Study GRE Vocab Flash Cards

 
Pile Management Card
GRE Vocab

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zenith
highest point, summit
xenophobia
fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers
wraith
a ghost
wizened
withered, shriveled, wrinkled
waspish
easily irritated
voluble
speaking much and easily, talkative; glib
vociferous
loud, vocal, and noisy
vituperate
to abuse verbally
vitriolic
burning, caustic; sharp, bitter
vitiate
reduce in value or effectiveness
viscous
thick, syrupy, and sticky
virile
manly, having qualities of an adult male
variegated
varied; marked with different colors
vacuous
empty, void; lacking intelligence, purposeless
usury
lending money at exorbitant rates
urbane
crouteous, refined, suave
untoward
not favorable; unruly
unsullied
clean
unfettered
free, unrestrained
unctuous
greasy, oily; smug and falsely earnest
umbrage
offense, resentment
tyro
beginner, novice
turpitude
inherent vileness, foulness, depravity
turgid
swollen, bloated
truculent
savage and cruel; fierce; ready to fight
trite
shallow, superficial
trenchant
acute, sharp, incisive; forceful, effective
thrammel
to impede or hamper
threnody
a sad poem or song
tenuous
weak, insubtantial
tenet
belief, doctrine
tenable
defensible, reasonable
temporal
relating to time; chronological
temerity
recklessness
tantamout
equivalent in value or significance; amounting to
talisman
something producing a magical effect
tableau
vivid desciption, striking incident or scene
syncopation
temporarily irregulariy in musical rhythm
sycophant
self-serving flatterer, yes-man
sybarite
person devoted to pleasure and luxury
surreptitous
characterized by secrecy
surly
rude, bad-tempered
supercilious
arrogant, haughty, overbearing, condescending
sully
to soil, stain, tarnish, taint
subterfuge
trick or tactic used to avoi something
stymie
to block or thwart
stringent
imposing severe, rigorous standards
striate
striped, grooved
sentorian
extremely loud
staid
self-restrained, strait-laced
squalid
filthy; morally repulsive
sportive
frolicsome, playful
sophist
person good at arguing deviously
sonorous
producing a full, rich sound
somnambulist
sleepwalker
solipsism
belief that the slf is the only reality
solecism
grammatical mistake
sojourn
visit, stay
slovenly
untidy, messy
slake
to quench or moderat
sinuous
winding; intricate, complex
sinecure
well-paying job or office that require little or no work
simper
to smirk, smile foolishly
shirk
to avoid a task due to laziness or fear
seraphic
angelic, pure, sublime
sepulchral
typical of a place of burial
sentient
aware, conscious, able to perceive
senescent
aging, growing old
sedition
behavior promoting rebellion
scurrilous
vulgar, low, indecent
scintillate
to sparkle, flash
scintilla
very small amount
scabbard
sheath for sword or dagger
sapient
wise
sanguine
fuddy; cheerfully optimistic
salubrious
healthful
salacious
lustful
sagacious
shrewd, wise
sacrosanct
extremely sacred; beyond criticism
ruminate
to contemplate, reflect upon
rotund
round in shape; fat
rococo
very highly ornamented
riposte
a retort
ribald
humorous in a vulgar way
revelry
boisterous festivity
retinue
group of attendants with an important person
restive
impatient, uneasy, restless
respite
interval of relief
requite
to return or repay
reprobate
morally unprincipled person
repast
meal
renitent
resisting pressure, obstinate
renege
to go back on one's word
rejoinder
response
redress
relief from wrong or injury
recreant
disloyal; cowardly
recondite
relating to obscure learning; known to only a few
recidivism
tendency to repeat previous behavior
reclcitrant
resisting authority or control
raze
to tear down, demolish
rapprochement
reestablishing a cordial relationship
rapacious
greedy; predatory
rancor
bitter hatred
raillery
lighthearted jesting
raconteur
a witty, skillful storyteller
quotidian
occurring daily; commonplace
querulous
inclined to complain, irritable
pusillanimous
cowardly
pundit
an authority or critic
pulchritude
beauty
puerile
childish, immature, silly
prurient
lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
prrovincial
rustic, unsophisticated, limited in scope
provident
prudent, frugal
protagonist
main character in a ploay or story, hero
prostrate
lying face downward, lying flat on the ground
proselytize
to induce someone to convert to a particular belief or religion
propitious
favorable, advantagesou
propinquity
nearness
promulgate
to make known publicly
prolix
tedious; wordy
prolific
productive, fertile
prognosticate
to predict
progenitor
orignator, forefather, ancestor in a direct line
probity
honesty, high-mindedness
privation
lack of usual necessities or comforts
precient
having foresight
predilection
preference, liking
precursor
forerunning, predecessor
precept
principle; law
posit
to put in position; to suggest an idea
polyglot
speaker of many languages
polemic
controversy, argument; verbal attack
pneumatic
relating to air; worked by compressed air
plaudit
applause
plangent
resounding; plaintive
plait
to braid
philistine
narrow-minded person, someone lacking appreciation for art or culture
phalanx
massed group of soldiers, people or things
pertinacious
persistent, stubborn
perspicacious
shrewd, astute, keen-witted
pernicious
very harmful
periphrastic
using circumlocution
perambulate
walk about
punumbra
partial shadow
penultimate
next to last
penchant
inclination
peculation
theft of money or goods
peccadillo
minor sin or offense
paucity
scarcity, lack
parsimony
stinginess
parochial
of limited scope or outlook, provincial
parley
discussion, usually between enemies
panoply
impressive array
panegyric
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
panacea
cure-all
palliate
to make less serious, ease
paean
a song of praise or thanksgiving
ouster
expulsion, ejection
oscillate
to move back and forth
omniscient
having infinite knoweledge
omnipotent
having unlimited power
obstreperous
troublesome, boisterous, unruly
obfuscate
to confuse, obscure
numismatics
coin collecting
noxious
harmful, unwholesome
noisome
stinking, putrid
nihilism
belief that existence and all traditional values are meaningless
neophyte
novice, beginner
neologism
new word or expression
nefarious
vicious, evil
necromancy
black magic
nebulous
vague, cloudy
nascent
starting to develop, coming into existence
nadir
lowest point
munifeicent
generous
multifarious
diverse
mote
small particle, speck
mordacious
caustic, biting
molt
to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
mnemonic
relating to memory; designed to assist memory
minatory
menancing, threatening
meritorious
deserving reward or paise
mercurial
quick, shrewd, and unpredictable
mendicant
beggar
mendacious
dishonest
megalomania
mental state with delusions of wealth and power
mawkish
sickeningly sentimental
maudlin
overly sentimental
martinet
strict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules
manifold
diverse, varied; comprised of many parts
malevolent
ill-willed; causing evil or harm to others
malapropism
humorous misues of a word
machination
plot or scheme
macabre
gruesome, producing horror
lugubrious
sorrowful, mournful
lissome
easily flexed, limber, agile
lionize
to treat as a celebrity
liniment
medicinal liquid used externally to ease pain
limpid
clear and simple in style
licentious
immoral; unrestrained by society
libidinous
lustful
lexicon
dictionary, list of words
levity
humor, frivolity, gaiety
legerdemain
trickery
lassitude
lethargy, sluggishness
largess
generosity; gift
lapidary
relating to precious stones
lambaste
disapprove angrily
lachrymose
tearful
knell
the sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure
kismet
fate
jurisprudence
philosophy of law
juggernaut
huge force destroying everything in its path
jocular
jovial, playful, humurous
jingoism
belligerent support of one's country
jibe
to shift suddenly from one side to the other
itinerant
wandering from place to place, unsettled
invidious
likely to provoke ill will, offensive
inveterate
confirmed, long-standing, deeply rooted
inure
to harden; accustom; become used to
intrinsic
inherent, internal
intrepid
fearless
intimation
clue, suggestion
interstice
a space between things
interpolate
to insert; change by adding new words or material
internecine
deadly to both sides
interloper
trespasser; meddler in others' affairs
interlocutor
someone taking part in a dialogue
interdict
to forbid, prohibit
insuperable
insurmountable, unconquerable
insidious
sly, treacherous, devious
innuendo
indirect and subtle criticism, insinuation
ingress
entrance
ingratiate
to bring oneself purposely into another's good graces
ingenious
original, clever, inventive
infallible
incapable of making a mistake
inert
unable to move, tending to inacitvity
indubitable
unquestionable
indolent
habitually lazy, idle
indigent
very poor
indefatigable
never tired
inculcate
to teach; impress in the mind
incendiary
combustible, flammable, burning easily
incarnate
having bodily form
impugn
to call into question, attack verbally
impromptu
spontaneous, without rehearsal
impolitic
unwise
imperious
arrogantly self-assured, domineering, overbearing
impecunious
poor, having no money
imbue
to infuse; dye; wet, moisten
illusory
unreal, deceptive
ilk
type or kind
ignominious
disgraceful and dishonorable
idiosyncrasy
peculiarity of temperament, eccentricity
husband
to farm; manage carefully and thriftily
hoary
very old; whitish or gray from age
hermetic
tightly sealed
heretical
opposed to an establisehd religious orthodoxy
hegemony
leadership, domination, usually by a country
harangue
a pompous speech
hackneyed
worn out by over-use
gustatory
relating to sense of taste
gratuitous
free, voluntary; unnecessary and unjuustified
grandiloquence
pompous talk, fancy but meaningless
gnostic
having to do with knowledge
glib
fluent in an insincere manner; offhand, casual
gibe
to make hckling, taunting remarks
germinate
to begin to grow (as in a seed or idea)
gauche
crude, socially awkward
gambol
to dance or skip around playfully
gainsay
to deny
furtive
secret, stealthy
fulsome
excessive, overdone, sickeningly abundant
fulminate
to explode with anger
frenetic
wildly frantic, frenzied, hectic
fractious
unruly, rebellious
fracas
noisy dispute
forswear
to repudiate, renounce, disclaim, reject
foliate
to grow, sprout leaves
flaccid
limp, flabby, weak
filial
appropriate for a child
filch
to steal
fey
doomed
fetid
foul-smelling, putrid
fecund
fertile, fruitful, productive
fealty
intense loyalty
fatuous
stupid; smugly foolish; unconsciously foolish
facetious
witty in an inappropriate way
extrapolate
to estimate
extol
to praise
extemporaneous
unrehearsed, on the spur of the moment
expurgate
to censor
expunge
to erase, elminate completely
expatiate
to wander; to discuss or describe at length
exorcise
to expel evil spirits
evince
to show clearly, display, signify
eschew
to abstain from; avoid
ersatz
fake
epitome
representative of an entire group; summary
epicure
person with refied taste in food and wine
ennui
boredom, lack o interest and energy
endemic
belonging to a particular area, inherent
encomium
warm praise
emollient
having soothing qualities, esp. for the skin
emend
to correct a text
egregious
conspiciously bad
effulgent
brilliantly shining
effluvia
outpouring of gases or vapors
ebullient
exhilarated, full of enthusiasm and high spirits
dyspeptic
suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable
droll
amusing in a wry, subtle way
doughty
courageous
dolor
sadness
doctrinaire
rigidly devoted to theories
diurnal
daily
dither
to move or act confusedly or without clear purpose
distaff
the female branc of a family
discomfit
to cause perplexcity and embarrassment
diminutive
small
diluvial
relating to a flood
didactic
excessively instructive
dictum
authoritative statement; popular saying
diaphanous
allowing light to show through; delicate
descry
to discover or reveal
denigrate
to slur or blacken someone's reputation
demagogue
leader or rabble-rouser who usually uses appeals to emotion or prejudice
deluge
flood
deleterious
harmful, destructive, detrimental
declivity
downward slope
curmudgeon
cranky person
coven
group of witches
coterie
small group of persons with a similar purpose
cosset
to pamper, treat with good care
corrugate
to mold in a shpe with parallel grooves and ridges
corpulence
obesity, fatness, bulkiness
contumacious
rebellious
contentious
quarrelsome, disagreeable, belligerent
consanguineous
of the same origin; related by blood
congenial
similar in tastes and habits
conflagration
big destructive fire
conciliatory
overcoming distrust or hostility
compunctious
feeling guilty or having misgivings
commodious
roomy, spacious
comeliness
physical grace and beauty
cognomen
fmaily name; any name, especially a nickname
coffer
strongbox, large chest for money
coalesce
to grow together; cause to unite as one
cistern
tank for rainwater
churlish
rude
choleric
easily angered, short-tempered
chimerical
fanciful, imaginary, visionary; impossible
chattel
piece of personal property
charlatan
quake, fake
chagrin
shame, embarrasment, humiliation
cavalcade
a procession
carom
to strike and rebound
canard
a lie
calumny
false and malicious accusation, misrepresentation, slander
calamitous
disastrous, catastrophic
cajole
to flatter, coax, persuade
bulwark
defense wall; anything serving as a defense
bonohomie
good-natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer
bilious
easily irritated, relating to bile
bifurcate
divide into two parts
benison
blessing
belie
to misrepresent; expose as false
behemoth
huge creature
beatific
saintly, angelic
balk
to refuse, shirk; prevent
bacchanalian
drunkenly festive
assiduous
diligent, persistent, hardworking
arboreal
relating to trees; living in trees
apotheosis
deification; glorified ideal
apotehgm
a short, instructive saying
apostate
one who renounces a religious faith
aplomb
poise, confidence
anthropomorphic
attributing human qualities o nonhumans; having human qualities
antediluvian
prehistoric, ancient beyond measure; coming before the Biblical flood
ancillary
accessory, subordinate; helping
amortize
tominish by installment payments
ambulatory
itinerant; walking around
altruism
unselfish concern for other' welfare
aerie
nook or nest built high in the air
adumbrate
to sketch, outline in a shadowy way
adroit
skillful, accomplished, highly competent
acquiesce
to agree or comply in silence
acme
highest point, summit
acerbic
bitter, sharp in taste or temper
abut
to touch, to be in contact with
abstruse
difficult to comprehend
abstemious
consuming moderately
abrogate
to abolish or invalidat by authority
abnegate
to deny, renounce
ablution
act of cleansing
abjure
to reject, abandon formally
abdicate
to give up a position, right, or power
zeal
passion; excitement
whimsical
acting in a jfanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
waver
to fluctuate between choices
volatile
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
vex
to annoy
verbose
wordy
veracity
filed with truth and accuracy
venerate
to respect deeply
vacillate
to sway physically; to be indecisive
transitory
temporary, lasting a brief time
torpor
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
tirade
long harsh speech or verbal attack
taciturn
silent; not talkative
tacit
done without using words
sublime
lofty or grand
stolid
unemotional; lacking sensitivity
stigma
a mark of shame or discredit
specious
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
soporfic
causing sleep or lethargy
satiate
to satisfy fully or overindulge
rhetoric
effective writing or speaking
reticent
silent, reserved
repudiate
to reject the validity of
rarefy
to make things thinner or sparser
quiescent
motionless
pungent
sharp and irritating to the senses
prudence
wisdom, caution, or restraing
proprity
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
propitiate
to conciliate; to appease
proliferate
to increase in number uickly
prodigal
lavish, wasteful
pristine
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
prevaricate
to lie or eviate from the truth
precipitate
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
pragmatic
practical as opposed to idealistic
plethora
excess
plastic
able to be molded, altered, or bet
placate
to soothe or pacify
philanthropy
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
lavish
to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.);
Laud
to give praise; to glorify
lament
to express orrow; to grive
Laconic
using few words
irascible
easily made angry
unundate
to overwhelm; to cover with water
intransigent
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
insipid
lackig interest or flavor
unnocuous
harmless
inimical
hostile, unfriendly
ingenuous
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
inchoate
not fully formed; disorganized
implacable
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
impetuous
quick to act without thinking
impervious
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
imperturbable
not capable of being disturbed
iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
homogenous
of a similar kind
gullible
easily deceived
buile
deceit or trickery
gregarious
outgoing, sociable
Garrulous
tending to talk a lot
Frugality
A tendency to be thifty or cheap
Foment
To arouse or incite
Florid
Excessively decorated or embellished
Fervid
Intensely emotional; feverish
Fawn
To grovel
Fanatical
Acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
Explicit
Clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
Exonerate
To clear of blame
Exigent
Urgent; requiring immediate action
Exculpate
To clear from blame; prove innocent
Exacerbate
To make worse
Euphemism
Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
Eulogy
Speech in praise of someone
Estimable
Admirable
Esoteric
Known or understood by only a few
Erudite
Learned, Scholarly, bookish
Erratic
Wandering and unpredictable
Equivocate
To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
Ephemeral
Lasting a short time
Enumerate
To count, list or itemize
Enigma
A puzzle; a mystery
Engender
To produce, cause, or bring about
Enervate
To reduce in strength
Emulate
To copy; to try to equal or excel
Eloquent
Persuasive and moving, especially in speech
Elegy
A sorrowful poem or speech
Efficacy
Effectiveness
Eclectic
Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Dupe
To deceive; A person who is easily deceived
Dogmatic
Dictatorial in one's opinions
Dogma
A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
Dissonance
Aharsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Dissemble
To present a false appearance; To disguise one's real intentions or character
Disparate
Fundamentally different; entirely unlike
Discern
To perceive; to recognize
Disabuse
To set right; to free from error
Dirge
A funeral hymn or mournful speech
Dilettante
Someone with an amateurish and superficial interst in a topic
Dilatory
Intended to delay
Dilate
To make larger; to expand
Diffident
Lacking self-confidence
Diatribe
An abusive, condemnatory speech
Desultory
Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Desiccate
To dry out thoroughly
Deride
To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
Deference
Respect, courtesy
Decorum
Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
Crescendo
Steadily increasing volume or force
Credulous
Too trusting; gullible
Corroborate
To provide supporting evidence
Convoluted
Intricate ad complicated
Condone
To overlook, pardon, or disregard
Cogent
Convincing and well reasoned
Chicanery
Deception by means of craft or guile
Chauvinist
Someone Prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
Chaos
Great disorder or confusion
Caustic
Biting in wit
Catalyst
Something that brings about a change in something else
Castigate
To punish or criticize harshly
Capricious
Changing one's mind quickly and often
Candid
Impartial and honest speech
Cacophany
Harsh, jarring noise
Bombastic
Pompous in speech and manner
Bolster
To support; to prop up
Banal
Predictable, cliched, boring
Austere
Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
Audacious
Fearless and daring
Attenuate
To reduce in force or degree; to weaken
Assuage
To amke something unpleasant less severe
Articulate
Able to speak clearly and expressively
Ardor
Intense and passionate feeling
Archaic
Ancient, old-fashioned
Arbitrate
To judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Apathy
Lack of interst or emotion
Antipathy
Extreme dislike
Antagonize
To annoy or provoke to anger
Anomaly
Deviation from what is normal
Analogous
Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
Anachronism
Something out of place in time
Ameliorate
To make better; to improve
Ambiguous
Doubtful or uncertain; able to be intrpreted several ways
Amalgamate
To combine; to mix together
Alleviate
To make more bearable
Aggrandize
To increase in power, influence, and reputation
Aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty
Advocate
To speak in favor of
Adulterate
To make impure
Abyss
An extremely deep hole
Abstaine
To choose not to do something
Abscond
To leave secretly
Abate
To reduce in amount, degree, or severity
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