GRE terms

unnerve

verb: to make nervous or upset

Synonyms : enervate , faze , unsettle

At one time unnerved by math problems, she began avidly "Magoosh

candid

adjective: a straightforward and honest look at something

Synonyms : blunt , forthright , frank , free

slapdash

adjective: carelessly and hastily put together

Synonyms : haphazard , slipshod , sloppy

The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner, so it did not surprise officials when, during a small earthquake, a large crack emerged on the façade of the building.

telltale

adjective: revealing

The many telltale signs of chronic smoking include yellow teeth, and a persistent, hacking cough.

insolvent

adjective: unable to pay one's bills; bankrupt

With credit card bills skyrocketing, a shockingly large number of Americans are truly insolvent.

affluent

adjective: wealthy

The center of the city had sadly become a pit of penury, while, only five miles away, multi

indignant

adjective: feeling anger over a perceived injustice

Synonyms : incensed , outraged , umbrageous

When the cyclist swerved into traffic, it forced the driver to brake and elicited an indignant shout of "Hey, punk, watch where you're going!"

tirade

noun: an angry speech

Synonyms : broadside , philippic

In terms of political change, a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face.

thrifty

adjective: spending money wisely

Synonyms : careful

He was economical, spending his money thriftily and on items considered essential.

summit

noun: the peak or highest point

Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , pinnacle , superlative , tiptop , top, crest , crown

After hiking for two days, the climbers finally reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

noun: a meeting of high

spendthrift

noun: one who spends money extravagantly

Synonyms : scattergood , spend

screed

noun: an abusive rant (often tedious)

Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry, who, during his entire cup of coffee, enumerated all of the government's deficiencies

remiss

adjective: to be negligent in one's duty

Synonyms : delinquent , derelict , neglectful

Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning efficiently, the principal was relieved of his position after only three months.

embroiled

adjective: involved in argument or contention

Synonyms : entangled

These days we are never short of a D.C. politician embroiled in scandal—a welcome phenomenon for those who, having barely finished feasting on the sordid details of one imbroglio, can sink their teeth into a fresh one.

pine

verb: to yearn for

Synonyms : ache , languish , yearn , yen

Standing forlornly by the window, she pined for her lost love. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

demean

verb: to insult; to cause someone to lose dignity or respect

Synonyms : degrade , disgrace , put down , take down

At first the soccer players bantered back and forth, but as soon as one of the players became demeaning, calling the other's mother a water buffalo, the ref whipped out a red card.

dog

verb: to pursue relentlessly; to hound

Synonyms : chase , chase after , give chase , go after , tag , tail , track , trail

Throughout his life, he was dogged by insecurities that inhibited personal growth.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

amiable

adjective: friendly

Synonyms : affable , cordial , genial

Amy's name was very apt: she was so amiable that she was twice voted class president.

err

verb: to make an error

Synonyms : mistake , slip

He erred in thinking that "indigent" and "indignant" were synonyms.

tender

verb: offer up something formally

Synonyms : bid

The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off inflation.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

underwrite

verb: to support financially

Synonyms : subvent , subvention

The latest symphony broadcast was made possible with underwriting from the Carnegie Endowment.

vindictive

adjective: to have a very strong desire for revenge

Though the other girl had only lightly poked fun of Vanessa's choice in attire, Vanessa was so vindictive that she waited for an entire semester to get the perfect revenge.

indict

verb: to formally charge or accuse of wrong

inflammable

adjective: extremely controversial, incendiary

It only takes one person to leave an inflammable comment on an Internet thread for that thread to blow up into pages upon pages of reader indignation.

miser

noun: a person who doesn't like to spend money (because they are greedy)

Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

acme

noun: the highest point of achievement

Synonyms : elevation , height , meridian , peak , pinnacle , summit , superlative , tiptop , top

The new Cessna airplanes will be the acme of comfort, offering reclining seats and ample legroom.

stipend

noun: a regular allowance (of money)

He was hoping for a monthly allowance loan from the government, but after no such stipend was forthcoming he realized he would have to seek other means of paying for his college tuition.

variance

noun: the quality of being different

The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie".

profuse

adjective: plentiful; pouring out in abundance

Synonyms : exuberant , lush , luxuriant , riotous

During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles wearing nothing more than skimpy shorts.

pinnacle

noun: the highest point

Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , summit , superlative , tiptop , top

At its pinnacle, the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia, a feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.

inundate

verb: to flood or overwhelm

Synonyms : deluge , submerge, flood , swamp

The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.

peruse

verb: to read very carefully

Instead of perusing important documents, people all too often rush to the bottom of the page and plaster their signatures at the bottom.

retiring

adjective: to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company

Synonyms : reticent , self

censor

verb: to examine and remove objectionable material

Synonyms : ban

Every fall, high school English teachers are inundated by requests to censor their curriculum by removing The Catcher in the Rye and Scarlet Letter from their reading lists. noun: an official who censors material

The censor insisted that every reference to drugs should be removed from the manuscript.

dupe

verb: to trick or swindle

Synonyms : befool , cod , fool , gull , put on , put one across , put one over , slang , take in

Once again a get

macabre

adjective: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome

Synonyms : ghastly , grim , grisly ,sick

Edgar Allen Poe was considered the master of the macabre; his stories vividly describe the moment leading up to

telling

adjective: significant and revealing of another factor

Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

indigenous

adjective: originating in a certain area

Synonyms : autochthonal , autochthonic , autochthonous , endemic

The plants and animals indigenous to Australia are notably different from those indigenous to the U.S

hound

verb: to pursue relentlessly

Synonyms : hunt , trace

An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms

mesmerize

verb: to spellbind or enthrall

Synonyms : bewitch , magnetise , magnetize , mesmerise

The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.

affable

adjective: likeable; easy to talk to

Synonyms : amiable , cordial , genial

For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn't around other people.

thoroughgoing

adjective: very thorough; complete

Synonyms : exhaustive , thorough

As a thoroughgoing bibliophile, one who had turned his house into a veritable library, he shocked his friends when he bought a Kindle.

erratic

adjective: unpredictable; strange and unconventional

Synonyms : fickle , mercurial , quicksilver

It came as no surprise to pundits that the President's attempt at re

diabolical

adjective: to be extremely wicked like the devil

Synonyms : demonic , diabolic , fiendish , hellish , infernal , satanic , unholy,devilish , diabolic , mephistophelean , mephistophelian

The conspirators, willing to dispatch anyone who stood in their way, hatched a diabolical plan to take over the city.

serendipity

noun: the instance in which an accidental, fortunate discovery is made

By pure serendipity, Sarah discovered, at a flea market in Peoria, a matching earring to replace the one that fell down the storm drain back home.

reprobate

noun: a person who is disapproved of

Synonyms : miscreant

Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river

demure

adjective: to be modest and shy

Synonyms : coy , overmodest

The portrait of her in a simple white blouse was sweet and demure.

bleak

adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook

Synonyms : bare , barren , desolate , stark

Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music

zenith

noun: the highest point; culmination

At the zenith of his artistic career, Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.

voracious

adjective: very hungry; approaching an activity with gusto

Synonyms : edacious , esurient , rapacious , ravening , ravenous , wolfish

Steven was a voracious reader, sometimes finishing two novels in the same day.

start

verb: to suddenly move in a particular direction

All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

sanctimonious

adjective: making a show of being pious; holier

avarice

noun: greed (one of the seven deadly sins)

Synonyms : avaritia , covetousness , greed , rapacity,avariciousness , covetousness , cupidity

The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice, plundering Incan land and stealing Incan gold.

catalyst

noun: something that speeds up an event

Synonyms : accelerator

Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, setting into motion historic changes for African

unconscionable

adjective: unreasonable; unscrupulous; excessive

Synonyms : exorbitant , extortionate , outrageous , steep , usurious

The lawyer's demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exorbitant sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a new lawyer.

misanthrope

noun: a hater of mankind

Synonyms : misanthropist

Kevin is such a misanthrope that he refused to attend the Christmas party, claiming that everyone's happiness was "fake" and "annoying."

stem

verb: to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something

To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the Revised GRE.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

aboveboard

adjective: open and honest

Synonyms : straightforward

The mayor, despite his avuncular face plastered about the city, was hardly aboveboard

heyday

noun: the pinnacle or top of a time period or career

Synonyms : bloom , blossom , efflorescence , flower , flush , peak , prime

During the heyday of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed.

immaterial

adjective: not relevant

Synonyms : extraneous , impertinent , orthogonal, incorporeal

The judge found the defendant's comments immaterial to the trial, and summarily dismissed him from the witness stand.

scintillating

adjective: describes someone who is brilliant and lively

Synonyms : aglitter , coruscant , fulgid , glinting , glistering , glittering , glittery , scintillant , sparkly, bubbling , effervescent , frothy

Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.

badger

verb: to pester

Synonyms : beleaguer , bug , pester , tease

Badgered by his parents to find a job, the 30

chauvinist

noun: a person who believes in the superiority of their group

Synonyms : flag

apex

noun: the highest point

Synonyms : acme , peak , vertex

The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.

corroborate

verb: to confirm or lend support to (usually an idea or claim)

Synonyms : affirm , confirm , substantiate , sustain,bear out , support , underpin

Her claim that frog populations were falling precipitously in Central America was corroborated by locals, who reported that many species of frogs had seemingly vanished overnight.

becoming

adjective: appropriate, and matches nicely

Synonyms : comely , comme il faut , decent , decorous , seemly

Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

exhort

verb: to strongly urge on; encourage

Synonyms : barrack , cheer , inspire , pep up , root on , urge , urge on

Nelson's parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose a respectable profession; intransigent, Nelson left home to become a graffiti artist.

cardinal

adjective: of primary importance; fundamental

Synonyms : central , fundamental , key , primal

Most cultures consider gambling a cardinal sin and thus have outlawed its practice.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

errant

adjective: to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed path

Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus.

imponderable

adjective: impossible to estimate or figure out

According to many lawmakers, the huge variety of factors affecting society make devising an efficient healthcare system an imponderable task.

bellicose

adjective: warlike; inclined to quarrel

Synonyms : battleful , combative

Known for their bellicose ways, the Spartans were once the most feared people from Peloponnesus to Persia.

pugnacious

adjective: eager to fight or argue; verbally combative

The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, "Hey, you think this is easy

junta

noun: an aggressive takeover by a group (usually military)

As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership

pittance

noun: a small amount (of money)

Vinny's uncle beamed smugly about how he'd offered his nephew fifty dollars for his Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.

check

verb: to limit (usually modifying the growth of something)

Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence

desecrate

verb: to willfully violate or destroy a sacred place

Synonyms : outrage , profane , violate

After desecrating the pharaoh's tomb, the archaeologist soon fell victim to a horrible illness.

amuck

adverb: in a frenzied or uncontrolled state

Synonyms : amok , murderously

Wherever the bowl haircut teen

virago

noun: an ill

melee

noun: a wild, confusing fight or struggle

Synonyms : battle royal , scrimmage

After enduring daily taunts about my name, I became enraged and pummeled the schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.

hodgepodge

noun: a confusing mixture or jumble

Synonyms : farrago , gallimaufry , hotchpotch , melange , mingle

animosity

noun: intense hostility

The governor's animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread false lies regarding the governor's first term.

checkered

adjective: one that is marked by disreputable happenings

One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective checkered pasts

cogent

adjective: clear and persuasive

Synonyms : telling , weighty

A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.

ferret

verb: to search for something persistently

Synonyms : ferret out

Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of highly obscure words.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

moment

noun: significant and important value

Synonyms : consequence , import

Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career, and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

flush

adjective: to be in abundance

Synonyms : bloom , blossom , efflorescence , flower , heyday , peak , prime

The exam's passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

replete

adjective: completely stocked or furnished with something

Only weeks after the hurricane made landfall, the local supermarket shelves were replete with goods, so quick was the disaster relief response.

vicarious

adjective: felt or undergone as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another

The advent of twitter is a celebrity stalker's dream, as he or she can

powwow

noun: an informal meeting or discussion

Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.

contrite

adjective: to be remorseful

Synonyms : remorseful , rueful , ruthful

Though he stole his little sister's licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.

beatific

adjective: blissfully happy

Synonyms : angelic , angelical , sainted , saintlike , saintly

Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha, but, like any of us, a monk can have a bad day and not look very happy.

preemptive

adjective: done before someone else can do it

Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively swiped it.

sanguine

adjective: cheerful; optimistic

Synonyms : florid , rubicund , ruddy

With the prospect of having to learn 3,000 words during the course of the summer, Paul was anything but sanguine.

cadaverous

adjective: emaciated; gaunt

Synonyms : bony ,haggard , pinched , skeletal , wasted

Some actors take challenging roles in which they have to lose so much weight that they appear cadaverous.

disparate

adjective: two things are fundamentally different

With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as religion and biology have been brought together by scientists trying to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.

raft

noun: a large number of something

Synonyms : batch , deal , flock , good deal , great deal , hatful , heap , lot , mass , mess , mickle , mint , mountain , muckle , passel , peck , pile , plenty , pot , quite a little , sight , slew , spate , stack , tidy sum , wad

Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

adequate

adjective: good enough for what you need

Synonyms : decent , enough

A very light jacket will be adequate for Los Angeles's warm winter.

extenuating

adjective: making less guilty or more forgivable

The jury was hardly moved by the man's plea that his loneliness was an extenuating factor in his crime of dognapping a prized pooch.

fleece

verb: to deceive

Synonyms : gazump , hook , overcharge , pluck , plume , rob , soak , surcharge

Many people have been fleeced by Internet scams and never received their money back.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

paucity

noun: a lack of something

Synonyms : dearth

There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced.