GRE vocab

elicit

to bring out (usually of someone)

elucidate

to make plain, to make clear

imminent

approaching, arising, coming up

intelligible

able to be understood

tenuous

loose, easily broken, poorly held or connected

tenacious

tight, holding tight and close

trepidation

anxiety, fear, worry, concern

timorous

timid, fearful, shy, easily intimidated

intrepid

fearless, without trepidation

tepid

lukewarm

turgid

swollen, distended

torpid

lazy, sluggish, unable to “get going”

torpor

the state of being torpid

lassitude

fatigue, weariness, with a little bit of laziness

boon

a benefit, a favor

erudite

scholarly, well read, highly educated

erudition

“book learning”

fastidious

extremely neat: O.C.D.

effusive

gushing, overflowing

patronize

1- to do business with someone regularly.

2- to falsely show allegiance, or pretend to support.

vexation

bother, annoyance, the state of being bothered and annoyed

formidable

intimidating: large and a little scary

countenance

facial features and expression

also, as a verb, meaning to allow, to “face”

nascent

small, but growing

austere

very plain, simple, unadorned, strictly without anything unnecessary

austerity

cutting back, cutting the budget

ascetic

Someone who lives an austere life of self denial, usually for spiritual or religious reasons

discreet

kept quiet, secret

veracious

true

voracious

very hungry

effluent

sewage

affectation

a studied mannerism, a pretense

affect

to pretend, to “put on”

inane

stupid, silly

feckless

ineffective (e-fec-tive) , not trying to be effective.

imprudent

not planning ahead, unmindful of consequences

prudent

careful, planning ahead, mindful of consequences

profusion

a great abundance

profuse

all over the place, abundant

largesse

extravagance, wasteful generosity

prodigal

extravagant with money, wasteful

profligate

extravagant, especially with money

frugality

carefulness with money

frugal

thrifty, careful with money and resources

induce

attempt to persuade, to lead on, to cause, to bring about.

inducement

an incentive, an offering presented to cause someone to do or choose something, a “sweetener”

nominal

in name only, “technical” , or “token”

lugubrious

gloomy, mournful, dismal

pastoral

rural, especially a pretty rural setting

bucolic

rural, especially in a pretty country setting

impudent

offensively bold

presume

to pre- assume

repudiate

to reject strenuously

plaudits

words of praise

laudatory

praiseworthy

laud

praise

reproach

scold, reprimand

rebuke

scold, reprimand

upbraid

to scold, to correct, to lecture (with feeling)

castigate

to scold, to rip onto someone

supplant

to replace

ensconced

comfortably situated, well set

facetious

not serious, joking, pretending

jocular

joking, being in a good mood, kidding around

onerous

burdensome, really difficult, “just too hard”

sonorous

having a deep rich good sound

despondent

giving up, giving in, extremely depressed, not responding

platitude

an empty statement of optimism and goodness

perspicacious

surprisingly smart, mentally quick

perspicacity

mental ability

stymied

stuck, confused

replete

full, filled, even to overflowing, replenished

inimical

hostile, averse, against.

dearth

a scarcity, a shortage.

modicum

a moderate amount

surfeit

a surplus, more than enough of something, plenty.

sanction

to allow, to approve

the loss of a reward or privilege for violation of a law or treaty

cogitate

think, mull over, think over

pervasive

all over the place, very common

ubiquitous

found everywhere

omnipresent

present everywhere

omnipotent

all powerful

omniscient

all knowing

imbue

to tinge, to permeate

promulgate

to tell everybody, publish, make known, especially of laws

specious

false: obviously, visibly false

exorbitant

very pricey, extremely expensive

disparage

speak poorly about, put down, “dis”

abjure

to cut all ties, to defriend

nebulous

vague, unclear, without definite shape

enigmatic

vague, hard to understand

inadvertent

accidental

infinitesimal

infinitely small

fortuitous

lucky, happening by chance

auspicious

lucky, seeming lucky.

inauspicious

unlucky, ominous

abate

to put an end to, to reduce, to moderate.

abatement

a suspension or temporary reduction

perfunctory

dutiful but unenthusiastic