GRE Vocab 3

acumen (n)

keen, accurate judgment or insight

adulterate (v)

to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients

amalgamate (v)

to combine several elements into a whole

archaic (adj)

outdated

associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time

aver (v)

to state as a fact

to declare or assert

bolster (v)

to provide support or reinforcement

bombastic (adj)

pompous

grandiloquent

diatribe (n)

a harsh denunciation

dissemble (v)

to disguise or conceal

to mislead

eccentric (adj)

departing from norms or conventions

endemic (adj)

characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, or people

evanescent (adj)

tending to disappear like vapor

vanishing

exacerbate (v)

to make worse or severe

fervent (adj)

greatly emotional or zealous

fortuitous (adj)

happening by accident or chance

germane (adj)

relevant to the subject at hand

appropriate in subject matter

grandiloquence (n)

pompous speech or expression

hackneyed (adj)

rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage

halcyon (adj)

calm and peaceful

hedonism (n)

devotion to pleasurable puruits, especially to the pleasures of the senses

hegemony (n)

the consistent dominance of one state or group over others

iconoclast (n)

one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions

idolatrous (adj)

given to intense or excessive devotion to something

impassive (adj)

revealing no emotion

imperturbable (adj)

marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness

implacable (adj)

not capable of being appeased or significantly changed

impunity (n)

immunity from punishment or penalty

inchoate (adj)

in an initial stage

not fully formed

infelicitous (adj)

unfortunate

inappropriate

insipid (adj)

lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge

loquacious (adj)

extremely talkative

luminous (adj)

characterized by brightness and the emission of light

malevolent (adj)

having or showing often vicious ill will, spite or hatred

malleable (adj)

capable of being shaped or formed

tractable

pliable

mendacity (adj)

the condition of being untruthful

dishonesty

misanthrope (n)

one who hates all other humans

mitigate (v)

to make or become less severe or intense

to moderate

obdurate (adj)

unyielding

hardhearted

intractable

obsequious (adj)

exhibiting a fawning attentiveness

occlude (v)

to obstruct or block

opprobrium (n)

disgrace

contempt

scorn

pedagogy (n)

the profession or principles of teaching or instructing

pedantic (adj)

overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education

show-offish about one’s knowledge

penury (n)

poverty

destitution

pervasive (adj)

having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout

pine (v)

to yearn intensely

to languish

to lose vigor

priate (v)

to illegally use or reproduce

pith (n)

the essential or central part

pithy (adj)

precise and brief

placate (v)

to appease

to calm by making concessions

platitude (n)

a superficial remark, especially one offered as meaningful

plummet (v)

to plunge or drop straight down

polemical (adj)

controversial

argumentative

prodigal (adj)

recklessly wasteful

extravagant

profuse

lavish

profuse (asj)

given or coming forth abundnantly

extravagant

proliferate (v)

to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly

queries (n)

questions

inquiries

doubts in the mind

reservations

querulous (adj)

prone to copmlaining or grumbling

peevish

rancorous (adj)

characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment

recalcitrant (adj)

obstinately defiant of authority

difficult to manage

repudiate (v)

to refuse to have anything to do with

to disown

rescind (v)

to invalidate

to repeal

to retract

reverent (adj)

marked by, feeling, or expressing a feeling of prodound awe and respect

rhetoric (n)

the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion

salubrious (adj)

promoting health or well-being

solvent (adj)

able to meet financial obligations

able to dissolve another substance

spurious (adj)

lacking authenticity or validity

false

counterfeit

subpoena (n)

a court order requiring appearance and/or testimony

succint (adj)

brief

concise

superfluous (adj)

exceeding what is sufficient or necessary

surfeit (v)/(n)

an overabundant supply

excess

to feed or supply to excess

tenacity (n)

the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued

persistent determination

tenuous (adj)

having little substance or strength

flimsy

weak

tirade (n)

a long and extremely critical speech

a harsh denunciation

transient (adj)

fleeting

passing quickly

brief

zealous (adj)

fervent

ardent

impassioned, devoted to a cause