PrepScholar 357 Best GRE Vocab Words

Practice vocabulary flashcards for the PrepScholar 357 Best GRE Vocab Words.

abate

v. To decrease in intensity or become less severe.

aberrant

adj. Deviating from what is normal, typical, or expected

abjure

v. To formally reject or give up a belief, practice, or way of life

abscond

v. To leave secretly or suddenly, usually to escape punishment, avoid detection

abstain

v. To voluntarily refrain from doing something or participating in an activity

acumen

n. describes someone who possesses exceptional insight, intelligence, or judgment

admonish

v. To scold or firmly warn someone about their behavior

adulterate

v. contamination or corruption of something that was originally pure or genuine

advocate

v. To publicly support, recommend, or argue in favor of a particular idea, policy, or cause n. a person who supports a cause

aesthetic

adj. concerned with the nature of beauty and art

affectation

n. Artificial or exaggerated behavior, speech, or mannerisms intended to impress others or create a false impression.

aggrandize

v. To increase someone's power, wealth, status, or reputation

alacrity

n. Eager, cheerful readiness or wil lingness to do something

alleviate

v. to relieve a problem or ease a burden

amalgamate

v. To combine or merge two or more things into a single whole

ambiguous

adj. Something that is unclear, vague, or open to more than one interpretation.

ambivalent

adj. having mixed or contradictory feelings about someone or something

ameliorate

(verb) to improve something or make a bad situation better or less severe

amenable

adj. Willing to agree, cooperate, or accept suggestions and changes.

anachronism

n. Something that belongs to a different historical time period or seems out of place in the present.

analogous

adj. Similar or comparable in certain ways,

anoint

v. To officially choose or appoint someone for an important position,

anomaly

n. something that is unusual, unexpected, or different from what is normal.

antipathy

n. A strong feeling of dislike or hostility toward someone or something.

antithetical

adj. Directly opposed to or completely contrary to something.

apathy

n. A lack of interest, enthusiasm, concern, or emotion toward something

appease

v. To calm someone who is angry or upset by giving them what they want or making concessions.

arbitrary

adj. Random or without a clear reason.

arcane

adj. Difficult to understand because it is known by only a few people.

archaic

adj. Very old-fashioned and outdated

arduous

adj. difficult, taxing, requiring considerable effort

articulate

adj. exhibiting considerable communication skil ls, wel l-spoken

artless

adj. without artifice; adj. natural, untrained

ascetic

adj. austere or self-denying

assuage

v. to provide relief from an unpleasant feeling; v. to satisfy a need or appetite

astonishment

n. total surprise, shock

audacious

adj. very bold or presumptuous

austere

adj. severe, unadorned

avarice

n. greed

aver

v. to assert or al lege

banal

adj. boring, cliché

belie

v. give a false impression (intentional or unintentional) in word, appearance, or deed

benign

adj. gentle, harmless

biased

adj. prejudiced, displaying partiality

bolster

v. to shore up or support

bombastic

adj. overblown, theatrical

brazen

adj. bold or open to the point of shocking; adj. shameless

bucolic

adj. pastoral, rustic, countryfied

burgeon

v. flourish, bloom, expand or increase quickly

cacophony

n. loud and chaotic noise

calumny

n. lie or slander

candid

adj. honest, open

canon

n. accepted rules and tenets of a discipline; n. sacred works/scripture; in this sense it is also used to refer to notable literary and artistic works of a culture or discipline

capacity

n. the capability to perform a particular action or fulfil l a given function; n. the total amount a container can hold; n. a particular position or role (i.e. “she served in an advisory capacityâ€)

capricious

adj. mercurial, unpredictable, whimsical

castigate

v. to scold or berate strongly

catalyst

n. something that speeds up a process or causes action

caustic

adj. corrosive; adj. bitterly sarcastic

censure

v. to express intense condemnation

chauvinist

n. someone who believes prejudicial ly that their own group is the superior one

chicanery

n. trickery or deception

chronological

adj. ordered by time

coalesce

v. to come together, esp. from disparate parts

cogent

adj. clearly laid out and persuasive

commensurate

adj. in accordance with, proportional

compelling

adj. captivating; adj. very persuasive

comprehensive

adj. complete and thorough

condone

v. to approve or al low

confound

v. to confuse or astonish

connoisseur

n. an expert in a particular subject matter area, usual ly relating to the fine arts or cultural pursuits

consequential

adj. as a result of; adj. significant or memorable

construe

v. to interpret

consumption

n. utilization (esp. of a resource)

contend

v. assert or claim; v. grapple with

contentious

adj. controversial; adj. involving conflict

contrite

adj. remorseful

convoluted

adj. roundabout, not straightforward

copious

adj. plentiful or abundant

cosmopolitan

adj. of or relating to a city or urban area; adj. sophisticated

covet

v. to desire something that does not belong to you

craft

n. cunning; n. skil l

craven

adj. cowardly to the point of being shameful

credence

n. belief or trust

credulous

adj. gul lible, naïve

decorum

n. appropriate behavior or good manners

deference

n. respect or polite submission

deflect

v. divert or cause to ricochet

deftness

adj. skil l, acumen; adj. manual dexterity

delineate

v. to describe very accurately; v. to clearly demarcate a boundary; v. to render an outline

demur

v. to object or raise concerns

denigrate

v. say negative things about, particularly in a defamatory way

deride

v. to mock or ridicule

derivative

adj. imitates another work in a way that is unoriginal or uninspiring

desiccate

v. to dry out completely; v. to suck out the vitality and passion

desultory

adj. halfhearted; adj. inconsistent or random

detachment

n. objectivity or aloofness

determinant

n. a strong factor in an outcome

diatribe

n. a rant or angry speech denouncing someone or something

didactic

adj. educational or with an instructive purpose; often includes an element of moralizing

diffident

adj. shy, timid, or reserved due to a lack of confidence