate

verb

to have substantial weight on preventing; to argue against; discourage

synonyms: resist, hinder, oppose, counter

Stygian

adjective

dark, gloomy, dismal; ALSO infernal, hellish

synonyms: darkened, bleak, dim, sombre

gainsay

verb

to declare false; to deny; to contradict or claim exception to

synonyms: deny, dispute, challenge, contest

palliate

verb

to make something appear less serious; to mitigate; to alleviate

synonyms: alleviate, ease, relieve, soothe

nostrum

noun

cure-all, questionable remedy, or a placebo

synonyms: potion, elixir, magic bullet

obstreperous

adjective

unruly, noisy, loudly stubborn

synonyms: unmanageable, disorderly, uncontrollable

precocious

adjective

unusually quick development or maturation, especially in intelligence

synonyms: advanced, mature, ahead, gifted, talented

regale

verb

to entertain; to supply lavishly

synonyms: entertain, amuse, fascinate, captivate

ambit

noun

the extent, boundary, or scope of something

synonyms: bounds, confines, limits, range, breadth

apostate

noun

one who abandons a belief, cause, party, or religion

synonyms: nonconformist, deserter, traitor, turncoat

sophistry

noun

fallacious reasoning; faulty, although plausible, logic

synonyms: ambiguity, deception, fiction, equivocation

perspicuity

noun

clarity or perceptiveness in speech, thought, or writing

synonyms: clarity, transparency, distinctness, explicitness

enjoin

verb

to command or direct an action with authority; ALSO to prohibit or forbid an action

synonyms: urge, encourage, prompt, pressure

fulsome

adjective

offensively flattering or insincere; offensive to the tase; ALSO generous or abundant

synonyms: profuse, lavish, gushing, extravagant, overdone

imprecation

noun

a curse

synonyms: curse, hex, expletive, obscenity

extenuate

verb

to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of; to mitigate

synonyms: excuse, mitigate, defend, justify, explain

ineluctable

adjective

certain, inevitable, unavoidable

synonyms: inescapable, necessary, definite

vitiate

verb

to reduce the quality of; to corrupt

synonyms: blemish, deprave, deteriorate, devalue, harm

turpitude

noun

depravity, baseness; ALSO a vile act

synonyms: wickedness, immorality, corruption, vice

plaintive

adjective

mournful, sorrowful, melancholy

synonyms: pitiful, sad, wretched

pertinacious

adjective

holding tenaciously to a belief; stubbornly unyielding

synonyms: determined, persistent, insistent, unrelenting

recreant

adjective

unfaithful, disloyal to belief or principle; ALSO cowardly or craven; one who is a coward, unfaithful, or disloyal

synonyms: afraid, traitorous, deserter, coward

adduce

verb

to offer as proof in an argument

synonyms: cite, quote, mention, specify, identify

traduce

verb

to slander or speak maliciously of

synonyms: defame, slander, misrepresent

apposite

adjective

relevant, suitable, or fitting

synonyms: appropriate, pertinent, applicable

discursive

adjective

rambling aimlessly through a wide range of subjects

synonyms: indirect, meandering, digressive

avocation

noun

an extracurricular activity; a hobby

synonyms: pursuit, recreation, entertainment, pastime

adumbrate

verb

to foreshadow vaguely; to produce a faint outline or resemblance of something

alchemy

noun

the medieval study of transforming lead into gold

synonyms: chemistry, magic, sorcery

allege

verb

to state that something is true without providing proof

synonyms: claim, state, argue, affirm, attest

allude

verb

to refer to another concept indirectly

synonyms: suggest, hint at, imply

altruism

noun

selfless concern for others

synonyms: selflessness, compassion, nobility

ambivalence

noun

confused or contradicting feelings

synonyms: uncertainty, doubt, indecision, hesitation

amble

verb

to walk slowly

synonyms: stroll, wander, roam

ameliorate

verb

to make better

synonyms: improve, enhance, benefit, raise

amenable

adjective

open to suggestion or criticism; ALSO accountable

synonyms: compliant, controllable, persuadable, malleable

analgesic

noun

pain reliever

synonyms: sedative, painkiller, tranquilizer

anecdote

noun

a story of a specific incident, used as an example or for entertainment

synonyms: story, tale, narrative, sketch

annul

verb

to declare invalid

synonyms: nullify, invalidate, void, repeal

didactic

adjective

overly instructive, educational

synonyms: informative, doctrinal, academic, scholastic

diffident

adjective

lacking confidence; restrained or reserved

synonyms: shy, bashful, modest, humble

diffuse

verb

to spread out

adjective

widely spread, scattered; wordy and rambling

synonyms: spread, scatter(ed), disperse(d), distribute

dilapidated

adjective

ruined, worn down

synonyms: run down, battered, unsound

dilate

verb

to widen or enlarge; ALSO to give a long speech on a subject

synonyms: enlarge, widen, expand, distend, swell

dilettante

noun

a person with an interest in a topic without really committing; ALSO a patron of the arts

synonyms: amateur, nonprofessional, nonspecialist, layperson

dirge

noun

a mournful song

synonyms: lament, requiem

disabuse

verb

to free from a misconception or error in thought

synonyms: disillusion, undeceive, correct, enlighten

disaffect

verb

to make someone lose loyalty or affection

synonyms: alienate, estrange, antagonize

discern

verb

to recognize; to recognize as different

synonyms: detect, determine, differentiate, distinguish

discomfit

verb

to unsettle; ALSO to upset or prevent from succeeding

synonyms: embarrass, abash, discomfort, unnerve

hackneyed

adjective

overdone or cliché

synonyms: overused, worn out, stale

hallmark

noun

a unique, identifying trait; ALSO a mark used to indicate the purity of certain metals

synonyms: trademark, attribute, indication

harangue

verb

to speak with intense emotions

noun

a rant

synonyms: tirade, lecture, berate, criticism

hedonism

noun

dedication to pursuing pleasure

synonyms: indulgence, greed, debauchery

tan

verb

to whip; ALSO to make leather out of animal hide

synonyms: beat, lash, flail

heretical

adjective

differing from official beliefs

synonyms: dissident, unorthodox, skeptical, agnostic

hieroglyphic

adjective

difficult to understand, mysterious

synonyms: scribble, scrawl, jottings, shorthand

homogeneous

adjective

composed of similar or identical parts

synonyms: equivalent, uniform, identical

hone

verb

to perfect; to sharpen

synonyms: sharpen, file, polish

husband

verb

to conserve

synonyms: conserve, preserve, safeguard

nonplussed

adjective

confused

synonyms: bewildered, bemused, puzzled, stumped

noxious

adjective

harmful in a physical or moral way

synonyms: poisonous, destructive, harmful, damaging

nuance

noun

a small difference

synonyms: variation, refinement, subtlety

obdurate

adjective

stubborn; inflexible and unyielding; ALSO emotionally cold; not compassionate

synonyms: obstinate, headstrong

obsequious

adjective

very submissive and flattering

synonyms: subordinate, obedient, dutiful

obstinate

adjective

stubborn, unyielding to change an opinion

synonyms: stubborn, headstrong, unbending

obviate

verb

to anticipate and prevent; to make obsolete

synonyms: preclude, prevent, eliminate, avoid

occlude

verb

to close of block off, ALSO to combine opposite surfaces

synonyms: block, stop, obstruct, shut