GRE Key Terms Group 2 - in a sentence

ameliorate

A relaxing bubble bath is usually all it takes to _____ my stress.

enigmatic

After I did a little research, the subject of metaphysics was no longer so _____ to me.

odious

Although I normally notice unpleasant smells right away, I cannot detect the _____ scent you noticed in the house.

quiescence

Although the inactive volcano has been in a state of ______ for quite some time, it could erupt again very soon.

contentious

As a rule, I tend to avoid _______ topics of conversation which might lead to arguments.

burgeon

As car prices go down, car dealers are expecting sales to ________.

aesthetic

Because Henry could see both the mountains and the ocean from his hotel room, he really enjoyed the _______ view.

chary

Because Vera was _____ about going in the old house, I agreed to go in with her.

intransigent

Because my father is usually ______, he rarely lets my mother have her way.

sanction

Because of the school's behavioral problems, the principal is unlikely to _____ a school dance this year.

cacophony

Because the band had not practiced enough, their arrangement came across as a _____ instead of entertaining music.

prolific

Because the huge storm is expected to produce a ______ amount of snow, government offices and schools are being closed.

dearth

Because there was a _____ of evidence, the district attorney had to drop the charges.

stoic

Candace worked hard to maintain her _____ features so others could not see her true feelings.

demur

Citizens have the right to ____ and protest any law they feel is unconstitutional.

redoubtable

Despite his intense workouts, the boxer was no match for his _____ competitor who held several title belts.

esoteric

Eric made an ______ joke that only he and his brother understood.

harangue

Even though the members of the church were falling asleep, the minister continued his ______ on the evils of society.

contrite

Feeling ashamed and _____, I apologized for yelling at my mother and promised never to do it again.

catalyst

Fortunately for battery manufacturers, the ice storm was a _____ for increased battery sales.

eulogy

Ginger sobbed as she listened to the praising words of her father's _____ during his funeral.

fallacy

Having money makes you happy is a ______ because happiness has nothing to do with wealth.

canon

He had to read a _____ of accepted literary texts.

preen

His pet bird would ______ its feathers to keep it clean.

heretical

I feel a bit ______ saying this, but I think the film has too much action.

abate

I hope this medicine will ____ the pain in my leg.

inveigle

I stood by as June was able to ______ her way into the private club by flirting with the security guard.

supplant

If my stepmother thinks she can ______ my real mother, then she has a rude awakening in her future!

complaisance

It didn't look like _____ was very high on George's list of priorities, since he defied his parents all the time.

bucolic

My husband and I chose a peaceful _____ town in the country for our summer retreat.

empirical

Our data is based on_____ evidence collected in numerous studies.

discretion

Parents have the _____ to determine which television programs their children may watch.

elegy

Since I am not an animal lover, I could only sigh as Ann sang an ______ for her dead cat.

prodigious

Since Stan's car accident, he has been taking ______ amounts of pain pills.

ubiquitous

Since my sister loves the color pink, she made sure the hue was _____ during her wedding.

inert

Since my wounded dog is ______, I have to lift him up and put him in the car.

innocuous

Since the snake's venom is _____, you do not have to be concerned about the bite!

putrefy

So many soldiers died during the war, with their decomposing bodies left to _____ in the fields.

torpid

The _____ student did nothing but sleep in class each day

adulation

The ______ and applause from the crowd made the former president smile.

pernicious

The ______ cycle of abuse within their family must be stopped.

penurious

The ______ little boy could not afford to buy school lunch.

ascetic

The ________ man gave away his fortune and moved into a tiny one-bedroom apartment.

squalid

The abandoned house was _____ and filled with rats.

incipient

The best way to stop the disease from spreading is by identifying it while it is ______.

caustic

The comic's _____ jokes offended quite a few people.

disinterested

The egotistical woman was _____ in any conversation that didn't revolve around her.

avarice

The greedy banker's _______ led him to funnel company funds into his personal account.

quaff

The huge athlete was able to ______ down a gallon of water in less than two minutes.

culpable

The judge found the man _____ of the crime and sentenced him to life in prison.

emollient

The lotion was a great _____ for her dry skin.

didactic

The purpose of the _____ presentation was to teach us all about the dangers of cigarette smoking.

eclectic

The restaurant's menu was ______ and included foods from a number of ethnic groups and cultures.

ebullience

The smiling faces in the artist's paintings conveyed _____ in a way that other happy pieces couldn't.

dogmatic

The surgeon was _____ in his opinion and refused to listen even when the nurse warned him of possible problems during the operation

castigation

The teacher's verbal _____ of the student was harsh but needed since he refused to do any work.

ephemeral

The thunderstorm was _____, starting suddenly and gone within seconds.

vilify

Unfortunately, the internet and social media have made it very easy for people to _____ their enemies.

exonerate

Unfortunately, the video footage does not _____ Hank of the robbery charges.

hyperbole

When Henry made a _____ on the stand, the judge gave him a warning and reminded him to stick to the facts.

morose

When her dog died, the little girl was ______ for months.

urbane

When the _____ heiress walked through the hotel, the hotel manager promptly greeted her with a bouquet of roses.

cogent

When the homebuilder did not provide me with a _____ answer to my question, I knew he was not the right person to build my family home.

accolade

When the police officer was offered the plaque, he refused to accept an ______ for doing his job.

furtive

When the professor turned his back, the cheating student cast a ______ glance at his neighbor's test paper.

facetious

While Aaron thought he was being funny, he did not realize his remarks came across as _____.

gregarious

______ people are likely to hang out with friends every weekend while reserved people keep to themselves.

impecunious

______ students commonly find themselves in debt after overindulging in the use of credit cards.