GRE Group 27

Antagonize

to make an enemy of (someone) (alienate, provoke)

Barren

Unproductive or empty (infertile, desolate)

Bombastic

Looking confident, powerful in speech, but without much real meaning (pompous, pretentious)

Cajole

to persuade someone to do something they might not want to do, by pleasant talk and (sometimes false) promises (coax)

Chary

uncertain and frightened to take risks, or unwilling to take action, cauteloso (wary, hesitant)

Curmudgeon

a bad-tempered person, especially an old one (grump, grouch)

Dirge

a slow sad song or piece of music, sometimes played because someone has died (lament, elegy)

Estimable

Worthy of respect (admirable, honorable)

Euphemism

a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word (substitution, understatement)

Excoriate

Criticize harshly, say something is very bad (condemn, berate)

Exigent

needing urgent attention, or demanding too much from other people (urgent, pressing)

Haughty

Arrogantly superior (proud, disdainful)

Heady

producing a feeling of high energy, confidence, and excitement (exhilarating, potent)

Imperturbable

Calm and composed (unflappable, serene)

Implacable

unable to be changed, satisfied, or stopped (unyielding, relentless)

Lambaste

to criticize someone or something severely (berate, scold)

Miscreant

someone who behaves badly or does not obey rules (criminal, reprobate)

Peccadillo

Minor offense, fault or mistake (misstep, lapse)

Philistine

Indifferent to aculture (ignorant, uncultured)

Relegate

Demote or downgrade (assign, delegate)

Repugnant

Offensive or disgusting (abhorrent, vile)

Sentimental

Overly emotional (nostalgic, maudlin)

Squander

to waste money or supplies, or to waste opportunities by not using them to your advantage (dissipate, misuse)

Swindle

Cheat or defraud (con, scam)

Tangible

Perceptible by touch (palpable, concrete)

Turpitude

vile, with bad moral, base (depravity, corruption)

Unalloyed

Pure and genuine (unmixed, absolute)

Undercut

Damage, make it fail or weaken (sap, subvert)

Wheedle

Influence by flattery: to try to persuade someone to do something or give you something by praising them or being intentionally charming

(coax, cajole)

Xenophobic

Fearful of foreigners (biased, intolerant)