My GRE Words
Terms
undefined, object
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- ribald
- referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude or irreverent way
- plaint
- accusation
- demonstrative
- tending to show feelings
- obdurate
- stubborn refusal due to harshness
- prig
- a self-rightously moralistic person who behaves as if superior to others
- iniquitous
- immoral
- ludic
- spontaneously playful
- lassitude
- weariness
- raconteur
- a good, amusing storyteller
- obstreperous
- noisy and difficult to control
- animadversion
- strong criticism or censure
- sanguine
- cheerfully optimistic
- kerfluffle
- a commotion or fuss; especially one caused by conflicting views
- etiology
- cause; set of causes; or manner of causation of a disease or condition;
- incorrigible
- unreformable
- louche
- disreputable in an unappealing way (e.g. prostitution)
- precipitate (adj)
- done, made, or acting suddenly and without careful consideration
- countenance
- support, or a person's face or expression
- frowzy
- scruffy
- troika
- a group of three people working together; especially in a managerial role
- conflagration
- an extensive fire
- idée fixe
- obsession
- suzerain
- a sovereign state having some control over another internally autonomous state
- penurious
- penny-pinching
- inamorata
- a female lover
- dilatory
- slow to act
- scion
- descendant of a notable family
- salutary
- beneficial
- specious
- superficially plausible, but actually wrong
- pugnacious
- irascible; truculent
- torpor
- physical or mental inactivity; lethargy
- eclat
- brilliant display or effect
- risible
- laughable
- ineluctable
- irresistible; unavoidable
- garrulous
- excessively talkative
- pique (n)
- irritation or resentment resulting from a slight
- enervate
- weaken; reduce in vitality
- frangible
- brittle
- obviate
- remove (a need or difficulty) ; avoid; prevent
- attenuate
- reduce in force, effect, or value
- dotage
- one's old age
- extant
- surviving; still existing
- crepuscular
- relating to twilight
- pirouette
- the act of spinning on one foot
- effusive
- expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval
- apoplectic
- extremely indignant
- meretricious
- apparently attractive but having in reality to value or integrity
- desiccate
- to dry out
- brook
- allow
- calumniate
- make false and defamatory statements
- cadge
- ask for or obtain
- noisome
- noxious odor
- tendentious
- expressing or promotion a particular cause, especially a controversial one
- obsequious
- servile
- stolid
- calm, dependable
- emollient
- a soothing agent, esp. to the skin
- nonpareil
- unmatched
- penury
- poverty
- din
- a loud, prolonged, annoying noise
- prattle
- lengthy and inconsequential talk; babble meaninglessly
- ebullience
- cheerful and full of energy
- timorous
- showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence
- officious
- assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way; intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice
- nadir
- opposite of zenith
- lachrymose
- tearful, weeping
- scintillate
- emit flashes of light; sparkle
- munificent
- generous
- verisimilitude
- appearance of being real
- fecund
- fertile (and actually producing)
- mercurial
- subject to sudden changes in mood
- scofflaw
- a person who flouts the law, especially by failing to comply with a law that is difficult to enforce
- gossamer
- something thin and delicate
- sinter
- coalesce a powder into a solid or porous mass by heating it
- adjuration
- solemn/earnest request
- ecumenical
- related to religious
- variegated
- varied, esp. in color
- aerate
- introduce air into
- incipient
- beginning; developing
- ephebiphobia
- the fear of youth
- limn
- depict or describe in painting or words
- rueful
- expressing sorrow or regret
- ensconce
- establish or settle in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
- sop
- a thing of no great value given as a concession to appease someone whose main demands are not being met
- litotes
- a figure of speech in which the speaker emphasizes the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite
- inveigle
- to obtain by deception or flattery
- quiescence
- stillness; motionlessness
- Stygian
- very dark; of or relating to the Styx river
- peripatetic
- traveling from place to place for relatively short periods of time; itinerant or nomadic
- samizdat
- the clandestine copying & distribution of banned literature, esp. in communist states
- sibilant
- sounded with a hissing effect
- alacrity
- eager and enthusiastic willingness
- lacunae
- a gap or depression
- fulminate
- loudly attack or denounce
- pernicious
- extremely harmful; potentially fatal; especially in a gradual or subtle way
- retinue
- a group of advisors accompanying an important person
- fillip
- something that acts as a boost, v.: to propel
- acedia
- spiritual or mental sloth
- adamantine
- unbreakable
- whorl
- coil or ring
- bivouac
- temporary camp without tents or cover; to stay in such a camp
- askance
- (adv) disapprovingly
- diffident
- modest or shy because of lack of self-confidence
- solecism
- a grammatical mistake
- cogent
- appealing to reason; convincing; believable
- vade mecum
- a handy reference
- aspersions
- attacks on the reputation or integrity of someone (cast aspersions on...)
- insuperable
- impossible to overcome
- opprobrium
- harsh criticism or censure
- coruscate
- to sparkle or flash
- temerity
- excessive confidence or boldness
- acolyte
- assistant
- unctuous
- oily; greasy; excessively flattering
- dais
- a low platform for a lectern
- clarion
- a trumpet
- kvetch
- complain
- sybarite
- hedonist
- dragoon
- coerce
- coterie
- a small (often exclusive) group of people with shared interests
- adroit
- capable; skillful
- ken
- one's range of sight or knowledge
- chicanery
- trickery or subterfuge
- lucre
- money, when regarded as sordid or distasteful
- virulent
- extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
- hoary
- old and trite
- whet
- sharpen a tool
- sedulous
- showing dedication and diligence
- stanch
- stop
- recalcitrant
- having an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline
- absquatulate
- leave abruptly
- rend
- tear
- exigent
- urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
- discommode
- cause (someone) trouble or inconvenience
- choler
- anger, irascibility
- deleterious
- causing harm or damage
- sartorial
- relating to clothes, style of dress
- surcease
- relief or consolation; cessation
- malinger
- exaggerate illness in order to escape duty or work
- artifice
- careful or cunning devices used to trick somebody
- swashbuckle
- to engage in daring and romantic adventures with ostentatious bravado or flamboyance
- oeuvre
- collected works
- dowdy
- an unfashionably dressed woman
- tableaux
- a group of motionless figures representing a historical event
- frenetic
- fast and energetic; uncontrolled
- indolent
- lazy
- svelte
- thin
- limpid
- completely clear
- deracination
- upheaval
- raiment
- clothing
- prodigal
- wasteful
- ineffable
- too great or extreme to be expressed in words
- pliant
- easily bent or manipulated
- quiddity
- the inherent nature or essence of someone or something
- pecuniary
- dealing with money
- excrescence
- an outgrowth on an animal or plant, especially from disease
- irredentism
- the advocacy of annexing territories based on a common ethnicity or prior historical relationship
- troglodyte
- hermit, or purposely old fashioned person
- captious
- tending to find fault or raise pretty objections
- brusque
- abrupt in speech
- patina
- gloss or sheen; an impression or appearance
- bucolic
- rustic and pastoral; rural
- monomaniac
- someone who is pathologically obsessed with one idea or type of idea; exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for one thing
- desideratum
- something desired
- roué
- an elderly debauched man
- bromide
- a trite or unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate
- barefaced
- shameless
- demur
- question or oppose
- pastiche
- a style of art that imitates another work, artist, or period; or an artistic work that mixes often materials
- sobriquet
- a person's nickname
- indemnity
- security or protection against a loss or other financial burden
- misprision
- concealment of wrongdoing
- effrontery
- insolent or impertinent behavior; extreme boldness or presumptuousness
- gainsay
- deny or contradict; speak against
- insouciance
- casual lack of concern
- caustic
- burning or corroding
- avuncular
- relating to an uncle
- appellation
- a name or title
- inimical
- damaging; harmful; injurious
- grouse
- grumble
- redound
- contribute greatly (to a person's credit or honor)
- opprobrious
- disgraceful; shameful
- extirpate
- root out and destroy
- redoubtable
- awe-inspiring; worth of honor; formidable
- promulgate
- promote; announce
- truculent
- eager or quick to argue or fight
- aplomb
- self confidence
- perspicacity
- acute perception; keen discernment
- paean
- a song of praise and triumph
- welkin
- the sky
- skinflint
- miser
- ingenuous
- artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication; gullible
- doctrinaire
- dogmatic, unyielding
- concomitant
- naturally accompanying or associated
- doyen
- the preeminent expert in a field
- quotidian
- daily
- patrician
- an aristocrat or nobleman
- preen
- to dress up
- surfeit
- an excessive amount of something; (v) cause to desire no more of something
- demimonde
- a person or group of people (particularly a woman) on the fringe of society
- pertinacious
- stubborn
- votary
- someone dedicated to a pursuit, a follower
- prurient
- having an excessive interest in sexual matters
- augury
- a sign of what will happen in the future; an omen
- impugn
- call into question
- garrote
- to strangle with a wire, cord, etc, or the a wire/cord used in this manner
- chary
- wary, cautious, sparing
- evince
- indicate
- panegyric
- a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something
- pusillanimous
- showing a lack of courage; timid
- placid
- not easily excited or upset
- furtive
- attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or believe that discovery would lead to trouble
- depredation
- the act of plundering
- torrid
- hot and passionate
- vituperative
- bitter and abusive
- lugubrious
- glum
- excoriate
- censure or criticize severely
- caterwaul
- a shrill howling or wailing
- upbraid
- find fault; scald
- tyro
- a newbie
- fusty
- stale, damp, stuffy
- threnody
- a lament
- intransigent
- refusing to compromise
- glom (onto)
- steal (become stuck or attached to)
- dross
- worthless rubbish
- inchoate
- rudimentary
- ersatz
- inferior substitute
- venal
- showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery
- harangue
- to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
- philandering
- having lots of casual sexual encounters with women
- slake
- sate, quench
- anodyne
- uncontentious, inoffensive
- flag
- decline in vigor; become tired
- prevaricate
- speak in an evasive way; quibble or dodge the truth
- inexorable
- impossible to stop or prevent
- pap
- entertainment or reading that is worthless or lacking in substance
- pelf
- money; especially ill-gotten
- coquette
- a women who flirts
- soporific
- sleep-inducing
- monopsony
- a market situation where there is only one buyer
- supplicate
- beg
- dirge
- a lament for the dead
- cad
- a man who behaves dishonorably towards women
- fusillade
- barrage of fire
- impenitent
- not feeling shame or regret about one's actions; unrepentant
- solon
- a wise lawgiver
- tocsin
- alarm bell or signal
- impetuousness
- eager impulsiveness, often violent
- bagatelle
- something of little consequence
- auspicious
- fortuitous
- exiguous
- meager
- reconnoiter
- survey, explore, investigate a region for military purposes
- crone
- old thin and ugly woman
- peccant
- offending; having committed a fault or sin
- palaver
- prolonged and idle discussion
- manacles
- shackles
- consonant
- harmonious
- ossify
- become bone
- mendacious
- lying
- adulate
- fawn
- indefatigability
- tirelessness
- badinage
- humorous or witty conversation
- blithe
- showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper
- mellifluously
- melodically; pleasant to hear
- jeremiad
- a list of woes
- swaddle
- wrap
- puissance
- great power, influence, or prowess
- solicitous
- concerned and attentive; eager
- propitiate
- win or regain the favor of someone (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
- catholic
- all-embracing; universal
- logorrhea
- tendency towards extreme loquacity
- insipid
- lacking flavor; lacking vigor or interest
- pied
- multicolored
- augur
- portend a good or bad outcome
- strident
- loud and harsh
- wan
- pale
- paramour
- illicit partner of a married person
- encomium
- a formal eulogy or speech of praise
- crow
- gloat; boast
- mealymouthed
- afraid to speak straightforwardly
- profligate
- recklessly extravagant or wasteful
- sprightly
- lively, full of energy
- picayune
- petty
- tumid
- swollen
- burgher
- a city or town resident, typically of the bourgeoisie
- facile
- superficial
- desultory
- lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
- prosaic
- commonplace; unromantic
- consanguinity
- decent from the same ancestor
- milquetoast
- a timid or submissive person, from Casper Milquetoast, a cartoon character
- ponderous
- slow and clumsy because of great weight; dull, laborious, or solemn
- orison
- a prayer
- oraculate
- predict/foretell
- gravamen
- the essence or most serious part of a complaint or accusation
- assiduous
- showing great care and perseverance
- perfidy
- intentional break of faith; treachery
- assuage
- ease or lesson; satisfy
- propitious
- giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
- filigree
- ornamental work of fine wire
- ambrosial
- very pleasing to the senses
- saturnine
- slow and gloomy; morose
- sanctimonious
- making a show of being morally superior to other people
- rankle
- cause annoyance or resentment that persists
- phlegmatic
- not easily excited; cool; sluggish; stoic
- fatuous
- silly and pointless
- uxorious
- showing excessive fondness for one's wife
- peremptory
- insisting on immediate attention or obedience
- maudlin
- self-pitying or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness
- expiate
- atone
- vitriol
- cruel and bitter criticism
- argot
- jargon
- sedulous
- showing dedication and diligence
- dirigible
- capable of being steered or directed
- cygnet
- a young swan