GRE Vocab

alacrity

• (n.) an eager willingness to do something

• ex. The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with such [this term] that upper management knew they would be giving him a promotion

prosaic

• (adj.) dull and lacking imagination

• ex. Unlike the talented artists in his workshop, Paul had no such bent for the visual medium, so when it was time for him to make a stained glass painting, he ended up with a [this term] mosaic

veracity

• (adj.) truthful

• ex. After years of political scandals, the congressman was hardly known for his [this term]'; yet despite this distrust, he was voted into yet another term

paucity

• (n.) a lack of something

• ex. There is a [this term] of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced

maintain

• (v.) to assert

• ex. The scientist [this term]-ed that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate

contrite

• (adj.) to be remorseful

• ex. Though he stole his little sister’s licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became [this term] when his sister wouldn’t stop crying

laconic

• (adj.) someone who says very few words

• ex. While Martha always swooned over the hunky, [this term] types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were all very talkative.

pugnacious

• (adj.) someone who likes to aggressively argue about everything

• ex. The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he [this term]-ly spat back at them, “Hey you think this is easy—why don’t you buffoons give it a shot?”

disparate

• (adj.) fundamentally different

• ex. With the advent of machines capable of looking inside brains, fields as [this term] as religion and biology have been brought together, as scientists try to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience

egregious

• (adj.) standing out in a bad way

• ex. The dictator’s abuse of human rights was so [this term] that many world leaders asked that he be tried in an international court for genocide

innocuous

• (adj.) harmless, doesn’t produce any ill effects; inoffensive

• ex. Everyone found Nancy’s banter [this term]—except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally trying to pick on him

candid

• (adj.) straightforward and honest

• ex. Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always [this term] and would rarely hold anything back

erratic

• (adj.) unpredictable; strange, unconventional

• ex. It came as no surprise that the President’s attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was [this term], with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent

bleak

• (adj.) depressing

• ex. Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create [this term] literature and lugubrious music

profuse

• (adj.) something pouring out in abundance

• ex. During mile 20 of the Hawaii marathon, Dwayne was sweating so [this term]-ly that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles clad in nothing more than skimpy shorts

extant

• (adj.) in existence, surviving

• ex. Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be [this term] generations from now

contentious

• (adj.) someone who likes to argue

• ex. Since old grandpa Harry became very [this term] during the summer when only reruns were on the TV, the grandkids learned to hide from him at every opportunity

auspicious

• (adj.) favorable

  • ex. Despite an [this term] beginning, Mike’s road trup became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile

inauspicious

• (adj.) unfavorable

• ex. The weather conditions for the game were rather [this term]

enervate

• (v.) to sap the energy from

• ex. John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him [this term]-ed after he’d spent the day sightseeing

equivocate

• (v.) to speak vaguely, usually with the intention to mislead or deceive; ambiguous

• ex. The findings of the study were [this term]-cal—the two researchers had divergent opinions on what the results signified

unequivocal

• (adj.) unambiguous, without a doubt

• ex. The answer was an [this term] no

ambivalent

• (adj.) mixed or conflicting emotions about something

• ex. Sam was [this term] about studying for the GRE because it ate up a lot of his time, yet he learned many words and improved at reading comprehension

sedulous

• (adj.) diligently and carefully

• ex. Am avid numismatist, Harold [this term]-ly amassed a collection of coins from over 100 countries—an endeavor that took over fifteen years

stem

• (v.) to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something

• ex. To [this term] the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the GRE

blinkered

• (adj.) a limited outlook or understanding

• ex. In gambling, the addict is easily [this term] by past successes and/or past failures, forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that preceded it

unchecked

• (adj.) something undesirable that has grown out of control

• ex. Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence—weeds grew[ this term] in the front yard

checkered

• (adj.) marked by disreputable happenings

• ex. One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective [this term] pasts—from embezzlement to infidelity—sabotaging their campaigns

raft

• (n.) a large number of something

  • Despite a [this term] of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis

involved

• (adj.) complicated, difficult to comprehend

• ex. The physics lecture became so [this term] that the undergraduate’s eyes glazed over

retiring

• (adj.) to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company

• ex. Nelson was always the first to leave soirees—rather than mill about with “fashionable” folk, he was [this term], and preferred the solitude of his garret

expansive

• (adj.) extensive, wide-ranging; communicative, prone to talking in a sociable manner

• ex. After a few sips of cognac, the octogenarian shed his irascible demeanor and became [this term], speaking fondly of “the good old days”

moment

• (n.) a point in time

• something of the [this term] means that it is significant and important; momentous

• ex. Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great [this term] in Hampton’s writing career, and withing a few years, the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts

base

• (adj.) without any moral principles

• ex. She was not so base as to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner plate

imbibe

• (v.) to drink, usually copiously; an intake of knowledge or information

• ex. Plato [this term]-d Socrates’s teachings to such an extent that he was able to write volumes of work that he directedly attributed, sometimes word for word, to Socrates

inundate

• (v.) to flood

• to be [this term]-d means to be overwhelmed by too many people or things

• ex. The newsroom was [this term]-d with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery

scintillating

• (adj.) if something gives off sparks; someone who is brilliant and lively

• ex. Richard Feynman was renowned for his [this term] lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard

benighted

• (adj.) if the sky darkens and becomes night; falling into a state of ignorance

• ex. Far from being a period of utter [this term]-ness, the Medieval Ages produced some inestimable works of theological speculation

galvanize

• (v.) to strengthen steel by giving it a final coat; to excite to action or spur on

• ex. At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read “Go Kyle”; [this term]-d he broke into a galop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes

hedge

• (n./v.) playing safely; limiting or qualifying; avoiding making a direct statement, as in equivocating

• ex. When asked why he had decided to buy millions of shares at the very moment the tech companies stock soared, the CEO [this term]-d, mentioning something vague about gut instinct

flush

• (adj.) to turn red; to send down the toilet; to be in abundance; to drive out of hiding

• ex. The GRE Reading Comprehension passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday

fell

• (adj.) to cut down a tree; evil

• ex. For fans of the Harry Potter series, the [this term] Lord Voldemort who terrorized poor Harry for seven lengthy installments, has finally been vanquished by the forces of good—unless, that is, JK Rowling decides to come out of retirement

arch

• (adj.) to be deliberately teasing

• [this term] as a root means chief or principal

• ex. The baroness was [this term], making playful asides to the townspeople; yet because they couldn’t pick up on her dry humor they thought her supercilious

beg (a question)

• (v.) to evade a question, invite an obvious question, or ask a question that in itself makes unwarranted assumptions

• ex. By assuming that Charlie was headed to college—which he was not—Maggie [this term]-ged the question when she asked him which school he was headed to in the fall

tender

• (v.) offer something up

• ex. The government was loath to tender more money in fear that it might set off inflation

intimate

• (adj./v.) to suggest something subtly

• ex. At first Manfred’s teachers [this term]-d to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that notwithstanding the boy’s precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade

wanting

• (adj.) lacking

• ex. she did not find her vocabulary [this term], yet there were so many GRE vocabulary words that inevitably she did not know a few

becoming

• (adj.) something that is appropriate, and matches nicely

• ex. Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful

start

• (v.) to suddenly move or dart in a particular direction

• ex. All alone in the mansion, Henrietta [this term] when she heard a sound

fleece

• (v.) to deceive

• ex. Many have been [this term]-d by internet scams and have never received their money back

telling

• (adj.) something that is significant and revealing of another factor

• ex. Her unbecoming dress was very [this term] when it came to her sense of fashion

wax

• (n./v.) to increase (opposite it wane)

• ex. Her enthusiasm for the diva’s new album only [this term]-ed with each song; by the end of the album, it was her favorite CD yet

check

• (v.) to limit; to modify the growth of something

• ex. When government abuses are not kept in [this term], that government is likely to become autocratic

qualify

• (v.) to limit

• ex. I love San Francisco (unqualified) I love San Francisco, but it is always windy ([this term]-ing your love for San Francisco)

miserly

• (adj.) someone who is stingy with money (negative connotation); pinch every penny

• ex. He is [this term] with both his time and money

frugal

• (adj.) spending money wisely (positive connotation)

• ex. Monte was no miser, but was simply [this term], wisely spending the little that he earned

prevaricate

• (v.) to speak in an evasive way

• ex. The cynic quipped, “There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to [this term]”

variance

• (n.) the quality of varying

• ex. There was noticeable variance between the results and the initial hypothesis

histrionic

• (adj.) to be overly theatrical

• ex. Though she received a B- on the test, she had such a [this term] outburst that one would have thought she had been handed a death sentence

demur

• (v.) to object or show reluctance

• ex. Wallace disliked the cold, so he [this term]-red when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps

demure

• (adj.) to be modest and shy

• ex. She was regarded as [this term]

beatific

• (adj.) someone who radiates bliss

• ex. Marred by the ravages of time, the idols were hardly beautiful, yet each seemed to emanate a [this term] aura that not even 500 years could diminish

perfunctory

• (adj.) to do something in a routine way, going through the motions; also carries a connotation of carelessness (not necessarily doing your best)

• ex. She offered a [this term] apology, not once making eye contact

preemptively

• (adj.) to act before someone else does

• ex. Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah [this term] swiped it

peremptory

• (adj.) bossy and domineering

• ex. My sister used to [this term]-ily tell me to do the dishes, a chore I would either do perfunctorily or avoid doing altogether

indigent

• (adj.) poor, having very little means

• ex. In the so-called Third World, many are [this term] and only a privileged few have the wherewithal to enjoy material luxuries

indigenous

• (adj.) relating to a certain area

• ex. The flora and fauna [this term] to Australia are notably different from those [this term] to the U.S.

indignant

• (adj.) to feel anger over a perceived injustice

• ex. The passenger gave the flight attendant an [this term] look after hearing their flight was delayed

errant

• (adj.) to be wandering, not sticking to a circumscribed path; deviating from accepted behavior or standards

• ex. Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred [this term] walks through the university campus to help his brain function

arrant

• (adj.) complete and utter

• usually modifies a noun with a negative connotation

• ex. An [this term] fool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he lost all his money in a pyramid scheme that was every bit as transparent as it was corrupt

errand

• (n.) a small chore

• ex. Maria carried out her [this term] with dispatch, completing it before noon

err

• (v.) to make an error

• ex. He [this term]-ed in thinking that errant and arrant were synonyms

artless

• (adj.) innocent, guileless

• ex. an [this term] dodger, who would be too innocent and naive to dodge much of anything

artful

• (adj.) to be cunning and wily; to have artifice

• ex. the [this term] dodger, who can dodge tricky situations

expurgate

• (v.) to remove objectionable material

• ex. The R rated movie had been [this term]-d

expunge

• (v.) to wipe out or remove any trace of

• ex. Due to her good behavior, her previous crimes had been [this term]-d from the record

censure

• (v.) to express strong disapproval

• ex. Due to his rude behavior toward the sales clerk, passerby began to censure him

ponderous

• (adj.) to be weighed down; to move slowly and in labored fashion

• ex. Her backpack was so heavy that she moved in a [this term]-ly

imponderable

• (adj./n.) something that is impossible to estimate, fathom, or figure out

• ex. To answer a question like that would be [this term]

kowtow

• (v.) kneeling and touching the ground with your forehead

• gesture intended to show respect and submission, done in imperial courts of China to the emperor

• today, it has a negative connotation and implies that a person is acting in a subservient or sycophantic manner

• ex. Paul [this term]-ed to his boss so often that the boss herself soon became nauseated by his sycophancy

powwow

• (n.) involved a big party of dancing and dining between Native American tribes

• now refers to any informal discussion or colloquy

• ex. Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a [this term] so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place

junta

• (n.) to join, originating from Portugal and Spain

• today, can refer to the aggressive takeover by a group

• ex. As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a [this term] suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership

imbroglio

• (n.) a confusing, and potentially embarrassing situation

• ex. the chef cook-off featured