Vexing GRE words

Jessica K. (United States of America)
132 words 4 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dilatory
    wasting time
  2. seraphic
    having a sweet nature befitting an angel
  3. sublime
    of high moral or intellectual value
  4. abase
    cause to feel shame
  5. politic
    marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness
  6. legerdemain
    an illusory feat
  7. invidious
    containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
  8. propriety
    correct behavior
  9. investiture
    the ceremonial promotion of a person to an office or rank
  10. antipathy
    a feeling of intense dislike
  11. calumny
    a false accusation of an offense
  12. surfeit
    indulge (one's appetite) to satiety
  13. mendacious
    given to lying
  14. husband
    use cautiously and frugally
  15. invective
    abusive language used to express blame or censure
  16. imprecation
    the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil
  17. demur
    politely refuse or take exception to
  18. ingratiate
    gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts
  19. inure
    cause to accept or become hardened to
  20. ostensible
    appearing as such but not necessarily so
  21. pugilism
    boxing with bare hands
  22. jingoism
    fanatical patriotism
  23. diaphanous
    so thin as to transmit light
  24. catholic
    comprehensive or broad-minded in tastes and interests
  25. trenchant
    having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought
  26. cloying
    overly sweet
  27. vicissitude
    a variation in circumstances or fortune
  28. lionize
    assign great social importance to
  29. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
  30. bombastic
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  31. transitory
    lasting a very short time
  32. philistine
    a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
  33. rarefy
    lessen the density or solidity of
  34. redress
    make reparations or amends for
  35. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  36. maudlin
    very sentimental or emotional
  37. craven
    lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
  38. diffident
    showing modest reserve
  39. orotund
    overly formal and pompous in style
  40. panegyric
    formally expressing praise
  41. voluble
    marked by a ready flow of speech
  42. opprobrium
    a state of extreme dishonor
  43. vituperate
    spread negative information about
  44. canard
    a deliberately misleading fabrication
  45. potentate
    a powerful ruler, especially one who is unconstrained by law
  46. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
  47. sybarite
    a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses
  48. probity
    complete and confirmed integrity
  49. opine
    express one's view openly and without fear or hesitation
  50. sycophant
    a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
  51. profligate
    unrestrained by convention or morality
  52. propitiate
    make peace with
  53. ingenuous
    lacking in sophistication or worldliness
  54. palliate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  55. indolent
    disinclined to work or exertion
  56. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  57. arrogate
    seize and take control without authority
  58. bilk
    cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
  59. bevy
    a flock of birds
  60. supplant
    take the place or move into the position of
  61. turgid
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  62. sanguine
    confidently optimistic and cheerful
  63. phalanx
    any closely ranked crowd of people
  64. apostate
    not faithful to religion or party or cause
  65. militate
    have force or influence; bring about an effect or change
  66. puerile
    displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
  67. dilettante
    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
  68. unconscionable
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
  69. tawdry
    tastelessly showy
  70. pusillanimous
    lacking in courage, strength, and resolution
  71. tyro
    someone new to a field or activity
  72. specious
    plausible but false
  73. sinecure
    a job that involves minimal duties
  74. ribald
    humorously vulgar
  75. solecism
    a socially awkward or tactless act
  76. nascent
    being born or beginning
  77. rejoinder
    a quick reply to a question or remark
  78. slake
    satisfy, as thirst
  79. affected
    speaking or behaving artificially to make an impression
  80. precipitate
    done with very great haste and without due deliberation
  81. prodigal
    recklessly wasteful
  82. perfunctory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
  83. wanton
    a lewd or immoral person
  84. soporific
    inducing sleep
  85. stentorian
    very loud or booming
  86. bonhomie
    a disposition to be friendly and approachable
  87. winsome
    charming in a childlike or naive way
  88. prescient
    perceiving the significance of events before they occur
  89. parley
    a negotiation between enemies
  90. encomium
    a formal expression of praise
  91. cupidity
    extreme greed for material wealth
  92. disabuse
    free somebody from an erroneous belief
  93. inexorable
    impossible to prevent, resist, or stop
  94. euphony
    any pleasing and harmonious sounds
  95. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
  96. interregnum
    the time between two reigns or governments
  97. enervate
    weaken physically, mentally, or morally
  98. desultory
    marked by lack of definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
  99. numismatics
    the collection and study of money
  100. anodyne
    capable of relieving pain
  101. elegy
    a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
  102. eschew
    avoid and stay away from deliberately
  103. dyspeptic
    suffering from indigestion
  104. meretricious
    tastelessly showy
  105. coterie
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
  106. florid
    elaborately or excessively ornamented
  107. expurgate
    edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
  108. lissome
    moving and bending with ease
  109. libertine
    unrestrained by convention or morality
  110. augury
    an event indicating important things to come
  111. epicure
    a person who takes great pleasure in fine food and drink
  112. demagogue
    a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions
  113. cosset
    treat with excessive indulgence
  114. exigent
    demanding immediate attention
  115. hoary
    having gray or white hair as with age
  116. mannered
    having unnatural behavioral attributes
  117. perspicacious
    mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
  118. usury
    the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
  119. pastiche
    a work of art that imitates the style of some previous work
  120. inculcate
    teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
  121. martinet
    someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms
  122. restive
    in a very tense state
  123. panoply
    a complete and impressive array
  124. umbrage
    a feeling of anger caused by being offended
  125. raconteur
    a person skilled in telling anecdotes
  126. intransigent
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
  127. peccadillo
    a petty misdeed
  128. knell
    the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death
  129. accretion
    an increase by natural growth or addition
  130. amortize
    pay off a debt by making periodic payments
  131. repast
    the food served and eaten at one time
  132. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
Created on Sun Jun 02 15:20:45 EDT 2013 (updated Mon Jul 01 23:15:51 EDT 2013)

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