The GRE Verbal Reasoning Test: Warm-up Words: Warm-up, List 11

This list of warm-up words features common words on the test that you're probably familiar with. Brush up on these words first to make sure that you start off strong while taking the GRE.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abstinence
    act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite
    Fifteen minutes later, noticing that the supply of hot dogs in the little well was visibly diminishing, he decided in favor of abstinence for the moment. A Confederacy of Dunces
  2. alloy
    a mixture containing two or more metallic elements
    Washington had several sets of false chompers during his life, which may have been crafted from such materials as ivory, horse teeth, brass, and silver alloy. Salon (Mar 5, 2022)
  3. aver
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    More important, they aver that inequality causes stress without admitting the possibility that some other factor is contributing to both, or indeed that social breakdown contributes to inequality. Economist (Jun 14, 2018)
  4. caustic
    harsh or corrosive in tone
    “He generally would answer patiently,” another student agreed, “unless the question was manifestly stupid, in which event his response was likely to be quite caustic.” Bomb
  5. concoct
    devise or invent
    “I may be a terrible man,” Count Olaf said, “but I have been able to concoct a foolproof way of getting your fortune, which is more than you’ve been able to do.” The Bad Beginning
  6. contiguous
    having a common boundary or edge
    The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land, a sort of compact Main Street ministering to it and contiguous to absolutely nothing. The Great Gatsby
  7. discordant
    lacking in harmony
    Warbling moans echoed on the breeze, groaning in different pitches, forming eerie, discordant harmonies. Fablehaven
  8. exigency
    a pressing or urgent situation
    The exigencies of the era demanded that we address the risk of nuclear weapons in space and reduce our chance of nuclear annihilation. Scientific American (Nov 24, 2015)
  9. hallowed
    worthy of religious veneration
    He was standing in the Temple of Lkossa, the oldest and most hallowed place in all the city. Beasts of Prey
  10. impassive
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    Aru peered up at the statues and their cold, impassive faces. Aru Shah and the End of Time
  11. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
    I was inert, still in my school clothes, lying on top of my sheets, dozing in a transitory space between asleep and awake. We Are the Ants
  12. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
    “I was joking, Mom. That was just an attempt to add a little levity.” The Great Santini
  13. pathology
    the branch of medical science that studies diseases
    Even when death certificates are completed by medical examiners, who are usually doctors, they may not be trained in forensic pathology and could miss the real cause of death. New York Times (Feb 14, 2022)
  14. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
    “I think it’s a kind of ’keep your eyes on the prize,’ pragmatic approach that demands clarity of what you’re trying to achieve and clarity about what the best tools are,” he said. Scientific American (Mar 5, 2021)
  15. reparation
    something done or paid in expiation of a wrong
    “My first act,” I wrote, “will be to confess that I love you. I’ll beg pardon a thousand times for causing you unhappiness and make reparations by making you laugh a thousand times.” Ella Enchanted
  16. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
    The plot turns on the murder of an arrogant reprobate who’s done enough to offend so many people in town that just about everybody who remains is a suspect. Washington Post (Mar 30, 2017)
  17. sensuous
    providing perceptible pleasure or gratification
    The pen between my fingers is sensuous, alive almost, I can feel its power, the power of the words it contains. The Handmaid's Tale
  18. solvent
    capable of meeting financial obligations
    These policies carry an additional benefit by putting money in landlords’ pockets, keeping smaller companies solvent and ideally making all landlords less eager to evict tenants. Washington Post (Apr 8, 2021)
  19. tenet
    a basic principle or belief that is accepted as true
    Experts in early humans dispute some of the tenets of latter-day paleos, including the belief that fasting is beneficial and that the body is unequipped to handle an agriculture-based diet. New York Times (Jan 8, 2010)
  20. tome
    a large and scholarly book
    Omar would have laughed at me for picking up such a heavy tome, but choosing thick books meant I could hold on to them longer before I needed to exchange them. Amal Unbound
Created on Wed Nov 30 14:32:35 EST 2022 (updated Thu Jan 12 16:05:57 EST 2023)

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