GRE Flashcards (Practice Tests) questions and answers

Provident prudent, frugal, saving Unscrupulous unprincipled, without scruples or principles Profligate recklessly wasteful, wildly extravagant Somber grave or even gloomy in character, dismal, depressing, melancholy Allay lessen the intensity of or calm, alleviate, make quiet Rueful mournful, regretful Impenitent not penitent or remorseful Sublime inspiring awe, to elevate or exalt, indignify Austere stern and cold in appearance, strict, ASCETIC Gadfly person who stimulates or annoys by persistent criticism Insipid lacking interest or significance, dull, flat, BANAL Expiation the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity) Repose Verb: lean in a comfortable resting position, Noun: lay to rest Demur take exception to, to object Schism division of a group into opposing factions, discord, separation Boon a desirable state or a blessing, benefit, something very helpful Imbroglio intricate, complicated situation Acrimonious marked by strong resentment or cynicism, bitter, biting in feeling Panache dash or flamboyance in style Nepotism favoritism based on kinship Recidivism tendency to relapse into a behavior Cronyism favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications) Dogmatism giving opinion without evidence, a viewpoint or system of ideas based on insufficient examined premises Eschew avoid and stay away from deliberately Mollify make less rigid or softer; to reduce in intensity or rigidity, appease, soften Masticate chew (food); to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing Anecdote short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) Harangue a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion; ranting speech Volition act of making a decision, the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention Aggregate taking all units as a whole Iconoclast a person who destroys religious images, one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions Taciturnity the trait of being uncommunicative Garrulity the quality of being wordy and talkative Loquacity the quality of being wordy and talkative Indolent Lazy, idle, disinclined to work or exertion Tractable easily managed (controlled or taught or molded) Banality commonplace; trite or overused expression; something that is obvious, or predictable; lacks freshness Precipitate verb: bring about abruptly; Adj: done with very great haste and without due deliberation List the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical Imprecise nice Aberrant one whose behavior departs substantially from the norm of a group; deviate Neologism a newly invented word or phrase; new sort of word or speech Dichotomy Divide into two parts, being twofold Chary characterized by great cautious and wariness; hesitant or reluctant Redoubtable inspiring fear