GRE vocab

vocab

austere

stern and cold in appearance or manner; morally strict

belie

to give a false impression of; to contradict

capricious

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

cerebral

relating to the brain; intellectual in nature

congenial

pleasant, sociable; having the same nature

cursory

rapidly and often superficially performed

didactic

designed or intended to teach

insipid

lacking in qualities that interest; lacking in taste (bland)

obsequious

marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness

proclivity

an inclination toward something (esp. toward something objectionable)

puerile

juvenile; childish

quixotic

foolishly impractical; capricious, unpredictable

spendthrift

a person who spends wastefully

taciturn

disinclined to talk

ingenuous

showing innocence, lacking craft; noble

diatribe

a bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing

desiccate

to dry up; dehydrate; drain of emotional or intellectual vitality

derivative

a word formed from another word; having parts that originate from another source; lacking originality

demur

to raise doubts or objections or show reluctance; the action or process of objecting to or hesitating

deft

skillful and quick

contrite

showing sincere remorse; filled with a sense of guilt

castigate

to subject to severe punishment

calumny

a false and malicious statement designed to injure someone’s reputation

banal

devoid of freshness, trite

avaricious

greedy, excessively acquisitive

audacious

intrepidly daring; insolent; marked by originality

anachronistic

being chronologically out of place

ameliorate

to make better or more tolerable

ambivalent

having mixd feelings, being unable to choose between two courses of action

alacrity

promptness, cheerful readiness

aggrandize

to make greater; to enhance the power, wealth, or reputation of

abate

to decrease in force; to become null or void

abjure

to reject solemnly; to abstain from

arcane

known only to a few people; mysterious

artless

lacking art, knowledge, or skill; free from guile or craft

ascetic

leading an austerely simple life, especially one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life

assuage

to lessen the intensity of, ease; pacify

bucolic

relating to shepherds; relating to rural life

burgeon

to sprout; to flourish

chicanery

trickery, deception

cogent

convincing, pertinent/relevant; having power to compel

cosmopolitan

having international sophistication; composed of elements from all over the world; having worldwide scope; found in most parts of the world

desultory

lacking in consistency; unconnected with the main subject

diffident

hesitant in acting; reserved

dilatory

intended to cause delay; tardy

prodigal

recklessly extravagant; one who has returned after an absence

approbation

commendation, an act of approving formally

enervate

lacking physical, mental, or moral vigor; to reduce the strength of

ephemeral

lasting a very short time

garrulous

annoyingly talkative

inimical

hostile

mitigate

to alleviate; make less harsh

paradigmatic

example, pattern; a general model/framework

pedantic

ostentatious in one’s learning; overly concerned with minute details

placid

pleasantly calm or peaceful; showing a lack of energy

polemical

expressing a critical attack or controversial statement

precipitate

cause to happen unexpectedly or prematurely; done without consideration

punctilious

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior

recondite

obscure, difficult to comprehend

scrupulous

having moral inegrity; punctilously exact

vacillate

to waver; fluctuate

zealous

marked by fervent partisanship

stigmatize

to describe in a way that shows strong disapproval, set a mark of disgrace upon

restive

stubbornly resisting control; marked by impatience or uneasiness

remedial

intended to correct or improve

prosaic

commonplace or dull; having the character of prose

panache

dash or flamboyance

marginalize

to relegate to an unimportant/powerless position

impertinent

given to or characterized by insolent rudeness; irrelevant

imperious

marked by arrogant assurance; urgent

fanciful

marked by unrestrained imagination rather than reason and experience

enigmatic

mysterious, perplexing

clangor

a continuous loud banging or ringing

affectation

speech or conduct not natural to oneself, esp. to impress others

chauvinistic

an attitude of superiority toward members of the opposite sex; undue attachment to a group or place one belongs to

connoisseur

expert; one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties

dissemble

to hide under a false appearance; to put on the appearance of

engender

beget, to cause to exist; originate

entitled

having a right to certain benefits

pertinacious

adhering resolutely to an opinion, purpose, or design; stubborn; extremely persistent

probity

adherence to the highest principles and ideals, integrity

specious

having a false look of truth, deceptive attraction

spurious

outwardly similar to something without having its genuine quality; forged; bastard

timorous

timid, fearful; suggesting timidity

tortuous

marked by repeated twists, winding; marked by devious tactics

tractable

capable of being easily led; easily managed

transient

passing especially quickly into and out of existence, passing through with only a brief stay; producing results beyond itself

venal

capable of being bought or obtained for money (mercenary); associated with bribery

clamorous

marked by outcry; noisily insistent

explicable

capable of being explained

immutable

not capable of or susceptible to change

indefatigable

untiring

indolent

habitually lazy; causing little or no pain

intransigent

characterized by refusal to compromise

malign

evil in nature, malignant; malevolent

neophyte

a new convert; beginner

platitude

trite or stale remark; quality of being dull

malingerer

pretend or exaggerate incapacity to avoid work

moribund

approaching death; being in a state of inactivity

ignoble

characterized by baseness; of low birth or common origin