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99 Need-to-Know SAT/GRE Words

Terms

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abhor
to hate intensely
abtruse
difficult to comprehend or understand
accolade
an expression of approval or praise; laudatory notice or recognition, such as a prize
amalgamation
the process or resut of combining or mixing two or more things
ameliorate
to make better or improve
amorphous
having no definiteform or character; shapeless or characterless
anathema
a person or thing condemned, accused, damned, cursed, or generally loathed
anecdote
a brief narrative of an amusing or interesting event
aspersion
an insulting or derogatory remark; a slanderous, defamatory statement
assuage
to pacify or soothe; to lessen another's fear, distress, or pain
attenuate
to weaken or make thin
auspices
a favorable sign or omen; sponsorship or patronage; an emblem or symbol
behoove
to be incumbent upon, suited to, or proper for
beleaguer
to surround; besiege
besmirch
to soil or tarnish,, especially a person's honor or reputation; to defile
bilious
irritable or irascible; unpleasant or distasteful
brackish
having a somewhat salty taste, usually unpleasantly so
brevity
briefness; conciseness
callow
inexperienced; immature
canvass
to solicit votes, sales, opinions, etc.
celerity
quickness; swiftness
cozen
to cheat; swindle; deceive; defraud
cynosure
the center of attention or interest; a celebrity
dearth
scarcity; lack; insufficiency
decimate
to kill or destroy all or a large proportion of
dilatory
delaying or procrastinating
dispatch
to send off, esp. quickly
duress
compulsion or procurement by threat, coercion, or restraint
efface
to obliterate, wipe out or rub out
egregious
shocking, extraordinary, or outstanding
eminent
distinguish; high in stature or rank; prominent
epithet
a word of phrase describing the person (e. g. "Ivan the terrible")
espouse
to advocate, support, promote, or argue for
evanescent
fleeting; fading quickly; passing away; vanishing
exacerbate
to increase in harshness or severity; aggrevate
exculpate
to free from blame; clear from a charge
foment
to instigate; stir up; incite; stimulate; arouse
foppish
excessively vain about one's dress, manner or general appearance
forensic
pertaining to debate or rhetoric; suitable as evidence in a court of law
garrulous
excessively talkative or wordy
grandiloquent
given to using pompous, high sounding language
iconoclast
one who attacks cherished beliefs or traditions
impecunious
lacking money; penniless; indigent
impetuous
impulsive; rash; spontaneous
impudent
rude; brazen
impunity
license; priviledge; exemption
indolence
laziness; aversion to exertion; slothfulness; sluggish
intransigent
stubborn; unwilling to compromise; inflexible
intrepid
fearless; courageous
inundate
to flood or overflow; deluge; overwhelm
invidious
likely to create ill will, animosity, or envy
jocular
not serious; joking; facetious; jesting
juxtapose
to put side by side, usually to compare or contrast
languish
to lose strength or vitality; weaken; become feeble, droop; fade
lurid
sensational or shocking; shining with an unnatural glow; gruesome or revolting
maladroit
bungling; awkward; clumsy
marshal
to put in proper order; assemble; arrange clearly
maudlin
overly sentimental; foolishly tearful
mellifluous
sweet sounding; flowing smoothly
miasma
noxious, dangerous, or unwholesome emissions, atmosphere, or influence
multifarious
very diversified; varying.
nefarious
extremely wicked
nepotism
favoritism bestowed upon family members or close friends, especially in business or politics
obstreperous
resisting control in an unruly, noisy manner
ostracize
to banish, exile, or exclude
pandemic
affecting a majority of a population or area
peregrination
a journey or travel
plenary
absolute, complete, or full
portend
to indicate in advance; foretell; predict
presage
anything that foreshadows future events; an omen or sign of what is to come
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful; shamelessly immoral
propitious
favorable to advantageous
punctilious
exacting in the observance of niceties and formalities of conduct
quandry
a perplexing or difficult situation; dilemma; predicament; "catch-22"
querulous
full of complaints; whinning
repudiate
to reject, disown, or cast off as unbinding, non-authoritative, or without force
reticent
reluctant to speak; reserved
retinue
a group of attendants or servants
rhapsodic
exaggerated or exalted enthusiasm, especially as expressed in writing, speech or music
ruminate
to think over; ponder; mull over; "chew on"
salubrious
favorable to or promoting health; healthful
sanguine
hopeful; confident; optimistic; cheerful
schism
a split, division, or disunion
scintilla
a spark or trace; shred; small particle; tiny bit
surfeit
excess; overindulgence, esp. in eating or drinking
temerity
rash or foolhardy boldness; audacity; effrontery
temporal
pertaining to time, especially the present time; short-lived; secular
torpor
a state of suspended activity powers; dormancy; sluggishness or lethargy
tribulation
a great suffering, distress, or trouble
truncate
to shorten by cutting off a portion
turgid
swollen; inflated; bombastic; pompous
unctuous
oily; fervently and overly pious or moralistic; having a suave, smooth, insincere manner
usurp
to take control or seize and hold by force or without right
vacuous
expressionless; empty-headed or simpleminded
veritable
truly; very much so; genuine
vilify
to belittle or speak slightly of in the extreme; slander; defame
virulent
poisonous; extremely injurious; deadly
wangle
to obtain or accomplish something by trickery, scheming, or deception
zealous
overly enthusiatic or passionate, esp. in devotion or activity

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