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GRE WORDS
Term | Definition |
---|---|
ABATE | TO REDUCE IN AMOUNT, DEGREE, OR SEVERITY |
ABSCOND | TO LEAVE SECRETLY |
ABSTAIN | TO CHOOSE NOT TO DO SOMETHING |
ABYSS | EXTREMELY DEEP HOLE |
ADULTERATE | TO MAKE IMPURE |
ADVOCATE | TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF |
AESTHETIC | CONCERNING THE APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY |
AGGRANDIZE | TO INCREASE IN POWER, INFLUENCE, AND REPUTATION |
ALLEVIATE | TO MAKE MORE BEARABLE |
AMALGAMATE | TO COMBINE; TO MIX TOGETHER |
AMBIGUOUS | DOUBTFUL OR UNCERTAIN; ABLE TO BE INTERPRETED IN MANY WAYS |
AMELIORATE | TO MAKE BETTER; TO IMPROVE |
ANACHRONISM | SOMETHING OUT OF PLACE IN TIME |
ANALOGOUS | SIMILAR OR ALIKE IN SOME WAY; EQUIVALENT TO |
ANOMALY | DEVIATION FROM WHAT IS NORMAL |
ANTAGONIZE | TO ANNOY OR PROVOKE TO ANGER |
ANTIPATHY | EXTREME DISLIKE |
APATHY | LACK OF INTEREST OR EMOTION |
ARBITRATE | TO JUDGE A DISPUTE BETWEEN TWO OPPOSING PARTIES |
ARCHAIC | ANCIENT, OLD-FASHIONED |
ARDOR | INTENSE AND PASSIONATE FEELING |
ARTICULATE | ABLE TO SPEAK CLEARLY AND EXPRESSIVELY |
ASSUAGE | TO MAKE SOMETHING UNPLEASANT LESS SEVERE |
ATTENUATE | TO REDUCE IN FORSE OR DEGREE; TO WEAKEN |
AUDACIOUS | FEARLESS AND DARING |
AUSTERE | SEVERE OR STERN IN APPEARANCE; UNDECORATED |
BANAL | PREDICTABLE, CLICHÉ, BORING |
BOLSTER | TO SUPPORT; TO PROP UP |
BOMBASTIC | POMPOUS IN SPEECH AND MANNER |
CACOPHONY | HARSH, JARRING NOISE |
CANDID | IMPARTIAL AND HONEST IN SPEECH |
CAPRICIOUS | CHANGING ONE'S MIND QUICKLY AND OFTEN |
CASTIGATE | TO PUNISH OR CRITICIZE HARSHLY |
CATALYST | SOMETHING THAT BRINGS ABOUT A CHANGE IN SOMETHING ELSE |
CAUSTIC | BITING IN WIT |
CHAOS | GREAT DISORDER OR CONFUSION |
CHAUVINIST | SOMEONE PREJUDICED IN FAVOR OF A GROUP TO WHICH THEY BELONG |
CHICANERY | DECEPTION BY MEANS OF CRAFT OR GUILE |
COGENT | CONVINCING AND WELL REASONED |
CONDONE | TO OVERLOOK, PARDON, OR DISREGARD |
CONVOLUTED | INTRICATE AND COMPLICATED |
CORROBORATE | TO PROVIDE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE |
CREDULOUS | TOO TRUSTING; GULLIBLE |
CRESCENDO | STEADILY INCREASING IN VOLUME OR FORCE |
DECORUM | APPROPRIATENESS OF BEHAVIOR OR CONDUCT; PROPRIETY |
DEFERENCE | RESPECT, COURTESY |
DERIDE | TO SPEAK OF OR TREAT WITH CONTEMPT; TO MOCK |
DESSICATE | TO DRY OUT THOROUGHLY |
DESULTORY | JUMPING FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER; DISCONNECTED |
DIATRIBE | ABUSIVE, CONDEMNATORY SPEECH |
DIFFIDENT | LACKING SELF-CONFIDENCE |
DILATE | TO MAKE LARGER; TO EXPAND |
DILATORY | INTENDED TO DELAY |
DILETTANTE | SOMEONE WITH AN AMATEURISH AND SUPERFICIAL INTEREST IN A TOPIC |
DIRGE | A FUNERAL HYMN OR MOURNFUL SPEECH |
DISABUSE | TO SET RIGHT; TO FREE FROM ERROR |
DISCERN | TO PERCEIVE; TO RECOGNIZE |
DISPARATE | FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT; ENTIRELY UNLIKE |
DISSEMBLE | TO PRESENT A FALSE APPEARANCE; TO DISGUISE ONE'S REAL INTENTIONS OR CHARACTER |
DISSONANCE | A HARSH AND DISAGREEABLE COMBINATION, OFTEN OF SOUNDS |
DOGMA | A FIRMLY HELD OPINION, OFTEN A RELIGIOUS BELIEF |
DOGMATIC | DICTATORIAL IN ONE'S OPINIONS |
DUPE | TO DECEIVE; SOMEONE WHO IS EASILY DECEIVED |
ECLECTIC | SELECTING FROM OR MADE UP FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES |
EFFICACY | EFFECTIVENESS |
ELEGY | A SORROWFUL POEM OR SPEECH |
ELOQUENT | PERSUASIVE AND MOVING, ESPECIALLY IN SPEECH |
EMULATE | TO COPY; TO TRY TO EQUAL OR EXCEL |
ENERVATE | TO REDUCE IN STRENGTH |
ENGENDER | TO PRODUCE, CAUSE OR BRING ABOUT |
ENIGMA | A PUZZLE; A MYSTERY |
ENUMERATE | TO COUNT, LIST OR ITEMIZE |
EPHEMERAL | LASTING A SHORT TIME |
ERRATIC | WANDERING AND UNPREDICTABLE |
ERUDITE | LEARNED, SCHOLARLY, BOOKISH |
ESOTERIC | KNOWN OR UNDERSTOOD BY ONLY A FEW |
ESTIMABLE | ADMIRABLE |
EULOGY | SPEECH IN PRAISE OF SOMEONE |
EUPHEMISM | USE OF AN INOFFENSIVE WORD OR PHRASE IN PLACE OF A MORE DISTASTEFUL ONE |
EXACERBATE | TO MAKE WORSE |
EXCULPATE | TO CLEAR FROM BLAME; PROVE INNOCENT |
EXIGENT | URGENT; REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ACTION |
EXONERATE | TO CLEAR OF BLAME |
EXPLICIT | CLEARLY STATE OR SHOWN; FORTHRIGHT IN EXPRESSION |
FANATICAL | ACTING EXCESSIVELY ENTHUSIASTIC; FILLED WITH EXTREME, UNQUESTIONED DEVOTION |
FAWN | TO GROVEL |
FERVID | INTENSELY EMOTIONAL; FEVERISH |
FLORID | EXCESSIVELY DECORATED OR EMBELLISHED |
FOMENT | TO AROUSE OR INCITE |
FRUGALITY | A TENDENCY TO BE THRIFTY OR CHEAP |
GARRULOUS | TENDING TO TALK A LOT |
GREGARIOUS | OUTGOING, SOCIABLE |
GUILE | DECITE OR TRICKERY |
GULLIBLE | EASILY DECIEVED |
HOMOGENOUS | OF A SIMILAR KIND |
ICONOCLAST | ONE WHO OPPOSES ESTABLISHED BELIEVES, CUSTOMS, AND INSTITUTIONS |
IMPERTURBABLE | NOT CAPABLE OF BEING DISTURBED |
IMPERVIOUS | IMPOSSIBLE TO PENETRATE; INCAPABLE OF BEING AFFECTED |
IMPETUOUS | QUICK TO ACT WITHOUT THINKING |
IMPLACABLE | UNABLE TO BE CALMED DOWN OR MADE PEACEFUL |
INCHOATE | NOT FULLY FORMED; DISORGANIZED |
INGENUOUS | SHOWING INNOCENCE OR CHILDLIKE SIMPLICITY |
INIMICAL | HOSTILE, UNFRIENDLY |
INNOCUOUS | HARMLESS |
INSIPID | LACKING INTEREST OR FLAVOR |
INTRANSIGENT | UNCOMPROMISING; REFUSING TO BE RECONCILED |
INUNDATE | TO OVERWHELM, TO COVER WITH WATER |
IRASCIBLE | EASILY MADE ANGRY |
LACONIC | USING FEW WORDS |
LAMENT | TO EXPRESS SORROW; TO GRIEVE |
LAUD | TO GIVE PRAISE; TO GLORIFY |
LAVISH | TO GIVE UNSPARINGLY; EXTREMELY GENEROUSE OR EXTRAVAGANT |
LETHARGIC | ACTING IN AN INDIFFERENT OR SLOW, SLUGGISH MANNER |
LOQUACIOUS | TALKATIVE |
LUCID | CLEAR AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD |
LUMINOUS | BRIGHT, BRILLIANT, GLOWING |
MALINGER | TO EVADE RESPONSIBILITY BY PRETENDING TO BE ILL |
MALLEABLE | CAPABLE OF BEING SHAPED |
METAPHOR | A FIGURE OF SPEECH COMPARING TWO THINGS; A SYMBOL |
METICULOUS | EXTREMELY CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS |
MISANTRHOPE | A PERSON WHO DISLIKES OTHERS |
MITIGATE | TO SOFTEN; TO LESSEN |
MOLLIFY | TO CALM OR MAKE LESS SEVERE |
MONOTONY | LACK OF VARIATION |
NAÏVE | LACKING SOPHISTICATION OR EXPERIENCE |
OBDURATE | HARDENED IN FEELING; RESISTANT TO PERSUASION |
OBSEQUIOUS | OVERLY SUBMISSIVE AND EAGER TO PLEASE |
OBSTINATE | STUBBORN; UNYIELDING |
OBVIATE | TO PREVENT; TO MAKE UNNECESSARY |
OCCLUDE | TO STOP UP; TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF |
ONEROUS | TROUBLESOME AND OPPRESSIVE; BURDENSOME |
OPAQUE | IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH; PREVENTING THE PASSAGE OF LIGHT |
OPPROBRIUM | PUBLIC DISGRACE |
OSTENTATION | EXCESSIVE SHOWINESS |
PARADOX | A CONTRADICTION OR DILEMMA |
PARAGON | MODEL OF EXCELLENCE OR PERFECTION |
PEDANT | SOMEONE WHO SHOWS OFF LEARNING |
PERFIDIOUS | WILLING TO BETRAY ONE'S TRUST |
PERFUNCTORY | DONE IN A ROUTINE WAY; INDIFFERENT |
PERMEATE | TO PENETRATE |
PHILANTHROPY | CHARITY; DESIRE OR EFFORT TO PROMOTE GOODNESS |
PLACATE | TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY |
PLASTIC | ABLE TO BE MOLDED, ALTERED, OR BENT |
PLETHORA | EXCESS |
PRAGMATIC | PRACTICAL AS OPPOSED TO IDEALISTIC |
PRECIPITATE | TO THROW VIOLENTLY OR BRING ABOUT ABRUPTLY; LACKING DELIBERATION |
PREVARICATE | TO LIE OR DEVIATE FROM THE TRUTH |
PRISTINE | FRESH AND CLEAN; UNCORRUPTED |
PRODIGAL | LAVISH, WASTEFUL |
PROLIFERATE | TO INCREASE IN NUMBER QUICKLY |
PROPITIATE | TO CONCILLIATE; TO APPEASE |
PROPRIETY | CORRECT BEHAVIOR; OBEDIENCE TO RULES AND CUSTOMS |
PRUDENCE | WISDOM, CAUTION, OR RESTRAINT |
PUNGENT | SHARP AND IRRITATING TO THE SENSES |
QUIESCENT | MOTIONLESS |
RAREFY | TO MAKE THINNER OR SPARSER |
REPUDIATE | TO REJECT THE VALIDITY OF |
RETICENT | SILENT, RESERVED |
RHETORIC | EFFECTIVE WRITING OR SPEAKING |
SATIATE | TO SATISFY FULLY OR OVERINDULGE |
SOPORIFIC | CAUSING SLEEP OR LETHARGY |
SPECIOUS | DECEPTIVELY ATTRACTIVE; SEEMINGLY PLAUSIBLE BUT FALLACIOUS |
STIGMA | A MARK OF SHAME OR DISCREDIT |
STOLID | UNEMOTIONAL; LACKING SENSITIVITY |
SUBLIME | LOFTY OR GRAND |
TACIT | DONE WITHOUT USING WORDS |
TACITURN | SILENT, NOT TALKATIVE |
TIRADE | LONG, HARSH SPEECH OR VERBAL ATTACK |
TORPOR | EXTREME MENTAL AND PHYSICAL SLUGGISHNESS |
TRANSITORY | TEMPORARY, LASTING A BRIEF TIME |
VACILLATE | TO SWAY PHYSICALLY; TO BE INDECISIVE |
VENERATE | TO RESPECT DEEPLY |
VERACITY | FILLED WITH TRUTH AND ACCURACY |
VERBOSE | WORDY |
VEX | TO ANNOY |
VOLATILE | EASILY AROUSED OR CHANGEABLE; LIVELY OR EXPLOSIVE |
WAVER | TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN CHOICES |
WHIMSICAL | ACTING IN FANCIFUL OR CAPRICIOUS MANNER; UNPREDICTABLE |
ZEAL | PASSION; EXCITEMENT |