GRE PREP vocab

Sojourning

Temporarily staying in a place away from home.

Consummate

Highly skilled or complete in every way; perfect.

Confiscatory

Relating to or involving the act of taking something (especially property or money) by authority, often unfairly or excessively.

Polity

An organized society or government; a political system or form of government.

Bellicose

Aggressively hostile or warlike in nature.

Blithe

Showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be improper or careless.

Spurious

False or fake; not what it appears or claims to be.

Spurn

To reject with disdain or contempt.

Eulogize

To praise someone highly, typically after their death.

Apogee

The highest point or peak of something.

Impasse

A situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock.

Capitulate

To surrender or give in, often after negotiation or resistance.

Impugn

To challenge or call into question the truth or integrity of something.

Acrimony

Bitter or harsh feelings, speech, or behavior.

Sinecure

A job or position that requires little or no work but provides financial benefit.

Paltry

Very small or insignificant; meager.

Desultory

Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm; random.

Parsimonious

Extremely frugal or stingy.

Truculent

Aggressively defiant; eager to fight.

Enmity

Deep-seated hostility or hatred.

Approbation

Official approval or praise.

Largess

Generosity in giving, often lavish.

Galvanize

To stimulate into action; to spur.

Repudiate

To reject or disown; to refuse to accept.

Miscreant

A person who behaves badly or criminally.

Duress

Threats, violence, or pressure used to force someone to act.

Ebullience

Lively enthusiasm or excitement.

Draconian

Excessively harsh or severe.

Conciliatory

Intended to pacify or make peace.

Cantankerous

Bad-tempered and argumentative.

Phlegmatic

Calm and unemotional; sluggish.

Inscrutable

Impossible to understand or interpret.

Contentious

Causing or likely to cause an argument.

Neophytes

People who are new to a subject or activity; beginners.

Cognoscenti

People who are especially well-informed about a subject.

Impetuous

Acting quickly and without thought or care.

Inchoate

Just begun and not fully developed.

Incipient

Beginning to happen or develop.

Stalwart

Loyal, reliable, and hardworking.

Irrefragable

Impossible to refute or dispute.

Fecund

Fertile; capable of producing abundantly (ideas or offspring).

Paean

A song or expression of praise or triumph.

Panegyric

A formal speech or written work praising someone or something.

Diatribe

A bitter and abusive verbal attack.

Harangue

A lengthy and aggressive speech.

Obstinate

Stubbornly refusing to change one’s mind or behavior.

Repudiated

Rejected or denied the truth or validity of something.

Enervated

Drained of energy or vitality; weakened.

Diffident

Shy and lacking in self-confidence.

Artless

Without deception; natural and innocent.

Hapless

Unfortunate; unlucky.

Listless

Lacking energy or enthusiasm.

Duplicitous

Deceitful; deliberately deceptive.

Mendacious

Lying; not telling the truth.