GRE Vocab (Part 2)

Luminary

N. A person of prominence or brilliant achievement ; a body that gives light, especially a celestial body

Dr. Fauci was a ______ in the medical profession.

Opprobrium

N. Harsh criticism or censure

Impasse

N. A deadlock, situation where no solution/ progress is possible ; A street with only one way in or out

Ex: The current political _____ led to a government shutdown.

Scintillating

Adj. sparkling and shining; can also describe things that sparkle and shine in a figurative way, such as things that are very CLEVER; stimulating, captivating, lively or witty

The ocean surface in Destin was ______ at dusk.

The conversation was ______ , as I was immersed in the conversation the entirety of the time. My mind never wandered!

Veracious

Adj. tending to be truthful, conforming to facts; accuracy

Incendiary

Adj. designed to cause fires; likely to cause violence or strong feelings of anger

The politician’s ____ remarks sparked anger, due to his inability to view marginalized groups as human.

Acquisitive

Adj. excessive interest in acquiring money or material things

Synonym: greedy, avaricious

Abysmal

Adj. Extremely bad ; literary definition : very deep ( relate to the term abyss)

Sentence: "the quality of her work is ______.

Sentence: “the waterfalls that plunge into _______ depths"

Efflorescence

N. Action or process of developing and unfolding as ig coming into a flower, blossoming

During the Renaissance, there was an artistic ____ .

Tepid

Adj. lukewarm; lacking in passion, force, or zest; an absence of enthusiasm or conviction

Augment

V. To make greater, more numerous, larger or more intense

In order to ____ your GRE vocab, you need to utilize the tool of spaced repetition

Apportioned

V. Divide and allocate; assign

Representatives are ______ among the states.

The press secretary _____ responsibility for the current stock market pain to former President Joe Biden.

Excise (Verb)

V. To cut out surgically; remove (a section) from a text or piece of music

A cancer surgeon _____ a large cancerous tumor.

Excise (noun)

N. Tax; verb (could mean to impose a tax)

Abridged

Adj. (of a piece of writing) having been shortened

The ____ abridged version of her novel.

Doctrinaire

Adj. someone who sticks hard to a set of beliefs, theories or principles, even when it is not practical; impractical; fanatical (filled with excessive and single-minded zeal);

Mary was an idealist; she held _____ beliefs about how the country could be united under one political party.

The manager’s ______ approach to company policy frustrated the team, especially when feel

Doggerel

N. Describes poetry that’s badly written or trivial in meaning

Dogmatic

Adj. when one stubbornly asserts that their opinions or beliefs are absolute truth, even if they cannot be proved

She was _____ about her political views that she refused to even hear what anyone else had to say

Dogma is the belief itself and _______ is the attitude of being rigid about it.

Synonym: doctrinaire

Dogma

N. Principle or set of beliefs that’s accapeted by a group (like a religion, political party, or ideology) as absolutely true. This is without question or debate.

Dross

N. Slag (scum formed from molten metal) ; mineral waste, foreign matter; scum; something regarded as worthless

Dulcet

Adj. melodious, harmonious, mellifluous (sweet or musical, pleasant to hear)

The ____ tones of Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” is unmatched.

Dynamo

N. Generator; forceful; energetic person

Jalen was the ____ of the group, without her, we wouldn’t have gone skiiing.

Dictum

N. A formal or authoritative statement; or a wise or notable statement. It can come from a judge, a leader, or even be a commonly accepted truth.

Yesterday, we awaited the king’s _____. He stated from this day forward, all trade must pass through the royal port.

He lived by the old ____ : “Honesty is the best policy.”

Derelict

N. A person without home, job, or property

The _____ sadly spent his days begging for money on the street corner.

Eclectic

Adj. made up of choices from diverse sources

Sanguine

Adj. optimistic or positive especially in a potentially bad situation

Lugubrious

adj. looking or sounding sad or dismal ; synonym: mournful; melancholy