GRE PREP

abyss

an immeasurable space or profound, infinite, unfathomable

deference

respectful & courteous

metaphor

a term or phrase that resembles a symbol

efficacy

effectiveness/ successful in producing a result

bombastic

writing or speech that is pretentious

luminous

radiant, shining, bright

pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

iconoclast

one who opposes established beliefs, customs and institutions

perspicious

easily understood/ lucid

eloquent

fluent, forceful and movingly expressive speech

dilatory

tardy, slow, tending to delay

ardor

warmth of feeling, passion

convoluted

complicated, twisted, coiled

vagrant

wanderer with no home, tramp, vagabond

dillettante

a lover of art or science

credulous

gullible, willing to trust easily

cogent

relevant, to the point, pertinent

chauvinist

a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic or sexist

dogmatic

asserting opinions in an arrogant/doctrinaire manner

banal

mundane, bland

dirge

a mournful sound, expressing mourning in commemoration of dead

condone

to disregard, pardon

buyoancy

cheerful disposition, float

dissonance

cacophony, inharmonious or harsh sound

perfunctory

performed merely as a routine duty, apathetic, lasting interest, care and enthusiasm

onerous

burdensome, oppressive, obligation that outweigh advantages

paradox

an opinion or statement contrary to common accepted opinion

misanthrope

a hater of human kind

incipient

initial stage, just beginning

perfiduous

disloyal, deceitful, deliberately faithless

ostentation

display intended to impress others/ pretense

discern

distinguish, perceive by site, sound or intellect

elegy

sad or mournful music, funeral song

chicanery

fraud, deception

caustic

capable of burning, severely critical or sarcastic

ameliorate

improve, make better

analogous

similar, alike, comparable

aesthetic

concerning beauty, cultivated, refined

obviate

to anticipate and prevent or eliminate by effective measures

equanimity

calmness, especially under stress, calmness

baleful

threatining, unfriendly , menacing

amalgamate

blend, unite, combine

opaque

unable to pass through light, dull, dark, nontransparent, hard to understand

piddling

to spend time in a wasteful, trifling manner, amount to nothing

nascent

beginning to exist or develop

apathy

lack of interest in things others find moving or exciting

opprobrium

infamy, a cause or object of such disgrace and reproach

plethora

excessive, overabundance

diffident

timid, shy, lacking confidence

corroborate

to make more certain or confirm

paragon

a model or pattern of excellence

mollify

ease, pacify, soften

permeate

to penetrate or part of or diffuse through

malinger

to pretend illness, especially to avoid work

diatribe

bitter, sharp and abusive denunciation, attack or criticism

precipitate

when you hasten an occurrence of something, good or bad, in a premature state

lucid

clear understanding

proliferation

rapid spread or increase, growth

quixotic

starry eyed, utopian

trepid

fearful, apprehensive

abate

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

abscond

to leave secretly

abstain

to choose not to do something

aggrandize

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

alleviate

to make more bearable

ambiguous

doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

anachronism

something out of place in time

anomaly

deviation from what is normal

antagonize

to annoy or provoke to anger

antipathy

extreme dislike

arbitrate

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

archaic

ancient, old fashioned

articulate

able to speak clearly and expressively

assuage

to make something unpleasant less severe

attenuate

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

audacious

fearless or daring

austere

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

bolster

to support; prop up

cacophony

harsh, jarring noise

candid

impartial and honest in speech

capricious

changing ones mind quickly and often

castigate

to punish or criticize harshly

catalyst

something that brings about a change in something else

chaos

great disorder or confusion

crescendo

steadily increasing volume or force

decorum

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propiety

deride

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

dessicate

to dry out thoroughly

desultory

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

dilate

to make larger, to expand

disabuse

to set right; to free from error

disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unalike

dissemble

to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character

dogma

a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

dupe

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

eclectic

selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

enervate

to reduce in strength

engender

to produce, cause or bring about

enigma

a puzzle; a mystery

enumerate

to count, list or itemize