GRE Vocab Mountain

abound

be present in large quantities, thrive

amorphous

lacking structure, unclear

austere

1. strict and stern in character

2. lacking luxury, harsh living conditions

belie

give a false impression of, mask, conceal

capricious

having varying moods, fickle, volatile, impulsive

cerebral

1. related to the brain

2. intellectual, analytical, rational

congenial

likable and friendly person, often due to shared interests; agreeable

conspicuous

easily noticed, obvious

cursory

lacking effort, without care, perfunctory

daunting

scary or frightening, intimidating

deify

look up to someone or something as a god, worship

didactic

educational, instructive

disseminate

distribute or circulate broadly

feasible

practical, attainable

flout

break a rule without guilt, defy

homogenous

composed of similar parts, uniform

humdrum

boring, mundane

insipid

without flavor, lacking energy, bland, dull

loquacious

likely to talk a lot, wordy

misanthropic

having a distaste for humans and society, reclusive

misnomer

a misleading or inaccurate name

negligent

lacking care or attention

obsequious

excessively submissive to authority

placate

decrease someone’s negative emotion, pacify

proclivity

a fondness or liking for something, inclination

puerile

immature and childish, infantile

quixotic

excessively visionary, unfeasible, idealistic

spendthrift

someone who spends money recklessly

taciturn

of few words, speaking little, reserved

wary

exercising caution, careful

adulterate

corrupt; taint

advocate

support; be in favor of

aggrandize

enhance one’s power or standing; augment

alacrity

eagerness to do something; zeal; haste

ambivalent

having conflicting emotions; unsure; irresolute

ameliorate

improve a bad feeling or bad situation; mitigate

amenable

responsive to; open; receptive; compliant

anachronistic

of the wrong time or era; archaic

audacious

bold; unafraid of risks; daring; rude; exhibiting disrespect

avaricious

greedy; always wanting more; rapacious

banal

unoriginal and dull; lacking creativity; trite

benign

harmless; having little effect

brazen

shameless and excessively forward; brash; presumptuous

calumny

slander and defamation; libel

candid

honest; without deception; blunt

castigate

scold someone harshly; berate

caustic

hostile and bitter; corrosive, acidic

construe

understand something subjectively; parse

contrite

feeling regretful or guilty; repentant

convoluted

difficult to understand or follow