Public40 cardsby @donk

GRE Vocabulary

Common GRE words, each with a definition, part of speech, an example sentence, and a synonym.

Cards (40)

1
Front
What does 'abstruse' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Difficult to understand; obscure. Example: The professor's abstruse lecture left most students bewildered. Synonym: recondite.
2
Front
What does 'acrimony' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. Bitterness or ill feeling, especially in speech or manner. Example: The divorce proceedings were marked by great acrimony. Synonym: rancor.
3
Front
What does 'amalgamate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To combine or unite to form one organization or structure. Example: The two companies decided to amalgamate their resources. Synonym: merge.
4
Front
What does 'ambivalent' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something. Example: She felt ambivalent about accepting the job offer abroad. Synonym: equivocal.
5
Front
What does 'ameliorate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To make something bad or unsatisfactory better. Example: New policies were introduced to ameliorate living conditions. Synonym: improve.
6
Front
What does 'anachronistic' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed; outdated. Example: Using a typewriter in 2024 seems anachronistic. Synonym: archaic.
7
Front
What does 'anodyne' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Not likely to cause offense or disagreement; bland. Example: The politician gave an anodyne response to avoid controversy. Synonym: innocuous.
8
Front
What does 'antipathy' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. A deep-seated feeling of aversion or dislike. Example: She felt a strong antipathy toward dishonest people. Synonym: hostility.
9
Front
What does 'apostate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. A person who renounces a religious or political belief. Example: The community shunned him after he became an apostate. Synonym: defector.
10
Front
What does 'approbation' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. Approval or praise. Example: The new policy received approbation from the board of directors. Synonym: commendation.
11
Front
What does 'arid' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Having little or no rain; too dry or dull. Example: Few plants can survive in the arid desert climate. Synonym: parched.
12
Front
What does 'assuage' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To make an unpleasant feeling less intense. Example: He tried to assuage her grief with kind words. Synonym: alleviate.
13
Front
What does 'audacious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks. Example: The audacious plan surprised even his closest allies. Synonym: intrepid.
14
Front
What does 'austere' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Severe or strict in manner; lacking luxury. Example: The monks lived an austere life with few possessions. Synonym: spartan.
15
Front
What does 'bellicose' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight. Example: The bellicose nation rattled its neighbors with constant threats. Synonym: pugnacious.
16
Front
What does 'capricious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood or behavior. Example: Her capricious decisions made her difficult to work with. Synonym: mercurial.
17
Front
What does 'castigate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To reprimand or criticize someone severely. Example: The editor castigated the reporter for the factual errors. Synonym: berate.
18
Front
What does 'chicanery' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. The use of trickery to achieve one's purpose. Example: The lawyer was disbarred for chicanery in the courtroom. Synonym: duplicity.
19
Front
What does 'cogent' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Clear, logical, and convincing. Example: She presented a cogent argument that won over the jury. Synonym: compelling.
20
Front
What does 'contentious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Causing or likely to cause argument; controversial. Example: Capital punishment remains a contentious issue in many countries. Synonym: disputatious.
21
Front
What does 'dearth' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. A scarcity or lack of something. Example: There is a dearth of qualified engineers in the region. Synonym: paucity.
22
Front
What does 'decorous' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. In keeping with good taste and propriety; polite. Example: The guests behaved in a decorous manner at the formal dinner. Synonym: proper.
23
Front
What does 'dilettante' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. A person who cultivates an area of interest superficially. Example: He was a mere dilettante in painting, never truly mastering the craft. Synonym: dabbler.
24
Front
What does 'dissonance' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. Lack of harmony or agreement among elements. Example: There was a clear dissonance between his words and his actions. Synonym: discord.
25
Front
What does 'ebullient' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Cheerful and full of energy. Example: The ebullient host made every guest feel welcome. Synonym: exuberant.
26
Front
What does 'enervate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To make someone feel drained of energy or vitality. Example: The intense heat enervated the marathon runners. Synonym: debilitate.
27
Front
What does 'ephemeral' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Lasting for a very short time. Example: Fame in the social media age can be ephemeral. Synonym: transient.
28
Front
What does 'equanimity' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. Mental calmness, especially in difficult situations. Example: She faced the crisis with remarkable equanimity. Synonym: composure.
29
Front
What does 'esoteric' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Intended for or understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge. Example: His paper on quantum physics was too esoteric for a general audience. Synonym: arcane.
30
Front
What does 'excoriate' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Verb. To criticize someone severely. Example: The film critic excoriated the director for the poor screenplay. Synonym: lambaste.
31
Front
What does 'furtive' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Attempting to avoid notice; secretive. Example: He cast a furtive glance at the locked cabinet. Synonym: surreptitious.
32
Front
What does 'garrulous' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters. Example: The garrulous neighbor delayed her departure by an hour. Synonym: loquacious.
33
Front
What does 'iconoclast' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Noun. A person who challenges cherished beliefs or institutions. Example: The scientist was an iconoclast who overturned decades of accepted theory. Synonym: maverick.
34
Front
What does 'impecunious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Having little or no money. Example: The impecunious student survived on ramen and scholarships. Synonym: destitute.
35
Front
What does 'loquacious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Tending to talk a great deal. Example: The loquacious salesman barely let customers speak. Synonym: voluble.
36
Front
What does 'mendacious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Not telling the truth; lying. Example: The mendacious politician was exposed by investigative reporters. Synonym: deceitful.
37
Front
What does 'obsequious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Excessively attentive and complimentary; fawning. Example: The obsequious assistant agreed with everything his boss said. Synonym: sycophantic.
38
Front
What does 'propitious' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable. Example: The calm weather was propitious for the sailing race. Synonym: auspicious.
39
Front
What does 'sanguine' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Optimistic, especially in a difficult situation. Example: Despite the setbacks, she remained sanguine about the project's success. Synonym: optimistic.
40
Front
What does 'truculent' mean, and what part of speech is it?
Back
Adjective. Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant. Example: The truculent defendant interrupted the judge multiple times. Synonym: combative.

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