GRE Vocab

laconic

(describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words Ex: While Martha always swooned over the hunky, _____ types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative-and not very hunky.

Magoosh

(n) an online GRE prep product

brazen

Adjective: unrestrained by convention or propriety Ex: Their large "donations" to the local police department gave the drug the ____ confidence to do their business out in the open.

burgeon

Verb: grow and flourish Ex: China's housing market is burgeoning, but some predict that the growth is merely a bubble and will burst much like the U.S. real estate bubble of 2008.

mercurial

adjective: (of a person) prone t unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood Ex: The fact that Ella's moods were as mercurial as the weather was problematic for her relationships - it didn't help that she lived in Chicago.

ignominious

adjective: (used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame Ex: Since the politician preached ethics and morality, his texting of revealing photographs was ignominious, bringing shame on both himself and his party.

unequivocal

adjective: admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion Ex: The President's first statement on the subject was vague and open to competing interpretations, so when he spoke to Congress about the same subject later, he was careful to make his position completely unequivocal.

obsequious

adjective: attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery The ____ waiter did not give the couple a moment's peace all through the meal, constantly returning to their table to refill their water glasses and to tell them what a handsome pair they made.

forthcoming

adjective: available when required or as promised Ex: The President announces that the senators were about to reach a compromise, and that he was eager to read the forthcoming details of the bill. adjective: at ease in talking to others Ex: As a husband, Larry was not forthcoming: if Jill didn't demand to know details, Larry would never share them with her.

economical

adjective: avoiding waste, efficient Ex: Journalists favor an economical style of writing, in which no unnecessary words are used and every sentence is as short as possible.

arbitrary

adjective: based on a random, groundless decision Ex: One of the ____ decrees in place during the emperor's rule is that all citizens pay him weekly homage at his palace. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study.

specious

adjective: based on pretense; deceptively pleasing Ex: Almost every image on TV is specious and not to be trusted adjective: plausible but false Ex: He made a career out of specious arguments and fictional lab results, but lost his job and reputation when his lies were exposed by an article in The New York Times.

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold Ex: Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer's questions impertinent - after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline's favorite snack was?

tantamount

adjective: being essentially equal to something Ex: In many situations, remaining silent is tantamount to admitting guilt, so speak to prove your innocence.

rudimentary

adjective: being in the earliest stages of development; being or involving basic facts or principles Ex: I would love to be able to present a fully polished proposal to the board, but right now, our plans for the product are still in the most rudimentary stages.

apocryphal

adjective: being of questionable authenticity Ex: The web is notorious for sandwiching apocryphal stories between actual news.

provincial

adjective: characteristic of a limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated Ex: Maggie's enthusiasm about her high school teams seemed provincial to her college classmates, all of whom were following a nationally ranked college team.

belligerent

adjective: characteristic of one eager to fight Ex: Tom said that he was arguing the matter purely for philosophical reasons, but his belligerent tone indicated an underlying anger about the issue.

rustic

adjective: characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial Ex: The vacation cabin had no indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences, Nigel adored its rustic charm.

scrupulous

adjective: characterized by extreme care and great effort Ex: Because of his scrupulous nature, Mary put him in charge of numbering and cataloging the entire collection of rare stamps. adjective: having a sense of right and wrong; principled Ex: Everyone trusted what he said and followed his example because he was scrupulous and honest.

decorous

adjective: characterized by good taste in manners and conduct Ex: Sally's parties are decorous affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is tea and intellectual conversation.

precocious

adjective: characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude) Ex: Though only seven years old, she was a precocious chess prodigy, able to beat players twice her age.

gossamer

adjective: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy Ex: The gossamer wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate that they are often damaged.

winsome

adjective: charming in a childlike or naive way Ex: She was ___ by nature, and many people were drawn to this free and playful spirit.

maladroit

adjective: clumsy Ex: As a child she was quite maladroit, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer.

involved

adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend Ex: The physics lecture became so ____ that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over.

eclectic

adjective: comprised of a variety of styles Ex: Joey was known for his eclectic tastes in music, one moment dancing to disco the next "air conditioning" along to Beethoven's 9th symphony.

aesthetic

adjective: concerned with the appreciation of beauty Ex: The director, not known for his aesthetic sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at all, and put on the play in everyday clothing. noun: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement. Ex: The artist operated according to a peculiar aesthetic, not considering any photograph to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.

esoteric

adjective: confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle Ex: Map collecting is an esoteric hobby to most, but to geography geeks it is a highly enjoyable pastime.

equivocal

adjective: confusing or ambiguous Ex: The findings of the study were equivocal - the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified.

vociferous

adjective: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry Ex: In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around and look at them angrily.

discrete

adjective: constituting a separate entity or part Ex: What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since spit into two discrete, independent nations.

arduous

adjective: demanding considerable mental effort and skill; testing powers of endurance Ex: In order to deal with the arduous cross-country journey, truck drivers often survive on a string of caffeinated drinks, staying awake for up to 30 hours at a time.

stringent

adjective: demanding strict attention to rules and procedures Ex: Most of the students disliked the teacher because of his stringent homework policy, but many students would later thank him for demanding so much from them.

implausible

adjective: describing a statement that is not believable Ex: The teacher found it implausible that the student was late to school because he had been kidnapped by outlaws on horseback.

capricious

adjective: determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason Ex: Nearly every month our capricious CEO had a new plan to turn the company around, and none of them worked because we never gave them the time they needed to succeed.

recondite

adjective: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge Ex: I found Ulysses recondite and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.

abstruse

adjective: difficult to understand; incomprehensible Ex: Physics textbooks can seem so abstruse to the uninitiated that readers feel as though they are looking at hieroglyphics.

disaffected

adjective: discontented as toward authority Ex: After watching his superior take rations from the soldiers, he quickly became disaffected and rebelled.

ignoble

adjective: dishonorable Ex: In 1919, the World Series was rigged --an ignoble act which baseball took decades to recover from.

reticent

adjective: disinclined to talk, not revealing one's thoughts Ex: When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather reticent.

precipitous

adjective: done with very great haste and without due deliberation Ex: Instead of calling his financial advisor, Harold acted ___, buying 4,000 shares of the latest "hot" stock, only to find out that the company had a history of inflating its year end numbers.

petulant

adjective: easily irritated or annoyed Ex: Although the three year old was often described as mature for his age, he was petulant and whiny whenever his father forgot to remove the crust from his sandwiches.

poignant

adjective: emotionally touching Ex: After the Montagues and Capulets discover the dead bodies of Romeo and Juliet, in the play's most ____ moment, the two griefstricken families agree to end their feud once and for all.

edifying

adjective: enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement Ex: I recently read an article in the Times about whether good literature is edifying or not; specifically, does reading more make a person more moral.

pernicious

adjective: exceedingly harmful; working or spreading in a hidden and injurious way Ex: The most successful viruses are pernicious: an infected person may feel perfectly healthy for several months while incubating and spreading the virus.

avaricious

adjective: excessively greedy Ex: Since avaricious desire is similar to gluttony or lust--sins of excess--it was listed as one of the seven deadly sins by the Catholic church.

artful

adjective: exhibiting artistic skill Ex: Picasso is generally considered the most ____ member of the Cubist movement. adjective: clever in a cunning way Ex: Bernie Madoff's _____ Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.

dictatorial

adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristics of an absolute ruler Ex: The coach was dictatorial in his approach; no players could ever argue or question his approach.

pejorative

adjective: expressing disapproval (usu. refers to a term) Ex: Most psychologists object to the ____ term "shrink", believing that they expand the human mind, not limit it.

parsimonious

adjective: extremely frugal; miserly Ex: Katie is so parsimonious that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them.

ravenous

adjective: extremely hungry; devouring or craving food in great quantities Ex: John didn't eat much at all during the week he had the flu, so now that he is regaining his health, its not surprising that he has a ___ appetite.

auspicious

adjective: favorable, the opposite of sinister Ex: Despite an _____ beginning, Mike's road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

intrepid

adjective: fearless Ex: Captain Ahab was an ___ captain whose reckless and fearless style ultimately lead to his downfall.

reverent

adjective: feeling or showing profound respect or veneration Ex: The professor could speak objectively about the other composers, but he always lectured about Brahms with a particularly ____ air, unable to offer a single criticism of his compositions.

staunch

adjective: firm and dependable especially in loyalty Ex: No longer a staunch supporter of the movement, Todd now will openly question whether its goals are worthwhile.

entrenched

adjective: fixed firmly or securely Ex: By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so entrenched that it is difficult for us to change.

quotidian

adjective: found in the ordinary course of events Ex: Phil gets so involved thinking about Aristotle's arguments that he totally forgets quotidian concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.

impartial

adjective: free from undue bias or preconceived opinions Ex: The judge was not impartial since he had been bribed by the witness's family.

guileless

adjective: free of deceit. Ex: At first I thought my niece was guileless, but I then found myself buying her ice cream every time we passed a shop.

jubilant

adjective: full of high-spirited delight because of triumph or success Ex: My hardwork paid off, and I was jubilant to receive a perfect score on the GRE.

jovial

adjective: full of or showing high-spirited merriment, i.e. happiness Ex: The presidential candidate and her supporters were jovial once it was clear that she had won.

garrulous

adjective: full of trivial conversation Ex: Lynne was ____: once, she had a fifteen minute conversation with a stranger before she realized the woman didn't speak English.

pragmatic

adjective: guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory Ex: Rather than make a philosophical appeal to the Congressmen, the Speaker decided to take a far more pragmatic approach, making small side-deals that would add votes to his bill.

inveterate

adjective: habitual Ex: He is an ____ smoker and has told his family and friends that there is no way he will ever quit.

querulous

adjective: habitually complaining Ex: The querulous old woman was beginning to wear down even the happier members of the staff with her ceaseless complaining.

taciturn

adjective: habitually reserved and uncommunicative Ex: While the CEO enthusiastically shares his plans and agenda with all who will listen, the CFO is far more taciturn, rarely revealing his perspective.

deleterious

adjective: harmful to living things Ex: The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was deleterious to the fishing industry in the southern states.

innocuous

adjective: harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects Ex: Everyone found Nancy's banter _____-except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

acerbic

adjective: harsh in tone Ex: Most movie critics are acerbic towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them as garbage.

bleak

adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook Ex: Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious

incisive

adjective: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions Ex: The lawyer had an incisive mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue and isolate the essential laws at play.

haughty

adjective: having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy Ex: The haughty manager didn't believe that any of his subordinates could ever have an insight as brilliant as his own.

erudite

adjective: having or showing profound knowledge Ex: Before the Internet, the library was where you would find erudite readers.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that one's own beliefs may not be correct Ex: Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.

inimical

adjective: hostile (usually describes conditions or environments) Venus, with a surface temperature that would turn rubber to liquid, is ____ to any form of life.

incorrigible

adjective: impervious to correction by punishment Ex: Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even Sawyer can't match his fierce individual spirit.

inexorable

adjective: impossible to stop or prevent Ex: The rise of the computer was an inexorable shift in technology and culture.

impudent

adjective: improperly forward or bold Ex: In an impudent move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things to the judge.

copious

adjective: in abundant supply Ex: In midsummer, there are copious popsicle stands at the beach; in the winter, there are none.

subversive

adjective: in opposition to an established system or institution. Ex: The ruling political party has begun a campaign to shut down subversive websites that it deems as a threat to "national safety."

irrevocable

adjective: incapable of being retracted or revoked Once you enter your plea to the court, it is ____ so think carefully about what you will say

implacable

adjective: incapable of making less angry or hostile Ex: Win or lose, the coach was always implacable, never giving the athletes an easy practice or a break.

soporific

adjective: inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing Ex: Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a soporific effect.

didactic

adjective: instructive (especially excessively) Ex: Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a didactic novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.

prolific

adjective: intellectually productive Ex: Schubert was the most prolific composer, producing hundreds of hours of music before he died at the age of 31.

ostentatious

adjective: intended to attract notice and impress others; tawdry or vulgar Ex: Matt wanted to buy stone lions for front of the house, but Cynthia convinced him that such a display would be too ostentatious for a modest house in an unassuming neighborhood.

wanting

adjective: lacking Ex: She did not think her vocabulary was _____, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn't know.

myopic

adjective: lacking foresight or imagination Ex: The company ultimately went out of business because the myopic managers couldn't predict the changes in their industry.

pedestrian

adjective: lacking imagination Ex: While Nan was always engaged in philosophical speculation, her brother was occpied with far more ___ concerns; how to earn a salary and run a household.

incongruous

adjective: lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness Ex: The vast economic inequality of modern society is incongruous with America's ideals.

bumbling

adjective: lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands. Ex: Within a week of starting, the bumbling new waiter was unceremoniously fired.

hackneyed

adjective: lacking significance through having been overused Ex: Cheryl rolled her eyes when she heard the lecturer's hackneyed advice to "be true to yourself."

gauche

adjective: lacking social polish Ex: Sylvester says the most gauche things, such as telling a girl he liked that she was much prettier when she wore makeup.

ephemeral

adjective: lasting a very short time Ex: The lifespan of a mayfly is ephemeral, lasting from a few hours to a couple of days.

transient

adjective: lasting a very short time Ex: The unpredictable and transient nature of deja vu makes it a very difficult phenomenon to study properly.

apathetic

adjective: marked by a lack of interest Ex: Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally apathetic students took interest.

pedantic

adjective: marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects Ex: Professor Thompson was regarded as an expert in his field, but his lectures were utterly pedantic, focused on rigorous details of the most trivial conventions in the field.

meticulous

adjective: marked by extreme care in treatment of details The Japanese noodle maker was meticulous in making his noodles and would never let another person take over the task.

vehement

adjective: marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions Ex: While the other employees responded to the bad news in a measured way, Andrew responded in a vehement manner, tipping over his desk and shouting at the top of his lungs.

haphazard

adjective: marked by great carelessness; dependent upon or characterized by chance Many golf courses are designed with great care, but the greens on the county golf course seem entirely ____

forlorn

adjective: marked by or showing hopelessness Ex: After her third pet dog died, Marcia was simply forlorn: this time even the possibility of buying a new dog no longer held any joy.

furtive

adjective: marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed Ex: While at work, George and his boss Regina felt the need to be as furtive as possible about their romantic relationship.

tortuous

adjective: marked by repeated turns and bends; not straightforward Ex: Because the logic behind McMahon's side of the debate was so tortuous, his audience came out either completely confused or, worse, feeling they'd been tricked.

aberrant

adjective: markedly different from an accepted norm Ex: When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his co-workers, the police had to come in to deal with his aberrant behavior.

tempered

adjective: moderated in effect The wide-eyed optimism of her youth was now ____ after she had worked many years in the criminal justice system.

cryptic

adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally Ex: Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered cryptically when he would ask her questions about it.

parochial

adjective: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook Ex: Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work out because his culinary tastes were simply too parochial; "After all," she quipped on her blog, "he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food." This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study.

magnanimous

adjective: noble and generous in spirit, especially towards a rival or someone less powerful Ex: He was a great sportsman: in defeat he was complimentary and in victory he was magnanimous.

immutable

adjective: not able to be changed Ex: Taxes are one of the immutable laws of the land, so there is no use arguing about paying them.

opaque

adjective: not clearly understood or expressed Ex: The meaning of the professor's new research was opaque to most people, so no one asked any questions. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study.

inscrutable

adjective: not easily understood; unfathomable Ex: His speech was so dense and confusing that many in the audience found it inscrutable.

indecorous

adjective: not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society Ex: Eating with elbows on the table is considered indecorous in refined circles.

languid

adjective: not inclined towards physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed Ex: As the sun beat down and the temperature climbed higher, we spent a languid week lying around the house.

anomalous

adjective: not normal Ex: According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over the last five years is simply anomalous - daily temperatures should return to their old averages, they believe.

derivative

adjective: not original but drawing strongly on something already in existence, especially in reference to a creative product (e.g. music,writing, poetry etc.). Ex: Because the movies were utterly derivative of other popular movies, they did well at the box office.

frivolous

adjective: not serious in content or attitude or behavior Ex: Compared to Juliet's passionate concern for human rights, Jake's non-stop concern about football seems somewhat frivolous.

frugal

adjective: not spending much money (but spending wisely) Ex: Monte was no miser, but was simply ____, wisely spending the little that he earned

imprudent

adjective: not wise Ex: Hitler, like Napoleon, made the imprudent move of invading Russia in winter, suffering even more casualties than Napoleon had.

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause Ex: Though Maria's neighbor Ernie "bumped into" her at the Farmer's Market, the encounter wasn't nearly as fortuitous as Maria was led to believe: Ernie desperately wanted to ask Maria out on a date and had been following her about town.

fallacious

adjective: of a belief that is based on faulty reasoning Ex: The widespread belief that Eskimos have forty different words for snow is fallacious, based on one false report.

ambiguous

adjective: open to more than one interpretation Ex: The coach told his team, "Move towards that side of the field"; because he did not point, his directions were ____, and the team had no idea to which side he was referring.

fastidious

adjective: overly concerned with details; fussy Ex: Whitney is fastidious about her shoes, arranging them on a shelf in a specific order, each pair evenly spaced.

mawkish

adjective: overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting Ex: The film was incredibly mawkish, introducing highly likeable characters only to have them succumb to a devastating illness by the end of the movie.

spurious

adjective: plausible but false Ex: When listening to a politician speak, it is hard to distinguish the spurious claims from the authentic ones.

ascetic

adjective: practicing self-denial Ex: His ascetic life is the main reason he inspired so many followers, especially since he gave up wealth and power to live in poverty. noun: one who practices great self-denial Ex: Historically, ascetics like Gandhi are often considered wise men partially because of their restraint.

austere

adjective: practicing self-denial Ex: His lifestyle of revelry and luxurious excess could hardly be called ____. adjective: unadorned in style or appearance Ex: Late Soviet architecture, although remaining largely ____, moved into experimental territory that employed previously unused shapes and structures. adjective: harsh in manner of temperament Ex: The principal of my elementary school was a cold, austere woman; I could never understand why she chose to work with children.

propitious

adjective: presenting favorable circumstances; likely to result in or show signs of success Ex: The child's heartbeat is still weak, but I am seeing many ___ signs and I think that she may be healing.

efficacious

adjective: producing the intended result Ex: Since Maggie's cough syrup, which had expired five years back, was no longer efficacious, she coughed through the night.

prodigal

adjective: rashly or wastefully extravagant Ex: Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to prodigality seem to be the exception - most live decadent lives.

tractable

adjective: readily reacting to suggestions and influences; easily managed (controlled or taught or molded) Compared to middle school students, who have an untamed wildness about them, high school students are somewhat more ____.

sporadic

adjective: recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances The signals were at first ____, but now we detect a clear, consistent pattern of electromagnetic radiation emanating from deep space.

adamant

adjective: refusing to change one's mind Civil rights icon Rosa Parks will forever be remembered for adamantly refusing to give up her seat on a public bus--even after the bus driver insisted, she remained rooted in place.

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country Ex: The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.

germane

adjective: relevant and appropriate Ex: The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't germane to the changes in the cases

banal

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse Ex: The professor used such banal expression that many students in the class either fell asleep from boredom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends

trite

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse Many style guides recommend not using idioms in writing because these ____ expressions are uninteresting and show a lack of imagination on the part of the writer.

mundane

adjective: repetitive and boring; not spiritual Ex: nancy found doing dishes a thoroughly mundane task, although Peter found a kind of Zen pleasure in the chore. adjective: relating to the ordinary world Ex: Though we think of the pope as someone always dealing in holy matters, he is also concerned with mundane events, such as deciding when to set his alarm each morning.

exacting

adjective: requiring and demanding accuracy Ex: Though his childhood piano teacher was so exacting, Max is thankful now, as a professional pianist.

arcane

adjective: requiring secret or mysterious knowledge Most college fraternities are known for _____ rituals that those hoping to join the fraternity must learn.

restive

adjective: restless Ex: The crowd grew ____ as the comedian's opening joke fell flat

resurgent

adjective: rising again as to new life and vigor The team sank to fourth place in June, but is now ____ and about to win the division

insolent

adjective: rude and arrogant Ex: Lillian could not help herself from being ____, commenting that the Queen's shoes were showing too much toe.

superfluous

adjective: serving no useful purpose Ex: How can we hope to stay open if we don't eliminate all superfluous spending, like catered meetings and free acupuncture Tuesday? adjective: more than is needed, desired, or required Ex: The third paragraph in your essay is superfluous and can be deleted.

admonitory

adjective: serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective Ex: At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an admonitory speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.

amorphous

adjective: shapeless Ex: His study plan for the GRE was at best _____; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books

antithetical

adjective: sharply contrasted in character or purpose Ex: His deep emotional involvement with these ideas is, in fact, ____ to the detachment Buddhism preaches.

sullen

adjective: showing a brooding ill humor Ex: Herbert took board games to seriously, often appearing sullen after losing.

diffident

adjective: showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence Ex: As a young girl she was diffident and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident and assertive.

deferential

adjective: showing respect Ex: If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be deferential.

prodigious

adjective: so great in size or force or extant as to elicit awe Ex: After the relatively small homerun totals in the "dead ball" ear, Babe Ruth's homerun totals were totally ____: every year, he set a new all-time record.

negligible

adjective: so small as to be meaningless; insignificant Ex: The GRE tests cumulative knowledge, so if you cram the night before it is, at best, likely to only have a negligible impact on your score.

profligate

adjective: spending resources recklessly or wastefully Ex: The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so _____ as to line all the walls of his apartment with pure silk. noun: someone who spends resources recklessly or wastefully Ex: Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright _____ who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.

eminent

adjective: standing above others in quality or position Ex: Shakespeare is an eminent author in the English language, but I find his writing uninteresting and melodramatic.

egregious

adjective: standing out in a negative way; shockingly bad Ex: The dictator's abuse of human rights was so _____ that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide

tenacious

adjective: stubborn unyielding Ex: Even the most tenacious advocates for gun ownership must admit some of the dangers that firearms present.

refractory

adjective: stubbornly resistant to authority or control Ex: Used to studious high school students, Martha was unprepared for the refractory Kindergarteners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said.

treacherous

adjective: tending to betray Ex: Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more for his treacherous actions than for eliminating a criminal and murderer. adjective: dangerously unstable and unpredictable Ex: The bridge built from twine and vine is treacherous to walk across, and so I think I will stay put right here.

timorous

adjective: timid by nature or revealing fear and nervousness Ex: Since this was her first time debating on stage and before an audience, Di's voice was timorous and quiet for the first 10 minutes.

gregarious

adjective: to be likely to socialize with others Ex: Often we think that great leaders are those who are gregarious, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted

itinerant

adjective: traveling from place to place to work Ex: Doctors used to be itinerant, traveling between patients' homes.

harried

adjective: troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances EX: With a team of new hires to train, Martha was constantly harried with little questions and could not focus on her projects

veracious

adjective: truthful Ex: While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be veracious, history has shown that such a hope is naive.

dispassionate

adjective: unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice Ex: A good scientist should be dispassionate, focusing purely on what the evidence says, without personal attachment.

disinterested

adjective: unbiased;neutral Ex: The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of disinterested members.

nonplussed

adjective: unsure how to act or respond Ex: Shirley was totally nonplussed when the angry motorist cut her off and then stuck his finger out the window.

intransigent

adjective: unwilling to change one's beliefs or course of action Ex: Despite many calls for mercy, the judge remained intransigent, citing strict legal precedence.

munificent

adjective: very generous Ex: Uncle Charley was known for his ____, giving all seven of his nephews lavish Christmas presents each year.

dilatory

adjective: wasting time Ex: Lawyers use dilatory tactics so that it takes years before the case is actually decided.

audacious

adjective: willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks Ex: As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight, audaciously tracked down the bear that had raided their food.

conspicuous

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious Ex: American basketball players are always conspicuous when they go abroad-- not only are they American, but some are over seven feet tall.

blatant

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious Ex: Allen was often punished in school for blatantly disrespecting teachers.

unscrupulous

adjective: without scruples or principles Ex: In the courtroom, the lawyer was unscrupulous, using every manner of deceit and manipulation to secure a victory for himself.

insidious

adjective: working in a subtle but destructive way Ex: Plaque is insidious: we cannot see it, but each day it eats away at our enamel, causing cavities and other dental problems.

laudable

adjective: worthy of high praise Ex: To say that Gandhi's actions were laudable is the greatest understatement; he overthrew an empire without violence.

askance

adverb: with a look of suspicion or disapproval Ex: The old couple looked askance on the teenagers seated next to them, whispering to each other, "They've got rings through their noses and purple hair!"

idiosyncrasy

noun: a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual. Ex: Peggy's numerous idiosyncrasies include wearing mismatched shoes, laughing loudly to herself, and owning a pet aardvark.

constituent

noun: a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes Ex: The mayor's constituents are no longer happy with her performance and plan to vote for another candidate in the upcoming election. noun: an abstract part of something Ex: The constituents of the metal alloy are nickel, copper, and tin.

aberration

noun: a deviation from what is normal or expected Ex: Aberrations in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines.

contingent

noun: a gathering of persons representative of some larger group Ex: A small contingent of those loyal to the king have gathered around the castle to defend it. adjective: dependent on (usually used with upon Ex: Whether the former world champions can win again this year is contingent upon none of its star players getting injured.

myriad

noun: a large indefinite number There are a ____ of internet sites hawking pills that claim to boost energy for hours on end.

harangue

noun: a long pompous speech, a tirade Ex: Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable _____ against the government. verb: to deliver a long pompous speech or tirade Ex: Tired of his parents _____ him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.

amalgam

noun: a mixture of multiple things Ex: The band's music was an amalgam of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three styles with surprising results.

heretic

noun: a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion) Ex: Though everybody at the gym told Mikey to do cardio before weights, Mikey was a heretic and always did the reverse.

sycophant

noun: a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage Ex: The CEO was unaware of the damaging consequences of his choices, largely because he surrounded himself with ____ who would never dare criticize him.

culpability

noun: a state of guilt Ex: Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted culpability for Martha's broken leg.

flux

noun: a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) Ex: Ever since Elvira resigned as the head of marketing, everything about our sales strategy has been in a state of flux.

predilection

noun: a strong liking Ex: Monte had a predilection for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and trips to the French Riviera.

polemic

noun: a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. EX: The professor launched into a polemic, claiming that Freudian theory was a pack of lies that absolutely destroyed European literary theory.

nuance

noun: a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude Ex: Because of the nuances involved in this case, I hired an outside consultant to advise us and help.

platitude

noun: a trite or obvious remark Ex: The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere platitudes.

banality

noun: a trite or obvious remark Ex: Herbert regarded the minister's remark as a mere banality until Sharon pointed out profound implications to the seemingly obvious words.

audacity

noun: aggressive boldness in social situations Mike was upset at the man who not only cut in front of him at the ticket counter but also had the to cut in front of him at the bathroom line.

apathy

noun: an absence of emotion or enthusiasm Ex: Widespread apathy among voters led to a very small turnout on election day.

travesty

noun: an absurd presentation of something; a mockery Ex: What I expected to be an intelligent, nuanced historical documentary turned out to be a poorly-produced travesty of the form.

perfidy

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust Ex: Sure, he was the best salesman in the company, but Michael had abused the trust of the firm, sharing product secrets with a competitor, and for such perfidy he was terminated.

dilettante

noun: an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge Fred has no formal medical training; while he likes to claim authority on medical issues, he is little more than a _____.

accolade

noun: an award or praise granted as a special honor Jean Paul-Sartre was not a fan of _____, and as such, he refused to accept the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964.

glut

noun: an excessive supply Ex: The Internet offers such glut of news related stories that many find it difficult to know which story to read first. verb: supply with an excess of Ex: In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes glutted with resumes.

antipathy

noun: an intense feeling of dislike or aversion. Ex: Maria had an antipathy for tour groups, often bolting to the other side of the museum as soon as she saw a chaperone leading a group of wide-eyed tourists.

acrimony

noun: bitterness and ill will Ex: The _____ between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.

duress

noun: compulsory force or threat EX: The witness said he signed the contract under duress and argued that the court should cancel the agreement.

panache

noun: distinctive and showy elegance Ex: Jim, with his typical panache, came to the wedding reception with a top hat and cane.

hegemony

noun: dominance over a certain area Ex: Until the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1587, Spain had ____ over the seas, controlling waters stretching as far as the Americas

largess

noun: extreme generosity and giving Ex: Uncle Frank was known for his largess, so his nephew was sad when he did not receive a present for his birthday.

jingoism

noun: fanatical patriotism Ex: North Korea maintains intense control over its population through a combination of jingoism and cult of personality.

torpor

noun: inactively resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy Ex: After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I found them in a state of complete torpor.

calumny

noun: making of a false statement meant to injure a person's reputation Ex: With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with ____, and the mud already waist-high.

aesthete

noun: one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature Ex: A true aesthete, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at the same Picasso.

decorum

noun: propriety in manners and conduct Ex: "You will obey the rules of decorum for this courtroom or spend the night in a jail cell," said the judge to the prosecutor.

iconoclast

noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions Ex: Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an _____ for wearing a "meat dress" to a prominent awards show.

maverick

noun: someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action Ex: Officer Kelly was a maverick, rarely following police protocols or adopting the conventions for speech common among his fellow officers.

pundit

noun: someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field Ex: Steven Pinker's credentials are unquestioned as a pundit; he has taught at MIT and Stanford, teaches at Harvard, and has published a number of influential books on cognition, language, and psychology

anomaly

noun: something that is not normal, standard, or expected Ex: After finding an ______ in the data, she knew that she would have to conduct her experiment again.

venality

noun: the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption Ex: Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to venality, as many of the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.

contrition

noun: the feeling of remorse or guilt that comes from doing something bad Ex: Those who show contrition during their prison terms -- especially when under review by a parole board -- often get shortened sentences.

prescience

noun: the power to foresee the future Ex: Baxter's warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of prescience after the whole market declined significantly.

volubility

noun: the quality of talking or writing easily and continuously Ex: The professor's volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's Day to the next.

mendacity

noun: the tendency to be untruthful Ex: I can forgive her for her mendacity but only because she is a child and is seeing what she can get away with.

temperance

noun: the trait of avoiding excesses Ex: Welles wasn't known for his temperance -- he usually ate enough for two and drank enough for three.

gall

noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent Ex: The speeding car had the gall to switch five lanes at once, run through a red light, and then cut off a police car before finally coming to a stop in front of a sea of flashing red lights. noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will Ex: In an act of gall, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.

indifference

noun: the trait of seeming not to care Ex: In an effort to fight indifference, the president of the college introduced a new, stricter grading system.

opulence

noun: wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living Ex: Russian oligarchs are famous for their opulence, living in fancy homes and dining on expensive caviar.

extant

still in existence (usually refers to documents) Ex: Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be ____ generations from now.

ingenuous

to be naive and innocent Ex: Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an ____ girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.

concede

verb: acknowledge defeat I concede. You win! verb: admit (to a wrongdoing) After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia conceded to having broken the window. verb: give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another The Spanish were forced to concede much of the territory they had previously conquered.

expound

verb: add details or explanation; clarify the meaning; state in depth Ex: The CEO refused to expound on the decision to merge our department with another one, and so I quit.

lionize

verb: assign great social importance to Ex: Students in the U.S. learn to ___ Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington because they are the founding fathers of the nation.

posit

verb: assume as fact Ex: Initially, Einstein posited a repulsive force to balance Gravity, but then rejected that idea as a blunder.

eschew

verb: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of Politicians are the masters of eschewing morals; academics are the masters of eschewing clarity.

denote

verb: be a sign or indication of; have as a meaning Ex: Even if the text is not visible, the red octagon denotes "stop" to all motorists in America.

vacillate

verb: be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action Ex: Some students ____ between schools when deciding which to attend, while others focus only on one school.

elicit

verb: call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses) Ex: Just smiling -- even if you are depressed -- can elicit feelings of pleasure and happiness.

rescind

verb: cancel officially Ex: The man's driver's license was ____ after his tenth car accident, which meant he would never be allowed to legally drive again.

placate

verb: cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of Ex: I was able to placate the angry mob of students by promising to bring cookies on Monday.

disseminate

verb: cause to become widely known Ex: Before the effects of anesthesia were ____, patients had to experience the full pain of a surgery.

denigrate

verb: charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone Ex: Count Rumford denigrated the new theory of heat, demonstrating that it was wholly inadequate to explain the observations.

abstain

verb: choose not to consume or take part in (particularly something enjoyable) Ex: Considered a health nut, Jessica abstained from anything containing sugar--even chocolate.

circumvent

verb: cleverly find a way out of one's duties or obligations Ex: One way of circumventing the GRE is to apply to a grad school that does not require GRE scores.

derive

verb: come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example Ex: Many words in the English language are derived from Latin, including the word "derive." verb: reason by deduction, establish by deduction Ex: From the multiple sets of set of footprints in the living room, the investigator derived an important clue: Sheila was not alone in the room at the time of the murder.

subsume

verb: contain or include Ex: The rogue wave quickly subsumed the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in its path. Verb: consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle Ex: Don Quixote of La Mancha subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.

lambast

verb: criticize severely or angrily Ex: Showing no patience, the manager utterly lambasted the sales team that lost the big account.

rebuke

verb: criticize severely or angrily; censure Ex: The police chief rebuked the two officers whose irresponsible decisions almost led to the deaths of seven innocent by-standers.

gainsay

verb: deny or contradict; speak against or oppose Ex: I can't gainsay a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don't trust his conclusion.

delineate

verb: describe in detail Ex: After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach delineated the specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.

ostracize

verb: exclude from a community or group Later in his life, Leo Tolstoy was __ from the Russian Orthodox Church for his writings that contradicted church doctrine.

ingratiate

verb: gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts Ex: Even though Tom didn't like his new boss, he decided to ingratiate himself to her in order to advance his career.

sanction

verb: give authority or permission to Ex: The authorities have ____ the use of the wilderness reserve for public use; many expect to see hikers and campers enjoying the park in the coming months. noun: a legal penalty for a forbidden action Ex: International ____ have been placed on certain shipping lanes that were thought to be involved in human trafficking.

underscore

verb: give extra weight to (a communication) Ex: While the hiking instructor agreed that carrying a first aid kit could be a good idea under certain circumstances, he underscored the importance of carrying enough water.

engender

verb: give rise to Ex: The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they engendered deep hatred and resentment in the German people.

frustrate

verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of Ex: I thought I would finish writing the paper by lunchtime, but a number of urgent interruptions served to frustrate my plan. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study.

misconstrue

verb: interpret in the wrong way Ex: The politician never trusted journalists because he thought that they would misconstrue his words and misrepresent his positions.

construe

verb: interpreted in a particular way Ex: The author's inability to take a side on the issue was construed by both his opponents and supporters as a sign of weakness.

preclude

verb: keep from happening or arising; make impossible Ex: The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to preclude the possibility of persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.

reconcile

verb: make (one thing) compatible with (another) Ex: Peggy was unable to reconcile her kind friend Jane with the cruel and merciless character Jane played on television.

elucidate

verb: make clearer and easier to understand Ex: Youtube is great place to learn just about anything--an expert elucidates finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.

mitigate

verb: make less severe or harsh Ex: I can only spend so much time mitigating your disagreements with your wife, and at certain point, you need to do it on your own. verb: lessen the severity of an offense Ex: If it weren't for the mitigating circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.

ameliorate

verb: make something bad better Ex: "Three Cups of Tea" tells the story of western man who hopes to ameliorate poverty and the lack of education in Afghanistan.

obscure

verb: make unclear Ex: On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head obscured much of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock adjective: known by only a few Ex: Many of the biggest movie stars were once obscure actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films.

exacerbate

verb: make worse Ex: Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.

appease

verb: pacify by acceding to the demands of Ex: Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister during WWII, tried to appease Hitler and in doing so sent a clear message: you can walk all over us.

juxtapose

verb: place side by side for contrast Ex: The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is juxtaposed with modern themes.

exalt

verb: praise or glorify Ex: The teenagers exalted the rock star, covering their bedrooms with posters of him.

exonerate

verb: pronounce not guilty of criminal charges Ex: The document clearly indicated that Nick was out of the state at the time of the crime, and so served to exonerate him of any charges.

refute

verb: prove to be false or incorrect Ex: No one could refute his theories on propositions, and that is why he was esteemed by all his colleagues in the philosophy department.

culminate

verb: reach the highest or most decisive point Ex: Beethoven's musical genius culminated in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.

truncate

verb: reduce the length of something Ex: The soccer game was truncated when the monsoon rain began to fall.

repudiate

verb: reject as untrue or unfounded Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO crash outside town, so the chief of police did everything he could to ____ the rumors.

repudiate

verb: reject as untrue or unfounded Ex: Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO crash outside town, so the chief of police did everything he could to ____ the rumors.

circumscribe

verb: restrict or confine Ex: Their tour of South America was ___ so that they saw only popular destinations and avoided the dangerous parts of cities.

villify

verb: spread negative information about Ex: Todd was noble after the divorce, choosing to say only complimentary things about Barbara, but Barbara did not hesitate to vilify Todd.

bolster

verb: support and strengthen Ex: The case for the suspect's innocence was bolstered considerably by the fact that neither fingerprints nor DNA were found at the scene.

supplant

verb: take the place or movie into the position of Ex: For many, a cell phone has supplanted a traditional phone; in fact, most 20-somethings don't even have a traditional phone anymore.

espouse

verb: to adopt or support an idea or cause Ex: As a college student, Charlie espoused Marxism, growing his beard out and railing against the evils of the free-market.

maintain

verb: to assert Ex: The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

confound

verb: to cause confusion Ex: Though Harry loved numbers, calculus confounded him. verb: mistake one thing for another Ex: Americans often confound sweet potatoes with yams, and refer to both vegetables by the same name.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way Walking past the bar, I could hear happy, chortling people and the blast of horns from a jazz band.

vindicate

verb: to clear of accusation, blame. suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments of proof Ex: Even seven Tour de France wins cannot vindicate Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the public - that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.

eradicate

verb: to completely destroy Ex: I tried eradicating the mosquitos in my apartment with a rolled up newspaper, but there were too many of them.

reproach

verb: to express criticism towards EX: At first, Sarah was going to yell at the boy, but she didn't want to reproach him for telling the truth about the situation.

censure

verb: to express strong disapproval Ex: After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly _____ by the city council.

belie

verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent Ex: The smile on her face ____ the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

qualify

verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement) Ex: Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding he didn't like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles.

mollify

verb: to make someone angry less angry; placate Ex: In the morning, Janine was unable to mollify Harry, if he happened to become angry, unless he'd had his cup of coffee.

demur

verb: to object or show reluctance Ex: Wallace disliked the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps.

contrive

verb: to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery Ex: Despite a low GPA, he contrived to get into college, going so far as to write his own glowing letters of recommendation. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study.

chastise

verb: to reprimand harshly Ex: Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother's harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.

castigate

verb: to reprimand harshly Ex: Drill sergeants are known to castigate new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training

upbraid

verb: to reproach; to scold Ex: Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop" - in the end he had to ____ the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

venerate

verb: to respect deeply Ex: The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was venerated amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.

betray

verb: to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally Ex: With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip betraying his intense emotions.

enervate

verb: to sap energy from Ex: John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him ______ after he'd spent the day sightseeing

prevaricate

verb: to speak in an evasive way Ex: The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to ____."

intimate

verb: to suggest something subtly Ex: At first Manfred's teachers _____ to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy's precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

admonish

verb: to warn strongly, even to the point of reprimanding Ex: Before the concert began, security personnel ___ the crowd not to come up on stage during the performance.

undermine

verb: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term) Ex: The student undermined the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgement on numerous occasions

foment

verb: try to stir up public opinion Ex: After having his pay cut, Phil spread vicious rumors about his boss, hoping to ____ a general feeling of discontent.