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GRE Vocabulary Group 4

Terms

undefined, object
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acerbic (adj.)
having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
aggrandize (v.)
to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
alchemy (n.)
a medieval science aimed as the transmutation of metals, especially base metals into gold
- an alchemist is one who practices alchemy
amenable (adj.)
agreeable; responsive to suggestions
anachronism (n.)
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
astringent (adj./n.)
having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; sever; something with a tightening effect on tissue
contiguous (adj.)
sharing a border; touching; adjacent
convention (n.)
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
credulous (adj.)
tending to believe too readily; gullible
noun form: credulity
cynicism (n.)
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
adj form: cynical
decorum (n.)
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
adj form: decorous
derision (n.)
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
adj form: derisive
verb form: deride
desiccate (v.)
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
dilettante (n.)
one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
disparage (v.)
to slight or belittle
divulge (v.)
to disclose something secret
fawn (v.)
to flatter or praise excessively
flout (v.)
to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
garrulous (adj.)
pointlessly talkative, talking too much
glib (adj.)
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
hubris (n.)
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
imminent (adj.)
about to happen; impending
immutable (adj.)
not capable of change
impetuous (adj.)
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
indifferent (adj.)
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
inimical (adj.)
damaging; harmful; injurious
intractable (adj.)
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
intrepid (adj.)
steadfast and courageous
laconic (adj.)
using few words; terse
maverick (n.)
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
mercurial (adj.)
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
mollify (v.)
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
neophyte (n.)
a recent convert; beginner; novice
obfuscate (v.)
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
obstinate (adj.)
stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
ostentatious (adj.)
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
pervade (v.)
to permeate throughout
adj form: pervasive
phlegmatic (adj.)
calm; sluggish; unemotional
plethora (n.)
an overabundance; a surplus
pragmatic (adj.)
practical rather than idealistic
presumptuous (adj.)
overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
pristine (adj.)
pure; uncorrupted; clean
probity (n.)
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
proclivity (n.)
a natural predisposition or inclination
profligate (adj.)
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
noun form: profligacy
propensity (n.)
a natural inclination or tendency, penchant
prosaic (adj.)
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
pungent (adj.)
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
quixotic (adj.)
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
quotidian (adj.)
occurring or recurring daily, commonplace
rarefy (v.)
to make or become thin, less dense, to refine
recondite (adj.)
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
refulgent (adj.)
radiant; shiny; brilliant
renege (v.)
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
sedulous (adj.)
diligent; persistent; hard-working
shard (n.)
a piece of broken pottery or glass
soporific (adj.)
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
sparse (adj.)
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
spendthrift (n.)
one who spends money wastefully
subtle (adj.)
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
tacit (adj.)
implied; not explicitly stated
terse (adj.)
brief and concise in wording
tout (v.)
to publicly praise or promote
trenchant (adj.)
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
unfeigned (adj.)
genuine; not false or hypocritical
untenable (adj.)
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
vacillate (v.)
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
variegated (adj.)
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
vexation (n.)
annoyance; irritation
noun form: vex
vigilant (adj.)
alertly watchful
noun form: vigilance
vituperate (v.)
to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
volatile (adj.)
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
noun form: volatility

Deck Info

72

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