Gregmat Vocabulary (copy)

abound

exist in large numbers or amounts.

amorphous

without a clearly defined shape or form.

austere

1. Strict in manner
2. Lack of comforts or luxuries

belie

1. (of an appearance) fail to give a true impression of (something).
2. fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation).

capricious

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

cerebral

1. of the cerebrum of the brain.
2. intellectual rather than emotional or physical.

congenial

1. (of a person) pleasing or liked on account of having qualities or interests that are similar to one's own.
2. (of a thing) pleasant or agreeable because suited to one's taste or inclination.

conspicuous

1. clearly visible.
2. attracting notice or attention.

cursory

hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.

didactic

intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

disseminate

spread (something, especially information) widely.

flout

openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention)

homogeneous

of the same kind; alike.

humdrum

lacking excitement or variety; boringly monotonous.

insipid

1. lacking flavor; weak or tasteless.
2. lacking vigor or interest.

loquacious

tending to talk a great deal; talkative.

misanthropic

having or showing a dislike of other people; unsociable.

misnomer

a wrong or inaccurate name or designation.

obsequious

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

placate

make (someone) less angry or hostile.

puerile

childishly silly and immature.

quixotic

extremely idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.

spendthrift

a person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way.

taciturn

(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

adulterate

render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance.

aggrandize

increase the power, status, or wealth of.

alacrity

cheerful willingness and liveliness

ambivalent

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.

ameliorate

make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.

amenable

open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled.

anachronistic

belonging to a period other than that being portrayed.

avaricious

having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

banal

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.

benign

1. gentle and kind.
2. not harmful to the environment.

brazen

bold and without shame.

calumny

the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander.

candid

truthful and straightforward; frank.

castigate

reprimand (someone) severely.

caustic

1. sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way.
2. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.

construe

interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.

contrite

feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong.

craven

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.

decorum

behaviour in keeping with good taste and propriety.

demur

raise objections or show reluctance.

derivative

1. something which is based on another source.
2. imitative of the work of another artist, writer, etc., and usually disapproved of for that reason.

desiccate

remove the moisture from (something); cause to become completely dry.

diatribe

a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something.

incredulous

(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

ingenuous

(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting.

abate

(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread.

abjure

Rejecting a belief that was once believed in.

anomalous

deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected.

antipathy

a deep-seated feeling of aversion.

artless

without effort or pretentiousness; natural and simple.

ascetic

characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.

assuage

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

bucolic

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

burgeon

begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish.

cacophonous

involving or producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

censure

express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement.

cogent

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

deference

polite submission and respect.

desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.

diffident

modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.

dilatory

1. slow to act.
2. intended to cause delay.

equivocate

use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

polarize

divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.

prodigal

1. spending money or using resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
2. having or giving something on a lavish scale.

verbose

using or expressed in more words than are needed.

approbation

approval or praise.

disparate

essentially different in kind; not able to be compared.

enervate

make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality.

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time.

fervid

intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree.

garrulous

excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.

inimical

tending to obstruct or harm.

pedantic

excessively concerned with minor details or rules; overscrupulous.

placid

1. not easily upset or excited.
2. calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.

polemical

of or involving strongly critical or disputatious writing or speech.

precipitate

cause (an event or situation, typically one that is undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.

prudent

acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

punctilious

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.

recondite

difficult to understand; abstruse

scrupulous

(of a person or process) careful, thorough, and extremely attentive to details.

vacillate

waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive.

aloof

not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant.

clangor

a continuous loud banging or ringing sound.

enigmatic

difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.

imperious

arrogant and domineering.

impertinent

1. not showing proper respect; rude.
2. not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.

marginalize

treat (a person, group, or concept) as insignificant or peripheral.

panache

flamboyant confidence of style or manner.

plodding

slow-moving and unexciting.

prosaic

having or using the style or diction of prose as opposed to poetry; lacking imaginativeness or originality.

restive

(of a person) unable to remain still, silent, or submissive, especially because of boredom or dissatisfaction.

stigmatize

describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.

weary

feeling or showing extreme tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion.

admonish

warn or reprimand someone firmly.

affectation

behavior, speech, or writing that is pretentious and designed to impress.

chauvinistic

feeling or displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.