GRE Vocabulary Group 4
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- 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