GRE vocab Pt. 1

Abound

be present in large quantities. syn: flourish, proliferate

amorphous

lacking structure, unclear. Syn: nebulous,vague

austere

to avoid luxury; strict; plain. Syn: ascetic, sober, spartan

belie

give a false impression; disprove. Syn: disguise, negate

capricious

having varying moods, fickle. Syn: mercurial, erratic

cerebral

related to the brain, intellectual. Syn: analytical, scholarly

congenial

friendly and likable, agreeable. Syn: amiable, pleasant, convival

conspicuous

easily noticed, obvious. Syn: apparent, evident.

cursory

lacking effort, without care. Syn: casual, token, perfunctory

daunting

scary; seemingly impossible. Syn: intimidating, formidable

deify

look up to someone or something as a god. Syn: revere, worship, venerate

didactic

meant for teaching; educational. Syn: pedagogic, instructional

disseminate

distribute or circulate broadly. Syn: disperse, spread, propagate

feasible

likely to be achieved; practical. Syn: realizable, viable

flout

break a rule without guilt. Syn: defy, disdain, disregard

homogenous

composed of similar part, alike. Syn: equivalent, uniform

humdrum

boring; unlikely to excite. Syn: dull, banal, mundane

insipid

without flavor; lacking energy. Syn: bland, dull, anemic

loquacious

likely to talk a lot, wordy. Syn: voluble, garrulous

misanthropic

having a distaste for humans and society. Syn: reclusive, antisocial

misnomer

a misleading or inaccurate name

negligent

lacking care or attention. Syn: remiss, lax, sloppy

obsequious

excessively submissive to authority. Syn: sycophantic, servile, obedient

placate

decrease someone’s anger. Syn: soothe, appease, mollify

proclivity

a fondness or liking for something. Syn: tendency, propensity

Puerile

Immature and childish. Syn: juvenile, infantile, babyish

quixotic

excessively visionary, unfeasible. Syn: idealistic, nonviable

spendthrift

someone who spends money recklessly. Syn: profligate, squanderer

taciturn

of few words, speaking very little. Syn: quiet, laconic, untalkative

wary

exercising caution; careful. Syn: chary, circumspect

adulterate

damage the quality of; corrupt. Syn: degrade, debase, spoil

advocate

support; be in favor of. Syn: champion, recommend, back

aggrandize

enhance one’s power or standing. Syn: augment, magnify

alacrity

eagerness to do something. Syn: fervor, willingness

ambivalent

having conflicting emotions; unsure. Syn: wavering, equivocal

ameliorate

improve a bad feeling or bad situation. Syn: mitigate, ease, remedy

amenable

receptive to change; open. Syn: compliant, acquiescent

anachronistic

of the wrong time or era. Syn: outmoded, out of date

audacious

bold; unafraid of risks. Syn: daring, fearless, unflinching

avaricious

greedy; always wanting more. Syn: acquisitive, rapacious

Banal

unoriginal and dull; lacking creativity. Syn: trite, hackneyed, bland

Benign

harmless; having little effect; kind. Syn: innocuous, gentle, mild

Brazen

shameless and excessively forward. Syn: brash, presumptious

Calumny

slander and defamation. Syn: libel, denigration

candid

honest, without deception. Syn: blunt, frank, sincere

castigate

scold someone harshly. Syn: rebuke, reprimand, chide

caustic

(of speech) hostile and bitter. Syn: biting, sarcastic, mordant

construe

understand something objectively. Syn: interpret, read, take

contrite

feeling regretful or guilty. Syn: remorseful, penitent

convoluted

difficult to understand or follow. Syn: complex, involved, impenetrable

covet

strongly desire; yearn for. Syn: crave, long for

craven

lacking bravery; weak-kneed. Syn: cowardly, timid, feedble

decorum

politeness and proper behavior. Syn: propriety, etiquette, manners

deft

highly proficient; skilled. syn: adept, nimble, adroit

demur

hesitate or object; express doubt. Syn: protest, balk at, dissent

derivative

copying someone’s work; based on. Syn: imitative, unoriginal, influenced by

desiccate

dry out, remove all moisture. Syn: dehydrate, deplete

diatribe

an angry rant; verbal abuse. Syn: tirade, harangue, invective

incredulous

doubtful and disbelieving. Syn: dubious, unconvinced

ingenuous

naive and lacking experience. syn: innocent, trusting, green

aloof

not warm or friendly; impersonal. Syn: detached, indifferent, distant

clangor

a disturbingly loud noise. Syn: clamor, din, racket

conventional

adhering to established practices or accepted standards. Syn: traditional, orthodox, customary

debunk

prove a belief or idea false. Syn: disprove, refute, negate

diminutive

exceptionally small in size or stature. Syn: minute, petite, miniscule

discernible

able to be recognized or understood. Syn: apparent, manifest, patent

enigmatic

difficult to understand; mysterious. Syn: cryptic, obscure, inexplicable

estranged

emotionally distanced from someone. Syn: isolated, disconnected, divorced

extravagant

excessive, especially in terms of cost. Syn: profligate, prodigal, thriftless

fanciful

highly imaginative; unrealistic. Syn: fantastic, whimsical, flighty

frivolous

lacking in seriousness or importance. Syn: flippant facetious, inane

heterogenous

composed of varying, diverse elements. Syn: assorted, sundry, disparate

imperious

having an arrogant or domineering manner. Syn: overbearing, authoritartian, dictatorial

impertinent

disrespectful or inappropriate. Syn: insolent, brazen, tactless

invasive

infringing on other’s privacy; harmful. Syn: intrusive, meddling, encroaching

abate

decrease in intensity; lessen. Syn: diminish, subside, fade

abjure

strongly reject (an idea); forgo. Syn: renounce, forswear, disavow

anomalous

differing from what is normal; atypical. Syn: abnormal, aberrant

antipathy

profound hostility or hatred. Syn: animosity, aversion

arcane

comprehended by very few people; secret. Syn: mysterious, esoteric

arduous

very challenging; needing great effort. Syn: onerous, taxing, laborious

artless

lacking adornment; unskilled; naive. Syn: plain, ingenuous, guileless

ascetic

(of life) very strict and lacking luxury. Syn: austere, severe, spartan

assuage

decrease a negative feeling. Syn: ease, alleviate, allay

betray

unknowingly disclose or reveal. Syn: divulge, unmask, let slip

bucolic

associated with tranquil rural life. Syn: rustic, pastoral, countryside

burgeon

quickly increase or grow; skyrocket. Syn: explode, mushroom, flourish

cacophonous

extremely noisy; grating. Syn: blaring, ear-splitting

canonize

treat like a god; declare as a saint. Syn: deify, beatify, sanctify

censure

strongly criticize or disapprove. Syn: condemn, chastise, pillory

chicanery

using deception to attain a certain goal. Syn: trickery, deceit, duplicity

coalesce

bring elements together; unite. Syn: combine, merge, amalgamate

cogent

persuasive and clear; compelling. Syn: convinving, forceful, sound

compelling

attracting attention; persuasive. Syn: riveting, cogent

contend

compete; argue a certain point of view. Syn: take on, assert, maintain

copious

existing in great supply; abundant. Syn: ample, plentiful

cosmopolitan

(of a city) highly diverse; worldly. Syn: international, well-traveled.

Deference

high regard and respect; esteem. Syn: reverence, obeisance

desultory

unplanned; without enthusiasm. Syn: halfhearted, superficial

diffident

reserved or shy; without confidence. Syn: modest, bashful, self-effacing