GRE Vocabulary

pedantic

boringly scholarly or academic OR narrow focus on trivial

laconic

Using few words

equivocal

Ambiguous; intentionally misleading

harangue

noisy, attacking speech

galvanize

To startle into sudden activity

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth

didactic

intended to teach; inclined to teach excessively

dogmatic

dictatorial in one's opinions

gainsay

Declare false, deny; oppose

mawkish

excessively sentimental

prescience

foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring

querlous

complaining; grumbling

recondite

Difficult to understand

deferential

respectful

reticent

Quiet

gall

rude, impertinent, bitter anger

torpor

extreme mental and physical sluggishness

ephemeral

Lasting a short time

quotidian

occurring daily; commonplace

refractory

Stubbornly disobedient, hard to manage

travesty

mockery

spurious

Not genuine; false

ascetic

One who leads a life of self-denial and contemplation; absent of luxury

languid

(adj.) drooping; without energy, sluggish

soporific

causing sleep or lethargy

largess

generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior

apochryphal

false, spurious, of doubtful origin

intransigent

Refusing to compromise

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure

provincial

Unsophisticated

iconoclastic

attacking cherished traditions

tortuous

Twisting, winding, complex; devious, not straightforward

discrete

Distinct, separate

circumscribe

limit

arcane

Known or understood by only a few

hegemony

the domination of one state or group over its allies

inimical

Hostile, adverse, harmful

inveterate

(adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual

propitious

Favorable, giving good signs for the future, likely to work out; kind or forgiving

precipitous

done in a hurry OR very steep

intrepid

fearless

pedestrian

Ordinary, dull, commonplace, lacking imagination

austere

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

repudiate

To reject the validity of

sycophant

a self-serving flatterer; yes-man

winsome

(adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)

pernicious

(adj.) extremely harmful; deadly, fatal

specious

(adj.) deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit

deleterious

(adj.) harmful, injurious

polemic

controversy; argument; verbal attack

askance

look with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval

mendacity

untruthfulness

dilatory

intended to delay

posit

assume as fact

capricious

Changing one's mind quickly and often

esoteric

Intended for or understood by only a small group

erudite

Scholarly

harried

To be troubled or bothered

nonplussed

bewildered

efficacious

Effective, producing results

reprobate

A morally unprincipled person

profuse

(adj.) very abundant; given or flowing freely

screed

noun: an abusive rant (often tedious)

indignant

Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment

demure

(adj.) sober or serious in manner, modest

truculent

fierce and cruel; eager to fight

cow

to intimidate

fractious

unruly; rebellious

feckless

adjective: lazy and irresponsible

ponderous

Heavy and slow moving

depravity

moral corruption

turpitude

depravity, moral corruption

vicissitude

a change or variation; ups and downs

factious

causing disagreement, dissension

expansive

adjective: communicative, and prone to talking in a sociable manne

arrant

(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

churlish

(adj.) lacking politeness or good manners; lacking sensitivity; difficult to work with or deal with; rude

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, diligent

choleric

Easily angered

precipitate

to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation; hasty, rash

perfunctory

done in a routine way; indifferent

overweening

excessively arrogant; overbearing

prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic

alacrity

Cheerful or speedy willingness, eagerness

anathema

(n.) an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article)

nadir

Lowest point

exegesis

scholarly explanation or interpretation

catholic

Universal, broad-minded

saturnine

gloomy; sluggish

supercilious

Arrogant, disdainful

kowtow

verb: to bow or act in a subservient manne

beg

assume something is true

chary

wary; cautious; sparing

byzantine

extremely intricate or complicated in structure.

untoward

not favorable, troublesome, unruly

apostate

one who renounces a religious faith

attenuate

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

propitiate

to conciliate; to appease

arch

deliberately teasing

limpid

clear, transparent