Grad Studies Vocab Prep

abound

be present in large quantities

(proliferate, flourish, thrive)

The local forest ( )s in rare wildflowers and wildlife.

The old castle ( ) with dark and mysterious legends.

Rumors ( ) about the company's upcoming merger.

amorphous

lacking structure; unclear

(nebulous, vague, indefinite)

austere

avoiding luxury; strict; plain

(ascetic, sober, spartan)

The monastery was ( ), with no decoration or luxurious furnishings.

belie

give a false impression; disprove

(disguise, controvert, debunk)

Her sparkling eyes ( ) the sadness she must feel.

capricious

having varying moods; fickle

(mercurial, erratic, fickle)

The ( ) nature of the weather has made planning outdoor events difficult.

cerebral

related to the brain; intellectual

(analytical, scholarly, erudite)

The detective used the ( ) skills to solve the complex murder mystery.

congenial

friendly and likeable; agreeable

(amiable, pleasant, convivial)

( ) as she was, Nancy was always invited to parties.

conspicuous

easily noticed; obvious

(apparent, evident, patent)

On insta, it’s important that your vacation be as ( ) as possible.

cursory

lacking effort; without care

(casual, token, perfunctory)

He gave a ( ), glance at the document before signing it.

daunting

scary; seeming impossible

(intimidating, formidable unnerving)

Memorizing 960 GRE words is ( ) but necessary.

deify

look up to someone or something as a GOD

(revere, venerate, worship)

In some ancient cultures, the sun was ( )ed and worshiped.

didactic

meant for teaching; educational

(instructional, pedagogic, informative)

The play was not only entertaining but also ( ), offering lessons on morality.

disseminate

distribute or circulate broadly

(disperse, spread, propagate)

The invention of the printing press allowed information to ( ) rapidly.

feasible

likely to be achieved; practical

(realizable, viable, realistic)

Hopefully carbon capture technology will be ( ) in the future.

flout

break a rule without guilt

(defy, disdain, disregard)

Students ( )ed the classroom’s “no chewing gum” rule."

homogeneous

composed of similar parts; alike

(equivalent, uniform, unvarying)

The population in the small town was quite ( ), with little diversity.

humdrum

boring; unlikely to excite

(dull, banal, mundane)

More often than not, Netflix movies are ( ), cookie cutter affairs.

insipid

without flavor; lacking energy

(bland, dull, anemic)

The professo was tiring of the students’ ( ) remarks.

loquacious

likely to talk a lot; wordy

(voluble, garrulous, prolix)

( ) to a fault, Bill never took the hint to, on occasion, shut up.

misanthropic

having a distaste for humans and soecity

(reclusive, antisocial, cynical)

No one has seen that ( ) hermit in years.

misnomer

a misleading or inaccurate name

The authoritarian regime likes to call itself a “democracy” an obvious ( ).

negligent

lacking care or attention

(remiss, lax, sloppy)

The captain’s ( ) behavior led to the death of thousands.

obsequious

excessively submissive to authority

(sycophantic, servile, obeident)

Dictators tend to surround themselves with ( ) apologies.

placate

decrease someone’s anger

(soothe, appease, mollify)

He tried to ( ) the angry customer by offering a full refund. (Literally us as 한정선)

proclivity

a fondness or liking for something

(tendency, propensity, inclination)

Her ( ), for expensive pastries is wreaking havoc on her finances.

puerile

immature and childlish

(juvenile, infantile, babyish)

The mature audience was unimpressed by the comedian’s ( ) humor.

quixotic

excessively visionary; unfeasible

(idealistic, nonviable, romantic)

His ( ) dream of creating a world without conflict seemed impossible.

spendthrift

someone who spends money recklessly

(profligate, squanderer, wastrel)

He was a ( ), constantly buying unnecessary items and racking up debt.

taciturn

of few words; speaking little

(reserved, reticent, laconic)

He’s generally ( ), so when he speaks you know it’s important.

Wary

exercising caution; careful

(circumspect, chary, heedful)

We can’t always be ( ); sometimes we have to take risks.

adulterate

damage the quality of; corrupt

(degrade, debase, spoil)

Chemical runoff regularly ( )s our water supply.

advocate

support; be in favor of

(champion, recommend, back)

The board ( )ed a more conservative marketing strategy.

aggrandize

enhance one’s power or stranding

(augment, magnify, boost)

Roman leading men never passed on an opportunity to ( ) themselves.

alacrity

eagerness to do something

(willingness, fervor, ardor)

The children completed their chores with surprising ( ).

ambivalent

having conflicting emotions; unsure

(equivocal, wavering, irresolute)

It’s normal to feel ( ) when moving to a new place.

ameliorate

improve a bad feeling or bad situation

(mitigate, ease, rectify)

Strong service and timely support can ( ) customer anger.

amenable

receptive to change; open

(compliant, acquiescent, receptive)

The students were ( ) to less homework.

anachronistic

of the wrong time or era

(antiquated, outmoded, archaic)

Dreams of colonial conquest are ( ), in today’s modern world.

audacious

bold; unafraid of risks; rude

(intrepid, valiant, impudent)

Elon Musk incessantly pursues his ( ) plan for a city on Mars.

avaricious

greedy; always wanting more

(acquisitive, rapacious, mercenary)

Free market economies not only tolerate but reward ( ) behavior.

banal

unoriginal and dull'; lacking creativity

(trite, hackneyed, bland)

The reviewer grew weary of ( ), by-the-book action movies.

benign

harmless; having little effect; kind

(innocuous, amiable, congenial)

Despite causing some initial discomfort; the process is ( ).

brazen

shameless and excessively forward

(brash, presumptuous, insolent)

John’s ( ) interruptions of his boss’ speech were not received well.

calumny

slander and defamation

(libel, denigration, aspersions)

The tabloid had an axe to grind and thus spread ( ) daily.

candid

honest; without deception

(blunt, frank, sincere)

Honesty is important, but don’t be too ( ) in job interviews.

castigate

scold someone harshly

(rebuke, reprimand, chide)

The entire country castigated the governor for his ill-timed statement.

caustic

(of speech) hostile and bitter

(biting, sarcastic, mordant)

Reality TV thrives on conflict and caustic discourse between characters.

construe

understand something subjectively

(interpret, decode, parse)

It was difficult to ( ) the retreat as anything but a massive defeat.

contrite

feeling regretful or guilty

(remorseful, penitent, rueful)

Genuinely ( ), the man accepted his sentence without protest.

convoluted

difficult to understand or follow

(complex, involved, impenetrable)

Rome’s roads are a ( ) mess.

covet

strongly desire; yearn for

(crave, long for, aspire to)

To improve our mental health, let’s try not to ( ) the possessions of others.

craven

lacking bravery; weak-kneed

(cowardly, timid, feeble)

The army surrendered but not because the soldiers were ( ).

decorum

politeness and proper behavior

(propriety, etiquette, deportment)

The mother encouraged her son to have ( ).

deft

highly proficient; skilled

(adept, nimble, adroit)

Jane’s ( ) fingers navigate the 88 piano keys effortlessly.

demur

hesitate or object; express doubt

(protest, balk at, dissent)

Most employees ( )ed when asked to undergo daily Covid testing.

derivative

copying someone’s work; based on

(imitative, trite, hackneyed)

The film is ( ) but proudly so.

desiccate

dry out; remove all moisture

(dehydrate, deplete, parch)

The land was thoroughly ( )ed.

diatribe

an angry rant; verbal abuse

(tirade, harangue, invective)

Her ( ) on the ills of society was too hostile to persuade anyone.

incredulous

doubtful and disbelieving

(dubious, unconvinced, skeptical)

People are understandably ( ). at the prospect of the intergalactic travel.

ingenuous

naive and lacking experience

(innocent, unwary, green)

We long for the ( ) days of our youth.

abate

decrease in intensity; lessen

(diminish, subside, fade)

He relied on TV to ( ) his loneliness.

abjure

strongly reject (an idea); forgo

(renounce, forswear, disavow)

Under enough pressure; many will ( ) their principles.

anomalous

differing from what is normal; atypical

(abnormal, aberrant, exceptional)

Because the results are ( ), further study if needed.

antipathy

profound hostility or hatred

(animosity, aversion, animus)

The two generals harbored significant ( ) toward each other.

arcane

comprehended by very few people; secret

(enigmatic, esoteric, recondite)

The profession keeps things ( ) to discourage newcomers.

arduous

very challenging; needing great effort

(onerous, taxing, laborious)

Military bootcamp is almost always an ( ) experience.

artless

leaking adornment; unskilled; naive

(plain, ingenuous, guiltless

Given the ( ) prose, it’s remarkable his books sell out so well.

ascetic

(of life) very strict and lacking luxury

(austere, severe, spartan)

Despite the vast wealth, she has adopted an ( ) lifestyle.

assuage

decrease a negative feeling

(ease, alleviate, allay)

The prime minister’s speech ( )ed the fears of the population.

betray

unknowingly disclose or reveal

(divulge, unmask, expose)

Her excessive thinking ( )ed her nervousness.

bucolic

associated with tranquil rural life

(rustic, pastoral, countryside)

Hoping to escape the cite, the couple opted for a ( ) Airbnb.

burgeon

quickly increase or growl skyrocket

(explode, mushroom, flourish)

Because of technological advancements, crop yields have ()ed.

cacophonous

extremely noisy; grating

(blaring, ear-splitting, booming)

The parents hated the drumkit because of its ( ) racket.

canonize

treat like a god; declare as a saint

(beatify, sanctify, deify)

The later Roman empire began ( )ing its leaders.

censure

strongly criticize or disapprove

(condemn, chastise, pillory)

The senator was publicly ( )ed for her vile remarks.

chicanery

using deception to attain a certain goal

(trickery, deceit, duplicity)

His masterful ( ) allowed the realization of his political goals.

coalesce

bring elements together; unite

(meld, merge, amalgamate)

In times of conflict, citizens must ( ) and rally around a common cause.

cogent

persuasive and clear; compelling

(convincing, forceful, sound)

Known for his ( ) essays, the auther has considerable influence.

compelling

attracting attention; persuasive

(riveting, cogent, captivating)

The argument was not ( ) due to its logical fallacies.

contend

compete; argue a certain point of view

(face, assert, maintain)

The researchers ( ) that society will collapse by 2050.

copious

existing in great supply; abundant

(ample, plentiful, profuse)

The once ( ) supply of used cars dried up quickly during the pandemic.

cosmopolitan

(of a city) highly diverse; worldly

(cultivated, seasoned, urbane)

New York City is arguably the most ( ) metropolis in the world.

deference

high regard and respect; esteem

(reverence, obeisance, veneration)

In certain cultures, it’s important to treat the elderly with marked ( ).

desultory

unplanned; without enthusiasm

(halfhearted, superficial, lukewarm)

The teacher’s ( ) instruction did little to inspire the students.

diffident

reserved or shy; without confidence

(modest, bashful, self-effacing)

University forced John to come out of his ( ) shell.

dilatory

slow and unhurried; meant to stall

(sluggish, delaying, temporizing)

The filibuster is a ( ) measure designed to impede Congressional operations.

equivocate

speak evasively; avoid taking a stance

(prevaricate, hedge, vacillate)

Seasonal sports stars recognize it’s best to ( ) when asked pointed questions.

polarize

separate into two opposing groups

(divide, demarcate, split)

The inflammatory rhetoric is designed to ( ) the populace.

prodigal

carelessly wasteful; extravagant

(improvident, spendthrift, profligate)

( ) resource extraction does not benefit an economy long-term.

verbose

excessively talkative; wordy

(voluble, loquacious, prolix)

The professor’s ( ) lectures were surprisingly entertaining.

abstain

avoid taking part in something

(refrain, forbear, restrain)

He has ( )ed from alcohol for over three years.

approbation

appreciation toward someone

(praise, endorsement, recognition)

Roman leaders thrived on ( ) from the masses.

Cherish

Greatly love or protect something

(Treasure, adore, esteem)

We must ( ) the memories of youth.

Corroborate

Lend support to; bolster

(Validate, confirm, certify)

We’ve yet to find evidence that ( )es our hypothesis.

Disparate

Different or contrasting

(Dissimilar, distinct, divergent)

The politicians’ ( ) viewpoints could not be reconciled.

Emulate

Imitate someone or something

(Mimic, echo, mirror)

To improve in a specific field, simply ( ) the actions of the experts.

Enervate

Sap the energy out of someone; fatigue

(Drain, exhaust, weaken)

The coach took pride in ( )ing the players.

Ephemeral

Extremely shortlasting

(Transitory, fleeting, momentary)

It was an ( ) thought that quickly melted away.

Fervid

Excessively energetic or eager

(Zealous, ardent, avid)

The leader’s ( ) pleas did not go unheard.

Garrulous

Tending to talk too much; wordy

(Verbose, chatty, loquacious)

Because she’s ( ), this meeting will take forver.