GRE Vocab Set 1

aberrant

deviating from norm

abscond

depart hurriedly and secretly, steal and hide

alacrity

eager and enthusiastic willingness

anomaly

deviation from normal order, form, rule

approbation

expression of approval or praise

arduous

strenuous or taxing, requiring significant efforts

assuage

ease or lessen, appease or pacity

audacious

daring or fearless, recklessly bold

austere

without adornment, bare, severe self-discipline and abstention

axiomatic

taken as given, possessing self-evident truth

canonical

following or in agreement w accepted, traditional standards

capricious

inclined to change one’s mind impulsively, erratic and unpredictable, fickle

censure

criticize severely, officially rebuke

chicanery

trickery or subterfuge (deceit for one’s benefit)

connoisseur

expert in field of taste

convoluted

complex or complicated

disabuse

undeceive or set right

discordant

conflicting, dissonant or harsh in sound

disparate

fundamentally distinct or dissimilar

effrontery

extreme boldness, presumptuousness

eloquent

well-spoken, expressive, articulate

enervate

weaken, reduce in vitality

ennui

dissatisfaction and restlessness from boredom or apathy

equivocate

use ambiguous language w deceoptive intent

erudite

very learned or scholarly

exculpate

clear of blame

exigent

urgent, pressing, requiring immediate action or attention

extemporaneous

improvised, done without preparation

filibuster

intentional obstruction w prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action

fulminate

loudly attack or denounce

ingenuous

artless, frank and candid, lacking in sophistication

inured

accustomed to accepting something undesirable

irascible

easily angered, prone to temperamental outbursts

laud

praise highly

lucid

clear, easily understood

magnanimity

quality of being generously noble in mind and heart esp in forgiving

martial

associated w war and armed forces

mundane

of the world, typical of or concerned w ordinary

nascent

coming into being, in early developmental stages

nebulous

vague, cloudy, lacking clearly defined form

neologism

new word, expression, usage; creation or use of new words or senses

noxious

harmful, injurious

obtuse

lacking sharpness of intellect, not clear or precise in thought or expression

obviate

anticipate and remove or prevent

onerous

trouble or burdensome

paean

song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving

parody

humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect

perennial

recurrent through year or many years, happening repeatedly

perfidy

intentional breach of faith, treachery

perfunctory

cursory, done without care or interest

perspicacious

acutely perceptive, having keen discernment

prattle

babble meaninglessly, talk in empty and idle manner

precipitate (adj)

acting w excessive haste or impulse

precipitate (v)

cause or happen before anticipated or required

predilection

disposition in favor of something, preference

prescience

foreknowledge of events, knowing of events prior to their occurring

prevaricate

deliberately avoid truth, mislead

qualms

misgivings, reservations, causes for hesitancy

recant

retract esp a past belief

refute

disprove, successfully argue against

relegate

forcibly assign esp to lower place or position

reticent

quiet, reserved, reluctant to express thoughts and feelings

solicitous

concerned and attentive, eager

sordid

characterized by filth, grime, squalor; foul

sporadic

occurring occasionally or in scattered instances

squander

waste by spending or using irresponsibly

static

not moving or active, at rest

stupefy

stun, baffle, amaze

stymie

block or thwart

synthesis

combination of parts to make whole

torque

force that causes rotation

tortuous

winding, twisting, excessively complicated

truculent

fierce and cruel, eager to fight

veracity

truthfulness, honesty

virulent

extremely harmful or poisonous, bitterly hostile or antagonistic

voracious

having insatiable appetite for activity or pursuit

waver

sway, be unsettled in opinion