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GRE Words 9/13
Top 200 words for Verbal GRE - Part 1
75
Language - English
Graduate
09/13/2007

Additional Language - English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
ABATE
Definition
v
to become less strong
Term
ABSCOND
Definition
v
1 to go away suddenly and secretly in order to escape from somewhere
2
to go away suddenly and secretly because you have stolen something, usually money
Term
ABYSS
Definition
n
1 (literary) a very deep hole which seems to have no bottom
2 a difficult situation that brings trouble or destruction
Term
AESTHETIC
Definition
adj
1 relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty
2 describes an object or a work of art that shows great beauty
Term
AGGRANDIZE
Definition
v
1 to widen in scope; increase in size or intensity; enlarge; extend
2 to make great or greater in power, wealth, rank, or honor
3 to make (something) appear greater
Term
ALLEVIATE
Definition
v
to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe
Term
AMALGAMATE
Definition
v
to join or unite to form a larger organization or group, or to make separate organizations do this
Term
AMBIGUOUS
Definition
adj
having or expressing more than one possible meaning, sometimes intentionally
Term
AMELIORATE
Definition
v
to make a bad or unpleasant situation better
Term
ANACHRONISM
Definition
n
a person, thing or idea which exists out of its time in history, especially one which happened or existed later than the period being shown, discussed, etc
Term
ANALOGOUS
ANALOGY
Definition
adj
comparable to something else which has similar features

n from adj
Term
ANTAGONIZE
Definition
v
to make someone feel opposition or dislike towards you
Term
ATTENUATE
Definition
v
to make something smaller, thinner or weaker
Term
ARBITRATE
Definition
v
to make a judgment in an argument, usually because asked to do so by those involved
Term
ARCHAIC
Definition
adj
of or belonging to the distant past; from an ancient period in history
Term
ARDOR
Definition
n
great enthusiasm or love
Term
ARTICULATE
Definition
adj
able to express thoughts and feelings easily and clearly, or showing this quality

v
to express in words
Term
AUSTERE
Definition
adj
without comfort; plain and without decoration; severe
Term
BANAL
Definition
adj
boring, ordinary and not original
Term
BOMBASTIC
Definition
adj
using long and difficult words, usually to make people think you know more than you do
Term
CANDID
Definition
adj
truthful and honest, especially about something difficult or painful
Term
CASTIGATE
Definition
v
to criticize someone or something severely
Term
CATALYST
Definition
n
1 (specialized) something that makes a chemical reaction happen more quickly without itself being changed
2 an event or person that causes great change
Term
CAUSTIC
Definition
adj
describes a remark or way of speaking that is hurtful, critical or intentionally unkind
Term
CHAOS
Definition
n
a state of total confusion and lack of order
Term
COGENT
Definition
adj
describes an argument or reason, etc. that is clearly expressed and persuasive, convincing, having the power to compel
Term
CONDONE
Definition
v
to accept or allow behavior that is wrong
Term
CONVOLUTED
Definition
adj
1 very twisted
2 describes sentences, explanations and arguments, etc. that are unreasonably long and difficult to understand
Term
CREDULOUS
Definition
adj
too willing to believe what you are told; easily deceived
Term
CRESCENDO
Definition
n
1 a gradual increase in loudness, or the moment when a noise or piece of music is at its loudest
2 an increase in excitement, danger or action
Term
DECORUM
Definition
n
behavior that is controlled, calm and polite; propriety
Term
DEFERENCE
Definition
n
respect and politeness
Term
DESULTORY
Definition
adj
without a clear plan or purpose and showing little effort or interest
Term
DIATRIBE
Definition
n
an angry speech or piece of writing which severely criticizes something or someone
Term
DIFFIDENT
Definition
adj
shy and not confident of your abilities; lacking self-confidence
Term
DILATE
Definition
v
to (cause a part of the body to) become wider or further open
Term
DILATORY
Definition
adj
slow and likely to cause delay
Term
DILETTANTE
Definition
n
a person who is or seems to be interested in a subject, but whose understanding of it is not very deep
Term
DIRGE
Definition
n
a slow sad song or piece of music, sometimes played because someone has died
Term
DISABUSE
Definition
v
to cause someone no longer to have a wrong idea
Term
DISCERN
Definition
v
to see, recognize or understand something that is not clear
Term
DISPARATE
Definition
adj
different in every way; fundamentally different
Term
DISSEMBLE
Definition
v
to hide your real intentions and feelings or the facts
Term
DOGMA
Definition
n
a fixed, especially religious, belief or set of beliefs that people are expected to accept without any doubts
Term
DOGMATIC
Definition
adj
if someone is dogmatic, they are certain that they are right and that everyone else is wrong
Term
DUPE
Definition
v
to deceive someone, usually by making them do something they did not intend to do

n
a person who is easily decived
Term
ECLECTIC
Definition
adj
methods, beliefs, ideas, etc. that are eclectic, combine whatever seem the best or most useful things from many different areas or systems, rather than following a single system
Term
EFFICACY
Definition
n
an ability, especially of a medicine or a method of achieving something, to produce the intended result; effectiveness
Term
ELEGY
Definition
n
a sad poem or song, especially remembering someone who has died or something in the past
Term
ELOQUENT
Definition
adj
giving a clear, strong message
Term
EMULATE
Definition
v
to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have
Term
ENUMERATE
Definition
v
to name things separately, one by one
Term
EQUIVOCATE
Definition
v
to speak in a way that is intentionally unclear and confusing to other people, especially to hide the truth
Term
ERRATIC
Definition
adj
irregular, uncertain or without organization in movement or behaviour
Term
ESOTERIC
Definition
adj
very unusual; understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with special knowledge
Term
ESTIMABLE
Definition
adj
of a person or their behavior, producing a good opinion; very good
Term
EUPHEMISM
Definition
n
a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word
Term
EXACERBATE
Definition
v
to make something which is already bad worse
Term
EXCULPATE
Definition
v
to remove blame from someone; to prove innocent
Term
EXIGENT
Definition
adj
needing urgent attention, or demanding too much from other people
Term
EXPLICIT
Definition
adj
1 clear and exact
2 showing or talking about sex or violence in a very detailed way
Term
FANATIC
FANATICAL
Definition
n
a person whose strong admiration for something is considered to be extreme or unreasonable

adj from n
Term
FLORID
Definition
adj
with too much decoration or detail
Term
FOMENT
Definition
v
to cause trouble to develop; to arouse; to incite
Term
FRUGALITY
Definition
n
careful use of money or food; tendency to be thrifty or cheap
Term
GREGARIOUS
Definition
adj
(of people) liking to be with other people, or (especially of animals) living in groups
Term
GUILE
Definition
n
clever but sometimes dishonest behavior that you use to deceive someone
Term
ICONOCLAST
Definition
n
a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions
Term
IMPERTURBABLE
Definition
adj
always staying calm and controlled, even in difficult situations that would cause anxiety to others
Term
IMPERVIOUS
Definition
adj
describes a person who is not influenced or affected by something
Term
IMPETUOUS
Definition
adj
1 tending to act on a sudden idea or wish, without considering the results of your actions
2 an impetuous word or action is said or done suddenly, without considering the likely results
Term
IMPLACABLE
Definition
adj
describes (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings which are impossible to change
Term
INCHOATE
Definition
adj
only recently or partly formed, or not completely developed or clear
Term
INIMICAL
Definition
adj
harmful or limiting; hostile; unfriendly
Term
INNOCUOUS
Definition
adj
completely harmless
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