GRE Vocabulary

polemical

contentious, controversial

panned

severe criticism

maladroitness

clumsiness, awkwardness

galvanize

to inspire, motivate

portentous

ominous, foreshadowing

banal

boring, common, ordinary

benign

safe, harmless

objurgation

harsh scolding, reprimand, rebuke

vestigial

trace of something that was once more developed

nascent

just beginning to form or grow

plastic

capable of being molded

inept

incompetent, inappropriate, foolish

acumen

keen insight; shrewdness

impute

attribute, credit to

flaccid

not firm or stiff, lacking vigor

supine

lazy, passivity, weak, offering no resistance

disinterested

unbiased

capitulate

to surrender

idiosyncrasies

minor peculiarities of personal behavior

dogmatism

arrogant, stubborn assertion of opinion or belief

stigmatize

to brand with disgrace; to set a mark of disgrace upon

lionize

to assign great social importance to; to treat as a celebrity

marginalize

to treat (a person, group, or concept) as insignificant or peripheral

peripheral

on the edge, not important

caprice

a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior

demur

to object or take exception to; an objection

schism

a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions

compliance

change of behavior in response to an explicit request from another person or group

shortsightedness

condition of not considering the future effects of something

didactic

instructive

syntactical

of or relating to or conforming to the rules of syntax

sartorial

of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress

undemonstrative

reserved; not open with feelings

quixotic

overly idealistic; impractical

brandish

to wave or flourish in a menacing or vigorous fashion

flout

to mock, treat with contempt

pragmatism

a philosophy which focuses only on the outcomes and effects of processes and situations

attenuation

dilution or weakening of virulence of a microorganism, reducing or abolishing pathogenicity

innocuous

not harmful or offensive

remedial

providing a remedy, curative; correcting a deficient skill

benign

harmless

antedated

preceded in time

commonplace

completely ordinary and unremarkable

disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

divergent

variant, moving apart

trite

commonplace; overused, stale

capricious

impulsive and unpredictable

synoptic

relating to a synopsis or summary; giving a general view

lurid

causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

understated

presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way

abridged

to shorten the number of words; to condense

deferential

respectful

intransigent

refusing to compromise; irreconcilable

lax

careless or negligent

obsequious

overly submissive and eager to please

resolute

bold, determined; firm

probity

honesty; integrity

acquisitive

able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

iliberal

uncultured and unrefined; opposed to liberal principles; narrow and restrictive

profligate

wasteful and immoral

disapprobation

disapproval; condemnation

tendentiousness

having or showing a definite tendency, bias, or purpose

fractiousness

the trait of being prone to disobedience and lack of discipline

erroneous

incorrect, containing mistakes

antithetical

directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible

immutable

not subject to change; constant

paradigm

a model; an example

misnomer

an unsuitable or misleading name

profundity

great depth of intellect, feeling, or meaning

inimical

hostile, unfriendly

pellucidity

translucently clear; easily understood

enigmatic

puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood

conspicuous

easily seen or noticed

robust

strong and healthy; vigorous

immure

to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate

pithy

brief and full of meaning and substance; concise

heed

to pay attention to

delineate

to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially

intensify

to increase; to strengthen or deepen

divergence

the act of moving away in different direction from a common point

indemnify

compensate for loss, damage, or injury; reimburse; repay

manacle

to chain or restrain (as with handcuffs)

bridling

to control or hold back, restrain

scrupulous

exact, careful, attending thoroughly to details; having high moral standards, principled

venal

open to or marked by bribery or corruption

indiscernible

impossible to see or clearly distinguish

arduous

hard to do; requiring much effort

superfluous

exceeding what is sufficient or required; excess

unpremeditated

not planned in advance; spontaneous

ameliorate

to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

impetuous

rash, impulsive

orthodox

in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things; traditional

clerical

concerned with or relating to work in an office, especially routine documentation and administrative tasks

cerebral

intellectual

crestfallen

discouraged, dejected, downcast

disgruntled

angry or dissatisfied

ruinous

bringing ruin or downfall; disastrous

humdrum

ordinary, dull, routine, without variation

Laconic

using very few words; brief and to the point; effectively cut short

Insipid

lacking taste or flavor