GRE Prep

GRE vocab cards

abate

decrease, diminish

abdicate

step down

abscond

steal away

abeyance

cessation of activity or temporary suspension

amorphous

formless

anachronism

associated with wrong historical period

analogous

comparable in certain respects

arbitrary

according to chance

auspicious

conducive to success; favorable

bane

source of unhappiness

belie

contradict

blight

cause of destruction

blithe

carefree

buoyant

light, airy

calumny

slander

caveat

warning

clairvoyant

psychic

cogent

logical argument

concatenation

chain of linked events

demagogue

political agitator

devoid

lacking

diaphanous

sheer, light can pass through

diatribe

rant

dichotomy

divided into two opposing sides

dictum

a saying

dilettante

amateur

dirge

song of mourning

disparate

different, distinct

effigy

model or likeness

emollient

substance making things softer

endemic

native

euphemism

nice way of expressing something negative

euphony

pleasant sounds

excavate

dig up

expedite

speed up

expurgate

purge

extant

existent

foment

incite

fungible

exchangeable

glib

superficial

hegemony

overwhelming dominance of a group

imbue

saturate with

impervious

immune

implacable

not able to be calmed

inchoate

undeveloped

ineffable

beyond words

infamous

famous for negative thing

insidious

intended to secretly undermine

inundate

flood

jingoism

extreme nationalism

ludicrous

absurd

malinger

person who pretends to be ill

mar

damage

misanthrope

person who dislikes people

obtrude

stick out

ostracize

make someone an outcast

paradox

apparent contradictions

partisan

factional, adhering strongly to one side

pendulous

hanging heavily

ponderous

weighty

potent

powerful

preclude

prevent

redolent

reminiscent

remonstrate

to plead with or beg in protest

rue

regret

salient

striking

sate, satiate

satisfy

tyro

novice

unadulterated

pure, not diluted

vex

annoy

warp

distort

watershed

tipping point

winnow

filter out

woo

charm, seduce

august

revered

badger

to pester or annoy

biting

sharp

coin

to invent

couch

to hide

cow

to intimidate

doctor

to alter or tamper with

embroider

to falsify

foil

to put a stop to

grill

to question intensely

sap

to drain of energy

sober

serious