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GRE: Verbal
High Freqnecy Words
283
English
Graduate
10/14/2008

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Term
abate
Definition
to cause something perceived as hostile to become less intense or widespread
Term
aberrant
Definition
departing from the accepted standard
Term
abeyance
Definition
state of temporary disuse or suspension
Term
abscond
Definition
to leave hurriedly or secretly, typically to avoid arrest for an unlawful action such as theft
Term
abstemious
Definition
Term
abstemious
Definition
not self indulgent, especially when eating or drinking
Term
alacrity
Definition
brisk and cheerful readiness
Term
amalgamate
Definition
to combine or unite to form one organization or structure
Term
amalgam
Definition
a mixture or blend
Term
ambivalence
Definition
to have mixed or contradictory ideas about something or someone
Term
antipathy
Definition
a deep-seated feeling of dislike/aversion
Term
apprise
Definition
to inform or tell (someone)
Term
approbation
Definition
approval or praise
Term
ascetic
Definition
characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline or all forms of self indulgence, esp. for religious reasons
Term
assiduous
Definition
showing great care or perserverance
Term
assuage
Definition
to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
Term
attenuate
Definition
to reduce the force, effect, or value of
Term
austere
Definition
severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearence
Term
stoic
Definition
enduring pain or hardship without showing feelings or complaining
Term
aver
Definition
to state or assert to be the case
Term
banal
Definition
something lacking originality so as to be obvious or boring
Term
belie
Definition
to fail to fulfill or justify an expectation or claim
Term
bombastic
Definition
high sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people
Term
burnish
Definition
to polish by rubbing. to enhance or perfect (something that requires skill.
Term
buttress
Definition
a support, not necessarily in reference to architecture
Term
cacophonous
Definition
a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Term
capricious
Definition
given to sudden or unaccountable changes in mood or behavior
Term
castigation
Definition
a severe reprimand
Term
caustic
Definition
able to burn or corrode by chemical action. sarcastic in a scathing or bitter way
Term
chicanery
Definition
use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
Term
coagulate
Definition
to change from a solid to semisolid state.
Term
coda
Definition
in music, a concluding passage of a piece of movement
Term
commensurate
Definition
corresponding in size or degree
Term
compendium
Definition
a collection of concise but detailed information on a particular subject. a collection of things systematically gathered.
Term
complaisant
Definition
willing to please others, obliging, agreeable.
Term
complacent
Definition
showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
Term
contrite
Definition
feeling or expressing remorse or guilt
Term
craven
Definition
contemptibly lacking in courage, cowardly.
Term
daunt
Definition
to make someone feel intimidated or apprehensive
Term
denigrate
Definition
to criticize unfairly, disparage
Term
desiccate
Definition
to remove moisture from something to preserve it. lacking interest, passion, or energy.
Term
desultory
Definition
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
Term
diffidence
Definition
modest or shy because of a lack of self confidence
Term
dirge
Definition
lament for the dead. a mournful song
Term
disabuse
Definition
to persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken.
Term
disparage
Definition
to regard as being of little worth
Term
disseminate
Definition
to spread or disperse widely
Term
dissonance
Definition
lack of harmony (usually but not necessarily between musical notes)
Term
distend
Definition
to cause something to swell by stretching it from inside
Term
distill
Definition
to extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of. it's a figurative reference to the usual form of distilling.
Term
distill
Definition
to extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of. it's a figurative reference to the usual form of distilling.
Term
divest
Definition
to deprive of power, rights, or possessions
Term
ebullient
Definition
cheerful and full of energy. boiling or agitated as if boiling.
Term
effrontery
Definition
insolent or impertinent behavior.
Term
insolent
Definition
showing a rude or arrogant lack of respect
Term
elegy
Definition
pleasantly graceful or stylish in appearance or manner.
Term
empirical
Definition
concerned with verifiable observation rather than theory or logic.
Term
endemic
Definition
(of a disease or condition) regularly found among a particular people or certain area
Term
enervate
Definition
to cause someone to feel drained of vitality or energy
Term
ephemeral
Definition
lasting for a very short time
Term
equanimity
Definition
mental calmness, composure, esp. in a difficult situation
Term
equivocate
Definition
use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.
Term
unequivocal
Definition
leaving no doubt, unambiguous
Term
erudite
Definition
having or showing great knowledge or learning
Term
exculpate
Definition
to show that someone is not guilty of wrongdoing
Term
exigency
Definition
an urgent need or demand
Term
extrapolate
Definition
extend the application of (something) to an unknown situation assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable
Term
fatuous
Definition
silly and pointless
Term
fawn
Definition
young deer in its first year.
Term
fawning
Definition
trying to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing.
Term
obsequious
Definition
obedient and attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Term
felicitous
Definition
well chosen or suited to the circumstances
Term
flout
Definition
to openly disregard a convention or rule. to mock or scoff
Term
forestall
Definition
to prevent or obstruct an event or action by taking action ahead of time
Term
gainsay
Definition
to deny
Term
garrulous
Definition
extremely talkative, esp. on trivial matters
Term
goad
Definition
a spiked stick used for driving cattle. a thing that stimulates (or annoys) someone into action.
Term
guileless
Definition
devoid of guile. innocent and without deception
Term
guile
Definition
sly or cunning intelligence
Term
harangue
Definition
noun: a lengthy or agressive speech. verb: to lecture at length in an agressive or critical manner
Term
impassive
Definition
not feeling or showing emotion
Term
inchoate
Definition
just begun and not fully formed. anticipating a further criminal act
Term
incongruity
Definition
not in harmony with the surroundings
Term
indigence
Definition
state of being poor, needy
Term
indolent
Definition
wanting to avoid activity or exertion, lazy
Term
ingenuous
Definition
innocent or unsuspecting
Term
disingenuous
Definition
not candid or sincere, by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does
Term
insularity
Definition
lacking contact or knowledge of other cultures or ideas
Term
intractable
Definition
hard to control or deal with. stubborn
Term
intransigent
Definition
unwilling to change one's views or to agree about something
Term
inundate
Definition
to flood, overwhelm
Term
inured
Definition
accustomed to something, especially something unpleasant
Term
invective
Definition
insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
Term
irascible
Definition
easily made angry. characterized by or arising from anger
Term
laconic
Definition
using very few words
Term
lassitude
Definition
a state of physical or mental weariness
Term
levity
Definition
humor or frivolty
Term
frivolous
Definition
not having any serious purpose or value
Term
loquacious
Definition
talkative
Term
magnanimity
Definition
very generous or forgiving, esp. towards a rival or someone less powerful than oneself
Term
malinger
Definition
to exaggerate or feign illness in order to escape duty or work
Term
mendacious
Definition
not telling the truth, lying
Term
mendacity
Definition
untruthfulness
Term
mollify
Definition
to appease the anger or anxiety of someone
Term
neophyte
Definition
a person who is new to a subject, skill or belief. n00b.
Term
obdurate
Definition
stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action
Term
obsequious
Definition
obedient and attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Term
obviate
Definition
remove a need or difficulty
Term
occlude
Definition
stop, close, or obstruct.
Term
officious
Definition
assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, esp. with regard to trivial matters
Term
onerous
Definition
a task or duty that requires an excessively burdensome amount of effort
Term
opprobrium
Definition
harsh criticism or censure
Term
ostentatious
Definition
characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice
Term
paragon
Definition
a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality
Term
pathological
Definition
pertaining to disease
Term
paucity
Definition
the presence of something in only small or insufficient amounts. scarcity
Term
pedantic
Definition
excessively concerned with minor concerns and details or with displaying academic learning
Term
pedagogic
Definition
of or relating to teaching
Term
penury
Definition
extreme poverty, destitution
Term
perfidious
Definition
deceitful and untrustworthy
Term
phlegmatic
Definition
having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition
Term
platitude
Definition
a remark or statement, esp. one with moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
Term
precipitate (adj)
Definition
rash; premature; hasty; sudden.
Term
prevaricate
Definition
speak or act in an evasive way
Term
probity
Definition
the quality of having strong moral principles, honesty and decency
Term
propitiate
Definition
to regain the good favor of someone by doing something that pleases them
Term
proscribe
Definition
to forbid by law
Term
quiescent
Definition
in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy
Term
rarefied
Definition
containing less oxygen than usual. esoterically distant from the lives and concerns of ordinary people
Term
recondite
Definition
little known, abstruse
Term
abstruse
Definition
difficult to understand, obscure
Term
reprobate
Definition
a person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency
Term
reticent
Definition
not revealing one's thoughts readily
Term
sage
Definition
a person celebrated for wisdom
Term
salubrious
Definition
health giving, healthy
Term
soporific
Definition
tending to induce drowsiness or sleep
Term
specious
Definition
superficially plausible.. but actually wrong.
Term
stint (v)
Definition
to supply an ungenerous or inadequate amount of. to be economical or frugal about spending for something.
Term
stolid
Definition
calm, dependable, showing little emotion or animation
Term
striated
Definition
marked with parallell bands; grooved
Term
strut
Definition
a rod or bar forming a part of a framework to resist compression
Term
tenuous
Definition
very weak or slight
Term
torpor
Definition
a state of physical or mental inactivity, lethargy.
Term
tortuous
Definition
full of twists and turns. excessively lengthy and complex
Term
tortious
Definition
constituting a tort (law)
Term
tractable
Definition
easy to control or influence
Term
truculent
Definition
eager or quick to argue or fight, aggressively defiant
Term
vacillate
Definition
alternate or waver between different opinions or actions. be indecisive
Term
venerate
Definition
to regard with great respect, revere
Term
veracious
Definition
speaking or representing the truth
Term
viscous
Definition
having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid
Term
vituperative
Definition
bitter and abusive
Term
welter
Definition
(v) move in a turbulent fashion. (n) a large number of items in a jumbled order
Term
audacious (adj)
Definition
daring and fearless; recklessly bold
Term
canonical
Definition
following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
Term
ennui(n)
Definition
dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
Term
exigent
Definition
urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
Term
extemporaneous
Definition
improvised; done without preparation
Term
fulminate
Definition
to loudly attack or denounce
Term
nascent
Definition
coming into being; in early developmental stages
Term
nebulous
Definition
vague, cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
Term
obtuse
Definition
lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
Term
onerous
Definition
troubling; burdensome
Term
paean
Definition
a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
Term
perfidy
Definition
intentional breach of faith; treachery (adj form: perfidious)
Term
perfunctory
Definition
cursory; done without care or interest
Term
perspicacious
Definition
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment (Noun: perspicacity)
Term
prattle
Definition
to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
Term
precipitate (adj)
Definition
acting with excessive haste or impulse
Term
predilection
Definition
a disposition in favor of something; preference
Term
prescience
Definition
foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring (adj form: prescient)
Term
solicitous
Definition
concerned and attentive; eager
Term
sordid
Definition
characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
Term
stupefy
Definition
to stun, baffle, or amaze
Term
torque
Definition
a force that causes rotation
Term
virulent
Definition
extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
Term
avarice
Definition
greed, esp. for wealth (adj form: avaricious)
Term
bucolic
Definition
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Term
canon
Definition
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Term
catalyst
Definition
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Term
chary
Definition
wary; cautious; sparing
Term
cogent
Definition
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Term
demur
Definition
to question or oppose
Term
didactic
Definition
intended to teach or instruct
Term
discretion
Definition
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Term
disinterested
Definition
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Term
emollient
Definition
soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
Term
enigmatic
Definition
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
Term
gregarious
Definition
sociable; outgoing
Term
harangue
Definition
to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
Term
impecunious
Definition
lacking funds; without money
Term
incipient
Definition
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
Term
inert
Definition
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
Term
inveigle
Definition
to obtain by deception or flattery
Term
opaque
Definition
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
Term
penurious
Definition
penny pinching; excessively thrifty;
Term
pernicious
Definition
extremely harmful; potentially causing death
Term
preen
Definition
to dress up; to groom with elaborate care
Term
prodigious
Definition
abundant in size, force or extent; extraordinary
Term
prolific
Definition
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
Term
quaff
Definition
to drink deeply
Term
redoubtable
Definition
awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
Term
sanction
Definition
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance
Term
satire
Definition
a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
Term
squalid
Definition
sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
Term
torpid
Definition
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
Term
urbane
Definition
sophisticated; refined; elegant
Term
acumen
Definition
keen, accurate judgment or insight
Term
bombastic
Definition
pompous; grandiloquent (noun: bombast)
Term
dissemble
Definition
to disguise or conceal; to mislead
Term
eccentric
Definition
departing from norms or conventions
Term
evanescent
Definition
tending to dissapear like vapor; vanishing
Term
germane
Definition
relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
Term
grandiloquence
Definition
pompous speech or expression
Term
hackneyed
Definition
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
Term
halcyon
Definition
calm and peaceful
Term
hegemony
Definition
the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
Term
idolatrous
Definition
given to intense or excessive devotion to something
Term
imperturbable
Definition
marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
Term
implacable
Definition
not capable of beaing appeased or significantly changed
Term
impunity
Definition
immunity from punishment or penalty
Term
infelicitous
Definition
unfortunate; inappropriate
Term
insipid
Definition
without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
Term
obdurate
Definition
unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
Term
pine
Definition
to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
Term
pith
Definition
the essential or central part
Term
pithy
Definition
precise and brief
Term
platitude
Definition
a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
Term
polemical
Definition
controversial; argumentative
Term
prodigal
Definition
recklessly wasteful; extravagent; profuse; lavish
Term
queries
Definition
questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
Term
querulous
Definition
prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
Term
rancorous
Definition
characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
obstinately defient of authority; difficult to manage
Term
repudiate
Definition
to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
Term
rhetoric
Definition
the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
Term
solvent
Definition
able to meet financial obliigations; able to dissolve another substance
Term
spurious
Definition
lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
Term
surfeit
Definition
an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
Term
transient
Definition
fleeting; passing quickly; brief
Term
acerbic
Definition
having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
Term
aggrandize
Definition
to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
Term
alchemy
Definition
a medieval science aimed as the transmutation of metals into gold
Term
amenable
Definition
agreeable; responsive to suggestion
Term
astringent
Definition
having a tightening effect on tissue; harsh; severe
Term
contiguous
Definition
sharing a border; touching; adjacent
Term
credulous
Definition
tending to believe too readily, gulliable
Term
decorum
Definition
polite or appropraite conduct or behavior
Term
derision
Definition
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
Term
dilettante
Definition
one with amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
Term
glib
Definition
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
Term
immutable
Definition
not capable of change
Term
impetuous
Definition
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
Term
inimical
Definition
damaging; harmful
Term
intrepid
Definition
steadfast and courageous
Term
mercurial
Definition
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
Term
obfuscate
Definition
to deliberately obscure
Term
obstinate
Definition
stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
Term
pragmatic
Definition
practical rather than idealistic
Term
proclivity
Definition
a natural predisposition or inclination
Term
profligate
Definition
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
Term
prosaic
Definition
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
Term
quixotic
Definition
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
Term
quotidian
Definition
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
Term
rarefy
Definition
to make or become thin, less dense, to refine
Term
refulgent
Definition
radiant, shiny, brilliant
Term
renege
Definition
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
Term
sedulous
Definition
diligent, persistent, hard-working
Term
spendthrift
Definition
one who spends money wastefully
Term
tout
Definition
to publicly praise or promote
Term
trenchant
Definition
sharply perceptive, keen, penetrating
Term
unfeigned
Definition
genuine, not false or hypocritical
Term
untenable
Definition
indefensible, not viable, ininhabitable
Term
variegated
Definition
multicolored, characterized by a variety of patches of different color
Term
vexation
Definition
annoyance, irritation (verb: vex)
Term
vigilant
Definition
alertly watchful
Term
vituperate
Definition
to use harsh, condemnatory language, to abuse or censure severely, berate
Term
volatile
Definition
readily changing to a vapor, changeable, fickle, explosive
Term
fervid
Definition
intensely enthusiastic or passionate
Term
corroborate
Definition
to give support to
Term
engender
Definition
to cause or give rise to
Term
obdurate
Definition
stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion
Term
philanthropic
Definition
donating to benefit others, generous and benevolent
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