question

Abate

answer

To Reduce in amount, degree, or severity || -As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm

question

Abscond

answer

To leave secretly || -The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door

question

Abstain

answer

To choose not to do something || -She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray

question

Abyss

answer

An extremely deep hole || -The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart unseen waters

question

Adulterate

answer

To make impure || -The restaurateur made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water

question

Advocate

answer

To speak in favor of || -The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat

question

Aesthetic

answer

Concerning the appreciation of beauty || -Followers of the AESTHETIC movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art

question

Aggrandize

answer

To increase in power, influence, & reputation || -The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own

question

Alleviate

answer

To make more bearable || -Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache

question

Amalgamate

answer

To Combine; To mix together || -Giant industries AMALGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Inc

question

Ambiguous

answer

Doubtful or Uncertain; Able to be interpreted several ways

question

Ameliorate

answer

To make better; To Improve || -The Dr. was able to AMELIORATE the patients suffering using painkillers

question

Anachronism

answer

Something out of place in time || -The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases like groovy & far out that had not been popular for years

question

Analogous

answer

Similar or alike in some way; Equivalent to || -In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker"

question

Anomaly

answer

Deviation from what is normal || -Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates

question

Antagonize

answer

To annoy or provoke to anger || -The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail

question

Antipathy

answer

Extreme dislike || -The ANTIPATHY between the French & English regularly erupted into open warfare

question

Apathy

answer

Lack of interest or emotion

question

Arbitrate

answer

To judge a dispute between two opposing parties || -Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings

question

Archaic

answer

Ancient, old-fashioned

question

Ardor

answer

Intense & passionate feeling || -Bishops ARDOR for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley

question

Articulate

answer

Able to speak clearly & expressively

question

Assuage

answer

To make something unpleasant less severe || -Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache

question

Attenuate

answer

To reduce in force or degree; To Weaken || -The bill of rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of government to change laws at will

question

Audacious

answer

Fearless & Daring || -Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving

question

Austere

answer

Severe or stern in appearance; Undecorated || -The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seen AUSTERE to the untrained eye

question

Banal

answer

Predictable, Clichéd, Boring || -He used BANAL phrases like "Have a nice day, or another day, another dollar"

question

Bolster

answer

To support; To prop up || -The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Bigfoot was in the area

question

Bombastic

answer

Pompous in speech & manner || -The dictators speeches were mostly BOMBASTIC

question

Cacophony

answer

Harsh, jarring noise

question

Candid

answer

Impartial & honest in speech || -The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID & unpretentious

question

Capricious

answer

Changing ones mind quickly & often || -Queen was quite CAPRICIOUS

question

Castigate

answer

To punish or criticize harshly || -The authorities CASTIGATE perpetrators

question

Catalyst

answer

Something that brings about a change in something else || -The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution

question

Caustic

answer

Biting in wit

question

Chaos

answer

Great disorder or confusion

question

Chauvinist

answer

Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which they belong

question

Chicanery

answer

Deception by means of craft or guile || -Dishonest used car salesman often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars

question

Cogent

answer

Convincing & well reasoned || -Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice to acquit the defendant

question

Condone

answer

To overlook, pardon, or disregard || -Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness

question

Convoluted

answer

Intricate & complicated

question

Corroborate

answer

To provide supporting evidence || -Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony

question

Credulous

answer

Too trusting; Gullible

question

Crescendo

answer

Steadily increasing volume or force || -The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable...

question

Decorum

answer

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; Propriety || -The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM...

question

Deference

answer

Respect, courtesy || -The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE

question

Deride

answer

To speak of or treat with contempt; To mock || -The awkward child was often DERIDED by his cooler peers

question

Desiccate

answer

To dry out thoroughly || -After a few weeks of lying on the deserts sand, the cow's carcass became completely DESICCATE

question

Desultory

answer

Jumping from one thing to another; Disconnected || -Mary had a DESULTORY academic record

question

Diatribe

answer

An abusive, condemnatory speech

question

Diffident

answer

Lacking self-confidence || -Steve's diffident manner during the interview stemmed from his nervous nature...

question

Dilate

answer

To make larger; To expand

question

Dilatory

answer

Intended to delay || -The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill

question

Dilettante

answer

Someone with an amateurish & superficial interest in a topic || -Jerry's friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs & hobbies every week

question

Dirge

answer

A funeral hymn or mournful speech

question

Disabuse

answer

To set right; To free from error || -Galileo's observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth

question

Discern

answer

To perceive; To recognize

question

Disparate

answer

Fundamentally different; Entirely unlike || -Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities were DISPARATE

question

Dissemble

answer

To present a false appearance; To disguise ones real intentions or character || -The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer...

question

Dissonance

answer

A harsh & disagreeable combination, often sounds || -Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence

question

Dogma

answer

A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

question

Dogmatic

answer

Dictatorial in ones opinion

question

Dupe

answer

To deceive; A person who is easily deceived || -Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit

question

Eclectic

answer

Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

question

Efficacy

answer

Effectiveness

question

Elegy

answer

A sorrowful poem or speech || -Although Thomas Grays ELEGY is about death & loss, it urges readers to endure this life, & trust in spirituality

question

Eloquent

answer

Persuasive & moving, especially in speech

question

Emulate

answer

To copy; To try to equal or excel

question

Enervate

answer

To reduce in strength || -The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army

question

Engender

answer

To produce, cause, or bring about || -His fear & hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown

question

Enigma

answer

A puzzle; A mystery

question

Enumerate

answer

To count, list, or itemize || -Moses returned from the MT with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED

question

Ephemeral

answer

Lasting a short time || -The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies average life span is a matter of hours

question

Equivocate

answer

To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead || -When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED & left all parties thinking he agreed with them

question

Erratic

answer

Wandering & unpredictable

question

Erudite

answer

Learned, scholarly, bookish || -The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUIDTE, well-published individuals in the field

question

Esoteric

answer

Known or understood by only a few || -Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world of particle physics

question

Estimable

answer

Admirable || -Most people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India

question

Eulogy

answer

Speech in praise of someone

question

Euphemism

answer

Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one || -The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHIMISM "sleeping" instead of the word "dead"

question

Exacerbate

answer

To make worse

question

Exculpate

answer

To clear from blame; Prove innocent || -The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty & to EXCULPATE those who are innocent

question

Exigent

answer

Urgent; Requiring immediate action || -The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding

question

Exonerate

answer

To clear of blame || -The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to the crime

question

Explicit

answer

Clearly stated or shown; Forthright in expression

question

Fanatical

answer

Acting excessively enthusiastic; Filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

question

Fawn

answer

To grovel

question

Fervid

answer

Intensely emotional; Feverish || -The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of her

question

Florid

answer

Excessively decorated or embellished || -The place had been decorated in an excessively FLORID style

question

Foment

answer

To arouse or incite || -The protestors tried to FOMENT feeling against the war through their speeches & demonstrations

question

Frugality

answer

A tendency to be thrifty or cheap

question

Garrulous

answer

Tending to talk a lot || -The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking

question

Gregarious

answer

Outgoing, sociable || -She was so GREGARIOUS that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad

question

Guile

answer

Deceit or trickery || -Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE to trap him

question

Gullible

answer

Easily deceived

question

Homogenous

answer

Of a similar kind || -The class was fairly HOMOGENOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors

question

Iconoclast

answer

One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions || -His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST

question

Imperturbable

answer

Not capable of being disturbed || -The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed IMPERTURBABLE

question

Impervious

answer

Impossible to penetrate; Incapable of being affected

question

Impetuous

answer

Quick to act without thinking || -It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS

question

Implacable

answer

Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful || -His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained IMPLACABLE for weeks

question

Inchoate

answer

Not fully formed; Disorganized || -The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing

question

Ingenuous

answer

Showing innocence or childlike simplicity

question

Inimical

answer

Hostile, unfriendly

question

Innocuous

answer

Harmless || -Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS & pose no danger to humans

question

Insipid

answer

Lacking interest or flavor || -The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all

question

Intransigent

answer

Uncompromising; Refusing to be reconciled || -The professor was INTRASIGNENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time

question

Inundate

answer

To overwhelm; To cover with waiter || -The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis

question

Irascible

answer

Easily made angry || -Attila the Hun's IRASCIBLE & violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives

question

Laconic

answer

Using few words || -She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible

question

Lament

answer

to express sorrow; to grieve || -The children continued to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise

question

Laud

answer

To give praise; To glorify || -Parades & fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels

question

Lavish

answer

To give unsparingly(verb); Extremely generous or extravagant(adjective) || -She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became fat

question

Lethargic

answer

Acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

question

Loquacious

answer

Talkative || -She was naturally LOQUACIOUS

question

Lucid

answer

Clear & easily understood

question

Luminous

answer

Bright, brilliant, glowing

question

Malinger

answer

To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

question

Malleable

answer

Capable of being shaped

question

Metaphor

answer

A figure of speech comparing two different things; A symbol

question

Meticulous

answer

Extremely careful about details

question

Misanthrope

answer

A person who dislikes others || -The character Scrooge is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry

question

Mitigate

answer

To soften; To lessen

question

Mollify

answer

To calm or make less severe || -Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them

question

Monotony

answer

Lack of variation

question

Naive

answer

Lacking sophistication or experience

question

Obdurate

answer

Hardened in feeling; Resistant to persuasion || -The President was completely OBDURATE on the issue, & no amount of persuasion would change his mind

question

Obsequious

answer

Overly submissive & eager to please || -The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisors tie & agree with him on every issue

question

Obstinate

answer

Stubborn, unyielding || -The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked

question

Obviate

answer

To prevent; To make unnecessary || -The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge

question

Occlude

answer

To stop up; To prevent the passage of

question

Onerous

answer

Troublesome & oppressive; Burdensome || -The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it

question

Opaque

answer

Impossible to see through; Preventing the passage of light

question

Opprobrium

answer

Public disgrace || -After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM

question

Ostentation

answer

Excessive showiness

question

Paradox

answer

A contradiction or dilemma

question

Paragon

answer

Model of excellence or perfection || -She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be

question

Pedant

answer

Someone who shows off learning || -The graduate instructors tedious & excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT

question

Perfidious

answer

Willing to betray ones trust || -The actress's PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets

question

Perfunctory

answer

Done in a routing way; Indifferent || -The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction & gave the customer a PERFUNCTORY smile

question

Permeate

answer

To penetrate

question

Philanthropy

answer

Charity; A desire or effort to promote goodness

question

Placate

answer

To soothe or pacify

question

Plastic

answer

Able to be molded, altered, or bent

question

Plethora

answer

Excess

question

Pragmatic

answer

Practical as opposed to idealistic

question

Precipitate

answer

To throw violently or bring about abruptly; Lacking deliberation

question

Prevaricate

answer

To lie or deviate from the truth || -Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic made him late

question

Pristine

answer

Fresh & clean; Uncorrupted

question

Prodigal

answer

Lavish, wasteful || -The PRODIGAL son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure

question

Proliferate

answer

To increase in number quickly

question

Propitiate

answer

To conciliate; To appease || -The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members

question

Propriety

answer

Correct behavior; Obedience to rules & customs

question

Prudence

answer

Wisdom, caution, or restraint || -The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies

question

Pungent

answer

Sharp & irritating to the senses

question

Quiescent

answer

Motionless || -Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months

question

Rarefy

answer

To make thinner or sparser || -Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of the mountains is too thin to breathe

question

Repudiate

answer

To reject the validity of || -The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED ...

question

Reticent

answer

Silent, reserved || -Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting

question

Rhetoric

answer

Effective writing or speaking || -Lincoln's talent for RHETORIC was evident in his speech

question

Satiate

answer

To satisfy fully or overindulge

question

Soporific

answer

Causing sleep or lethargy || -The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater

question

Specious

answer

Deceptively attractive; Seemingly plausible but fallacious || -The students SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise

question

Stigma

answer

A mark of shame or discredit

question

Stolid

answer

Unemotional; Lacking sensitivity || -The prisoner appeared STOLID & unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence

question

Sublime

answer

Lofty or grand || -The music was so SUBLIME...

question

Tacit

answer

Done without using words || -Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that TACIT agreement had been made

question

Taciturn

answer

Silent, not talkative || -The clerk's TACITURN nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob"

question

Tirade

answer

Long, harsh speech or verbal attack || -Observers were shocked at the managers TIRADE over such a minor mistake

question

Torpor

answer

Extreme mental & physical sluggishness || -After surgery, the patient experienced TURPOR until the anesthesia wore off

question

Transitory

answer

Temporary, lasting a brief time || -The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life

question

Vacillate

answer

To sway physically; to be indecisive || -The customer held up the line as he VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road

question

Venerate

answer

To respect deeply || -In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders

question

Veracity

answer

Filled with truth & accuracy || -She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events

question

Verbose

answer

Wordy || -The professor's answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the question was

question

Vex

answer

To annoy

question

Volatile

answer

Easily aroused or changeable; Lively or explosive

question

Waver

answer

To fluctuate between choices

question

Whimsical

answer

Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; Unpredictable || -The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters...

question

Zeal

answer

Passion, excitement || -She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members

Top 180 GRE Vocab Words in Context – Flashcards

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