GRE Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards for GRE preparation.

ennui

dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy

equivocate

to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent

erudite

very learned; scholarly

exculpate

to exonerate; to clear of blame

exigent

urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention

extemporaneous

improvised; done without preparation

filibuster

intentional obstruction, especially using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action

fulminate

to loudly attack or denounce

ingenuous

artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication

inured

accustomed to accepting something undesirable

irascible

easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts

laud

to praise highly

lucid

clear; easily understood

magnanimity

the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, especially in forgiving

martial

associated with war and the armed forces

mundane

of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary

nascent

coming into being; in early developmental stages

nebulous

vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form

neologism

a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses

noxious

harmful, injurious

obtuse

lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression

obviate

to anticipate and make unnecessary

onerous

troubling; burdensome

paean

a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving

parody

a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, especially in literature and art

perennial

recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly

perfidy

intentional breach of faith; treachery

perfunctory

cursory; done without care or interest

perspicacious

acutely perceptive; having keen discernment

prattle

to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner

precipitate (adj.)

acting with excessive haste or impulse

precipitate (verb)

to cause or happen before anticipated or required

predilection

a disposition in favor of something; preference

prescience

foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurrence

prevaricate

to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead

qualms

misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy

recant

to retract, especially a previously held belief

refute

to disprove; to successfully argue against

relegate

to forcibly assign, especially to a lower place or position

reticent

quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings

solicitous

concerned and attentive; eager

sordid

characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul

sporadic

occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances

squander

to waste by spending or using irresponsibly

static

not moving, active, or in motion; at rest

stupefy

to stun, baffle, or amaze

stymie

to block; to thwart

synthesis

the combination of parts to make a whole

torque

a force that causes rotation

tortuous

winding, twisting; excessively complicated

truculent

fierce and cruel; eager to fight

veracity

truthfulness; honesty

virulent

extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic

voracious

having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous

waver

to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion

aberrant

deviating from the norm

abscond

to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide

anomaly

deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality

alacrity

eager and enthusiastic willingness

approbation

an expression of approval or praise

arduous

strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort

assuage

to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify

audacious

daring and fearless; recklessly bold

austere

without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic

axiomatic

taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth

canonical

following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards

capricious

inclined to change one's mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable

censure

to criticize severely; to officially rebuke

chicanery

trickery or subterfuge

connoisseur

an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert

convoluted

complex or complicated

disabuse

to undeceive; to set right

discordant

conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound

disparate

fundamentally distinct or dissimilar

effrontery

extreme boldness; presumptuousness

eloquent

well-spoken, expressive, articulate

enervate

to weaken; to reduce in vitality