Barron's GRE Master Words. 1. A. 1. abbreviate. 뜻: shorten. 예: Because we
were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech. 2. abate.
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
A 1. abbreviate
13. adamant
뜻: shorten
뜻: hard, inflexible
예: Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to
예: He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer.
abbreviate her speech. 14. adulterate 2. abate
뜻: make impure by mixing with baser substances
뜻: subside or moderate
예: It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
예: Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.
15. adversity 뜻: poverty, misfortune 예: We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.
3. abortive 뜻: unsuccessful; fruitless 예: We had to abandon our abortive attempts.
16. abase
4. absolute
예: Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to
뜻: complete; totally unlimited; certain
cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to
예: Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not
abase herself.
뜻: lower; degrade; humiliate
want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity.
17. abash
5. abstract
예: He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.
뜻: embarrass 뜻: theoretical; not concrete; non-representational 예: To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a
18. abdicate
meal.
뜻: renounce; give up 예: When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the
6. abusive
entire world.
뜻: coarsely insulting; physically harmful 예: An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically.
19. abet 뜻: assist, usually in doing something wrong 예: She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
7. accelerate 뜻: move faster 예: In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate.
20. abject 뜻: wretched; lacking pride
8. accessible
예: On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty,
뜻: easy to approach; obtainable
huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.
예: We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot. 21. abjure 9. accessory
뜻: renounce upon oath
뜻: additional object; useful but not essential thing
예: He abjured his allegiance to the king.
예: She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress. 22. ablution 10. abscond
뜻: washing
뜻: depart secretly and hide
예: His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he
예: The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found.
humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath."
11. aberrant
23. abnegation
뜻: abnormal or deviant
뜻: renunciation; self-sacrifice
예: Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the
예: Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their
validity of the entire experiment.
love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.
12. abeyance 뜻: suspended action
24. abominate
1
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: loathe; hate
뜻: approach and speak first to a person
예: Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he
예: When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because
abominated the custom.
I thought they were going to attack me.
25. abrasive
37. accoutre
뜻: rubbing away; tending to grind down
뜻: equip
예: Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish,
예: The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting
abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience.
goods store could supply
26. abrogate
38. accretion
뜻: abolish
뜻: growth; increase
예: He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.
예: The accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power.
27. absolve
39. accrue
뜻: pardon (an offense)
뜻: come about by addition
예: The father confessor absolved him of his sins.
예: You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.
28. abstain 뜻: refrain; withhold from participation
40. acidulous
예: After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance,
뜻: slightly sour; sharp; caustic
he decided to abstain from drinking while he trained for the race.
예: James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
29. abut 뜻: border upon; adjoin
41. acme
예: Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.
뜻: peak; pinnacle; highest point 예: Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career
30. abysmal
as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim.
뜻: bottomless 예: His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.
42. acquiesce 뜻: assent; agree passively
31. accede
예: Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's
뜻: agree
suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he
예: If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be
wanted made.
the victim of future demands. 43. acquittal 32. acclimate
뜻: deliverance from a charge
뜻: adjust to climate or environment
예: His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him
예: One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of
guilty.
travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.
44. acrid 뜻: sharp; bitterly pungent
33. acclivity
예: The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol
뜻: sharp upslope of a hill
had been fired.
예: The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. 45. acrimonious 34. accolade
뜻: stinging, caustic
뜻: award of merit
예: His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience.
예: In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highest accolade. 46. actuarial 35. accord
뜻: calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
뜻: agreement
예: According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater
예: She was in complete accord with the verdict.
today than it was a century ago.
36. accost
47. actuate
2
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: motivate
예: Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple.
예: I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
59. adroit
48. acuity
예: His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his
뜻: sharpness
employers.
뜻: skillful
예: In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses.
60. adulation 뜻: flattery; admiration
49. acumen
예: The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-
뜻: mental keenness
men.
예: His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.
61. advent
50. adage
예: Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age
뜻: wise saying; proverb
until the news of Hiroshima reached them.
뜻: arrival
예: There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. 62. adventitious 51. addendum
뜻: accidental; casual
뜻: addition; appendix to book
예: He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely
예: Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but
fortunate.
thought it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literary criticism.
63. adversary 뜻: opponent; enemy
52. addle
예: Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of
뜻: muddle; drive crazy
his wicked adversary, the Joker.
예: This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. 64. adverse 53. adherent
뜻: unfavorable; hostile
뜻: supporter; follower
예: adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business.
예: In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him.
65. advert 뜻: refer to
54. adjunct
예: Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it
뜻: something attached to but holding an inferior position
as important.
예: I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal. 66. advocate 55. adjuration
뜻: urge; plead for
뜻: solemn urging
예: The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves.
예: Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony.
67. aegis 뜻: shield; defense
56. adjutant
예: Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured
뜻: staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
freedoms.
예: Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made
68. affable
all major decisions.
뜻: courteous 예: Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable
57. admonish
individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint.
뜻: warn; reprove 예: He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways.
69. affected 뜻: artificial; pretended
58. adorn
예: His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him
뜻: decorate
before his promotion.
3
Barron’s GRE Master Words may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs 70. affidavit
without considering the wishes of Congress.
뜻: written statement made under oath 예: The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it
81. aggregate
in the form of an affidavit.
뜻: sum; total 예: The aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the
71. affiliation
imagination.
뜻: joining; associating with 예: His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he
82. aghast 뜻: horrified
soon disagreed with his colleagues.
예: He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his 72. affinity
host.
뜻: kinship 예: She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her
83. agility
pains.
뜻: nimbleness 예: The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience.
73. affirmation 뜻: positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who
84. agitate
refuses to take an oath
뜻: stir up; disturb
예: Despite Tom's affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected
예: Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob.
he had eaten the pie. 85. agnostic 74. affix
뜻: one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god
뜻: attach or add on; fasten
or any ultimate reality
예: First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he
예: The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the
had to affix his official seal.
statement of the minister.
75. affluence
86. agog
뜻: abundance; wealth
뜻: highly excited; intensely curious
예: Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the
예: We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was
American way of life.
giving up his career in order to enter a monastery.
76. affront
87. agrarian
뜻: insult; offend
뜻: pertaining to land or its cultivation
예: Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was
예: As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually
affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior.
losing its agrarian traditions.
77. agape
88. alacrity
뜻: openmouthed
뜻: cheerful promptness
예: She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo.
예: He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.
78. agenda 뜻: items of business at a meeting
89. alchemy
예: We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there
뜻: medieval chemistry
was very little time for the meeting.
예: The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.
79. agglomeration 뜻: collection; heap
90. alcove
예: It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items
뜻: nook; recess 예: Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove
she had collected on her trip.
adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the 80. aggrandize
young couple.
뜻: increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor 예: The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President
91. alias
4
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: an assumed name
toward the reef.
예: John Smith's alias was Bob Jones. 103. allusion 92. alienate
뜻: indirect reference
뜻: make hostile; separate
예: the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems
예: Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had
bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.
complete faith in each other. 104. alluvial 93. alimentary
뜻: pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
뜻: supplying nourishment
예: The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river
예: The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because
very fertile.
digestion of foods occurs there. 105. aloof 94. alimony
뜻: apart; reserved
뜻: payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce
예: Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.
예: Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in
106. aloft
alimony.
뜻: upward 예: The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.
95. allay 뜻: calm; pacify
107. altercation
예: The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing
뜻: noisy quarrel
that the fire had been controlled.
예: Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.
96. allege
108. altruistic
뜻: state without proof
뜻: unselfishly generous; concerned for others
예: It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy.
예: In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang
97. allegory
performed a truly altruistic deed.
뜻: story in which characters are used as symbols; fable 예: Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories
109. amalgamate 뜻: combine; unite in one body
of the human soul.
예: The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one 98. alleviate
national body.
뜻: relieve 예: This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use
110. amass
stronger drugs.
뜻: collect 예: The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.
99. alliteration 뜻: repetition of beginning sound in poetry
111. amazon
예: "The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration.
뜻: female warrior 예: Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and
100. alloy
aggressive women as amazons.
뜻: mixture as of metals 예: alloy of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal.
112. ambidextrous 뜻: capable of using either hand with equal ease 예: A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
101. allude 뜻: refer indirectly 예: Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic
113. ambience
annoys him.
뜻: environment; atmosphere 예: She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience.
102. allure 뜻: entice; attract
114. ambiguous
예: allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship
뜻: unclear or doubtful in meaning
5
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which
125. amiss
road to take.
뜻: wrong; faulty 예: Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss.
115. ambivalence 뜻: the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional
126. amity
attitudes
뜻: friendship
예: Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the
예: Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in
next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.
International Living were established to promote international amity.
116. amble
127. amnesia
뜻: moving at an easy pace
뜻: loss of memory
예: When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the
예: Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not
animal to go faster than a gentle amble.
get the young girl to identify herself.
117. ambrosia
128. amnesty
뜻: food of the gods
뜻: pardon
예: ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who
예: When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in
ate it.
prison.
118. ambulatory
129. amoral
뜻: able to walk
뜻: non-moral
예: He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not
예: The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be
confined to his bed.
classified as immoral.
119. ameliorate
130. amorous
뜻: improve
뜻: moved by sexual love; loving
예: Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions
예: Don Juan was known for his amorous adventures.
of people living in the slums. 131. amorphous 120. amenable
뜻: shapeless; vague; indeterminate
뜻: readily managed; willing to be led
예: John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague,
예: He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he
amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified, but could neither define
looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors.
nor explain the cause of his terror.
121. amend
132. amphibian
뜻: correct; change, generally for the better
뜻: able to live both on land and in water
예: Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United
예: Frogs are classified as amphibian.
States. 133. amphitheater 122. amenities
뜻: oval building with tiers of seats
뜻: convenient features; courtesies
예: The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.
예: In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler -fax machines, modems, a health club -- the hotel offers the services
134. ample
of a butler versed in social amenities.
뜻: abundant 예: He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police
123. amiable
caught up with him.
뜻: agreeable; lovable 예: His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him.
135. amplify 뜻: enlarge
124. amicable
예: Her attempts to amplify her remarks were drowned out by the
뜻: friendly
jeers of the audience.
예: The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words.
136. amputate 뜻: cut off part of body; prune
6
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent
148. ancillary
the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from
뜻: serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
participating in sports.
예: In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on
137. amok
his own.
뜻: in a state of rage 예: The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in
149. anecdote
the department store.
뜻: short account of an amusing or interesting event 예: Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform,
138. amulet
President Raegan told anecdotes about poor people who became
뜻: charm; talisman
wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds.
예: Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her.
150. anemia
139. anachronism
예: The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia.
뜻: condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles 뜻: something or someone misplaced in time 예: Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an
151. anesthetic
anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time.
뜻: substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
140. analgesic
예: His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was
뜻: causing insensitivity to pain
soon asleep.
예: The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief. 152. anguish 141. analogous
뜻: acute pain; extreme suffering
뜻: comparable
예: Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the
예: She called our attention to the things that had been done in an
anguish of the victims and their families.
analogous situation and recommended that we do the same. 153. angular 142. analogy
뜻: sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
뜻: similarity; parallelism
예: His features, though angular, were curiously attractive.
예: Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar.
154. animadversion 뜻: critical remark
143. anarchist
예: He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly
뜻: person who rebels against the established order
because he realized they were true.
예: Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist.
155. animated 뜻: lively 예: Her animated expression indicated a keenness of intellect.
144. anarchy 뜻: absence of governing body; state of disorder 예: The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
156. animosity 뜻: active enmity
145. anathema
예: He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he
뜻: solemn curse; someone or something that is despised
advocated limitations of their power.
예: He heaped anathema upon his foe. 157. animus 146. anathematize
뜻: hostile feeling or intent
뜻: curse
예: The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began
예: The high priest anathematized the heretic.
to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.
147. anchor
158. annals
뜻: secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place
뜻: records; history
예: We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place.
예: In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements.
7
Barron’s GRE Master Words 170. antecede 159. anneal
뜻: precede
뜻: reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and
예: The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development
cooling
of television by a quarter of a century.
예: After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.
171. antecedents 뜻: preceding events or circumstances that influence what
160. annihilate
comes later; early life; ancestors
뜻: destroy
예: Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss
예: The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population.
Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents.
161. annotate 뜻: comment; make explanatory notes
172. antediluvian
예: In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of
뜻: antiquated; ancient
the more esoteric references.
예: The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years.
162. annuity 뜻: yearly allowance
173. anthropoid
예: The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements
뜻: manlike
his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably
예: The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals.
without working. 174. anthropologist 163. annul
뜻: student of the history and science of humankind
뜻: make void
예: Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric
예: The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage.
humans in this area.
164. anodyne
175. anthropomorphic
뜻: drug that relieves pain; opiate
뜻: having human form or characteristics
예: His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it.
예: Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.
165. anoint 뜻: consecrate
176. anticlimax
예: The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king
뜻: letdown in thought or emotion
of Israel.
예: After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax.
166. anomalous 뜻: abnormal; irregular
177. antipathy
예: He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve
뜻: aversion; dislike
procedures that he despised.
예: His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends.
167. anomaly 뜻: irregularity
178. antiquated
예: A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly.
뜻: obsolete; outdated 예: Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip
168. anonymity
thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use.
뜻: state of being nameless; anonymousness 예: The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by
179. antiseptic 뜻: substance that prevents infection
name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity.
예: It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how 169. antagonistic
slight or insignificant.
뜻: hostile; opposed 예: Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner
180. antithesis
continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge.
뜻: contrast; direct opposite of or to 예: This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and
8
Barron’s GRE Master Words he fought it with all his strength.
surmises.
181. anvil
192. apocryphal
뜻: iron block used in hammering out metals
뜻: untrue; made up
예: After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith
예: To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his
picked it up with his tongs and set it on the anvil.
adventures in the big city.
182. apathetic
193. apogee
뜻: indifferent
뜻: highest point
예: He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did
예: When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at
not care to fight against them.
its apogee.
183. apathy
194. apoplexy
뜻: lack of caring; indifference
뜻: stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis
예: A firm believer in democratic government, she could not
예: He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy.
understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote. 195. apostate 184. ape
뜻: one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
뜻: imitate or mimic
예: Because he switched from one party to another, his former
예: He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal
friends shunned him as an apostate.
in front of the whole school. 196. apothecary 185. aperture
뜻: druggist
뜻: opening; hole
예: In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and
예: She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the
pills.
insects had entered the room. 197. apothegm 186. apex
뜻: pithy, compact saying
뜻: tip; summit; climax
예: Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings.
예: He was at the apex of his career. 198. apotheosis 187. aphasia
뜻: deification; glorification
뜻: loss of speech due to injury or illness
예: The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his
예: After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia
apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted
when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently.
to the rank of a god.
188. aphorism
199. appal
뜻: pithy maxim
뜻: dismay; shock
예: An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical
예: We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails.
or scientific. 200. apparition 189. apiary
뜻: ghost; phantom
뜻: a place where bees are kept
예: Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had
예: Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very
appeared and spoken to him.
seldom stung by a bee. 201. appease 190. aplomb
뜻: pacify; soothe
뜻: poise; composure
예: We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies,
예: Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always
we encourage them to make additional demands.
heartened his followers. 202. appellation 191. apocalyptic
뜻: name; title
뜻: prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster
예: He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct
예: His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild
appellation.
9
Barron’s GRE Master Words 214. apropos 203. append
뜻: with reference to; regarding
뜻: attach
예: I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and
예: I shall append this chart to my report.
pertinent.
204. application
215. aptitude
뜻: diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply
뜻: fitness; talent
예: Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt
예: The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about
Polly praised him for his application.
the career he should follow.
205. apposite
216. aquiline
뜻: appropriate; fitting
뜻: curved, hooked
예: He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct
예: He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak
expression for every occasion.
of the eagle.
206. appraise
217. arable
뜻: estimate the value of
뜻: fit for plowing
예: It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them
예: The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the
priceless.
valuable topsoil.
207. appreciate
218. arbiter
뜻: be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious
뜻: person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge
of
예: As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the
예: Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks
workers and the employers.
ave her, whose value appreciated considerably over the years. 219. arbitrary 208. apprehend
뜻: unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical
뜻: arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive
예: The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some
예: The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.
arbitrary calls.
209. apprehensive
220. arbitrate
뜻: fearful; discerning
뜻: act as judge
예: His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the
예: She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union
street revealed his nervousness.
and the management.
210. apprise
221. arboretum
뜻: inform
뜻: place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are
예: When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he
studied and exhibited
decided to postpone his trip.
예: Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine sycamores.
211. approbation 뜻: approval
222. arcade
예: Wanting her parents' regard, she looked for some sign of their
뜻: a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
approbation.
예: The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.
212. appropriate 뜻: acquire; take possession of for one's own use
223. arcane
예: The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been
뜻: secret; mysterious
set aside for the Indians' use.
예: What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist.
213. appurtenances
224. archaeology
뜻: subordinate possessions
뜻: study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
예: He bought the estate and all its appurtenances.
예: The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.
10
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: fragrant 225. archaic
예: Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to
뜻: antiquated
Europe.
예: "Methinks," "thee," and "thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary.
237. arraign 뜻: charge in court; indict
226. archetype
예: After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was
뜻: prototype; primitive pattern
arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
예: The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.
238. array 뜻: marshal; draw up in order 예: His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him.
227. archipelago 뜻: group of closely located islands 예: When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the
239. array
South Seas, he longed to visit them.
뜻: clothe; adorn 예: She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes
228. archives
before going out for the evening.
뜻: public records; place where public records are kept 예: These documents should be part of the archives so that
240. arrears
historians may be able to evaluate them in the future.
뜻: being in debt 예: He was in arrears with his payments on the car.
229. ardor 뜻: heat; passion; zeal
241. arrogance
예: Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators
뜻: pride, haughtiness
were busily making posters and handing out flyers, inspired by her
예: The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class.
ardent enthusiasm for the cause. 242. arroyo 230. arduous
뜻: gully
뜻: hard; strenuous
예: Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a
예: Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy.
dry bed.
231. argot
243. articulate
뜻: slang
뜻: effective; distinct
예: In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride."
예: Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers.
232. aria 뜻: operatic solo
244. artifacts
예: At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an
뜻: products of primitive culture
aria from Norma.
예: Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion.
233. arid 뜻: dry; barren
245. artifice
예: The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment.
뜻: deception; trickery 예: The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice
234. aristocracy
were often more effective than military might.
뜻: hereditary nobility; privileged class 예: Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy:
246. artisan
235. armada
예: Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a
뜻: fleet of warships
culture.
뜻: a manually skilled worker
예: Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.
247. artless 뜻: without guile; open and honest 예: Red Riding Hood's artless comment, "Grandma, what big eyes
236. aromatic
11
Barron’s GRE Master Words you have!" indicates the child's innocent surprises at her
뜻: seeker after position or status
"grandmother's" changed appearance.
예: Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.
248. ascendancy 뜻: controlling influence
260. aspiration
예: President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over
뜻: noble ambition
Philippines.
예: Youth's aspirations should be as lofty as the stars.
249. ascetic
261. assail
뜻: practicing self-denial; austere
뜻: assault
예: The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led
예: He was assailed with questions after his lecture.
by the monks. 262. assay 250. asceticism
뜻: analyze; evaluate
뜻: doctrine of self-denial
예: When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered
예: We find asceticism practiced in many monastries.
a very rich vein.
251. ascribe
263. assent
뜻: refer; attribute; assign
뜻: agree; accept
예: I can ascribe no motive for her acts.
예: It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request.
252. asceptic
264. assert
뜻: preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
뜻: state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition
예: Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as
of (rights, claims, etc).
they introduced asceptic conditions.
예: When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew, her parents Asserted themselves, telling her that if
253. ashen
she didn't get home by nine o'clock she would be grounded for the
뜻: ash-colored; deadly pale
week.
예: Her face was ashen with fear. 265. assessment 뜻: estimation; appraisal
254. asinine 뜻: stupid
예: I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South
예: Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem
Africa.
any serious consideration. 266. assiduous 255. askance
뜻: diligent
뜻: with a sideways or indirect look
예: It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was
예: Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.
satisfied with his portrait of his son.
256. askew
267. assimilate
뜻: crookedly; slanted; at an angle
뜻: absorb; cause to become homogenous
예: When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers
예: The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the
laughed.
hordes of immigrants during the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride.
257. asperity 뜻: sharpness (of temper)
268. assuage
예: These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom
뜻: ease; lessen(pain)
they had been directed.
예: Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering.
258. aspersion
269. assumption
뜻: slanderous remark
뜻: something taken for granted; the taking over or taking
예: Do not cast aspersions on her character.
possession of 예: The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent
259. aspirant
would not object to her Assumption of power.
12
Barron’s GRE Master Words great care on their small plots of soil. 270. assurance 뜻: promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence
281. atheistic
예: When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were
뜻: denying the existence of God
going well, he spoke with such assurance that Guiness was
예: His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers.
convinced. 282. atone 271. asteroid
뜻: make amends for; pay for
뜻: small planet
예: He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime.
예: asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines.
283. atrocity
272. astigmatism
예: In time of war, many atrocities are committed by invading armies.
뜻: brutal deed 뜻: eye defect that prevents proper focus 예: As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from
284. atrophy
astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.
뜻: wasting away 예: Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of
273. astral
affected limbs.
뜻: relating to the stars 예: She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new
285. attenuate
telescope revealed.
뜻: make thin; weaken
274. astringent
enemy lines.
예: By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the 뜻: binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe 예: The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made
286. attest
swallowing difficult.
뜻: testify; bear witness 예: Having served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our
275. astronomical
system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement.
뜻: enormously large or extensive 예: The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on
287. attribute
weapons development.
뜻: essential quality 예: His outstanding attribute was his kindness.
276. astute 뜻: wise; shrewd
288. attribute
예: That was a very astute observation.
뜻: ascribe; explain 예: I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she
277. asunder
received from her parents.
뜻: into parts; apart 예: Their points of view are poles asunder.
289. attrition 뜻: gradual wearing down
278. asylum
예: They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-
뜻: place of refuge or shelter; protection
out attack.
예: The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.
290. audacious 뜻: daring; bold
279. asymmetric
예: Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made
뜻: not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom and escaped Darth
예: Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other,
Vader's troops.
William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance. 291. audit 280. atavism
뜻: examination of accounts
뜻: resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents;
예: When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they
reversion to an earlier type; throwback
discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier.
예: Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished
13
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority.
292. augment 뜻: increase 예: How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are
304. automaton 뜻: mechanism that imitates actions of humans
deserting us?
예: Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, 293. augury
writers were creating stories of automation who could outperform
뜻: omen; prophecy
humans.
예: He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil. 305. autonomous 294. august
뜻: self-governing
뜻: impressive; majestic
예: This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is
예: Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the
autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country.
august surroundings in which she found herself. 306. autopsy 295. aureole
뜻: examination of a dead body; postmortem
뜻: sun's corona; halo
예: The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the
예: Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols
cause of death.
around their heads. 307. auxiliary 296. auroral
뜻: offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary
뜻: pertaining to the aurora borealis
예: To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power
예: The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening.
station.
297. auspicious
308. avarice
뜻: favoring success
뜻: greed for wealth
예: With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment
예: King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries.
to set sail. 309. aver 298. austere
뜻: state confidently
뜻: strict, stern
예: I wish to aver that I am certain of success.
예: His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities.
310. averse 뜻: reluctant 예: He was averse to revealing the sources of his information.
299. austerity 뜻: sternness; severity; lack of luxuries 예: The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new
311. aversion
justices, who were a strict and solemn group.
뜻: firm dislike 예: Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to
300. authenticate
one another.
뜻: prove genuine 예: An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh
312. avert 뜻: prevent; turn away
painting, distinguishing it from its imitation.
예: She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. 301. authoritarian 뜻: favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic
313. aviary
예: The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to
뜻: enclosure for birds
obey the dictates of the authoritarian regime.
예: The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds.
302. authoritative
314. avid
뜻: having the weight of authority; dictatorial
뜻: greedy; eager for
예: We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative.
예: He was avid for learning and read everything he could get.
303. autocrat
315. avocation
뜻: monarch with supreme power
뜻: secondary or minor occupation
14
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on
326. badinage
his avocation.
뜻: teasing conversation 예: Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with
316. avow
cheerful badinage.
뜻: declare openly 예: I must avow that I am innocent.
327. baffle 뜻: frustrate; perplex 예: The new code baffled the enemy agents.
317. avuncular 뜻: like an uncle 예: Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's
328. bait
shortcomings.
뜻: harass; tease 예: The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them.
318. awe 뜻: solemn wonder
329. baleful
예: The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the
뜻: menacing; deadly
Grand Canyon.
예: Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.
319. awl 뜻: pointed tool used for piercing
330. balk
예: She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she
뜻: stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to
had bought.
continue 예: The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn
320. awry
area.
뜻: distorted; crooked 예: He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught
331. balk
cold in his neck during the night.
뜻: foil 예: When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to
321. axiom
escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.
뜻: self-evident truth requiring no proof 예: Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean
332. ballast
geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms.
뜻: heavy substance used to add stability or weight 예: The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift
322. azure
the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.
뜻: sky blue 예: azure skies are indicative of good weather.
333. balm 뜻: something that relieves pain 예: Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. 334. balmy 뜻: mild; fragrant
B
예: A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast. 323. babble 뜻: chatter idly
335. banal
예: The little girl babbled about her doll.
뜻: hackneyed; commonplace; trite 예: His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal.
324. bacchanalian 뜻: drunken
336. bandy
예: Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy.
뜻: discuss lightly; exchange blows or words 예: The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press
325. badger
conference.
뜻: pester; annoy 예: She was forced to change her telephone number because she
337. bane
was badgered by obscene phone calls.
뜻: cause of ruin
15
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life. 349. bauble 뜻: trinket; trifle
338. bantering 뜻: good-naturedly ridiculing
예: The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab
예: They resented his bantering remarks because they
bag.
misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm. 350. bawdy 339. barb
뜻: indecent; obscene
뜻: sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment
예: She took offense at his bawdy remarks.
예: The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.
351. beatific 뜻: giving bliss; blissful 예: The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.
340. bard 뜻: poet 예: The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.
352. beatitude 뜻: blessedness; state of bliss
341. barefaced
예: Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of
뜻: shameless; bold; unconcealed
indescribable beatitude.
예: Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness.
353. bedizen 뜻: dress with vulgar finery 예: The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes.
342. baroque 뜻: highly ornate 예: Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers,
354. bedraggle
they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.
뜻: wet thoroughly 예: We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to
343. barrage
change into dry clothing.
뜻: barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion 예: The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy
355. befuddle 뜻: confuse thoroughly
canyons.
예: His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling 344. barrister
her further.
뜻: counselor-at-law 예: Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice
356. beget
of law boring, turned to writing.
뜻: father; produce; give rise to 예: One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily
345. barterer
beget another.
뜻: trader 예: The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs.
357. begrudge
346. bask
예: I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings.
뜻: resent 뜻: luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth 예: basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell
358. beguile
asleep.
뜻: amuse; delude; cheat 예: I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire.
347. bastion 뜻: stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
359. behemoth
예: The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised
뜻: huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
bastion could protect them from the guerrila raids.
예: Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."
348. bate
360. beholden
뜻: let down; restrain
뜻: obligated; indebted
예: Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate
예: Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept
their curiosity.
this favor.
16
Barron’s GRE Master Words benediction. 361. behoove 뜻: be suited to; be incumbent upon
372. beneficent
예: In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and
뜻: kindly; doing good
await the instructions of our superiors.
예: The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money and left himself with
362. belabor
nothing.
뜻: explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally
373. beneficiary
예: The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience
뜻: person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance
by belaboring his point.
policy 예: You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish.
363. belated 뜻: delayed
374. benevolent
예: He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of
뜻: generous; charitable
his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's
예: His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar
untimely death.
who accosted him.
364. beleaguer
375. benign
뜻: besiege
뜻: kindly; favorable; not malignant
예: As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more
예: The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward
subdued as the citizens began their long wait for outside assitance.
friend and stranger alike.
365. belie
376. benison
뜻: contradict; give a false impression
뜻: blessing
예: His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.
예: Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world.
366. belittle 뜻: disparage; depreciate
377. bent
예: Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at
뜻: determined; natural talent or inclination
drawing, but should encourage their efforts.
예: bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high finance.
367. bellicose 뜻: warlike
378. bequeath
예: His bellicose disposition alienated his friends.
뜻: leave to someone by means of a will; hand down
368. belligerent
meant a great deal to the boy.
예: In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest 뜻: quarrelsome 예: Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and
379. berate
tried to pick fights with strangers.
뜻: scold strongly 예: He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.
369. bemused 뜻: confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
380. bereavement
예: Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her
뜻: state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
face.
예: His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.
370. benediction 뜻: blessing
381. bereft
예: The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a
뜻: deprived of; lacking
benediction.
예: The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.
371. benefactor
382. berserk
뜻: gift giver; patron
뜻: frenzied
예: Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a
예: Angered, he went berserk and began to wreck the room.
17
Barron’s GRE Master Words about his difficulties. 383. beset 뜻: harass; trouble
395. bilk
예: Many problems beset the American public school system.
뜻: swindle; cheat 예: The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.
384. besmirch 뜻: soil, defile
396. bivouac
예: The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the
뜻: temporary encampment
reputations of every member of the society.
예: While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars.
385. bestial 뜻: beastlike; brutal; inhuman
397. bizarre
예: The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of
뜻: fantastic; violently contrasting
prisoners of war.
예: The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed.
386. bestow
398. blanch
뜻: confer
뜻: bleach; whiten
예: He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.
예: Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic.
387. betroth 뜻: become engaged to marry
399. bland
예: The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised
뜻: soothing; mild
their friends who had not suspected any romance.
예: She used a bland ointment for her sunburn.
388. bevy
400. blandishment
뜻: large group
뜻: flattery
예: The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets.
예: Despite the salesperson's blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit.
389. bicameral 뜻: two-chambered, as a legislative body
401. blase
예: The United States Congress is a bicameral body.
뜻: bored with pleasure or dissipation 예: Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression
390. bicker
of the joys of scholarship.
뜻: quarrel 예: The children bickered morning, noon, and night, exasperating
402. blasphemous 뜻: profane; impious
their parents.
예: The people in the room were shocked by his his blasphemous 391. biennial
language.
뜻: every two years 예: The group held biennial meetings instead of annual ones.
403. blatant 뜻: extremely obvious; loudly offensive
392. bifurcated
예: Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he
뜻: divided into two branches; forked
wished that he had lied more subtly.
예: With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot.
404. bleak 뜻: cold; cheerless 예: The Aleutian Islands are bleak military outposts.
393. bigotry 뜻: stubborn intolerance 예: Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by
405. blighted 뜻: suffering from a disease; destroyed
the bigotry and narrowness expressed by several of his classmates.
예: The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed 394. bilious
from the air.
뜻: suffering from indigestion; irritable 예: His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant
406. blithe
18
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: gay; joyous; careless
impressed with his pomposity than with his logic.
예: Shelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song.
418. boon
407. bloated
예: The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to
뜻: swollen or puffed as with water or air
the whole community.
뜻: blessing; benefit
예: Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water. 419. boorish 408. blowhard
뜻: rude; insensitive
뜻: talkative boaster
예: Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his
예: After all Sol's talk about his big show business connections led
boorish behavior, for she had lost hope of teaching him courtesy.
nowhere, Sally decided he was just another blowhard. 420. bouillon 409. bludgeon
뜻: clear beef soup
뜻: club; heavy-headed weapon
예: The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by
예: His walking stick served him as a bludgeon on many occasions.
those who had been chilled by the cold ocean breezes.
410. bluff
421. bountiful
뜻: pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff
뜻: generous; showing bounty
예: Claire thought Lord Byron's boast that he would swim the
예: She distributed gifts in a bountiful and gracious manner.
Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded when he dove from the high bluff into the waters below.
422. bourgeois 뜻: middle class
411. blunder
예: The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who
뜻: error
resented the aristocracy.
예: The criminal's fatal blunder led to his capture. 423. bovine 412. blurt
뜻: cowlike; placid and dull
뜻: utter impulsively
예: Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she
예: Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news.
still preserved her air of bovine calm.
413. bode
424. bowdlerize
뜻: foreshadow; portend
뜻: expurgate
예: The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral
예: After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script,
springs seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area.
the motion picture's rating was changed from "R" to "PG."
414. bogus
425. brackish
뜻: counterfeit; not authentic
뜻: somewhat saline
예: The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-
예: He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the
dollar bills.
water made him nauseous.
415. boisterous
426. braggadocio
뜻: violent; rough; noisy
뜻: boasting
예: The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to
예: He was disliked because his manner was always full of
quiet them.
braggadocio.
416. bolster
427. braggart
뜻: support; reinforce
뜻: boaster
예: The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their
예: Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her
arguments.
accomplishments speak for themselves.
417. bombast
428. bravado
뜻: pompous, inflated language
뜻: swagger; assumed air of defiance
예: Filled with bombast, the orator's speech left the audience more
예: The bravado of the young criminal disappeared when he was
19
Barron’s GRE Master Words confronted by the victims of his brutal attack. 441. brook 뜻: tolerate; endure
429. brawn 뜻: muscular strength; sturdiness
예: The dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary
예: It takes brawn to become a champion weight-lifter.
actions.
430. brazen
442. browbeat
뜻: insolent
뜻: bully; intimidate
예: Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials.
예: Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money.
431. breach 뜻: breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap
443. brusque
예: They found a breach in the enemy's fortifications and penetrated
뜻: blunt; abrupt
their lines.
예: She was offended by his brusque reply.
432. breadth
444. bucolic
뜻: width; extent
뜻: rustic; pastoral
예: We were impressed by the breadth of her knowledge.
예: The meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety.
433. brevity
445. buffoonery
뜻: conciseness
뜻: clowning
예: brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you
예: John Candy's buffoonery in Uncle Buck was hilarious.
are charged for every word. 446. bugaboo 434. brindled
뜻: bugbear; object of baseless terror
뜻: tawny or grayish with streaks or spots
예: If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than
예: He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were
the birds who fear scarecrows.
brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform color. 447. bullion 435. bristling
뜻: gold and silver in the form of bars
뜻: rising like bristles; showing irritation
예: Much bullion is stored in the vaults at Fort Knox.
예: The dog stood there, bristling with anger. 448. bulwark 436. brittle
뜻: earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
뜻: easily broken; difficult
예: The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion.
예: My employer's brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her.
449. bungle
437. broach
예: I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one
뜻: open up
else to send.
뜻: spoil by clumsy behavior
예: He did not even try to broach the subject of poetry. 450. bureaucracy 438. brocade
뜻: government by bureaus
뜻: rich, figured fabric
예: Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal
예: The sofa was covered with expensive brocade.
agencies will create a government by bureaucracy.
439. brochure
451. burgeon
뜻: pamphlet
뜻: grow forth; send out buds
예: This brochure on farming was issued by the Department of
예: In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty
Agriculture.
that is to come.
440. brooch
452. burlesque
뜻: ornamental clasp
뜻: give an imitation that ridicules
예: She treasured the brooch because it was an heirloom.
예: In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary.
20
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: coax; wheedle 예: I will not be cajoled into granting your wish.
453. burly 뜻: husky; muscular 예: The burly mover lifted the packing crate with ease.
464. calamity 뜻: disaster; misery
454. burnish
예: As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the
뜻: make shiny by rubbing; polish
stricken community.
예: The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight.
465. caliber 뜻: ability; capacity 예: A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks.
455. buttress 뜻: support; prop up 예: Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying
466. calligraphy 뜻: beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
buttresses, debates buttress their arguments with facts.
예: As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with 456. buxom
the calligraphy of the scribes.
뜻: full-bosomed; plump; jolly 예: High fashion models usually are slender rather than buxom.
467. callous 뜻: hardened; unfeeling 예: He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards.
C
468. callow 뜻: youthful; immature
457. cabal
예: In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less
뜻: small group of persons secretly united to promote their own
callow than their immature followers.
interests 예: The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered.
469. calorific 뜻: heat-producing 예: Coal is much more calorific than green wood.
458. cache 뜻: hiding place 예: The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the
470. calumny
cache where he had stored his loot.
뜻: malicious misrepresentation 예: He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the
459. cacophony
calumny that his foes heaped upon him.
뜻: discord 예: Some people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that
471. camaraderie
is tuning up.
뜻: good-fellowship 예: What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie
460. cadaver
he and his co-workers shared.
뜻: corpse 예: In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.
472. cameo 뜻: shell or jewel carved in relief
461. cadaverous
예: Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street
뜻: like a corpse; pale
peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of the carver's art.
예: From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him.
473. canard
462. cadence
예: It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base
뜻: rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
canard.
뜻: unfounded rumor
예: Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant.
474. candor 뜻: frankness 예: The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all
463. cajole
21
Barron’s GRE Master Words clear he held nothing back. 486. capitulate 475. canine
뜻: surrender
뜻: related to dogs; doglike
예: The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation.
예: Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population.
487. caprice 뜻: whim
476. canker
예: She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never
뜻: any ulcerous sore; any evil
taking thought of the consequences.
예: Poverty is a canker in the body politic; it must be cured. 488. capricious 477. canny
뜻: fickle; incalculable
뜻: shrewd; thrifty
예: The storm was capricious and changed course constantly.
예: The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the swindlers. 489. caption 478. cant
뜻: title; chapter heading; text under illustration
뜻: pious phraseology; jargon of criminals
예: I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever
예: Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we
and humorous.
dismissed his speech on the importance of education as mere cant. 490. captious 479. cantankerous
뜻: faultfinding
뜻: ill-humored; irritable
예: His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering
예: Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to
constructive suggestions.
cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient. 491. carafe 480. cantata
뜻: glass water bottle
뜻: story set to music, to be sung by a chorus
예: With each dinner, the patron receives a carafe of red or white
예: The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader.
wine.
481. canter
492. carapace
뜻: slow gallop
뜻: shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc)
예: Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so
예: At the children's zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle's
easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won in a canter.
hard carapace as it slowly made its way around the enclosure.
482. canto
493. carat
뜻: division of a long poem
뜻: unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of
예: Dante's poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy is divided into
gold
cantos.
예: He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band.
483. canvass 뜻: determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.
494. carcinogenic
예: After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the
뜻: causing cancer
congressman was confident that he represented the majority opinion
예: Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to
of his district.
be carcinogenic.
484. capacious
495. cardinal
뜻: spacious
뜻: chief
예: In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of
예: If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of
travelers lingered while waiting for their train.
vocabulary-building is to read.
485. capillary
496. careen
뜻: having a very fine bore
뜻: lurch; sway from side to side
예: The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of
예: The taxicab careened wildly as it rounded the corner.
special interest to physicists.
22
Barron’s GRE Master Words 497. caricature
508. castigation
뜻: distortion; burlesque
뜻: punishment; severe criticism
예: The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal
예: Sensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear castigation
weaknesses of the people he burlesqued.
that she found in certain reviews.
498. carillon
509. casualty
뜻: set of bells capable of being played
뜻: serious or fatal accident
예: The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New
예: The number of automotive casualties on this holiday weekend
York World's Fair provided musical entertainment every hour.
was high.
499. carnage
510. cataclysm
뜻: destruction of life
뜻: deluge; upheaval
예: The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the
예: A cataclysm such as the French Revolution affects all countries.
responsibilities of our statesmen. 511. catalyst 500. carnal
뜻: agent that brings about a chemical change while it remains
뜻: fleshly
unaffected and unchanged
예: The public was more interested in carnal pleasures than in
예: Many chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence
spiritual matters.
of a catalyst.
501. carnivorous
512. catapult
뜻: meat-eating
뜻: slingshot; hurling machine
예: The lion is a carnivorous animal.
예: Airplanes are sometimes launched from battleships by catapults.
502. carousal
513. cataract
뜻: drunken revel
뜻: great waterfall; eye abnormality
예: The party degenerated into an ugly carousal.
예: She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract known as Niagara Falls.
503. carping 뜻: petty criticism; fault-finding
514. catastrophe
예: Welcoming constructive criticism, Lexy appreciated her editor's
뜻: calamity
comments, finding them free of carping.
예: The Johnstown flood was a catastrophe.
504. carrion
515. catechism
뜻: rotting flesh of a dead body
뜻: book for religious instruction; instruction by question and
예: Buzzards are nature's scavengers; they eat the carrion left
answer
behind by other predators.
예: He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism until they gave him the correct answer.
505. cartographer 뜻: map-maker
516. categorical
예: Though not a professional cartographer, Tolkien was able to
뜻: without exceptions; unqualified; absolute
construct a map of the fictional world.
예: Though the captain claimed he was never, never sick at sea, he finally qualified his categorical denial; he was hardly ever sick at sea.
506. cascade 뜻: small waterfall
517. catharsis
예: We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we
뜻: purging or cleansing of any passage of the body
made detours around each of them to avoid getting wet.
예: Aristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.
507. caste 뜻: one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society, social
518. cathartic
stratification; prestige
뜻: purgative
예: The differences created by caste in India must be wiped out if
예: Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small doses but act
true democracy is to prevail in that country.
as cathartics when taken in much larger doses.
23
Barron’s GRE Master Words 519. catholic
month after his father's death.
뜻: universal; wide-ranging liberal 예: He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he
530. celestial
could find in the library.
뜻: heavenly 예: She spoke of the celestial joys that awaited virtuous souls in the
520. caucus
hereafter.
뜻: private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy
531. celibate
예: At the opening of Congress the members of the Democratic Party
뜻: abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried
held a caucus to elect the majority leader of the House and the party
예: Though the late Havelock Ellis wrote extensively about sexual
whip.
customs and was considered an expert in such matters, recent studies maintain he was celibate throughout his life.
521. caulk
532. censor
뜻: to make watertight (by plugging seams)
뜻: overseer of morals; person who eliminates inappropriate
예: When water from the shower leaked into the basement, we knew
matter
it was time to caulk the tiles at the edges of the shower stall.
예: Soldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution.
522. causal 뜻: implying a cause-and-effect relationship
533. censorious
예: The psychologist maintained there was a causal relationship
뜻: critical
between the nature of one's early childhood experiences and one's
예: censorious people delight in casting blame.
adult personality. 534. censure 523. caustic
뜻: blame; criticize
뜻: burning; sarcastically biting
예: He was censured for his inappropriate behavior.
예: The critic's caustic remarks angered the hapless actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.
535. centaur
524. cauterize
예: I was particularly impressed by the statue of the centaur in the
뜻: burn with hot iron or caustic
Roman Hall of the museum.
뜻: mythical figure, half man and half horse
예: In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound. 536. centigrade 525. cavalcade
뜻: denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as
뜻: procession; parade
Celsius)
예: As described by Chaucer, the cavalcade of Canterbury pilgrims
예: On the centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water is
was motley group.
zero degrees.
526. cavalier
537. centrifugal
뜻: casual and offhand; arrogant
뜻: radiating; departing from the center
예: Sensitive about having her ideas taken lightly, Marcia felt insulted
예: Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from
by Mark's cavalier dismissal of her suggestion.
clothing by centrifugal force.
527. cavil
538. centrifuge
뜻: make frivolous objections
뜻: machine that separates substances by whirling them
예: I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil
예: At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate cream from milk.
about unimportant details. 539. centripetal 528. cede
뜻: tending toward the center
뜻: transfer; yield title to
예: Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies
예: I intend to cede this property to the city.
to the earth's surface?
529. celerity
540. centurion
뜻: speed; rapidity
뜻: Roman army officer
예: Hamlet resented his mother's celerity in remarrying within a
예: Because he was in command of a company of one hundred
24
Barron’s GRE Master Words soldiers, he was called a centurion.
552. champion 뜻: support militantly
541. cerebral
예: Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize because he
뜻: pertaining to the brain or intellect
championed the oppressed in their struggle for equality.
예: The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought.
553. chaotic 뜻: in utter disorder 예: He tried to bring order into the chaotic state of affairs.
542. cerebration 뜻: thought 예: Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration.
554. charisma 뜻: divine gift; great popular charm or appeal
543. ceremonious
예: Political commentators have deplored the importance of a
뜻: marked by formality
candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning.
예: Ordinary dress would be in appropriate at so ceremonious an affair.
555. charlatan 뜻: quack; pretender to knowledge
544. cessation
예: When they realized that the Wizard didn't know how to get them
뜻: stopping
back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends were sure they'd been
예: The workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their
duped by a charlatan.
demands were not met. 556. chary 545. cession
뜻: cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
뜻: yielding to another; ceding
예: A prudent, thrifty New Englander, DeWitt was as chary of
예: The cession of Alaska to the United States is discussed in this
investing money in junk bonds as he was chary of paying people
chapter.
unnecessary compliments.
546. chafe
557. chase
뜻: warm by rubbing
뜻: ornament a metal surface by indenting
예: The collar chafed his neck.
예: With his hammer, he carefully chased an intricate design onto the surface of the chalice.
547. chaff 뜻: worthless products of an endeavor
558. chasm
예: When you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw
뜻: abyss
out the chaff.
예: They could not see the bottom of the chasm.
548. chaffing
559. chassis
뜻: bantering; joking
뜻: framework and working parts of an automobile
예: Sometimes his flippant and chaffing remarks annoy us.
예: Examining the car after the accident, the owner discovered that the body had been ruined but that the chassis was unharmed.
549. chagrin 뜻: vexation; disappointment
560. chaste
예: Her refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin.
뜻: pure 예: Her chaste and decorous garb was appropriately selected for the
550. chalice
solemnity of the occasion.
뜻: goblet; consecrated cup 예: In a small room adjoining the cathedral, many ornately decorated
561. chasten
chalices made by the most famous European goldsmiths were on
뜻: discipline; punish in order to correct
display.
예: Whom God loves, God chastens.
551. chameleon
562. chastise
뜻: lizard that changes color in different situations
뜻: punish
예: Like the chameleon, he assumed the political coloration of every
예: I must chastise you for this offense.
group he met. 563. chauvinist
25
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: blindly devoted patriot
of the socially prominent celebrities.
예: A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be.
575. churlish 뜻: boorish; rude
564. check
예: Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed
뜻: stop motion; curb or restrain
never to invite him again.
예: Thrusting out her arm, Grandma checked Bobby's lunge at his sister. "Young man," she said, "you'd better check your temper."
576. ciliated 뜻: having minute hairs 예: The paramecium is a ciliated, one-celled animal.
565. checkered 뜻: marked by changes in fortune 예: During his checkered career he had lived in palatial mansions
577. cipher
and in dreary boardinghouses.
뜻: nonentity; worthless person or thing 예: She claimed her ex-husband was a total cipher and wondered
566. cherubic
why she had ever married him.
뜻: angelic; innocent-looking 예: With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly
578. cipher
cherubic child.
뜻: secret code 예: Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decode the
567. chicanery
message sent to him in cipher.
뜻: trickery 예: Your deceitful tactics in this case are indications of chicanery.
579. circlet 뜻: small ring; band
568. chide
예: This tiny circlet is very costly because it is set with precious
뜻: scold
stones.
예: Grandma began to chide Steven for his lying. 580. circuitous 569. chimerical
뜻: roundabout
뜻: fantastic; highly imaginative
예: Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took
예: Poe's chimerical stories are sometimes too morbid for reading in
a circuitous route.
bed. 581. circumlocution 570. chivalrous
뜻: indirect or roundabout expression
뜻: courteous; faithful; brave
예: He was afraid to call spade a spade and resorted to
예: chivalrous behavior involves noble words and good deeds.
circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject.
571. choleric
582. circumscribe
뜻: hot-tempered
뜻: limit; confine
예: His flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature.
예: Although I do not wish to circumscribe your activities, I must insist that you complete this assignment before you start anything
572. choreography
else.
뜻: art of dancing 예: Martha Graham introduced a form of choreography that seemed
583. circumspect
awkward and alien to those who had been brought up on classic
뜻: prudent; cautious
ballet.
예: Investigating before acting, she tried always to be circumspect.
573. chronic
584. circumvent
뜻: long established, as a disease
뜻: outwit; baffle
예: The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic headaches
예: In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make two preliminary
and nausea to traces of formaldehyde gas in his apartment.
attacks in other sections before starting our major campaign.
574. chronicle
585. citadel
뜻: report; record (in chronological order)
뜻: fortress
예: The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades
예: The citadel overlooked the city like a protecting angel.
26
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The lightening cleaves the tree in two. 586. cite 뜻: quote; commend
598. cleft
예: She could cite passages in the Bible from memory.
뜻: split 예: Erosion caused a cleft in the huge boulder.
587. civil 뜻: having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite
599. clemency
예: Although internal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they
뜻: disposition ot be lenient; mildness, as of the weather
are not always civil to suspected tax evaders.
예: The lawyer was pleased when the case was sent to Judge
588. clairvoyant
toward first offenders.
Smith's chambers because Smith was noted for her clemency 뜻: having foresight; fortuneteller 예: Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Trojans.
600. cliche 뜻: phrase culled in meaning by repetition
589. clamber
예: High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as
뜻: climb by crawling
"strong as an ox."
예: She clambered over the wall. 601. clientele 590. clamor
뜻: body of customers
뜻: noise
예: The rock club attracted a young, stylish clientele.
예: The clamor of the children at play outside made it impossible for her to take a nap.
602. climactic 뜻: relating to the highest point
591. clandestine
예: When he reached the climactic portions of the book, he could not
뜻: secret
stop reading.
예: After avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting.
603. clime
592. clangor
예: His doctors advised him to move to a milder clime.
뜻: region; climate 뜻: loud, resounding noise 예: The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on
604. clique
steel.
뜻: small, exclusive group 예: She charged that a clique had assumed control of school affairs.
593. clapper 뜻: striker (tongue) of a bell
605. cloister
예: Wishing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf
뜻: monastery or convent
around the clapper to muffle its striking.
예: The nuns lived in the cloister.
594. clarion
606. clout
뜻: shrill, trumpetlike sound
뜻: great influence (especially political or social)
예: We woke to the clarion to muffle its striking.
예: Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club.
595. claustrophobia 뜻: fear of being locked in
607. cloying
예: His fellow classmates laughed at his claustrophobia and often
뜻: distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or
threatened to lock him in his room.
sentimental 예: Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody
596. clavicle
and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception.
뜻: collarbone 예: Even though he wore shoulder pads, the football player broke his
608. coagulate
clavicle during a practice scrimmage.
뜻: thicken; congeal; clot 예: Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will
597. cleave
continue to coagulate as it stands.
뜻: split asunder
27
Barron’s GRE Master Words 609. coalesce
예: Though Jack was emotionally immature, his cognitive
뜻: combine; fuse
development was admirable; he was very advanced intellectually.
예: The brooks coalesce into one large river. 621. cognizance 610. coda
뜻: knowledge
뜻: concluding section of a musical or literary composition
예: During the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in
예: The piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly
full cognizance of the international situation.
brought together various motifs. 622. cohere 611. coddle
뜻: stick together
뜻: treat gently; pamper
예: Solids have a greater tendency to cohere than liquids.
예: Don't coddle the children to much; they need a taste of discipline. 623. cohesion 612. codicil
뜻: tendency to keep together
뜻: supplement to the body of a will
예: A firm believer in the maxim "Divide and conquer," the emperor,
예: This codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the
by lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the cohesion ofthe free nations.
original will. 624. cohorts 뜻: armed band
613. codify 뜻: arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify
예: Caesar and his Roman cohorts conquered almost all of the
예: We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different
known world.
health agencies and codify them into a national health code. 625. coiffure 614. coercion
뜻: hairstyle
뜻: use of force
예: You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure: in the
예: They forced him to obey, but only by great coercion.
60's many African-Americans affirmed their racial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros.
615. coeval 뜻: living at the same time as; contemporary
626. coincident
예: coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the
뜻: occurring at the same time
Mesozoic era.
예: Some people find the coincident events in Hardy's novels annoyingly improbable.
616. cog 뜻: tooth projecting from a wheel
627. colander
예: A bicycle chain moves through a series of cogs in order to propel
뜻: utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
the bike.
예: Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it.
617. cogent
628. collaborate
뜻: convincing
뜻: work together
예: She presented cogent arguments to the jury.
예: Two writers collaborated in preparing this book.
618. cogitate
629. collage
뜻: think over
뜻: work of art put together from fragments
예: cogitate on this problem; the solution will come.
예: Scraps of cloth, paper doilies, and old photographs all went into her collage.
619. cognate 뜻: related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in
630. collate
nature
뜻: examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order
예: The English word "mother" cognate to the Latin word "mater,"
예: They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age.
whose influence is visible in the words "maternal" and "maternity." 631. collateral 620. cognitive
뜻: security given for loan
뜻: having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the
예: The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured
mental precesses
by collateral.
28
Barron’s GRE Master Words comeuppance. 632. collation 뜻: a light meal
643. comity
예: Tea sandwiches and cookies were offered at the collation.
뜻: courtesy; civility 예: A spirit of comity should exist among nations.
633. colloquial 뜻: pertaining to conversational or common speech
644. commandeer
예: Your use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the
뜻: to draft for military purposes; to take for public use
one you have presented spoils the effect you hope to achieve.
예: The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest hospital.
634. colloquy 뜻: informal discussion
645. commemorative
예: I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they could be
뜻: remembering; honoring
made more formal and more searching.
예: The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
635. collusion 뜻: conspiring in a fraudulent scheme
646. commensurate
예: The swindlers were found guilty of collusion.
뜻: equal in extent 예: Your reward will be commensurate with your effort.
636. colossal 뜻: huge
647. commiserate
예: Radio City Music Hall has a colossal stage.
뜻: feel or express pity or sympathy for 예: Her friends commiserated with the widow.
637. colossus 뜻: gigantic statue
648. commodious
예: The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, bronze statue of the sun god
뜻: spacious and comfortable
that dominated the harbor of the Greek seaport, was one of the
예: After sleeping in a small roadside cabins, they found their hotel
Seven Wonders of the World.
suite commodious.
638. comatose
649. communal
뜻: in a coma; extremely sleepy
뜻: held in common; of a group of people
예: The long-winded orator soon had his audience in a comatose
예: When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their
state.
communal property.
639. combustible
650. compact
뜻: easily burned
뜻: agreement; contract
예: After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire
예: The signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form
commissioner ordered that all combustible materials be kept in safe
of government.
containers. 651. compact 뜻: tightly packed; firm; brief
640. comely 뜻: attractive; agreeable
예: His short, compact body was better suited to wrestling than to
예: I would rather have a poor and comely wife than a rich and
basketball.
homely one. 652. compatible 641. comestible
뜻: harmonious; in harmony with
뜻: something fit to be eaten
예: They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over
예: The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and the
unimportant matters.
excellent service made this Thanksgiving dinner particularly memorable.
653. compelling 뜻: overpowering; irresistible in effect
642. comeuppance
예: The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense
뜻: rebuke; deserts
attorney's compelling arguments for leniency won over the jury.
예: After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his
29
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Even the latest work crisis failed to shake her composure.
654. compendium 뜻: brief, comprehensive summary 예: This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount
666. compound
of new material being developed in this field.
뜻: combine; constitute; pay interest; increase 예: The makers of the popular cold remedy compounded a nasal
655. compensatory
decongestant with an antihistamine.
뜻: making up for; repaying 예: Can a compensatory education program make up for the
667. comprehensive
inadequate schooling he received in earlier years?
뜻: thorough; inclusive 예: This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math
656. compilation
skills for the SAT.
뜻: listing of statistical information in tabular or book form 예: The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable
668. compress
purpose.
뜻: close; squeeze; contract 예: She compressed the package under her arm.
657. complacent 뜻: self-satisfied
669. comprise
예: There was a complacent look on his face as he examined his
뜻: include; consist of
paintings.
예: If the District of Columbia were to be granted a statehood, the United States of America would comprise fifty-onestates, not just fifty.
658. complaisant 뜻: trying to please; obliging
670. compromise
예: The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner.
뜻: adjust; endanger the interests or reputation of
659. complement
claim to neutrality in this matter.
예: Your presence at the scene of the dispute compromises our 뜻: complete; consummate; make perfect 예: The waiter recommended a glass of port to complement the
671. compunction 뜻: remorse
cheese.
예: The judge was especially severe in this sentencing because he 660. compliance
felt that the criminal had shown no compunction for his heinous
뜻: conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield
crime.
예: The design for the new school had to be in compliance with the local building code.
672. compute 뜻: reckon; calculate
661. compliant
예: He failed to compute the interest, so his bank balance was not
뜻: yielding
accurate.
예: He was compliant and ready to go along with his friends' desires. 673. concatenate 662. complicity
뜻: link as in a chain
뜻: participation; involvement
예: It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate
예: You cannot keep your complicity in this affair secret very long;
as they did without outside assistance.
you would be wise to admit your involvement immediately. 674. concave 663. component
뜻: hollow
뜻: element; ingredient
예: The back-packers found partial shelter from the storm by
예: I wish all the components of my stereo system were working at
huddling against the concave wall of the cliff.
the same time. 675. concede 664. comport
뜻: admit; hield
뜻: bear one's self; behave
예: Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to
예: He comported himself with great dignity.
concede that she was right.
665. composure
676. conceit
뜻: mental calmness
뜻: whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor
30
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in
뜻: agree
amusing conceits and witty turns of phrase.
예: Did you concur with the decision of the court or did you find it unfair?
677. concentric 뜻: having a common center
689. concurrent
예: The target was made of concentric circles.
뜻: happening at the same time 예: In America, the colonists were resisting the demands of the
678. conception
mother contry; at the concurrent moment in France, the middle class
뜻: beginning; forming of a idea
was sowing the seeds of rebellion.
예: At the first conception of the work, he was consulted. 690. condescend 679. concerted
뜻: bestow courtesies with a superior air
뜻: mutually agreed on; done together
예: The king condescended to grant an audience to the friends of the
예: The girl scouts in the troop made a concerted effort to raise funds
condemned man.
for their annual outing, and emitted a concerted sigh when their leader announced that they had reached their goal.
691. condign 뜻: adequate; deservedly severe 예: The public approved the condign punishment for the crime.
680. concession 뜻: an act of yielding 예: Before they could reach an agreement, both sides had to make
692. condiments
certain concessions.
뜻: seasonings; spices 예: Spanish food is full of condiments.
681. conciliatory 뜻: reconciling; soothing
693. condole
예: She was still angry despite his conciliatory words.
뜻: express sympathetic sorrow 예: His friends gathered to condole with him over his loss.
682. concise 뜻: brief and compact
694. condone
예: When you define a new word, be concise; the shorter the
뜻: overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
definition, the easier it is to remember.
예: Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned Huck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold.
683. conclave 뜻: private meeting
695. conducive
예: He was present at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer.
뜻: helpful; contributive 예: Rest and proper diet are conducive to good health.
684. conclusive 뜻: decisive; ending all debate
696. conduit
예: When the stolen books turned up in John's locker, we finally had
뜻: aqueduct; passageway for fluids
conclusive evidence of the identity of the mysterious thief.
예: Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain.
685. concoct 뜻: prepare by combining; make up in concert
697. confidant
예: How did the inventive chef ever concoct such strange dish?
뜻: trusted friend
686. concomitant
at home.
예: He had no confidants with whom he could discuss his problems 뜻: that which accompanies 예: Culture is not always a concomitant of wealth.
698. confiscate 뜻: seize; commandeer 예: The army confiscated all available supplies of uranium.
687. concord 뜻: harmony 예: Watching Tweediedum and Tweedledee battle, Alice wondered
699. conflagration
why the two brothers could not manage to life in concord.
뜻: great fire 예: In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of
688. concur
San Francisco was destroyed.
31
Barron’s GRE Master Words completely under his spell. 700. confluence 뜻: flowing together; crowd
712. connivance
예: They built the city at the confluence of two rivers.
뜻: pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend
701. conformity
예: With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the
뜻: harmony; agreement
teacher.
예: In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am calling a meeting of our organization.
713. connoisseur 뜻: person competent to act as judge of art, ect.; a lover of an
702. confound
art
뜻: confuse; puzzle
예: She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china.
예: No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long. 714. connotation 703. congeal
뜻: suggested or implied meaning of an expression
뜻: freeze; coagulate
예: Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the
예: His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster
words they use.
rush toward him. 715. connubial 704. congenial
뜻: pertaining to maffige or the matrimonial state
뜻: pleasant; friendly
예: In his telegram, he wished the newlyweds a lifetime of connubial
예: My father loved to go out for a meal with congenial companions.
bliss.
705. congenital
716. consanguinity
뜻: existing at birth
뜻: kinship
예: His congenital deformity disturbed his parents.
예: The lawsuit developed into a test of the consanguinity of the claimant to the estate.
706. conglomeration 뜻: mass of material sticking together
717. conscientious
예: In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was
뜻: scrupulous; careful
impossible to find a single area of analysis.
예: A conscientious editor checked every definition for its accuracy.
707. congruence
718. conscript
뜻: correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship
뜻: draftee; person forced into military service
예: The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by
예: Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript,
using the hypotenuse-arm theorem.
drafted against his will?
708. conifer
719. consecrate
뜻: pine tree; cone-bearing tree
뜻: dedicate; sanctify
예: According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear
예: We shall consecrate our lives to this noble purpose.
flowers. 720. consensus 709. conjecture
뜻: general agreement
뜻: surmise; guess
예: The consensus indicates that we are opposed to entering into
예: I will end all your conjectures; I admit I am guilty as charged.
this pact.
710. conjugal
721. consequential
뜻: pertaining to marriage
뜻: pompous; self-important
예: Their dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their
예: Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the
temperaments clashed.
dressing room with a consequential air.
711. conjure
722. conservatory
뜻: summon a devil; proactive magic; imagine; invent
뜻: school of the fine arts (especiallymusic or drama)
예: He conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the voters
예: A gifted violinist, Marya was selected to study at the conservatory.
32
Barron’s GRE Master Words 734. contagion 723. consign
뜻: infection
뜻: deliver officially; entrust; set apart
예: Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to prevent the spread
예: The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care.
of the disease.
724. consistency
735. contaminate
뜻: absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree
뜻: pollute
of thickness
예: The sewage system of the city so contaminated the water that
예: Holmes judged puddings and explanations on their consistency;
swimming was forbidden.
he liked his puddings without lumps and his explanations without improbabilities.
736. contempt 뜻: scorn; disdain
725. console
예: Even if you feel superior to others, it is unwise to show your
뜻: lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort
contempt for them.
예: When her father died, Marius did his best to console Cosette. 737. contend 726. consonance
뜻: struggle; compete; assert earnestly
뜻: harmony; agreement
예: In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry Edwards
예: Her agitation seemed out of consonance with her usual calm.
contends that young black athletes have been exploited by some college recruiters.
727. consort 뜻: associate with
738. contentious
예: We frequently judge people by the company with whom they
뜻: quarrelsome
consort.
예: We heard loud and contentious noises in the next room.
728. consort
739. contest
뜻: husband or wife
뜻: dispute
예: The search for a consort for the young Queen Victoria ended
예: The defeated candidate attempted to contest the election results.
happily. 740. context 729. conspiracy
뜻: writings preceding and following the passage quoted
뜻: treacherous plot
예: Because these lines are taken out of context, they do not convey
예: Brutus and Cassius joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar.
the message the author intended.
730. constituent
741. contiguous
뜻: supporter
뜻: adjacent to; touching upon
예: The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry
예: The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are
constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass.
separated by the gulf.
731. constraint
742. continence
뜻: compulsion; repression of feelings
뜻: self-restraint; sexual chastity
예: There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one
예: She vowed to lead a life of continence.
dared to criticize the speaker. 743. contingent 732. construe
뜻: conditional
뜻: explain; interpret
예: The continuation of this contract is contingent on the quality of
예: If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree with the theory
your first output.
already advanced. 744. contortions 733. consummate
뜻: twistings; distortions
뜻: complete
예: As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the
예: I have never seem anyone who makes as many stupid errors as
patient became more violent and demonstrated how much pain she
you do; you must be a consummate idiot.
was enduring.
33
Barron’s GRE Master Words 745. contraband
756. converge
뜻: illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods
뜻: come together
예: The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in U.S. waters.
예: Marchers converged on Washington for the great Save Our Cities-Save Our Children March.
746. contravene 뜻: contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress
757. conversant
예: Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to
뜻: familiar with
contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning.
예: The lawyer is conversant with all the evidence.
747. contrite
758. converse
뜻: penitent
뜻: opposite
예: Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed
예: The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation.
sentence. 759. convert 748. contrived
뜻: one who has adopted a different religion or opinion
뜻: forced; artificial; not spontaneous
예: On his trip to Japan, though the President spoke at length about
예: Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws; James made a few
the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his
contrived attempts at conversation and then retreated into silence.
beliefs.
749. controvert
760. convex
뜻: oppose with arguments; contradict
뜻: curving outward
예: To controvert your theory will require much time but it is essential
예: He polished the convex lens of his telescope.
that we disprove it. 761. conveyance 750. contumacious
뜻: vehicle; transfer
뜻: disobedient; resisting authority
예: During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of
예: The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police.
conveyances.
751. contusion
762. conviction
뜻: bruise
뜻: strongly held belief
예: She was treated for contusions and abrasions.
예: Nothing could shake his conviction that she was innocent.
752. conundrum
763. convivial
뜻: riddle; difficult problem
뜻: festive; gay; characterized by joviality
예: During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain
예: The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs.
the children. 764. convoke 753. convene
뜻: call together
뜻: assemble
예: Congress was convoked at the outbreak of the emergency.
예: Because much is needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by
765. convoluted
January 15.
뜻: coiled around; involved; intricate 예: His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow a it
754. convention
intelligently.
뜻: social or moral custom; established practice 예: Flying in the face of convention, George Sand (Amandine
766. copious
Dudevant) shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing
뜻: plentiful
men's clothes.
예: She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal.
755. conventional
767. coquette
뜻: ordinary; typical
뜻: flirt
예: His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his
예: Because she refused to give him an answer to his proposal of
wife's eccentric family.
marriage, he called her a coquette.
34
Barron’s GRE Master Words 768. cordial
corrugated brow.
뜻: gracious; heartfelt 예: Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a
779. cosmic 뜻: pertaining to the universe; vast
hearty hug.
예: cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard 769. cordon
the earth's atmosphere from outer space.
뜻: extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
780. coterie
예: The police cordon was so tight that the criminals could not leave
뜻: group that meets socially; select circle
the area.
예: After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coteri that lunched daily at the hotel.
770. cornice 뜻: projecting molding on building (usually above columns)
781. countenance
예: Because the stones forming the cornice had been loosened by
뜻: approve; tolerate
the storms, the police closed the building until repairs could be made.
예: He refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part.
771. cornucopia
782. countenance
뜻: horn overflowing wiht fruit and grain; symbol of abundance
뜻: face
예: The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a
예: Whe Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile spread
veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of
across his countenance.
knowledge for the entire family. 783. countermand 772. corollary
뜻: cancel; revoke
뜻: consequence; accompaniment
예: The general countermand the orders issued in his absence.
예: Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with a sibling rivalry its natural corollary.
784. counterpart 뜻: a thing that completes another; things very much alike 예: Night and day are counterparts.
773. corporeal 뜻: bodily; material 예: He was not a churchgoer; he was interested only in corporeal
785. coup
matters.
뜻: highly successful action or sudden attack 예: As the news of his coup spread throughout Wall Street, his fellow
774. corpulent
brokers dropped by to congratulate him.
뜻: very fat 예: The corpulent man resolved to reduce.
786. couple 뜻: join; unite
775. correlation
예: The Flying Karamazovs couple expert juggling and amateur
뜻: mutual relationship
joking in their nightclub act.
예: He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises.
787. courier 뜻: messenger 예: The publisher sent a special courier to pick up the manuscript.
776. corroborate 뜻: confirm 예: Unless we find a witness to corroborate your evidence, it will not
788. covenant
stand up in court.
뜻: agreement 예: We must comply with the terms of the covenant.
777. corrosive 뜻: eating away by chemicals or disease
789. covert
예: Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of corrosive
뜻: secret; hidden; implied
chemicals.
예: She could understand the covert threat in the letter.
778. corrugated
790. covetous
뜻: wrinkled; ridged
뜻: avaricious; eagerly desirous of
예: She wished she could smooth away the wrinkles from his
예: The child was covetous by nature and wanted to take the toys
35
Barron’s GRE Master Words belonging to his classmates.
802. crescendo 뜻: increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage;
791. cow
climax
뜻: terrorize; intimidate
예: The overture suddenly changed from a quiet pastoral theme to a
예: The little boy was so cowed by the hulking bully that he gave up
crescendo featuring blaring trumpets and clashing cymbols.
his lunch money without a word of protest. 803. crestfallen 792. cower
뜻: dejected; dispirited
뜻: shrink quivering, as from fear
예: We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project;
예: The frightened child cowered in the corner of the room.
instead of being crestfallen, he was busily engaged in planning new activities.
793. coy 뜻: shy; modest; coquettish
804. crevice
예: She was coy in her answers to his offer.
뜻: crack; fissure 예: The mountain climbers found footholds in the tiny crevices in the
794. cozen
mountainside.
뜻: cheat; hoodwink; swindle 예: He was the kind of individual who would cozen his friends in a
805. cringe
cheap card game but remain eminently ethical in all his business
뜻: shrink back, as if in fear
dealings.
예: The dog cringed, expecting a blow.
795. crabbed
806. criteria
뜻: sour; peevish
뜻: standards used in judging
예: The children avoided the crabbed old man because he scolded
예: What criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the
them when they made noise.
prize winner?
796. crass
807. crone
뜻: very unrefined; grossly insensible
뜻: hag
예: The philosophers deplored the crass commercialism.
예: The toothless crone frightened us when she smiled.
797. craven
808. crotchety
뜻: cowardly
뜻: eccentric; whimsical
예: When he saw the enemy troops advancing, he had a craven
예: Although he was reputed to be a crochety old gentleman, I found
impulse to run for his life.
his ideas substantially sound and sensible.
798. credence
809. crux
뜻: belief
뜻: crucial point
예: Do not place any credence in his promises.
예: This is the crux of the entire problem.
799. credo
810. crypt
뜻: creed
뜻: secret recess or vault usually used for burial
예: I believe we may best describe his credo by saying that it
예: Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statesmen were
approximates the Goldren Rule.
interred in this crypt.
800. credulity
811. cryptic
뜻: belief on slight evidence
뜻: mysterious; hidden; secret
예: The witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the
예: His cryptic remarks could not be interpreted.
superstitious natives. 812. cubicle 801. creed
뜻: small chamberused for sleeping
뜻: system of religious or ethical belief
예: After his many hours of intensive study in the library he retired to
예: In any loyal American's creed, love of democracy must be
his cubicle.
emphasized. 813. cuisine
36
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: style of cooking 예: French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and wines.
824. cursive 뜻: flowing, running
814. culinary
예: In normal writing we run our letters together in cursive form; in
뜻: relating to cooking
printing, we separate the letters.
예: Many chefs attribute their culinary skill to the wise use of spices. 825. cursory 815. cull
뜻: casual; hastily done
뜻: pick out; reject
예: A cursory examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of
예: Every month the farmer culls the nonplaying hens from his flock
arson; a more extensive study should be undertaken.
and sells them to the local butcher. 826. curtail 816. culmination
뜻: shorten; reduce
뜻: attainment of highest point
예: During the coal shortage, we must curtail our use of this vital
예: His inauguration as President of the United States marked the
commodity.
culmination of his political career. 827. cynical 817. culpable
뜻: skeptical or distrustful of human motives
뜻: deserving blame
예: cynical at all times, he was suspicious of all altruistic actions of
예: Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are
others.
equally culpable. 828. cynosure 818. culvert
뜻: object of general attention
뜻: artificial channel for water
예: As soon as the movie star entered the room, she became the
예: If we build a culvert under the road at this point, we will reduce
cynosure of all eyes.
the possibility of the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road's being flooded during the rainy season.
829. consternation 뜻: anxiety, dismay
819. cumbersome
예: Lincoln is famous for saying that the consternations during the
뜻: heavy; hard to manage
civil war had left him decrepit.
예: He was burdened down with cumbersome parcels. 830. casual 820. cumulative
뜻: accidental; not regular or permanent; careless; informal
뜻: growing by addition
예: It can be argued that physical laws can be casual as well as
예: Vocabulary building is a cumulative process: as you go through
inveterate, since it is based on an induction.
your flash cards, you will add new words to your vocabulary, one by one. 821. cupidity 뜻: greed
D
예: The defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the 831. dais
conquerors, who demanded excessive tribute.
뜻: raised platform for guests of honor 822. curator
예: When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from
뜻: superintendent; manager
the people who had come to honor him.
예: The members of the board of trustees of the museum expected the new curator to plan events and exhibitions that would make the
832. dally
museum more popular.
뜻: trifle with; procrastinate 예: Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections.
823. curmudgeon 뜻: churlish, miserly individual 예: Although he was regarded by many as a curmudgeon, a few of
833. dank
us were aware of the many kindnesses and acts of charity that he
뜻: damp
secretly performed.
예: The walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.
37
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: corrupt; make intemperate 예: A vicious newspaper can debauch public ideals.
834. dapper 뜻: neat and trim 예: In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an
846. debilitate
excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of
뜻: weaken; enfeeble
place.
예: Overindulgence debilitates character as well as physical stamina.
835. dappled
847. debonair
뜻: spotted
뜻: friendly; aiming to please
예: The sunlight filtering though the screens created a dappled effect
예: The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his
on the wall.
cheerful and obliging manner.
836. daub
848. debris
뜻: smear (as with paint)
뜻: rubble
예: From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he
예: A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, workers were still
knew nothing of oils.
carting away the debris.
837. daunt
849. debunk
뜻: intimidate
뜻: expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule
예: Your threats cannot daunt me.
예: Pointing out that he conhsistently had voted afainst strenghtening antipollution legislation, reporters debunked the candidate's claim
838. dauntless
that he was a fervent environmentalist.
뜻: bold 예: Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless
850. debutante
soldier volunteered for the assignment.
뜻: yound woman making formal entrance into society 예: As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns
839. dawdle
of the newspapers.
뜻: loiter; waste time 예: Inasmuch as we must meet a deadline, do not dawdle over this
851. decadence
work.
뜻: decay 예: The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd
840. deadlock
literature of the period.
뜻: standstill; stalemate 예: The negotiations had reached a deadlock.
852. decant 뜻: pour off gently 예: Be sure to decant this wine before serving it.
841. deadpan 뜻: wooden; impassive 예: We wanted to see how long he could maintain his deadpan
853. decapitate
expression.
뜻: behead 예: They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated her.
842. dearth 뜻: scarcity
854. decelerate
예: The dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open
뜻: slow down
trade schools.
예: Seeing the emergency blinkers in the road ahead, he decelerated quickly.
843. debacle 뜻: breaking up; downfall
855. deciduous
예: This debacle in the government can only result in anarchy.
뜻: falling off, as of leaves 예: The oak is a deciduous tree.
844. debase 뜻: reduce to lower state
856. decimate
예: Do not debase youself by becoming maudlin.
뜻: kill, usually one out of ten 예: We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents
845. debauch
than we do in war.
38
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: As a result of her husband's failure to appear in court, she was 857. decipher
granted a divorce by default.
뜻: decode 예: I could not decipher the doctor's handwriting.
869. defeatist 뜻: resigned to defeat; accepting defeat as a natural outcome 예: If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed.
858. declivity 뜻: downward slope 예: The children loved to ski down the declivity.
870. defection 뜻: desertion
859. decollete
예: The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his
뜻: having a low-cut neckline
defection from our cause.
예: Fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue.
871. deference
860. decomposition
예: In deference to his desires, the employers granted him a holiday.
뜻: courteous regard for another's wish 뜻: decay 예: Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police
872. defile
were able to identify the murdered man.
뜻: pollute; profane 예: The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing.
861. decorum 뜻: propriety; seemliness
873. definitive
예: Shocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class
뜻: most reliable or complee
for its lack of decorum.
예: Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great Emancipator.
862. decoy 뜻: lure or bait
874. deflect
예: The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy.
뜻: turn aside 예: His life was saved when his cigarette case deflected the bullet.
863. decrepitude 뜻: state of collagse caused by illness or old age
875. defoliate
예: I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had
뜻: destroy leaves
found my old friend; he seemed to have aged twenty years in six
예: In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to
months.
defoliate the woodlands.
864. decry
876. defray
뜻: express strong disapproval of ; disparage
뜻: provide ofr the payment of
예: The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright
예: Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate
Edelman, strongly decries the lack of financial and moral support for
education.
children in America today. 877. defrock 865. deducible
뜻: to strip a priest or minister of church authority
뜻: derived byreasoning
예: We knew the minister had violated church regulations, but we
예: If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.
had not realized his offense was serious enough to cause him to be defrocked.
866. deface 뜻: mar; disfigure
878. deft
예: If you deface a library book, you will have to pay a hefty fine.
뜻: neat; skillful 예: The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop.
867. defamation 뜻: harming a person's reputation
879. defunct
예: Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit.
뜻: dead; no longer in use or existence
868. default
corporation.
예: The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct 뜻: failure to do
39
Barron’s GRE Master Words 880. degenerate 뜻: become worse; deteriorate
892. deluge
예: As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until
뜻: flood; rush
he could barely keep on his feet.
예: When we advertised the position, we received a deluge of applications.
881. degraded 뜻: lowered in rank; debased
893. delusion
예: The degraded wretch spoke only of his past glories and honors.
뜻: false belief; hallucination 예: This scheme is a snare and a delusion.
882. dehydrate 뜻: remove water from; dry out
894. delusive
예: Vigorous dancing quickly dehydrates the body; between dances,
뜻: deceptive; raising vain hopes
be sure to drink more water than normal.
예: Do not raise your hopes on the basis of his delusive promises.
883. deify
895. delve
뜻: turn into a god; idolize
뜻: dig; investigate
예: Admire the rock star all you want; just don't deify him.
예: delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a researcher's job.
884. deign 뜻: condescend
896. demagogue
예: He felt that he would debase himself if he deigned to answer his
뜻: person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader
critics.
예: He was accused of being a demogogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners.
885. delete 뜻: erase; strike out
897. demean
예: If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more
뜻: degrade; humiliate
appeal.
예: He felt that he would demean himself if he replied to the scurrilous letter.
886. deleterious 뜻: harmful
898. demeanor
예: Workers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of
뜻: behavior; bearing
radioactive substances.
예: His sober demeanor quieted the noisy revelers.
887. deliberate
899. demented
뜻: consider; ponder; unhurried
뜻: insane
예: Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she
예: She became increasingly demented and had to be hospitalized.
made her decision. 900. demise 888. delineate
뜻: death
뜻: portray
예: Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about
예: He is weakest when he attempts to delineate character.
succession to power developed.
889. delirium
901. demographic
뜻: mental disorder marked by confusion
뜻: related to population balance
예: The drunkard in his delirium saw strange animals.
예: In conducting a survey, one should take into account demographic trends in the region.
890. delta 뜻: flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river
902. demolition
예: His dissertation discussed the effect of intermittent flooding on
뜻: destruction
the fertility of the Nile delta.
예: One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by the bombing of rail lines
891. delude
and the terminals.
뜻: deceive 예: Do not delude yourself into believing that he will relent.
903. demoniac
40
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: fiendish
뜻: regret
예: The Spanish Inquisition devised many demoniac means of
예: Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your
torture.
right to express yourself freely.
904. demotic
915. deploy
뜻: pertaining to the people
뜻: move troops so that the battle line is extended at the
예: He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and maintained
expense of depth
that a demotic society would lower the nation's standards.
예: The general ordered the battalion to deploy in order to meet the offensive of the enemy.
905. demur 뜻: delay; object
916. depose
예: To demur at this time will only worsen the already serious
뜻: dethrone; remove form office
situation; now is the time for action.
예: The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government.
906. demure 뜻: grave; serius; coy
917. deposition
예: She was demure and reserved.
뜻: testimony under oath 예: He made his deposition in the judge's chamber.
907. denigrate 뜻: blacken
918. depravity
예: All attempts to denigrate the character of our late President have
뜻: corruption; wickedness
failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory.
예: The depravity of the tyrant's behavior shocked us all.
908. denizen
919. deprecate
뜻: inhabitant of
뜻: express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
예: Ghosts are denizens of the land of the dead who return to earth.
예: A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first
909. denotation
names.
뜻: meaning; distinguishing by name 예: A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word;
920. depreciate
frequently, it will always give us its connotation.
뜻: lessen in value 예: If you neglect this properly, it will depreciate.
910. denouement 뜻: outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other
921. depredation
literary work
뜻: plundering
예: The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to
예: After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless.
sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act. 922. deranged 911. denounce
뜻: insane
뜻: condemn; critcize
예: He had to be institutionalized because he was deranged.
예: The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust.
923. derelict 뜻: neglectful of duty; abandoned
912. depict
예: The corporal who fell asleep while on watch was thrown into the
뜻: portray
guardhouse for being derelic in his duty.
예: In this book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and benevolent masters.
924. deride 뜻: scoff at 예: The people derided his grandiose schemes.
913. deplete 뜻: reduce; exhaust 예: We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we
925. derision
order replacements.
뜻: ridicule 예: They greeted his proposal with derision and refused to consider it
914. deplore
seriously.
41
Barron’s GRE Master Words depondent every day. 926. derivative 뜻: unoriginal; obtained from another source
938. despotism
예: Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the
뜻: tyranny
critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own
예: The people rebelled against the despotism of the king.
voice. 939. destitute 927. dermatologist
뜻: extremely poor
뜻: one who studies the skin and its diseases
예: The costs of the father's illness left the family destitute.
예: I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne. 940. desultory 928. derogatory
뜻: aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
뜻: expressing a low opinion
예: In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight
예: I resent your derogatory remarks.
through the dictionary; to him reading was purposeful, not desultory.
929. descry
941. detached
뜻: catch sight of
뜻: emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent
예: In the distance, we could barely descry the enemy vessels.
예: A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' perssonal lives.
930. desecrate 뜻: profane; violate the sanctity of
942. determinate
예: The soldiers desecrated the temple.
뜻: having a fixed order of procedure; invariable 예: At the royal wedding, the procession of the nobles followed a
931. desiccate
determinate order of precedence.
뜻: dry up 예: A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the
943. deterrent
pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it.
뜻: something that discourages; hindrance
932. desolate
potential killers?
예: Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to 뜻: rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake 예: The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and
944. detonation
carrying off the harvest.
뜻: explosion 예: The detonation of the bomb could be heard miles away.
933. desperado 뜻: reckless outlaw
945. detraction
예: Butch Cassidy was a bold desperado with a price on his head.
뜻: slandering; aspersion 예: He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a
934. despicable
leader.
뜻: contemptible 예: Your despicable remarks call for no reply.
946. detrimental 뜻: harmful; damaging
935. despise
예: Your acceptance of her support will ultimately prove detrimental
뜻: scorn
rather than helpful to your cause.
예: I despise your attempts at a reconciliation at this time and refuse to meet you.
947. deviate
936. despoil
예: Do not deviate from the truth; you must face the facts.
뜻: turn away from 뜻: plunder 예: If you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy will despoil the
948. devious
countryside.
뜻: going astray; erratic 예: Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are
937. despondent
usually direct and straightforward.
뜻: depressed; gloomy 예: To the dismay of his parents, he became more and more
949. devoid
42
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: lacking
961. didactic
예: He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to
뜻: teaching; instructional; preaching or moralizing
secure improvement in the community.
예: The didactic qualities of his poetry overshadow its literary qualities; the lesson he teaches is more memorable than the lines.
950. devolve 뜻: deputize; pass to others
962. die
예: It devolved upon us, the survivors, to arrange peace terms with
뜻: device for stamping or impressing; mold
the enemy.
예: In coining pennies, workers at the old mint squeezed sheets of softened copper between two dies.
951. devotee 뜻: enthusiastic follower
963. diffidence
예: A devotee of the opera, he bought season tickets every year.
뜻: shyness 예: You must overcome your diffidence if you intend to become a
952. devout
salesperson.
뜻: pious 예: The devout man prayed daily.
964. diffusion 뜻: wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas
953. dexterous
예: Your composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more
뜻: skillful
compact.
예: The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks.
965. digression
954. diabolical
예: Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered
뜻: devilish
away from their offical theme; his digressions were always more
예: This scheme is so diabolical that I must reject it.
fascinating than the topic of the day.
955. diadem
966. dilapidated
뜻: wandering away from the subject
뜻: crown
뜻: ruined because of neglect
예: The king's diadem was on display at the museum.
예: We felt that the dilapidated building needed several coats of paint.
956. dialectic
967. dilate
뜻: art of debate
뜻: expand
예: I am not skilled in dialectic and therefore, cannot answer your
예: In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.
arguments as forcefully as I wish. 968. dilatory 957. diaphanous
뜻: delaying
뜻: sheer; transparent
예: Your dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract.
예: They saw the burglar clearly through the diaphanous curtain. 969. dilemma 958. diatribe
뜻: problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
뜻: bitter scolding; invective
예: In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for
예: During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he
advice.
remained calm and self-controlled. 970. dilettante 959. dichotomy
뜻: aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler
뜻: branching into two parts
예: He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante.
예: The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards.
971. diligence 뜻: steadiness of effort; persisten hard work
960. dictum
예: Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and
뜻: arthoritative and weighty statement
offered her a partnership in the firm.
예: She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group.
972. dilute 뜻: make less concentrated; reduce in strength
43
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She preferred her coffee diluted with milk.
예: The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation.
973. diminution 뜻: lessening; reduction in size
984. disarray
예: The blockaders hoped to achieve victory as soon as the
뜻: a disorderly or untidy state
diminution of the enemy's supplies became serious.
예: After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.
974. din 뜻: continued loud noise
985. disavowal
예: The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window
뜻: denial; disclaiming
drowned out the lecturer's voice.
예: His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury.
975. dinghy 뜻: small boat (often ship's boat)
986. disband
예: In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a
뜻: dissolve; disperse
sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a dinghy.
예: The chess club disbanded after its disastrous initial season.
976. dingy
987. disburse
뜻: dull; not fresh; cheerless
뜻: pay out
예: Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea
예: When you disburse money on the company's behalf, be sure to
spent the weekend polishing the floors and windows and hanging
get a receipt.
bright posters on the walls. 988. discernible 977. dint
뜻: distinguishable; perceivable
뜻: means; effort
예: The ships in the harbor were not discernible in the fog.
예: By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to control the raging forest fire.
989. discerning 뜻: mentally quick and observant; having insight
978. diorama
예: Because he was considered the most discerning member of the
뜻: like-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history
firm, he was assigned the most difficult cases.
예: Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at the Museum of Natural
990. disclaim
History particularly impress high school biology students.
뜻: disown; renounce claim to 예: If I grant you this previlege, will you disclaim all other rights?
979. dire 뜻: disastrous
991. disclose
예: People ignored her dire predictions of an approaching depression.
뜻: reveal 예: Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose
980. dirge
any information about his company's forthcoming product.
뜻: lament with music 예: The funeral dirge stirred us to tears.
992. discombobulated 뜻: confused; discomposed
981. disabuse
예: The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he
뜻: correct a false impression; undeceive
wandered into wrong set.
예: I will attempt to diabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.
993. discomfit 뜻: put to rout; defeat; disconcert 예: This ruse will discomfit the enemy.
982. disaffected 뜻: disloyal 예: Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Shverdnaze
994. disconcert
found himself becoming increasingly disaffected.
뜻: confuse; upset; embarrass 예: The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her
983. disapprobation
adversary.
뜻: disapproval; condemnation
44
Barron’s GRE Master Words 995. disconcolate
1007. disenfranchise
뜻: sad
뜻: deprive of a civil right
예: The death of his wife left him disconsolate.
예: The imposition if the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote.
996. discordant 뜻: inharmonious; conflicting
1008. disengage
예: She tried to unite the discordant factions.
뜻: uncouple; separate; disconnect 예: A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt
997. discount
to disengage a railroad car from a moving train.
뜻: disregard 예: Be prepared to discount what he has to say about his ex-wife.
1009. disfigure 뜻: mar the appearance of; spoil 예: An ugly frown disfigured his normally pleasant face.
998. discourse 뜻: formal disscussion; conversation 예: The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the
1010. disgorge
philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers.
뜻: surrender something; efect; vomit 예: Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension
999. discredit
fund, the embezzler tried to run away.
뜻: defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve 예: The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried
1011. disgruntle
to discredit the other.
뜻: make discontented 예: The passengers were disgruntled by the numerous delays.
1000. discrepancy 뜻: lack of consistency; difference
1012. dishearten
예: The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the
뜻: discourage
crime and did not believe him.
예: His failure to pass the bar exam disheartened him.
1001. discrete
1013. disheveled
뜻: separate; unconnected
뜻: untidy
예: The universe is composed of discrete bodies.
예: Your disheveled appearance will hurt your chances in this interview.
1002. discretion 뜻: prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances
1014. disinclination
예: Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with
뜻: unwilingness
anyone.
예: Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed.
1003. discrimination
1015. disingenuous
뜻: ability to see differences; prejudice
뜻: not naive; sophisticated
예: They feared he lacked sufficient discrimination to judge complex
예: Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was
works of modern art.
disingenous.
1004. discursive
1016. disinter
뜻: digressing; rambling
뜻: dig up; unearth
예: They were annoyed and bored by her discursive remarks.
예: They disinterred the body and held an autopsy.
1005. disdain
1017. disinterested
뜻: treat with scorn or contempt
뜻: unprejudiced
예: You make enemies of all you disdain.
예: The only disinterested person in the room was the judge.
1006. disembark
1018. disjointed
뜻: go ashore; unload cargo from a ship
뜻: disconnected
예: Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their
예: His remarks were so disjointed that we could not follow his
passports from the ship's purser.
reasoning.
45
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The police fired tear gas into crowd to disperse the protesters.
1019. dislodge 뜻: remove (forcible) 예: Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs,
1030. dispirited
Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food caught in
뜻: lacking in spirit
this throat.
예: The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which I had become dispirited at the loss of
1020. dismantle
the star player.
뜻: take apart 예: When the show closed, they dismantled the scenery before
1031. disport 뜻: amuse
restoring it.
예: The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is constantly 1021. dismember
increasing; each year, thousands more disport themselves at Miami
뜻: cut into small parts
and Palm Beach.
예: When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established.
1032. disputatious 뜻: argumentative; fond of argument
1022. dismiss
예: People avoided discussing contemporary problems with him
뜻: eliminate from consideration; reject
because of his disputatious manner.
예: Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful.
1033. disquisition 뜻: a formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of
1023. disparage
a formal inquiry
뜻: belittle
예: In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching
예: Do not disparage anyone's contribution; these little gifts add up to
his conclusions.
large sums. 1034. dissection 1024. disparate
뜻: analysis; cutting apart in order to examine
뜻: basically different; unrelated
예: The dissection of frogs on the laboratory is particularly
예: It is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate
unpleasant to some students.
elements into a coherent whole. 1035. dissemble 1025. disparity
뜻: disguise; pretend
뜻: difference; condition of inequality
예: Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking
예: The disparity in their ages made no difference at all.
modern dance, we all knew there not to dance but to meet girls.
1026. dispassionate
1036. disseminate
뜻: calm; impartial
뜻: scatter (like seeds)
예: In a dispassionate analysis of the problem, he carefully examined
예: The invention of the radio helped propagandists to disseminate
the causes of the conflict and proceeded to suggest suitable
their favorite doctrines very easily.
remedies. 1037. dissent 1027. dispatch
뜻: disagree
뜻: speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due
예: In a landmark Supreme Court decision, Justice Marshall
speed
dissented from the majority opinion.
예: Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters, informing his commander of
1038. dissertation
the great victory.
뜻: formal essay 예: In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities,
1028. dispel
a candidate is frequently required to prepare a dissertation on some
뜻: scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
scholarly subject.
예: The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist. 1039. dissident 1029. disperse
뜻: dissenting; rebellious
뜻: scatter
예: In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at
46
Barron’s GRE Master Words Tianamen Square, the government hunted down the dissident students and their supporters.
1051. diurnal 뜻: daily
1040. dissimulate
예: A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for
뜻: pretend; conceal by feigning
example, must be milked regularly.
예: She tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude. 1052. diva 1041. dissipate
뜻: operatic singer; prima donna
뜻: squander
예: Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of
예: The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon
temerament.
broke. 1053. diverge 1042. dissolution
뜻: vary; go in different directionsfrom the same point
뜻: disintegration; looseness in morals
예: The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.
예: The profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula's Rome appall some historians.
1054. divergent 뜻: differing; deviating
1043. dissonance
예: The two witnesses presented the jury with remarkably divergent
뜻: discord
accounts of the same epipode.
예: Some contemporary musicians deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects.
1055. diverse 뜻: differing in some characteristics; various 예: There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.
1044. dissuade 뜻: advise against 예: He could not dissuade his friend from joining the conspirators.
1056. diversion
1045. distant
예: After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work.
뜻: act of turning aside; pastime 뜻: reserved or aloof; cold in manner 예: His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start.
1057. diversity
1046. distend
예: The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels
뜻: expand;swell out
of ability are being served.
뜻: variety; dissimilitude
예: I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead.
1058. divest 뜻: strip; deprive 예: He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern.
1047. distill 뜻: purify; refine; concentrate 예: A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills
1059. divine
thoughts into quips.
뜻: perceive intuitively; foresee the future 예: Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine
1048. distortion
when he was not telling the truth.
뜻: twisting out of shape 예: It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of this event
1060. divulge
because of the distortions and exaggerations of the reporters.
뜻: reveal 예: I will not tell you this news because I am sure you will divulge it
1049. distrait
prematurely.
뜻: absentminded 예: Because of his concentration on the problem, the professor often
1061. docile
appeared distrait and unconcerned about routine.
뜻: obedient; easily managed
1050. distraught
snarling beast.
예: As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, 뜻: upset; distracted by anxiety 예: The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their
1062. docket
lost child.
뜻: program asfor trial; book where such entries are made
47
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The case of Smith v. Jones was entered in the docket for July 15.
1073. domicile 뜻: home
1063. doctrinaire
예: Althoughhis legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept
뜻: unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic;
him away from his residence for many years.
unyielding 예: Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement
1074. domineer
might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of
뜻: rule over tyrannically
the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy.
예: Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer.
1064. document
1075. don
뜻: provide written evidence
뜻: put on
예: She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to
예: When Clark Kent had to don his Superman outfit, he changed
document her expenses for the firm.
clothes in a convenient phone booth.
1065. doddering
1076. dormant
뜻: shaky; infirm from old age
뜻: sleeping; lethargic; torpid
예: Although he is not as yet a doddering and senile old man, his
예: Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us
ideas and opinions no longer can merit the respect we gave them
who never realize how gifted our acquaintances really are.
years ago. 1077. dormer 1066. doff
뜻: window projecting from roof
뜻: take off
예: In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we
예: A gentleman used to doff his hat to a lady.
needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient ventilation for the new room.
1067. dogged 뜻: determined;stubborn
1078. dorsal
예: Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of
뜻: relating to the back of an animal
the criminal Jean Valjean.
예: A shark may be identified by its dorsal fin, which projects above the surface of the ocean.
1068. doggerel 뜻: poorverse
1079. dossier
예: Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her
뜻: file of documents on a subject
work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.
예: Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier.
1069. dogmatic 뜻: positive; arbitrary
1080. dotage
예: Do not be so dogmatic about that statement; it can be easily
뜻: senility
refuted.
예: In his dotage, the old man bored us with long tales of events in his childhood.
1070. doldrums 뜻: blues; listlessness; slack period
1081. dote
예: Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she
뜻: be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline
found herself in the doldrums.
예: Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the littel rascals, too.
1071. dolorous 뜻: sorrowfrl
1082. dour
예: He found the dolorous lamentations of the bereaved family
뜻: sullen; stubborn
emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as he could.
예: The man was dour abd taciturn.
1072. dolt
1083. douse
뜻: stupid person
뜻: plunge into water; drench; extinguish
예: I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find
예: They doused each other with hoses and balloons.
myself addressing a pack of dolts. 1084. dowdy
48
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: slovenly; untidy
예: The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out
예: She tried to change her dowdy image by buying a fashionable
by the roar of traffic passing our motel.
new wardrobe. 1096. dupe 뜻: someone easily fooled
1085. downcast 뜻: disheartened; sad
예: While the gullible Watson often was made a dupe by
예: Cheerful and optimistic by nature, Beth was never downcast
unscrupulous parties, Sherlock Holmes was far more difficult to fool.
despite the difficulties she faced. 1097. deplicity 1086. drab
뜻: double-dealing; hypocrisy
뜻: dull; lacking color; cheerless
예: People were shocked and dismayed when they learned of his
예: The Dutch woman's drab winter coat contrasted with the
duplicity in this affair, as he had always seemed honest and
distinctive, colorful native costume she wore beneath it.
straightforward.
1087. dregs
1098. duress
뜻: sediment; worthless residue
뜻: forcible restraint, especially unlawfully
예: David poured the wine carefully to avoid stirring up the dregs.
예: The hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met.
1088. droll 뜻: queer and amusing
1099. dutiful
예: He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always
뜻: respectful; obedient
entertaining.
예: The dutiful child grew up to be a conscientious adult aware of his civic obligations.
1089. drone 뜻: idle person; male bee
1100. dwindle
예: Content to let his wife support him, the would-be writer was in
뜻: shrink; reduce
reality nothing but a drone.
예: They spent so much money that their funds dwindled to nothing.
1090. drone
1101. dynamic
뜻: talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee
뜻: active; efficient
예: On a gorgeous day, who wants to be stuck in a classroom
예: A dynamic government is necessary to meet the demands of a
listening to the teacher drone?
changing society.
1091. dross
1102. dyspeptic
뜻: waste matter; worhtless impurities
뜻: suffering from indigestion
예: Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal
예: All the talk about rich food made him feel dyspeptic.
from the dross. 1092. drudgery 뜻: menial work 예: Cinderella's fairy godmother rescued her from a life of drudgery.
E
1093. dubious
1103. earthy
뜻: doubtful
뜻: unrefined; coarse
예: He has the dubious distinction of being the lowest man in his
예: His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the
class.
audience.
1094. ductility
1104. ebb
뜻: malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn out
뜻: recede; lessen
예: Copper wire has many industrial uses because of its extreme
예: His fortunes began to ebb during the recession.
ductility. 1105. ebullient 1095. dulcet
뜻: showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
뜻: sweet sounding
예: His ebullient nature could not be repressed.
49
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other 1106. eccentric
supernatural beings.
뜻: odd; whimsical; irregular 예: The comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit.
1117. efface 뜻: rub out
1107. eccentricity
예: The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been
뜻: oddity; idiosyncrasy
effaced.
예: Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius.
1118. effectual 뜻: efficient
1108. ecclesiastic
예: If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing
뜻: pertaining to the church
our goals.
예: The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit.
1119. effeminate 뜻: having womanly traits 예: His voice was high-pitched and effeminate.
1109. eclectic 뜻: selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
1120. effervescence
예: His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of
뜻: inner excitement; exuberance
furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed to
예: Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon
create a unique color.
reasserted itself.
1110. eclipse
1121. effete
뜻: darken; extinguish; surpass
뜻: worn out; exhausted; barren
예: The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in
예: The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the
1985.
writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.
1111. ecologist
1122. efficacy
뜻: person concerned with the interrelationship between living
뜻: power to produce desired effect
organisms and their environment
예: The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage.
예: The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon.
1123. effigy 뜻: dummy 예: The mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy.
1112. economy 뜻: efficiency or conciseness in using something 예: Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his
1124. effluvium
verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning.
뜻: noxious smell 예: Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities;
1113. ecstasy
the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life.
뜻: rapture, joy; any overpowering emotion 예: The announcement that the war had ended brought on an
1125. effrontery
ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled celebrations.
뜻: shameless boldness 예: She had the effrontery to insult the guest.
1114. eddy 뜻: swirling current of water, air, etc.
1126. effusion
예: The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.
뜻: pouring forth 예: The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too
1115. edify
flowery.
뜻: instruct; correct morally 예: Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his
1127. effusive
audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.
뜻: pouring forth; gushing
1116. eerie
irritate them.
예: Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to 뜻: weird
50
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1128. egoism
1139. elliptical
뜻: excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be
뜻: oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words
interested in one's self rather than in others
have been left out
예: His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his
예: An elliptical billiad ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round;
colleagues.
an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear.
1129. egotism
1140. eloquence
뜻: conceit; vanity
뜻: expressiveness; persuasive speech
예: She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism
예: The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence.
unwarranted and irritating. 1141. elucidate 1130. egregious
뜻: explain; enlighten
뜻: notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking
예: He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.
예: She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.
1142. elusive
1131. egress
예: His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends
뜻: exit
who supported him financially.
뜻: evasive; baffling; hard to grasp
예: Barnum's sign "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in
1143. elysian
the street.
뜻: relating to paradise; blissful 예: An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey.
1132. ejaculation 뜻: exclamation
1144. emaciated
예: He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard
뜻: thin and wasted
the news.
예: His long period of starvation had left him emaciated.
1133. elaboration
1145. emanate
뜻: addition of details; intricacy
뜻: issue forth
예: Tell what happened simply, without any elaboration.
예: A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring.
1134. elated
1146. emancipate
뜻: overjoyed; in high spirits
뜻: set free
예: Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her
예: At first, the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves
Olympic victory.
were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.
1135. elegy
1147. embargo
뜻: poem or song expressing lamentation
뜻: ban on commerce or other activity
예: On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy
예: As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill.
"Lycidas." 1148. embark 1136. elicit
뜻: commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey
뜻: draw out by discussion
예: In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey
예: The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot.
embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life.
1137. elixir
1149. embed
뜻: cure-all; something invigorating
뜻: enclose; place in something
예: The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir.
예: Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.
1138. ellipsis 뜻: omission of words from a text
1150. embellish
예: Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the
뜻: adorn
sentence "Once dressed, you should refrigerate the potato salad.
예: My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare facts of her travels with
51
Barron’s GRE Master Words humourous acecdotes.
1162. empirical
1151. embezzlement
예: He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his
뜻: stealing
reliance entirely on empirical data.
뜻: based on experience
예: The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds. 1163. emulate 1152. embroil
뜻: rival; imitate
뜻: throw into confusion
예: As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great
예: He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to
leaders of this country, we shall flourish.
arbitrate the dispute. 1164. enamored 1153. embryonic
뜻: in love
뜻: undeveloped; rudimentary
예: Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.
예: The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise, it may grow to dangerous
1165. enclave 뜻: territory enclosed within an alien land
proportions.
예: The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy. 1154. emend 뜻: correct, usually a text
1166. encomiastic
예: The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages.
뜻: praising; eulogistic 예: Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about
1155. emendation
Napoleon were inspired by his desire for material advancement
뜻: correction of errors; improvement
rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.
예: Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract. 1167. encomium 1156. emetic
뜻: high praise; eulogy
뜻: substance causing vomiting
예: Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters,
예: The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.
Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.
1157. eminent
1168. encompass
뜻: high; lofty
뜻: surround
예: After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had
예: Although we were encompassed by enemy forces, we were
time for his former friends.
cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us.
1158. emissary 뜻: agent; messenger
1169. encroachment
예: The secretary of State was sent as the President's special
뜻: gradual intrusion 예: The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood
emissary to the conference on disarmament.
lowered the value of the real estate. 1159. emollient 뜻: soothing or softening remedy
1170. encumber
예: He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.
뜻: burden 예: Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage,
1160. emolument
when they take short trips.
뜻: salary; compensation 예: In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must
1171. endearment
consider the social prestige it carries with it.
뜻: fond word or act
1161. empathy
insolence.
예: Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier 뜻: ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc 예: What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her
1172. endemic
ability to put herself in her client's place and feel his emotions as if
뜻: prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific
they were her own.
are or country 예: This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80
52
Barron’s GRE Master Words percent of the population are at one time or another affected by it.
1184. enigmatic 뜻: obscure; puzzling
1173. endorse
예: Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona
뜻: approve; support
Lisa.
예: Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse.
1185. enjoin 뜻: command; order; forbid
1174. endue
예: The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union
뜻: provide with some quality; endow
from picketing the plant.
예: He was endued with a lion's courage. 1186. enmity 1175. enduring
뜻: ill will; hatred
뜻: lasting; surviving
예: At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the
예: Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast
enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel from living in peace.
its creator's brief lives. 1187. ennui 1176. energize
뜻: boredom
뜻: invigorate; make forceful and active
예: The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui
예: Rather than exhausting Maggie, dancing energized her.
which made him moody and irritable.
1177. enervate
1188. enormity
뜻: weaken
뜻: hugeness (in a bad sense)
예: She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to
예: He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what
the window evervated her.
suffering he had caused.
1178. enfranchise
1189. enrapture
뜻: admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote)
뜻: please intensely
예: Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War,
예: The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and
women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.
the excellent orchestration.
1179. engage
1190. ensconce
뜻: attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront
뜻: settle comfortably
예: "Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes,
예: The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in
"You many engage my services."
the private school and decided to leave for Europe.
1180. engender
1191. ensue
뜻: cause; produce
뜻: follow
예: To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-
예: The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations
confidence in a child.
of the leaders.
1181. engross
1192. enthrall
뜻: occupy fully
뜻: capture; enslave
예: John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his
예: From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her
mother call.
beauty.
1182. enhance
1193. entice
뜻: advance; improve
뜻: lure; attract; tempt
예: Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced
예: She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.
if you take some more courses in evening school. 1194. entity 1183. enigma
뜻: real being
뜻: puzzle
예: As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became
예: Depite all attempts to decipher the code, it remained an enigma.
an entity and had to be considered as a factor in world diplomacy.
53
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1195. entomology
of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers.
뜻: study of insects 예: I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in
1207. epicure
biology; studying insects bored me.
뜻: connoisseur of food and drink 예: epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines
1196. entrance
and dishes.
뜻: put under a spell; carry away with emotion 예: Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her
1208. epigram
spellbound.
뜻: witty thought or saying, usually short 예: Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.
1197. entreat 뜻: plead; ask earnestly
1209. epilogue
예: She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.
뜻: short speech at conclusion of dramatic work 예: The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not
1198. entree
remain to hear the epilogue.
뜻: entrance; a way in 예: Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the
1210. episodic 뜻: loosely connected
most exclusive circles.
예: Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John 1199. entrepreneur
found the novel too episodic.
뜻: businessperson; contractor 예: Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages
1211. epistemologist
entrepreneurs from trying new fields of business activity.
뜻: philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge 예: "What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of
1200. enumerate
knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the naturalist.
뜻: list; mention one by one 예: Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his
1212. epitaph
many flaws.
뜻: inscription in memory of a dead person 예: In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his
1201. enunciate
tombstone.
뜻: speak distinctly 예: How will people understand you if you do not enunciate?
1213. epithet 뜻: word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person
1202. environ
or thing
뜻: enclose; surround
예: So many kings of France were named Charles that modern
예: Paris was environed by a wall
students need epithets to tell them apart: Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.
1203. eon 뜻: long period of time; an age
1214. epitome
예: It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.
뜻: perfect example or embodiment 예: Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The
1204. epaulet
Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the
뜻: ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)
epitome of an officer and a gentleman.
예: The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on George
1215. epoch
Washington's uniform.
뜻: period of time 예: The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.
1205. ephemeral 뜻: short-lived; fleeting
1216. equable
예: The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.
뜻: tranquil; steady; uniform 예: After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he
1206. epic
found the climate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.
뜻: long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art 예: Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle
1217. equanimity
54
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: calmness of temperament
1229. errant
예: In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world
뜻: wandering
with equanimity and humor.
예: Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the guilty during the Age of
1218. equestrian
Chivalry.
뜻: rider on horseback 예: These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their
1230. erratic 뜻: odd; unpredictable
steeds.
예: Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic. 1219. equilibrium 뜻: balance
1231. erroneous
예: After the divorce, he needed some time to regain his equilibrium.
뜻: mistaken; wrong 예: I thought my answer was correct, but it was erroneous.
1220. equine 뜻: resembling a horse
1232. erudite
예: His long, bony face had an equine look to it.
뜻: learned; scholarly 예: His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many
1221. equinox
allusions which were unfamiliar to most readers.
뜻: period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn
1233. escapade
예: The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.
뜻: prank; flighty conduct
1222. equipoise
boyish joke and expelled the young man.
예: The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a 뜻: balance; balancing force; equilibrium 예: The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome
1234. eschew
the swaying caused by the wind.
뜻: avoid 예: He tried to eschew all display of temper.
1223. equitable 뜻: fair; impartial
1235. esoteric
예: I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will
뜻: hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
be fair and acceptable to both sides.
예: New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-
1224. equity
crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you
뜻: fairness; justice
won't.
예: Our courts guarantee equity to all. 1236. espionage 1225. equivocal
뜻: spying
뜻: doubtful; ambiguous
예: In order to maintain its power, the government developed a
예: Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches.
system of espionage that penetrated every hosehold.
1226. equivocate
1237. espouse
뜻: lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
뜻: adopt; support
예: The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the
예: She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.
subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks. 1238. esteem 1227. erode
뜻: repect; value; judge
뜻: eat away
예: I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute
예: The limestone was eroded by the dripping water
comments on literature.
1228. erotic
1239. estranged
뜻: pertaining to passionate love
뜻: separated; alienated
예: The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are
예: The estranged wife sought a divorce.
merely pornographic. 1240. ethereal
55
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: light; heavenly; fine
예: Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who
예: Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate
wish to die.
charm. 1252. evanescent 1241. ethnic
뜻: fleeting; vanishing
뜻: relating to races
예: For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-
예: Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is
red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset.
based on lack of information. 1253. evasive 1242. ethnology
뜻: not frank; eluding
뜻: study of mankind
예: Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were
예: Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology.
witholding important evidence.
1243. ethos
1254. evince
뜻: underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
뜻: show clearly
예: Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made
예: When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance
author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were
of the subject matter.
valued in the Spanish ethos. 1255. evenhanded 1244. etymology
뜻: impartial; fair
뜻: study of word parts
예: Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their
예: A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests.
teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?
1245. eugenic 뜻: pertaining to the improvement of race
1256. evoke
예: It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses
뜻: call forth
or prize cattle than t the development of human beings.
예: He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner.
1246. eulogistic
1257. ewe
뜻: praising
뜻: female sheep
예: To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than
예: The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together
critical in tone.
with only a handful of rams.
1247. eulogy
1258. exacerbate
뜻: praise
뜻: worsen; embitter
예: All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the
예: This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent
calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.
of the people and enrage them.
1248. euphemism
1259. exacting
뜻: mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
뜻: extremely demanding
예: The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."
예: The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.
1249. euphony 뜻: sweet sound
1260. exalt
예: Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian
뜻: raise in rank or dignity; praise
language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung.
예: The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec Guinness.
1250. euphoria 뜻: feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being
1261. exasperate
예: "Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out," said
뜻: vex
Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.
예: Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.
1251. euthanasia
1262. excerpt
뜻: mercy killing
뜻: selected passage (written or musical)
56
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film.
1274. exhort 뜻: urge 예: The evangelist will exhort all sinners in his audience to reform.
1263. exchequer 뜻: treasury 예: He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion
1275. exhume
to the office he now holds.
뜻: dig out of the ground; remove from a grave 예: Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was
1264. excise
exhumed in order that an autopsy might be performed.
뜻: cut away; cut out 예: When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only
1276. exigency
improve its appearance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit.
뜻: urgent situation 예: In this exigency, we must look for aid from our allies.
1265. excoriate 뜻: flay; abrade
1277. exiguous
예: These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and
뜻: small; minute
create blisters.
예: Grass grew there, an exiguous outcropping among the rocks.
1266. exculpate
1278. existential
뜻: clear from blame
뜻: pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of
예: He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.
existentialism 예: To the existential philosopher, human reason is inadequate to
1267. execrable
explain an irrational, meaningless universe.
뜻: very bad 예: The anecdote was in execrable taste and shocked the audience.
1279. exodus 뜻: departure
1268. execrate
예: The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly
뜻: curse; express abhorrence for
noticeable on Friday evenings.
예: The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any nation.
1280. exonerate 뜻: acquit; exculpate 예: I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you.
1269. execute 뜻: put into effect; carry out 예: The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a
1281. exorbitant
pirouette.
뜻: excessive
1270. exegesis
because he had a monopoly.
예: The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them 뜻: explanation, especially of biblical passages 예: I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree;
1282. exorcise
some of your reasoning eludes me.
뜻: drive our evil spirits 예: By incantation and prayer, the medicine man sought to exorcise
1271. exemplary
the evil spirits that had taken possession of the young warrior.
뜻: serving as a model; outstanding 예: Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement.
1283. exotic 뜻: not native; strange
1272. exemplify
예: Because of his exotic headdress, he was followed in the streets
뜻: show by example; furnish an example
by small children who laughed at his strange appearance.
예: Three-time winner of the Super Bowl, Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback.
1284. expatiate
1273. exertion
예: At this time, please give us a brief resume of your work; we shall
뜻: effort; expenditure of much physical work
permit you to expatiate later.
뜻: talk at length
예: The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.
1285. expatriate
57
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land
1296. expostulation
예: Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England.
뜻: protest; remonstrance 예: Despite the teacher's scoldings and expostulations, the class
1286. expedient
remained unruly.
뜻: suitable; practical; politic 예: A pragmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient
1297. exposure
rather than by what was ethical.
뜻: risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open
1287. expedite
예: Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered
뜻: hasten
her face.
예: We hope you will be able to expedite delivery because of our tight schedule.
1298. expunge 뜻: cancel; remove 예: If you behave, I will expunge this notation from your record.
1288. expertise 뜻: specialized knowledge; expert skill 예: Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields, she was
1299. expurgate
hired for her particular expertise in computer programming.
뜻: clean; remove offensive parts of a book 예: The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be
1289. expiate
expurgated before it could be used in the classroom.
뜻: make amends for (a sin) 예: He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the
1300. extant
authorities.
뜻: still in existence 예: Although the authorities suppressed the book, many copies are
1290. expletive
extant and may be purchased at exorbitant prices.
뜻: interjection; profane oath 예: The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended
1301. extemporaneous
the new recruits.
뜻: not planned; impromtu
1291. explicate
decided to write all his speeches in advance.
예: Because his extemporaneous remarks were misinterpreted, he 뜻: explain; interpret; clarify 예: Harry Levin explicated James Joyce's novels with such clarity
1302. extenuate 뜻: weaken; mitigate
that even Finnegan's Wake seemed comprehensible to his students.
예: It is easier for us to extenuate our own shortcomings than those 1292. explicit
of others.
뜻: totally clear; definite; outspoken 예: Don't just hint around that you're dissatisfied: be explicit about
1303. extirpate
what's bugging you.
뜻: root up 예: The Salem witch trials were a misguided attempt to extirpate
1293. exploit
superstition and heresy.
뜻: deed or action, particularly a brave deed 예: Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews
1304. extol
from Hitler's forces.
뜻: praise; glorify 예: The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age.
1294. exploit 뜻: make use of, sometimes unjustly
1305. extort
예: Caesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in
뜻: wring from; get money by threats, etc.
California.
예: The blackmailer extorted money from his victim.
1295. expository
1306. extradition
뜻: explanatory; serving to explain
뜻: surrender of prisoner by one state to another
예: The mannual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of
예: The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds
expository prose: its explanations were so garbled that I couldn't
that for more than five years he had been a model citizen.
even figure out how to rewind a tape. 1307. extraneous
58
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: not essential; external
예: The facade of the church had often been photographed by
예: Do not pad your paper with extraneous matters; stick to essential
tourists because it was more interesting than the rear.
items only. 1318. facet 1308. extrapolation
뜻: small plane surface (of a gem); a side
뜻: projection; conjecture
예: The stonecutter decided to improve the rough diamond by
예: Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on
providing it with several facets.
Super Tuesday, the networks predicted that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency.
1319. facetious 뜻: humorous; jocular
1309. extricate
예: Your facetious remarks are not appropriate at this serious
뜻: free; disentangle
moment.
예: He found that he could not extricate himself from the trap. 1320. facile 1310. extrinsic
뜻: easy; expert
뜻: external; not inherent; foreign
예: Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to
예: Do not be fooled by extrinsic causes. We must look for the
address an organization.
intrinsic reason. 1321. facilitate 1311. extrovert
뜻: make less difficult
뜻: person interested mostly in external objects and actions
예: He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time
예: A good salesperson in usually an extrovert, who likes to mingle
job.
with people. 1322. facsimilie 1312. extrude
뜻: copy
뜻: force or push out
예: Many museums sell facsimilies of the works of art on display.
예: Much pressure is required to extrude these plastics. 1323. faction 1313. exuberant
뜻: party; clique; dissension
뜻: abundant; effusive; lavish
예: The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the
예: His speeches were famous for his exuberant language and vivid
club disturbed the majority of the members.
imagery. 1324. factious 1314. exude
뜻: inclined to form factions; causing dissension.
뜻: discharge; give forth
예: Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now
예: The maple syrup is obtained from the sap that the trees exude in
exists.
early spring. 1325. factitous 1315. exult
뜻: artificial; sham
뜻: rejoice
예: Hollywood actresses often create factitious tears by using
예: We exulted when our team won the victory.
glycerine. 1326. factotum 뜻: handyman; person who does all kinds of work 예: Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to
F
use him as a general factotum around the office.
1316. fabricate
1327. faculty
뜻: build; lie
뜻: mental or bodily powers; teaching staff
예: Because of the child's tendency to fabricate, we had trouble
예: As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become
believing her.
useless to his employer.
1317. facade
1328. fallacious
뜻: front of the building
뜻: misleading
59
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Your reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer.
1340. fatalism 뜻: belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's
1329. fallible
control
뜻: liable to err
예: With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset him.
예: I know I am fallible, but I feel confident that I am right this time. 1341. fathom 1330. fallow
뜻: comprehend; investigate
뜻: plowed but sowed; uncultivated
예: I find his motives impossible to fathom.
예: Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to le fallow every few years.
1342. fatuous 뜻: foolish; inane 예: He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.
1331. falter 뜻: hesitate 예: When told to dive off the high board, she did not falter, but
1343. fauna
proceeded at once.
뜻: animals of a period or region 예: The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining
1332. fanaticism
the skeletal remains and the fossils.
뜻: excessive zeal 예: The leader of the group was held responsible even though he
1344. fawning
could not control the fanaticism of his followers.
뜻: courting favor by cringing and flattering
1333. fancied
who had hoped to win some favor.
예: She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers 뜻: imagined; unreal 예: You are resenting fancied insults. No one has ever said such
1345. faze 뜻: disconcert; dismay
things about you.
예: No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager. 1334. fancier 뜻: breeder or dealer of animals
1346. feasible
예: The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel
뜻: practical
Club show.
예: This is an entirely feasible proposal. I suggest we adopt it.
1335. fanciful
1347. febrile
뜻: whimsical; visionary
뜻: feverish
예: This is a fanciful scheme because it does not consider the facts.
예: In his febrile condition, he was subject to nightmares and hallucinations.
1336. fanfare 뜻: call by bugles or trumpets; showy display
1348. fecundity
예: The exposition was opened with fanfare of trumpets and the firing
뜻: fertility; fruitfulness
of cannon.
예: The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.
1337. fantastic 뜻: unreal; grotesque; whimsical
1349. feign
예: Your fears are fantastic because no such animal as you have
뜻: pretend
described exists.
예: Lady Macbeth feigned illness in the courtyard although she was actually healthy.
1338. farce 뜻: broad comedy; mockery
1350. feint
예: Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce.
뜻: trick; shift; sham blow 예: The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his
1339. fastidious
guard.
뜻: difficult to please; squeamish 예: The waitresses disliked serving him dinner because of his very
1351. felicitous
fastidious taste.
뜻: apt; suitably expressed; well chosen
60
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to
뜻: honor at a festival
serve as master-of-ceremonies at many banquet.
예: The returning hero was feted at a community supper and dance.
1352. felicity
1364. fetid
뜻: happines; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.)
뜻: malodorous
예: She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in
예: The neglected wound became fetid.
their wedded life. 1365. fetter 1353. fell
뜻: shackle
뜻: cruel; deadly
예: The prisoner was fettered to the wall.
예: The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease 1366. fiasco 1354. felon
뜻: total failure
뜻: person convicted of a grave crime
예: Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we were forced to
예: A convicted felon loses the right to vote
flee.
1355. ferment
1367. fiat
뜻: agitation; commotion
뜻: command
예: With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Eastern Europe
예: I cannot accept government by fiat; I feel that I must be consulted.
was in a state of ferment. 1368. fickle 1356. ferret
뜻: changeable; faithless
뜻: drive or hunt out of hiding
예: He discovered his supposedly faithful girlfriend was fickle
예: She was ferreted out their secret. 1369. fictitious 1357. fervent
뜻: imaginary
뜻: ardent; hot
예: Although this book purports to be a biography of George
예: She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat
Washington, many of the incidents are fictitious.
undeserved. 1370. fidelity 1358. fervid
뜻: loyalty
뜻: ardent
예: A dog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal
예: Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the
is a favorite household pet.
dangerous mission. 1371. figment 1359. fervor
뜻: invention; imaginary thing
뜻: glowing ardor
예: That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.
예: Their kiss was full of the fervor of first love. 1372. figurative 1360. fester
뜻: not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech
뜻: generate pus
예: "To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expression; if you're told
예: When her finger began to fester, the doctor lanced it and
Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects you to rush out to buy him
removed the splinter that had caused the pus to form.
a replacement set.
1361. fester
1373. figurine
뜻: rankle, produce irritation or resentment
뜻: small ornamental statuette
예: Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days, and made her too
예: In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing
angry to speak to him.
figurine of a black bird.
1362. festive
1374. filch
뜻: joyous; celebratory
뜻: steal
예: Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.
예: The boys filched apples from the fruit stand.
1363. fete
1375. filial
61
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: pertaining to a son or daughter
뜻: droop; grow feeble
예: Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the
예: When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only
wishes of their parents.
minutes into the first period, the home team's spirits flagged.
1376. filibuster
1387. flagrant
뜻: block legislation by making long speeches
뜻: conspicuously wicked
예: Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals,
예: We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules.
we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.
1388. flail 뜻: thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about
1377. filigree
예: In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball
뜻: delicate, lacelike metalwork
attached to a handle.
예: The pendant with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took.
1389. flair 뜻: talent
1378. finale
예: She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the
뜻: conclusion
public has become aware of their existence.
예: It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message.
1390. flamboyant
1379. finesse
예: Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on
뜻: delicate skill
buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.
뜻: ornate
예: The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room.
1391. flaunt 뜻: display ostentatiously
1380. finicky
예: She is not the one of those actresses who flaunt their physical
뜻: too particular; fussy
charms; she can act.
예: The old lady was finicky about her food and ate very little. 1392. flay 1381. finite
뜻: strip off skin; plunder
뜻: limited
예: The criminal was condemned to be flayed alive.
예: It is difficult for humanity with its finite existence to grasp the infinite.
1393. fleck
1382. firebrand
예: Her cheeks flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of
뜻: hothead; troublemaker
weeping.
뜻: spot
예: The police triedto keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.
1394. fledgling 뜻: inexperienced
1383. fissure
예: While it is necessary to provide these fledgling poets with an
뜻: crevice
opportunity to present their work, it is not essential that we admire
예: The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the
everything they write.
rock. 1395. fleece 1384. fitful
뜻: wool coat of a sheep
뜻: spasmodic; intermittent
예: They shear sheep of their fleece, which they then comb into
예: After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of
separate strands of wool.
the project until he felt more energetic. 1396. fleece 1385. flaccid
뜻: rob; plunder
뜻: flabby
예: The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.
예: His sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles. 1397. flick 뜻: light stroke as with a whip
1386. flag
62
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The horse needed no encouragement; only one flick of the whip
1409. fluke 뜻: unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune
was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed.
예: When Douglass defeated Tyson for the heavyweight 1398. flinch
championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.
뜻: hesitate; shrink 예: He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely.
1410. fluster 뜻: confuse
1399. flippancy
예: The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered
뜻: trifling gaiety
his reply.
예: Your flippancy at this serious moment is offensive. 1411. fluted 1400. flit
뜻: having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar)
뜻: fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by
예: All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns.
예: Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.
1412. flux 뜻: flowing; series of changes
1401. floe
예: While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to
뜻: mass of floating ice
commit myself too deeply in this affair.
예: The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes.
1413. fodder 뜻: coarse food for cattle, horses etc.
1402. flora
예: One of Nancy's chores ar the ranch was to put fresh supplies of
뜻: plants of a region or era
fodder in the horses' stalls.
예: Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.
1414. foible 뜻: weakness; slight fault 예: We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.
1403. florid 뜻: flowery; ruddy 예: His complexion was even more florid than usual because of his
1415. foil 뜻: contrast
anger.
예: In "Star Wars," dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair1404. flotsam
haired, naive Luke Skywalker.
뜻: drifting wreckage 예: Beachcombers eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and
1416. foil
jetsam of the sea.
뜻: defeat; frustrate 예: In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes.
1405. flourish 뜻: grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures
1417. foist
예: The orange trees flourished in the sun.
뜻: insert improperly; palm off 예: I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the
1406. flout
membership of this group.
뜻: reject; mock 예: The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be
1418. foliage
curbed.
뜻: masses of leaves 예: Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he
1407. fluctuation
would drive though the New England to admire the colorful fall
뜻: wavering
foliage.
예: Meteorologists watch the fluctuations of the barometer in order to predict the weather.
1419. foment 뜻: stir up; instigate 예: This report will foment disssension in the club.
1408. fluency 뜻: smoothness of speech 예: He spoke French with fluency and ease.
1420. foolhardy 뜻: rash
63
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before
예: Determined to lose weight for the summer, Ida decided to forgo
undertaking this venture.
dessert until she could fit into a size eight again.
1421. foppish
1432. formality
뜻: vain about dress and appearance
뜻: adherence to established rules or procedures
예: He tried to imitate the foppish manner of the young men of the
예: Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you
court.
in any way.
1422. foray
1433. formidable
뜻: raid
뜻: menacing; threatening
예: The company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost.
예: We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe.
1423. forberance 뜻: patience
1434. forsake
예: We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still
뜻: desert; abandon; renounce
weak from his illness.
예: No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.
1424. ford 뜻: place where a river can be crossed on foot
1435. forswear
예: Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge, David walked a
뜻: renounce; abandon
half-mile downstream until he came to the neartest ford.
예: The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.
1425. forebears 뜻: ancestors
1436. forte
예: Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as
뜻: strong point or special talent
ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures.
예: I am not eager to play this rather seious role, for my forte is comedy.
1426. foreboding 뜻: premonition of evil
1437. forthright
예: Caeser ridiculed his wife's foreboding about the Ides of March.
뜻: straightforward; direct; frank 예: I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat
1427. forensic
around the bush.
뜻: suitable to debate or courts of law 예: In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury.
1438. fortitude 뜻: bravery; courage 예: He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.
1428. foreshadow 뜻: give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure 예: In retrospect, political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of
1439. fortuitous
the attempted coup foreshadowed his emergence as the dominant
뜻: accidental; by chance
figure of the new Russian republic.
예: There is no connection between these two events; their timing is entirely fortuitous.
1429. foresight 뜻: ability to foresee future happenings; prudence
1440. foster
예: A wise investor, she had the foresight to buy land just before the
뜻: rear; encourage
current real estate boom.
예: According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf that raised the abandoned infants as her own.
1430. forestall 뜻: prevent by taking action in advance
1441. founder
예: By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and
뜻: fail completely; sink
groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the
예: After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in
event of a divorce.
water rapidly and soon foundered.
1431. forgo
1442. founder
뜻: give up; do without
뜻: person who establishes (an organization, business)
64
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus chain.
1454. fret 뜻: to be annonyed or vexed
1443. fracas
예: To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work
뜻: brawl; melee
harder in the future.
예: The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.
1455. friction 뜻: clash in opinion; rubbing against
1444. fractious
예: At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have
뜻: unruly
any friction in our group.
예: The fractious horse unseated its rider. 1456. frieze 1445. frailty
뜻: ornamental band on a wall
뜻: weakness
예: The frieze of the church was adorned with sculpture.
예: The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty.
1457. frigid 뜻: intensely cold 예: Alaska is in the frigid zone.
1446. franchise 뜻: right granted by authority 예: The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface
1458. fritter
transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years.
뜻: waste 예: He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time
1447. frantic
in idle conversation.
뜻: wild 예: At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear.
1459. frivolous 뜻: lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively
1448. fraudulent
unimportant
뜻: cheating; deceitful
예: Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted
예: The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading
companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be
advertising.
serious.
1449. fraught
1460. frolicsome
뜻: filled
뜻: prankish; gay
예: Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for
예: The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.
volunteers who are willing to assume the risks. 1461. frond 뜻: fern leaf; palm or banana leaf
1450. fray 뜻: brawl
예: After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm
예: The three musketeers were in the thick of fray.
trees.
1451. frenetic
1462. fructify
뜻: frenzied; frantic
뜻: bear fruit
예: His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan
예: This peach tree should fructify in three years.
of operation. 1463. frugality 1452. frenzied
뜻: thrift; economy
뜻: madly excited
예: In these economically difficult days businesses must practice
예: As soon as they smelled smoke, the frenzied animals milled
frugality or risk bankruptcy.
about in their cages. 1464. fruition 1453. fresco
뜻: bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization
뜻: painting in plaste (usually fresh)
예: This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of
예: The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the
hard work.
frescoes by Glotto.
65
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1465. fugitive
1476. futile
뜻: fleeting or transitory; roving
뜻: ineffective; fruitless
예: The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind, but on the
예: Why waste your time on futile pursuits?
whole it made no lasting impression upon her. 1477. feckless 1466. fulcrum
뜻: feeble, ineffective; unthinking, irresponsible
뜻: support on which a lever rests
예: Einstein was noted for his extraordinary inspirations; on the other
예: If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we
hand, he was noted for being feckless in his daily chores.
may be able to move this boulder. 1467. fulminate 뜻: thunder; explode 예: The people against whom she fulminated were innocent of any
G
wrongdoing. 1478. gadfly 1468. fulsome
뜻: animal-biting fly; an irritating person
뜻: disgustingly excessive
예: Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty
예: His fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners.
eight hours, everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody.
1469. functionary
1479. gaffe
뜻: official
뜻: social blunder
예: As his case was transferred from one functionary to another, he
예: According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's
began to despair of ever reaching a settlement.
name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake.
1470. fundamental
1480. gainsay
뜻: basic; primary; essential
뜻: deny
예: The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever
예: She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report.
getting down to addressing the fundamental problem. 1481. gait 1471. funereal
뜻: manner of walking or running; speed
뜻: sad; solemn
예: The lame man walked with an uneven gait.
예: I fail to understand why there is such a funereal atmosphere; we 1482. galaxy
have lost a battle, not a war.
뜻: the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities 1472. furor
예: The deaths of such famous actors as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper,
뜻: frenzy; great excitement
Spencer Tracy, and Marlene Dietrich demonstrate that the galaxy of
예: The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on
Hollywood superstars is rapidly disppearing.
the stock exchange. 1483. gall 1473. furtive
뜻: bitterness; nerve
뜻: stealthy; sneaky
예: The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.
예: The boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper. 1484. gall 1474. fusilade
뜻: annoy; chafe
뜻: simultaneous firing or outburs (of missiles, questions, etc.)
예: Their taunts galled him.
예: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous 1485. galleon
fusilade of cannon fire.
뜻: large sailing ship 1475. fusion
예: The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large
뜻: union; coalition
warship; the British, on the smaller and faster pinnace.
예: The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the
1486. galvanize
election.
뜻: stimulate by shock; stir up 예: The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by
66
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The man who married a dumb wife asked the doctor to make him
the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
deaf because of his wife's garrulity after her cure. 1487. gambit 뜻: opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed
1499. garrulous
예: The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because
뜻: excessively talkative, especially about unimportant subjects;
he feared a trap which as yet he could not see.
loquacious; wordy 예: Many club members avoided the company of the garrulous junior
1488. gambol
executive because his contant chatter bored them to tears.
뜻: skip; leap playfully 예: Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant experience
1500. gastronomy 뜻: science of preparing and serving good food
1489. gamely
예: One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in
뜻: in a spirited manner; with courage
gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and serving foreign dishes to his
예: Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer,
friends.
the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena. 1501. gauche 1490. gamut
뜻: clumsy; boorish
뜻: entire range
예: Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize
예: In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the
for making them.
complete gamut of her acting ability. 1502. gaudy 1491. gape
뜻: flashy; showy
뜻: open widely
예: Her gaudy taste in clothes apalled us.
예: The huge pit gaped before him; if he stumbled, he would fall in. 1503. gaunt 1492. garbled
뜻: lean and angular; barren
뜻: mixed up; jumbled; distorted
예: His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost
예: A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message
weight.
from one person to another; by the time it reaches the last player, the message has become totally garbled.
1504. gawk 뜻: stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe
1493. gargantuan
예: The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of
뜻: huge; enormous
the big city.
예: The gargantuan wrestler was terrified of mice. 1505. gazette 1494. gargolye
뜻: official publication
뜻: waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building
예: He read the gazettes regularly for announcement of his
예: The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are
promotion.
amusing in their grotesqueness. 1506. genealogy 1495. garish
뜻: record of descent; lineage
뜻: gaudy
예: He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the
예: She wore a garish rhinestone necklace.
achievements of his ancestors.
1496. garner
1507. generality
뜻: gather; store up
뜻: vague statement
예: She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library.
예: This report is filled with generalities; you must be more specific in you statements.
1497. garnish 뜻: decorate
1508. generic
예: Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato.
뜻: characteristic of an entire class or species 예: Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare
1498. garrulity
time playing fantasy games that she began to think that playing
뜻: talkativeness
Dungeon & Dragons was a generic trait.
67
Barron’s GRE Master Words
1509. genesis
1520. gerrymander
뜻: beginning; origin
뜻: change in voting district lines in order to favor a political
예: Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of "Roots."
party 예: The illogical pattern of the map of this congressional district is
1510. geniality
proof that the state legislature gerrymandered this area in order to
뜻: cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy
favor the majority party.
예: This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor, who tries to make everyone happy.
1521. gestate 뜻: evolve, as in prenatal growth
1511. genre
예: While this scheme was being gestated by the conspirators, they
뜻: particular variety of art or literature
maintained complete silence about their intentions.
예: Both a short story writer and a poet, Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre.
1522. gesticulation 뜻: motion; gesture
1512. genteel
예: Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated
뜻: well-bred; elegant
gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in whic they appear.
예: We are looking for a man with a genteel apperance who can inspire confidence by his cultivated manner.
1523. ghastly 뜻: horrible 예: The murdered man was a ghastly sight.
1513. gentility 뜻: those of gentle birth; refinement 예: Her family was proud of its gentility and elegance.
1524. gibberish 뜻: nonsense; babbling
1514. gentry
예: Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish about monsters
뜻: people of standing; class of people just below nobility
from outer space?
예: The local gentry did not welcome the visits of the summer tourists and tried to ignore their presence in the community.
1525. gibe 뜻: mock
1515. genuflect
예: As you gibe at their superstitious beliefs, do you realize that you,
뜻: bend the knee as in worship
too, are guilty of similarly foolish thoughts?
예: A proud denocrat, he refused to genuflect to any man. 1526. giddy 1516. germane
뜻: light-hearted; dizzy
뜻: pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand
예: He felt his giddy youth was past.
예: The lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand.
1527. gingerly 뜻: very carefully 예: To separate egg whites, first crack the egg gingerly.
1517. germinal 뜻: pertaining to a germ; creative 예: Such an idea is germinal; I am certain that it will influence
1528. girth
thinkers and philosophers for many generations.
뜻: distance around something; circunference 예: It took an extra-large cummerbund to fit around Andrew
1518. germinate
Carnegie's considerable girth.
뜻: cause to sprout; sprout 예: After the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves,
1529. gist
the plants may be removed from the cold frames and transplanted to
뜻: essence
the garden.
예: she was asked to give the gist of the essay in two sentence.
1519. gerontocracy
1530. glacial
뜻: government ruled by old people
뜻: like a glacier; extremely cold
예: Gulliver visited a gerontocracy in which the young people acted
예: Never a warm person, when offended hugo could seem positively
as servants to their elders, all the while dreaming of the day they
glacial.
would be old enough to have servants of their own.
68
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Molasses is a glutinous substance.
1531. glaring 뜻: highly conspicuous; harshly bright 예: glaring spelling or grammatical errors in your resume will
1543. glutton
unfavorably impress potential employers.
뜻: someone who eats too much 예: When Mother saw that Bobby had eaten all the cookies, she
1532. glaze
called him a little glutton.
뜻: cover with a thin and shiny surface 예: The freezing rain glazed the streets and made driving hazardous.
1544. gnarled 뜻: twisted
1533. glean
예: The gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was
뜻: gather leavings
mentioned in several deeds.
예: After the crops had been harvested by the machines, the peasants were permitted to glean the wheat left in the fields.
1545. gnome 뜻: dwarf; underground spirit
1534. glib
예: In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and
뜻: fluent
inhabitants of subterranean mines.
예: He is a glib and articulate speaker. 1546. goad 1535. glimmer
뜻: urge on
뜻: shine erratically; twinkle
예: He was goaded by his friends until he yielded to their wishes.
예: In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant stars.
1547. gorge 뜻: narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft
1536. gloat
예: Terrified of heights, George could not bring himself to peer down
뜻: express evil satisfaction; view malevolently
into the gorge to see the rapids below.
예: As you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you think of the many victims you have defrauded?
1548. gorge
1537. gloss over
예: The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as though he had
뜻: explain away
not eaten for days.
뜻: stuff oneself
예: No matter how hard he tried to talk around the issue, President Bush could not gloss over the fact that he had raised the taxes after
1549. gory
all.
뜻: bloody 예: The audience shuddered as they listened to the details of the
1538. glossary
gory massacre.
뜻: brief explanation of words used in the text 예: I have found the glossary in this book very useful; it has
1550. gossamer
eliminated many trips to the dictionary.
뜻: sheer; like cobwebs 예: Nylon can be woven into gossaner or thick fabrics.
1539. glossy 뜻: smooth and shining
1551. gouge
예: I want this photograph printed on glossy paper, not matte.
뜻: tear out 예: In that fight, all the rules were forgotten; the adversaries bit,
1540. glower
kicked, and tried to gouge each other's eyes out.
뜻: scowl 예: The angry boy glowered at his father.
1552. gourmand 뜻: epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and
1541. glut
drink
뜻: overstock; fill to excess
예: goumands lack self-restraint; if they enjoy a particular cuisine,
예: The many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find
they eat far too much of it.
purchasers for the many articles they had produced. 1553. gourmet 1542. glutinous
뜻: connoisseur of food and drink
뜻: sticky; viscous
예: The gourmet stated that this was the best onion soup she had
69
Barron’s GRE Master Words ever tasted. 1565. gratuitous 1554. graduated
뜻: given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for
뜻: arraged by degree (of height, difficulty, etc.)
예: Quit making gratuitous comments about my driving; no one
예: Margaret loved her graduated set of Russian hollow wooden
asked you for your opinion.
dolls; she spent hours happily putting the smaller dolls into their larger counterparts.
1566. gratuity 뜻: tip
1555. granary
예: Many service employees rely more on gratuities than on salaries
뜻: storehouse for grain
for their livelihood.
예: We have reason to be thankful, for our crops were good and our granaries are full.
1567. gravity 뜻: seriousness
1556. grandeur
예: We could tell we were in serious trouble from the gravity of her
뜻: impressiveness; stateliness; majesty
expression.
예: No matter how often he hiked through the mountains, David never failed to be struck by the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada range.
1568. gregarious
1557. grandiloquent
예: Typically, party-throwers are gregarious; hermits are not.
뜻: sociable 뜻: pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language 예: The politician could bever speak simply; she was always
1569. grievance 뜻: cause of complaint
grandiloquent.
예: When her supervisor ignored her complaint, she took her 1558. grandiose
grievance to the union.
뜻: imposing; impressive 예: His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first
1570. grill
time.
뜻: question severely 예: In violation of the Miranda law, the police grilled the suspect for
1559. granulate
several hours before reading him his rights.
뜻: form into grains 예: Sugar that has been granulated dissolves more readily than lump
1571. grimace
sugar.
뜻: a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc. 예: Even though he remained silent, his grimace indicated his
1560. graphic
displeasure.
뜻: pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described 예: I was particularly impressed by the graphic presentation of the
1572. grisly
storm.
뜻: ghastly 예: She shuddered at the grisly sight.
1561. grapple 뜻: wrestle; come to grips with
1573. grotesque
예: He grappled with the burglar and overpowered him.
뜻: fantastic; comically hideous 예: On Halloween people enjoy wearing groteque costumes.
1562. grate 뜻: make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred
1574. grotto
예: The screams of the quarreling children grated on her nerves.
뜻: small cavern 예: The Blue Grotto in Capri can be entered only by small boats
1563. gratify
rowed by natives through a natural opening in the rocks.
뜻: please 예: Her parents were gratified by her success.
1575. grouse
1564. gratis
예: Students traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of
뜻: free
"mystery meat" and similar dornitory food.
뜻: complain; fuss
예: The company offered to give one package gratis to every purchaser of one of their products.
1576. grovel
70
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate
예: The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for
예: Even though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel
those used in a bland cuisine.
before our conquerors. 1588. gusto 뜻: enjoyment; enthusiasm
1577. grudging 뜻: unwilling; reluctant; stingy
예: He accepted the assignment with such gusto that I feel he would
예: We received only grudging support from the mayor despite his
have been satisfied with a smaller salary.
earlier promises of aid. 1589. gusty 1578. gruel
뜻: windy
뜻: thin, liquid porridge
예: The gusty weather made sailing precarious.
예: Our daily allotment of gruel made the meal not only monotonous but also unpalatable.
1590. gyroscope
1579. grueling
예: By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the
뜻: exhausting
vessel, counteracting the rolling movements of the sea.
뜻: apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
예: The marathon is a grueling race. 1591. 1580. gruesome
뜻: apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
뜻: grisly
예:
예: People screamed when her gruesome appearance was flashed on the screen. 1581. gruff 뜻: rough-mannered
H
예: Although he was blunt and gruff with most people, he was always 1592. hackles
gentle with children.
뜻: hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog 1582. guffaw
예: The dog's hackles rose and he began to growl as the sound of
뜻: boisterous laughter
footsteps grew louder.
예: The loud guffaws that came from the closed room indicated that the members of the committe had not yet settled down to a serious
1593. hackneyed
business.
뜻: commonplace; trite 예: The English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot.
1583. guile 뜻: deceit; duplicity 예: She achieved her high position by guile and treachery.
1594. haggard 뜻: wasted away; gaunt 예: After his long illness, he was pale and haggard.
1584. guileless 뜻: without deceit 예: He is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud.
1595. haggle
1585. guise
예: I prefer to shop in a store that has a one-price policy because,
뜻: appearance; costume
whenever I haggle with a shopkeeper, I am never certain that I paid
예: In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder
a fair price for the articles I purchased.
뜻: argue about prices
case. 1596. halcyon 1586. gullible
뜻: calm; peaceful
뜻: easily deceived
예: In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak
예: He preyed upon gullible people, who believed his stories of easy
attacks and bombings.
wealth. 1597. hale 1587. gustatory
뜻: healthy
뜻: affecting the sense of taste
예: After a brief illness, he was soon hale.
71
Barron’s GRE Master Words plants that could withstand our harsh New England winters. 1598. hallowed 뜻: blessed; consecrated
1610. harping
예: She was laid to rest in hallowed ground.
뜻: tiresome dwelling on a subject 예: After he had reminded me several times about what he had done
1599. hallucination
for me I told him to stop his harping on my indebtedness to him.
뜻: delusion 예: I think you were frightened by a hallucination that you created in
1611. harrow
you own mind.
뜻: break up ground after plowing; torture 예: I don't want to harrow you at this time by asking you to recall the
1600. halting
details of your unpleasant experience.
뜻: hesitant; faltering 예: Novice extemporaneous speakers often talk in a halting fashion
1612. harry
as they grope for the right words.
뜻: harass, annoy, torment; raid 예: The guerrilla band harried the enemy nightly.
1601. hamper 뜻: obstruct
1613. hatch
예: The minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders
뜻: deck opening; lid covering a deck opening
to secure a lasting peace.
예: The latch on the hatch failed to catch, so the hatch remained unlatched.
1602. hap 뜻: chance; luck
1614. haughtiness
예: In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays
뜻: pride; arrogance
in our lives.
예: I resent his haughtiness because he is no better than we are.
1603. haphazard
1615. hazardous
뜻: random; by chance
뜻: dangerous
예: His haphazard reading left him unaquainted with the authors of
예: Your occupation is too hazardous for insurance companies to
the books.
consider your application.
1604. hapless
1616. hazy
뜻: unfortunate
뜻: slightly obscure
예: This hapless creature had never known a moment's pleasure.
예: In hazy weather, you cannot see the top of this mountain.
1605. harangue
1617. headlong
뜻: long, passionate, and vehement speech
뜻: hasty; rash
예: In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders.
예: The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom.
1606. harass 뜻: annoy by repeated attacks
1618. headstrong
예: When he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised,
뜻: stubborn; willful; unyielding
he was harrassed by his creditors.
예: Because she refused to marry the man her parents had chosen for her, everyone scolded Minna and called her a foolish, headstrong
1607. harbinger
girl.
뜻: forerunner 예: The crocus is an early harbinger of spring.
1619. heckler 뜻: person who verbally harasses others 예: The heckler kept interrupting the speaker with rude remarks.
1608. harbor 뜻: provide a refuge for; hide 예: The church harbored illegal aliens who were political refugees.
1620. hedonism 뜻: belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life
1609. hardy
예: hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human
뜻: sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather
behavior.
예: We asked the gardening expert to recommend particularly hardy
72
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1621. heedless
예: To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move,
뜻: not noticing; disregarding
Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun was disturbingly
예: He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was
heterodox.
dangerous. 1632. heterogeneous 1622. hegemony
뜻: dissimilar
뜻: dominance, especially of one nation over others
예: In a heterogeneous group, we have an unassorted assemblage,
예: As one Eastern European nation after another declared its
while in a homogeneous group we have people or things that have
independence, commentators marveled at the sudden breakdown of
common traits.
the once monolithic Soviet hegemony. 1633. hew 1623. heinous
뜻: cut to pieces with ax or sword
뜻: atrocious; hatefully bad
예: The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their
예: Hitler's heinous crimes will never be forgotten.
swords.
1624. herbivorous
1634. heyday
뜻: grain-eating
뜻: time of greatest success; prime
예: Some herbivorous animals have two stomachs for digesting their
예: In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super
food.
Bowl two years running.
1625. heresy
1635. hiatus
뜻: opinion contrary to popular belief or to accepted religion
뜻: gap; pause
예: He was threatened with excommunication because his remarks
예: Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in
were considered to be pure heresy.
the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has devoted herself to her medical career.
1626. heretic 뜻: person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of
1636. hibernal
the church
뜻: wintry
예: She was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a
예: Bears prepare for their long hibernal sleep by overeating.
heretic. 1637. hibernate 1627. hermetic
뜻: sleep throughout the winter
뜻: sealed by fusion so as to be airtight
예: Bears are one of the many species of animals that hibernate.
예: After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers.
1638. hierarchy 뜻: body divided into ranks 예: It was difficult to step out of one's place in this hierarchy.
1628. hermetic 뜻: obscure and mysterious; occult 예: It is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the
1639. hieroglyphic 뜻: picture writing
hermetic teachings of the ancient alchemists.
예: The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to read the 1629. hermitage
ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
뜻: home of a hermit 예: Even in his remote hermitage he could not escape completely
1640. hilarity
from the world.
뜻: boisterous mirth 예: The hilarity is improper on this solemn day of mourning.
1630. herpetologist 뜻: one who studies reptiles
1641. hindmost
예: As a boy, Indiana Jones had a traumatic experience involving
뜻: furthest behind
snakes; sensibly enough, he studies to be archaeologist, not a
예: The coward could always be found in the hindmost lines
herpetologist.
whenever a battle was being waged.
1631. heterodox
1642. hindrance
뜻: unorthodox; unconventional
뜻: block; obstacle
73
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to traffic that tow trucks should remove without delay.
1654. homespun 뜻: domestic; made at home 예: homespun wit, like homespun cloth, was often coarse and plain.
1643. hinterlands 뜻: back country 예: They seldom had visitors, living as they did way out in the
1655. homily
hinderlands.
뜻: sermon; serious warning 예: His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to
1644. hireling
repent and reform.
뜻: one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously) 예: In a matter of such importance, I do not wish to deal with
1656. homogeneous 뜻: of the same kind
hirelings; I must meet with the chief.
예: Many educators try to put pupils of similar abilities in the same 1645. hirsute
class because they believe that his homogeneous grouping is
뜻: hairy
advisable.
예: He was a hitsute individual with a heavy black beard. 1657. hone 1646. histrionic
뜻: sharpen
뜻: theatrical
예: To make shaving easier, he honed his razor with great care.
예: He was proud of his histrionic ability and wanted to paly the role of Hamlet.
1658. hoodwink 뜻: deceive; delude
1647. hoard
예: Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he
뜻: stockpile; accumulate for future use
was extremely cautious when he went to purchase a used car.
예: Whenever there are rumors of a food shortage, people are tempted to hoard food.
1659. horde 뜻: crowd
1648. hoary
예: Just before Christmas the stores are filled with hordes of
뜻: white with age
shoppers.
예: The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70. 1660. hortatory 1649. hoax
뜻: encouraging; exhortive
뜻: trick; practical joke
예: The crowd listened to his hortatory statements with ever-growing
예: Embarrassed by the hoax, he reddened and left the room.
excitement; finally they rushed from the hall to carry to his suggestions.
1650. holocaust 뜻: destruction by fire
1661. horticultural
예: Citizens of San Francisco remember that the destruction of the
뜻: pertaining to cultivation of gardens
city was caused not by the earthquake but by the holocaust that
예: When he bought his house, he beganto look for flowers and
followed.
decorative shrubs, and began to read books dealing with horticultural matters.
1651. holster 뜻: pistol case
1662. hovel
예: Even when he was not in uniform, he carried a holster and pistol
뜻: shack; small, wretched house
under his arm.
예: He wondered how poor people could stand living in such a hovel.
1652. homage
1663. hover
뜻: honor; tribute
뜻: hang about; wait nearby
예: In her speech she tried to pay homage to a great man.
예: The police helicopter hovered above the accident.
1653. homeostasis
1664. hubbub
뜻: tendency of a system to maintain relative stability
뜻: confused uproar
예: A breakdown of the body's immune system severely undermines
예: The marketplace was a scene of hubbub and excitement.
the body's ability to maintain homeostasis.
74
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1665. hubris 뜻: arrogance; excessive self-conceit
1677. hydrophobia
예: Filled with hubris, Lear refused to heed his friends' warnings.
뜻: fear of water; rabies 예: A dog that bites a human being must be observed for symptoms
1666. hue
of hydrophobia.
뜻: color; aspect 예: The aviary contained birds of every possible hue.
1678. hyperbole 뜻: exaggeration; overstatement
1667. hue
예: This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is
뜻: outcry
wise to discount his claims.
예: When her purse was snatched, she raised such a hue and cry that the thief was captured.
1679. hypercritical 뜻: excessively exacting
1668. humane
예: You are hypercritical in your demands for perfection; we all make
뜻: kind
mistakes.
예: His humane and considerate treatment of the unfortunate endeared him to all.
1680. hypochondriac 뜻: person unduly worried about his health; worrier without
1669. humdrum
cause about illness
뜻: dull; monotonous
예: The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for his patient who was a
예: After years of adventure, he could not settle down to a humdrum
hypocondriac.
existence. 1681. hypocritical 1670. humid
뜻: pretending to be virtuous; deceiving
뜻: damp
예: I resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is
예: She could not stand the humid climate and moved to a drier area.
interested only in his own advancement.
1671. humility
1682. hypothetical
뜻: humbleness of spirit
뜻: based on assumptions or hypotheses
예: He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his
예: Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases when we have
listeners.
actual case histories that we may examine?
1672. hummock 뜻: small hill 예: The ascent of the hummock is not difficult and the view from the I
hilltop is ample reward tor the effort. 1673. humus
1683. ichthyology
뜻: substance formed by decaying vegetable matter
뜻: study of fish
예: In order to improve his garden, he spread humus over his lawn
예: Jacques Cousteau's rpograms about sea life have advanced the
and flower beds.
cause of ichthyology.
1674. hurtle
1684. icon
뜻: crash; rush
뜻: religious image; idol
예: The runaway train hurtled toward disaster.
예: The icons on the walls of the church were painted in the 13th century.
1675. husbandry 뜻: frugality; thrift; agriculture
1685. iconoclastic
예: He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry.
뜻: attacking cherished traditions 예: George Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people.
1676. hybrid 뜻: mongrel; mixed breed 예: Mendel's formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure
1686. ideology
species in breeding.
뜻: ideas of a group of people
75
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: That ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces
뜻: infinite
undemocratic philosophies.
예: Human beings, having explored the far corners of the earth, are now reaching out into illimitable space.
1687. idiom 뜻: spcial usage in language
1698. illuminate
예: I could not understand their idioms because literal translation
뜻: brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten
made no sense.
예: Just as a lamp can illuminate a dark room, a perceptive comment can illuminate a knotty problem.
1688. idiosyncrasy 뜻: peculiarity; eccentricity
1699. illusion
예: One of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all
뜻: misleading vision
cutlery given him in a restaurant.
예: It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length appear different.
1689. idiosyncratic 뜻: private; peculiar to an individual
1700. illusive
예: Such behavior is idiosyncratic, it is as easily identifiable as a
뜻: deceiving
signature.
예: This is only a mirage; let us not be fooled by its illusive effect.
1690. idolatry
1701. illusory
뜻: worship of idols; excessive admiration
뜻: deceptive; not real
예: Such idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the
예: Unfortunately, the costs of running the lemonade stand were so
excessive enthusiasm of youth.
high that Tom's profits proved illusory.
1691. idyllic
1702. imbalance
뜻: charmingly carefree; simple
뜻: lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion
예: Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat.
예: Because of the great imbalance between the number of men and women invited, the dance was unsuccessful.
1692. igneous 뜻: produced by fire; volcanic
1703. imbecility
예: Lava, pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great
뜻: weakness of mind
abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples.
예: I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of these trashy magazines.
1693. ignite 뜻: kindle; light
1704. imbibe
예: When Desi crooned, "Baby, light my fire," literal-minded Lucy
뜻: drink in
looked around for some paper to ignite.
예: The dry soil imbibed the rain quickly.
1694. ignoble
1705. imbroglio
뜻: of lowly origin; unworthy
뜻: complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement
예: This plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore,
예: He was called in to settle the imbroglio but failed to bring
oppose it.
harmony into the situation.
1695. ignominious
1706. imbue
뜻: disgraceful
뜻: saturate, fill
예: The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed
예: His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with
of the day when it would be victorious.
feelings of awe and reverence.
1696. illicit
1707. immaculate
뜻: illegal
뜻: pure; spotless
예: The defense attorney claimed that the police had entrapped his
예: The West Point cadets were immaculate as they lined up for
client; that is, they had elicited the illicit action of which they now
inspection.
accuse of him. 1708. imminent 뜻: near at hand; impending
1697. illimitable
76
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Rosa was such a last-minute worker that she could never start
1720. impecunious 뜻: without money
writing a paper till the deadline was imminent.
예: Now that he was wealthy, he gladly contributed to funds to assist 1709. immobility
impecunious and disbled persons.
뜻: state of being immovable 예: Modern armies cannot afford the luxury of immobility, as they are
1721. impede
vulnerable to attack while standing still.
뜻: hinder; block 예: The special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General,
1710. immolate
though inept, had not intentionally set out to impede the progress of
뜻: offer as a sacrifice
the investigation.
예: The tribal kind offered to immolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods.
1722. impediment 뜻: hindrance; stumbling-block
1711. immure
예: She had a speech impediment that prevented her from speaking
뜻: imprison; shut up in confinement
clearly.
예: For the two weeks before the examination, the student immureed himself in his room and concentrated upon his studies.
1723. impending 뜻: nearing; approaching
1712. immutable
예: The entire country was saddened by the news of his impending
뜻: unchangeable
death.
예: Scientists are constantly seeking to discover the immutable laws of nature.
1724. impenetrable 뜻: not able to be pierced or entered
1713. impair
예: How could the murderer have gotten into the locked room? To
뜻: worsen; diminish in value
Watson, the mystery, like the room, was impenetrable.
예: This arrest will impair her reputation in the community. 1725. impenitent 1714. impale
뜻: not repentant
뜻: pierce
예: We could see by his brazen attitude that he was impenitent.
예: He was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary. 1726. imperial 1715. impalpable
뜻: like an emperor; related to an empire
뜻: imperceptible; intangible
예: When hotel owner Leona Helmsley appeared in ads as Queen
예: The ash is so fine that it is impalpable to the touch but it can be
Leona standing guard over the Palace Hotel, her critics mocked her
seen as a fine layer covering the window ledge.
imperial fancies.
1716. impasse
1727. imperiousness
뜻: predicament from which there is no escape
뜻: lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance
예: In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope.
예: His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command.
1717. impassive 뜻: without feeling; not affected by pain
1728. impermeable
예: The Native American has been incorrectly depicted as an
뜻: impervious; not permitting passage through its substance
impassive individual, undemonstrative and stoical.
예: This new material is impermeable to liquids.
1718. impeach
1729. impertinent
뜻: charge with crime in office; indict
뜻: insolent
예: The angry congressman wanted to impeach the President for his
예: I regard your remarks as impertinent and I resent them.
misdeeds. 1730. imperturbable 1719. impeccable
뜻: calm; placid
뜻: faultless
예: Wellington remained imperturbable and in full command of the
예: He was proud of his impeccable manners.
situation in spite of the hyteria and panic all around him.
77
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1731. impervious
뜻: beg
뜻: not penetrable; not permitting passage through
예: He implored her to give him a second chance.
예: You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning.
1743. imply 뜻: suggest a meaning not expressed
1732. impetuous
예: Even though your statement does not declare that you are at war
뜻: violent; hasty; rash
with that country, your actions imply that that is the actual situation.
예: We tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offend some people.
1744. impolitic
1733. impetus
예: I think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because
뜻: moving force; incentive; stimulus
the public is too angry.
뜻: not wise
예: A new federal highway program would create jobs and five added impetus to our economic recovery.
1745. imponderable 뜻: weightless
1734. impiety
예: I can evaluate the data gathered in this study; the imponderable
뜻: irreverence; wickedness
items are not so easily analyzed.
예: We must regard your blasphemy as an act of impiety. 1746. import 1735. impinge
뜻: significance
뜻: infringe; touch; collide with
예: I feel that you have not grasped the full import of the message
예: How could they be married without impinging on one another's
sent tous by the enemy.
freedom? 1747. importunate 1736. impious
뜻: urging; demanding
뜻: irreverent
예: He tried to hide from his importunate creditors until his allowance
예: The congregation was offended by her impious remarks.
arrived.
1737. implacable
1748. importune
뜻: incapable of being pacified
뜻: beg persistently
예: Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde
예: Democratic and Republican phone solicitors importuned her for
family.
contributions so frequently that she decided to give nothing to either party.
1738. implausible 뜻: unlikely; unbelievable
1749. imposture
예: Though her alibi seened implausible, it in fact turned out to be
뜻: assuming a false identity; masquerade
true.
예: She was imprisoned for her imposture of a doctor.
1739. implement
1750. impotent
뜻: put into effect; supply with tools
뜻: weak; ineffective
예: The mayor was unwilling to implement the plan until she was
예: Although he wished to break the nicotine habit, he found himself
sure it had the governor's backing.
impotent in resisisting the craving for a cigarette.
1740. implication
1751. imprecation
뜻: that which is hinted at or suggested
뜻: curse
예: If I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust
예: Roused from the bed at what he considered an ungodly hour,
our captain.
Roy muttered imprecations under his breath.
1741. implicit
1752. impregnable
뜻: understood but not stated
뜻: invulnerable
예: Jack never told Jill he adored her; he believed his love was
예: Until the development of the airplane as a military weapon, the
implicit in his deeds.
fort was considered impregnable.
1742. implore
1753. impromptu
78
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: without previous preparation
뜻: silly; senseless
예: Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation
예: Such comments are inane because they do not help us solve our
could be made in an impromptu speech.
program.
1754. impropriety
1765. inanimate
뜻: state of being inappropriate
뜻: lifeless
예: Because of the impropriety of his costume, he was denied
예: she was asked to identify the still and inanimate body.
entrance into the dining room. 1766. inarticulate 1755. improvident
뜻: speechless; producing indistinct speech
뜻: thriftless
예: He became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without
예: He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways
meaning.
and begin to "save for a rainy day." 1767. inaugurate 1756. improvise
뜻: begin formally; install in office
뜻: compose on the spur of the moment
예: The candidate promised that he would inaugurate a new
예: She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours on themes
nationwide health care plan as soon as he was inaugurated as
from Bach and Handel.
president.
1757. imprudent
1768. incandescent
뜻: lacking caution; injudicious
뜻: stikingly bright; shining with intense heat
예: It is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated
예: If you leave on an incandescent light bulb, it quickly grows too
when you are unwell.
hot to touch.
1758. impugn
1769. incantation
뜻: doubt; challenge; gainsay
뜻: singing or chanting of magical formula
예: I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence.
예: Uttering incantations to make the brew more potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the caldron.
1759. impuissance 뜻: powerlessness; feebleness
1770. incapacitate
예: The lame duck President was frustrated by his shift from
뜻: disable 예: During the winter, many people were incapacitated by respiratory
enormous power to relative impuissance.
ailments. 1760. impunity 뜻: freedom from punishment
1771. incarcerate
예: The bully mistreated everyone in the class with impunity for he
뜻: imprison
felt that no one would dare retaliate.
예: The warden will incarcerate the felon after conviction.
1761. impute
1772. incarnate
뜻: attribute; ascribe
뜻: endowed with flesh; personified
예: If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge of this
예: Your attitude is so fiendish that you must be a devil incarnate.
program, I would state my feelings definitely and immediately. 1773. incarnation 1762. inadvertently
뜻: act of assuming a human body and human nature
뜻: carelessly; unintentionally; by oversight
예: The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a basic tenet of Christian
예: She inadvertently omitted two questions on the examination and
theology.
mismarked her answer sheet. 1774. incendiary 1763. inalienable
뜻: arsonist
뜻: not to be taken away; nontransferable
예: The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire
예: The Declaration of Independence mentions the inalienable rights
department chiefs were certain that it had been set by an incendiary.
that all of us possess. 1775. incense 뜻: enrage; infuriate
1764. inane
79
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Unkindness to children incensed her. 1788. inclusive 1776. incentive
뜻: tending to include all
뜻: spur; motive
예: The comedian turned down the invitation to join the Player's Club,
예: Students who dislike school must be given an incentive to learn.
saying any club that would let him in was too inclusive for him.
1777. inception
1789. incognito
뜻: start; beginning
뜻: with identity concealed; using an assumed name
예: She was involved with the project from its inception.
예: The monarch enjoyed traveling throughthe town incognito and mingling with the populace.
1778. incessant 뜻: uninterrupted
1790. incoherent
예: The crickets kept up an incessant chirping that disturbed our
뜻: unintelligible; muddled; illogical
attempts to fall asleep.
예: The bereaved father sobbed and stammered, his words becoming almost incoherent in his grief.
1779. inchoate 뜻: recently begun; rudimentary; elementary
1791. incommodious
예: Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass.
뜻: not spacious; inconvenient 예: In their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet
1780. incidence
space.
뜻: rate of occurrence; particular occurrence 예: Health professionals expressed great concern over the high
1792. incompatible
incidence of infant mortality in major urban areas.
뜻: inharmonious 예: The married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to
1781. incidental
separate because they were incompatible.
뜻: not essential; minor 예: The scholarship covered his major expenses at college and
1793. incongruity 뜻: lack of harmony; absurdity
some of his incidental expenses as well.
예: The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire 1782. incipient
amused the observers.
뜻: beginning; in an early stage 예: I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold.
1794. inconsequential 뜻: insignificant; unimportant
1783. incisive
예: Brushing off Ali's apologies for having broken the wine glass,
뜻: cutting; sharp
Tamara said, "Don't worry about it; it's inconsequential."
예: His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans. 1795. inconsistency 1784. incite
뜻: state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or
뜻: arouse to action
steadiness
예: The demogogue incited the mob to take action into its own hands.
예: How are lawyers different from agricultural inspectors? Where lawyers check inconsistencies in witnesses' statements, agricultural
1785. inclement
inspectors check inconsistencies in Grade A eggs.
뜻: stormy; unkind 예: I like to read a good book in inclement weather.
1796. incontinent 뜻: lacking self-restraint
1786. incline
예: His incontinent behavior off stage shocked many people and they
뜻: slope; slant
refused to attend the plays and movies in which he appeared.
예: The architect recommended that the nursing home's ramp be rebuilt because its incline was too steep for wheelchairs.
1797. incontrovertible
1787. inclined
예: We must yield to the incontrovertible evidence that you have
뜻: tending or leaning toward; bent
presented and free your client.
뜻: indisputable
예: Though I am inclined to be skeptical, the witness's manner inclines me to believe his story.
1798. incorporate
80
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite
뜻: temporary invasion
예: Breaking with precedent, President Truman ordered the military
예: The nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids of our neighbors
to incorporate blacks into every branch of the armed services.
across the border tried the patience of the country to the point where we decided to retaliate in force.
1799. incorporeal 뜻: immaterial; without a material body
1810. indefatigable
예: We must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as
뜻: tireless
well as our corporeal body.
예: He was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross.
1800. incorrigible 뜻: uncorrectable
1811. indemnify
예: Though Widow Douglass hoped to reform Huck, Miss Watson
뜻: make secure against loss; compensate for loss
pronounced him incorrigible and said he would come to no good end.
예: The city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project.
1801. incredulity 뜻: a tendency to disbelief
1812. indenture
예: Your incredulity in the face of all the evidence is hard to
뜻: bind as servant or apprentice to master
understand.
예: Many immigrants could come to America only after they had indentured themselves for several years.
1802. incredulous 뜻: withholding belief; skeptical
1813. indeterminate
예: When Jack claimed he hadn't eaten the jelly doughnut, Jill took
뜻: uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite
an incredulous look at his smeared face and laughed.
예: That interest rates shall rise appears certain; when they will do so, however, remains indeterminate.
1803. increment 뜻: increase
1814. indicative
예: The new contract calls for a 10 percent increment in salary for
뜻: suggestive; implying
each employee for the next two years.
예: A lack of appetite may be indicative of a major mental or physical disorder.
1804. incriminate 뜻: accuse; serve as evidence against
1815. indict
예: The witness's testimony against the racketeers incriminates
뜻: charge
some high public officials as well.
예: If the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial.
1805. incubate
1816. indifferent
뜻: hatch; scheme
뜻: unmoved; lacking concern
예: Inasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to
예: Because she felt no desire to marry, she was indifferent to his
rely on the hens to incubate these eggs.
constant proposals.
1806. incubus
1817. indigence
뜻: burden; mental care; nightmare
뜻: poverty
예: The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous
예: Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a
breakdown.
way to wipe out the inequities of wealth and eliminate indigence from our society.
1807. incumbent 뜻: officeholder
1818. indigenous
예: The newly elected public official received valuable advice from
뜻: native
the present incumbent.
예: Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants that the early explorers found in this country.
1808. incur 뜻: bring upon oneself
1819. indignation
예: His parents refused to pay any future debts he might incur.
뜻: anger ar an injustice 예: He felt indignation at the ill-treatment of the helpless animals.
1809. incursion
81
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1820. indignity
1831. inebriety
뜻: offensive or insulting treatment
뜻: habitual intoxication
예: Although he seemed to accept cheerfully the indignities heaped
예: Because of his inebriety, he was discharged from his position as
upon him, he was inwardly very angry.
family chauffeur.
1821. indiscriminate
1832. ineffable
뜻: choosing at random; confused
뜻: unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech
예: She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing
예: Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot be described.
and decided to restrict him to educational programs. 1833. ineffectual 1822. indisputable
뜻: not effective; weak
뜻: too certain to be disputed
예: Because the candidate failed to get across his message to the
예: In the face of these indisputable statements, I withdraw my
public, his campaign was ineffectual.
complaint. 1834. ineluctable 1823. indissoluble
뜻: irresistable; not to be escaped
뜻: permanent
예: He felt that his fate was ineluctible and refused to make any
예: The indissoluble bonds of marriage are all too often being
attempt to improve his lot.
dissolved. 1835. inept 1824. indite
뜻: lacking skill; inadequate; inappropriate
뜻: write; compose
예: inept as a carpenter, Ira was all thumbs.
예: Cyrano indited many letters for Christian. 1836. inequity 1825. indolence
뜻: unfairness
뜻: laziness
예: In demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic
예: He outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry
inequity of a system that allots greater financial rewards to men.
and alertness on the job. 1837. inerrancy 1826. indomitable
뜻: infallibility
뜻: unconquerable
예: Jane refused to believe in the pope's inerrancy, reasoning: "All
예: The founders of our country had indomitable willpower.
human beings are capable of error. The pope is a human being. Therefore, he pope is capable of error.
1827. indubitably 뜻: beyond a doubt
1838. inertia
예: Because her argument was indubitably valid, the judge accepted
뜻: state of being inert or indisposed to move
it.
예: Our inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately.
1828. induce 뜻: persuade; bring about
1839. inevitable
예: After the quarrel, Tina said nothing could induce her to talk to
뜻: unavoidable
Tony again.
예: Death and taxes are both inevitable.
1829. inductive
1840. inexorable
뜻: pertaining to induction or preceeding from the specific to
뜻: relentless; unyielding; implacable
the general
예: After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge was
예: The discovery of the planet Pluto is an excellent example of the
inexorable and gave the convicted man the maximum punishment
results that can be obtained from inductive reasoning.
allowed by law.
1830. indulgent
1841. infallible
뜻: humoring; yielding; lenient
뜻: unerring
예: indulgent parents spoil their children by giving in to their every
예: We must remember that none of us is infallible; we all make
whim.
mistakes.
82
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1842. infamous 뜻: notoriously bad
1854. ingenious
예: Jesse James was an infamous outlaw.
뜻: clever 예: He came up with a use for Styrofoam packing balls that was so
1843. infantile
ingenious that his business school professors declared it was
뜻: childish; infantlike
marketable.
예: When will he outgrow such infantile behavior? 1855. ingenuous 1844. infer
뜻: naive; young and unsophisticated
뜻: deduce; conclude
예: Although she was over forty, the movie star still insisted that she
예: We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is
be cast as an ingenuous sweet young thing.
guilty on the basis of circumstantial evidence. 1856. ingrained 1845. infernal
뜻: deeply established; firmly rooted
뜻: pertaining to hell; devilish
예: Try as they would, the missionaries were unable to uproot the
예: They could think of no way to hinder his infernal scheme.
ingrained superstitions of the natives.
1846. infidel
1857. ingrate
뜻: unbeliever
뜻: ungrateful person
예: The Saracens made war against tne infidels.
예: That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him.
1847. infiltrate
1858. ingratiate
뜻: pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily
뜻: become popular with
예: In order to infiltrate enemy lines at night without being seen, the
예: He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents' good graces.
scouts darkened their faces and wore black coveralls. 1859. inherent 1848. infinitesimal
뜻: firmly established by nature or habit
뜻: very small
예: His inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid.
예: In the twentieth century, physicists have made their greatest discoveries about the characteristics of infinitesimal objects like the
1860. inhibit
atom and its parts.
뜻: prohibit; restrain 예: The child was not inhibited in her responses.
1849. infirmity 뜻: weakness
1861. inimical
예: Her greatest infirmity was lack of willpower.
뜻: unfriendly; hostile 예: She felt that they were inimical and were hoping for her downfall.
1850. inflated 뜻: exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas)
1862. inimitable
예: His claims about the new product were inflated; it did not work as
뜻: matchless; not able to be imitated
well as he had promised.
예: We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind.
1851. influx 뜻: flowing into
1863. iniquitous
예: The influx of refugees into the country has taxed the relief
뜻: unjust; wicked
agencies severely.
예: I cannot approve of the iniquitous methods you used to gain your present position.
1852. infraction 뜻: violation
1864. initiate
예: Because of his many infractions of school regulations, he was
뜻: begin; originate; receive into a group
suspended by the dean.
예: The college is about to initiate a program for reducing math anxiety among students.
1853. infringe 뜻: violate; encroach
1865. injurious
예: I think your machine infringes on my patent and intend to sue.
뜻: harmful
83
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Smoking cigarettes can be injurious to your health.
뜻: without feeling 예: She lay there as insensate as a log.
1866. inkling 뜻: hint
1878. insensible
예: This came as a complete surprise to me as I did not have the
뜻: unconscious; unresponsive
slightest inkling of your plans.
예: Sherry and I are very different; at times when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems insensible to shame.
1867. innate 뜻: inborn
1879. insidious
예: His innate talent for music was soon recognized by his parents.
뜻: treacherous; stealthy; sly 예: The fifth column is insidious because it works secretly within our
1868. innocuous
territory for our defeat.
뜻: harmless 예: Let him drink it; it is innocuous and will have no ill effect.
1880. insinuate 뜻: hint; imply 예: What are you trying to insinuate by that remark?
1869. innovation 뜻: change; introduction of something new 예: She loved innovatins just because they were new.
1881. insipid 뜻: lacking in flavor; dull
1870. innuendo
예: Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack
뜻: hint; insinuation
sparkle.
예: I can defend myself against direct accusations; innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are what trouble me.
1882. insolence 뜻: imprudent disrespect; haughtiness
1871. inopportune
예: How dare you treat me so rudely! The manager will hear of you
뜻: untimely; poorly chosen
insolence.
예: A rock concert is an inopportune setting for a quiet conversation. 1883. insolvent 1872. inordinate
뜻: bankrupt; lacking money to pay
뜻: unrestrained; excessive
예: When rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they
예: She had an inordinate fondness for candy.
began to press him for payment of the money due them.
1873. inquisitor
1884. insomnia
뜻: questioner (specially harsh); investigator
뜻: wakefulness; inability to sleep
예: Fearing being grilled ruthlessly by the secret police, Marsha
예: He refused to join us in a midnight cup of coffee because he
faced her inquisitors with trepidation.
claimed it gave him insomnia.
1874. insalubrious
1885. insouciant
뜻: unwholesome; not healthful
뜻: indifferent; without concern or care
예: The mosquito-ridden swamp was an insalubrious place, a
예: Your insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that
breeding ground for malarial contagion.
you do not understand the gravity of the situation.
1875. insatiable
1886. instigate
뜻: not easily satisfied; greedy
뜻: urge; start; provoke
예: Welty's thirst for knowledge was insatiable; she was in the library
예: I am afraid that this statement will instigate a revolt.
day and night. 1887. insubordinate 1876. inscrutable
뜻: disobedient
뜻: impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious
예: The insubordinate private was confined to the barracks.
예: Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called
1888. insubstantial
poker face.
뜻: lacking substance; insignificant; frail 예: His hopes for a career in acting proved insubstantial; no one
1877. insensate
would cast him, even in an insubstantial role.
84
Barron’s GRE Master Words
1889. insularity
1900. interdict
뜻: narrow-mindedness; isolation
뜻: prohibit; forbid
예: The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion
예: Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we
of anyuthing foreign.
expect out society to live.
1890. insuperable
1901. interim
뜻: insurmountable; invincible
뜻: meantime
예: In the face of insuperable difficulties they maintained their
예: The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in
courage and will to resist.
the interim, let us proceed as we have in the past.
1891. insurgent
1902. interloper
뜻: rebellious
뜻: intruder
예: We will not discuss reforms until the insurgent troops have
예: The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were
returned to their homes.
stealing away his trade.
1892. insurrection
1903. interminable
뜻: rebellion; uprising
뜻: endless
예: Given the current state of affairs in South Africa, an insurrection
예: Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed
seems unavoidable.
interminable to his bored audience.
1893. intangible
1904. intermittent
뜻: not able to be perceived by touch; vague
뜻: periodic; on and off
예: Though the financial benefits of his Oxford post were meager,
예: Our picnic was marred by intermittent rains.
Lewis was drawn to it by its intangible rewards: prestige, intellectual freedom, the fellowship of his peers.
1905. internecine 뜻: mutually destructive
1894. integral
예: The rising death toll on both sides indicates the internecine natire
뜻: complete; necessary for completeness
of his conflict.
예: Physical education is an integral part of our curriculum; a sound mind and a sound body are complementary.
1906. interpolate
1895. integrate
예: She talked so much that I could not interpolate a single remark.
뜻: insert between 뜻: make whole; combine; make into one unit 예: She tried to integrate all their activities into one program.
1907. interregnum 뜻: period between two reigns
1896. integrity
예: Henry VIII desperately sought a male heir because he feared the
뜻: uprightness; wholeness
civil strife that might occur if any prolonged interregum succeeded
예: Lincoln, whose personal integrity has inspired millions, fought a
his death.
civil war to maintain the integrity of the republic, that these United States might remain undivided for all time.
1908. interrogate
1897. intellect
예: Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his
뜻: question closely; cross-examine 뜻: higher mental powers
background, the secret agent invented a cover story that would help
예: He thought college would develop his intellect.
him meet their quesions.
1898. intelligentsia
1909. intervene
뜻: intellectuals; members of the educated elite
뜻: come between
예: She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary
예: She intervened in the argument between her two sons.
conversations of the intelligentsia. 1910. intimate 1899. inter
뜻: hint
뜻: bury
예: She intimated rather than stated her preferences.
예: They are going to inter the body tomorrow ar Broadlawn Cemetry.
85
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1911. intimidation
when he signed the document.
뜻: fear 예: A ruler who maintains his power by intimidation is bound to
1923. invective
develop clandestine resistance.
뜻: abuse 예: He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his
1912. intractable
proposal.
뜻: unruly; refractory 예: The horse was intractable and refused to enter the starting gate.
1924. inveigh 뜻: denounce; utter censure or invective
1913. intransigence
예: He inveighed against the demagoguery of the previous speaker
뜻: state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise
and urged that the audience reject his philosophy as dangerous.
예: The intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain.
1925. inveigle 뜻: lead astray; wheedle 예: She was inveigled into joining the club after an initial reluctance.
1914. intrepid 뜻: fearless 예: For his intrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted.
1926. inverse
1915. intrinsically
예: There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its
뜻: essentially; inherently; naturally
distance.
뜻: opposite
예: Although my grandmother's china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes.
1927. invert 뜻: turn upside down or inside out
1916. introspective
예: When he inverted his body in a hand stand, he felt the blood rush
뜻: looking within oneself
to his head.
예: We all have our introspective moments during which we examine our souls.
1928. inveterate 뜻: deep-rooted; habitual 예: She is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit.
1917. introvert 뜻: one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself
1929. invidious
예: In his poetry, he reveals that he is an introvert by his intense
뜻: designed to create ill will or envy
interest in his own problems.
예: We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was.
1918. intrude 뜻: trespass; enter as an uninvited person
1930. invincible
예: She hesitated to intrude on their conversation.
뜻: unconquerable 예: Superman is invincible.
1919. intuition 뜻: power of knowing without reasoning
1931. inviolability
예: She claimed to know the truth by intuition.
뜻: security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned
1920. inundate
change her manner of living.
예: They respected the inviolability of her faith and did not try to 뜻: overflow; flood 예: The tremendous waves inundated the town.
1932. invoke 뜻: call upon; ask for 예: She invoked her advisor's aid in filling out her financial aid forms.
1921. inured 뜻: accustomed; hardened 예: She became inured to the Alaskan cold.
1933. invulnerable
1922. invalidate
예: Achilles was invulnerable except in his heel.
뜻: incapable of injury 뜻: weaken; destroy 예: The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate
1934. iota
the will by claiming that the deceased had not been in his right mind
뜻: very small quantity
86
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She hadn't an iota of common sense.
예: Her high spirits were irrepressible.
1935. irascible
1946. irresolute
뜻: irritable; easily angered
뜻: uncertain how to act; weak
예: Her irascible temper frightened me.
예: She had no respect for him because he seemed weak-willed and irresolute.
1936. irate 뜻: angry
1947. irreverent
예: When John's mother found out that he had overthrown his
뜻: lacking proper respect
checking account for the third month in a row, she was so irate that
예: The worshippers resented her irreverent remarks about their faith.
she could scarcely speak to him. 1948. irrevocable 1937. iridescent
뜻: unalterable
뜻: exhibiting rainbowlike colors
예: Let us not brood over past mistakes since they are irrevocable.
예: She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water.
1949. isotope 뜻: varying form of an element
1938. irksome
예: The study of the isotopes of uranium led to the development of
뜻: annoying; tedious
the nuclear bomb.
예: He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to perform.
1950. isthmus 뜻: narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land
1939. ironic
예: In a magnificent feat of engineering, Goethals and his men cut
뜻: occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner
through the isthmus of Panama in constructing the Panama Canal.
예: It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it. 1951. itinerant 1940. irony
뜻: wandering; traveling
뜻: hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that convey a
예: He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania
meaning opposite to the literal meaning
and Virginia selling his wares.
예: Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing was merely irony; he was actually denouncing his
1952. itinerary 뜻: plan of a trip
opponent.
예: Before leaving for his first visit to France and England, he 1941. irreconsilable
discussed his itinerary with people who had been there and with his
뜻: incompatible; not able to be resolved
travel agent.
예: Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.
1953. intersperse 뜻: scatter
1942. irrelevant
예: The molecules will intersperse throughout the space according to
뜻: not applicable; unrelated
the second law of thermodynamics.
예: This statement is irrelevant and should be disregarded by the jury. 1954. inquisitive 1943. irremediable
뜻: unduly curious; prying; seeking knowledge
뜻: incurable; uncorrectable
예: We need more inquisitive students in this school; lectures are dull.
예: The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it. 1944. irreparable 뜻: not able to be corrected or repaired
J
예: Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have 1955. jaded
done to her reputation.
뜻: fatigued; surfeited 예: He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite.
1945. irrepressible 뜻: unable to be restrained or held back
87
Barron’s GRE Master Words 1956. jargon 뜻: language used by special group; gibberish
1968. jovial
예: We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market
뜻: good natured; merry
place but could not find any basis for comprehension.
예: A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face.
1957. jaundiced
1969. jubilation
뜻: yellowed; prejudiced; envious
뜻: rejoicing
예: She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was
예: There was great jubilitation when the armistice was announced.
better than hers. 1970. judicious 1958. jaunt
뜻: sound in judgment; wise
뜻: trip; short journey
예: At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that
예: He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City.
was the foundation of his later wealth.
1959. jaunty
1971. juggernaut
뜻: lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree
뜻: irresistible crushin force
예: In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way
예: Nothing could survive in the path of the juggernaut.
throughtthe lighthearted title number in a properly jaunty style. 1972. juncture 1960. jeopardy
뜻: crisis;joining point
뜻: exposure to death or danger
예: At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining
예: Legally, one cannot be placed in double jeopardy.
the course we shall follow.
1961. jettison
1973. junket
뜻: throw overboard
뜻: trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public
예: In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the
expense
captain had to jettison much of his cargo.
예: Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market, the opposition claimed that her trip
1962. jingoism
was merely a political junket.
뜻: extremely aggressive and militant patriotism 예: We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading
1974. junta 뜻: group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal
at this time.
예: As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the 1963. jocose
execution of all of the members of the junta.
뜻: given to joking 예: The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers
1975. jurisprudence
suggested that he become a stand-up comic.
뜻: science of law 예: He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the
1964. jocular
law.
뜻: said or done in jest 예: Do not take my jocular remarks seriously.
1976. juxtapose 뜻: place side by side 예: Comparison will be easier if you juxtapose the two objects.
1965. jocund 뜻: merry 예: Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. 1966. jollity 뜻: gaiety; cheerfulness
K
예: The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one, and old and 1977. kaleidoscope
young alike joined in the general jollity.
뜻: tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of 1967. jostle
colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical
뜻: shove; bump
effects
예: In the subway he was jostled by the crowds.
예: People found a new source of entertainment while peering
88
Barron’s GRE Master Words through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns
1989. knoll 뜻: little, round hill
fascinating.
예: Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach 1978. ken
the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along
뜻: range of knowledge
a marked path.
예: I cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken. 1990. knotty 1979. killjoy
뜻: intricate; difficult; tangled
뜻: grouch; spoilsport
예: What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes
예: At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until
was simplicity itself.
that killjoy John started talking about how bad animal fats and cholesterol were for our health.
1991. kudos 뜻: honor; glory; praise
1980. kindle
예: The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from
뜻: start a fire; inspire
his entourage.
예: Her teacher's praise kindled a spark a hope inside her. 1981. kindred 뜻: related; similar in nature or character 예: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits.
L
1982. kinetic
1992. labile
뜻: producing motion
뜻: likely to change; unstable
예: Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest
예: Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits,
obstacle lies in the development of light and efficient storage
adolescents may become emotionally labile and experience sudden
batteries, the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the
shifts of mood.
vehicle. 1993. laborious 1983. kismet
뜻: demanding much work or care; tedious
뜻: fate
예: In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor
예: kismet is the Arabic word for "fate."
Johnson undertook a laborious task.
1984. kleptomaniac
1994. labyrinth
뜻: person who has a compulsive desire to steal
뜻: maze
예: They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac
예: Tom and Becky were lost in the labyrinth of secret caves.
when they caught her stealing some cheap trinkets. 1995. lacerate 1985. knavery
뜻: mangle; tear
뜻: rascality
예: Her body was lacerated in the automobile crash.
예: We cannot condone such knavery in public officials. 1996. lachrymose 1986. knead
뜻: producing tears
뜻: mix; work dough
예: His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a
예: Her hands grew strong from kneading bread.
funeral than a class reunion.
1987. knell
1997. lackadaisical
뜻: tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.;
뜻: affectedly languid
sound of the funeral bell
예: He was lackadaisical and indifferent about his part in the affair.
예: "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." 1998. lackluster 1988. knit
뜻: dull
뜻: contract into wrinkles
예: We were disappointed by the lackluster performance.
예: Whenever David worries, his brow knits in a frown. 1999. laconic
89
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: brief and to the point
뜻: pantry; place where food is kept
예: Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic
예: The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to
types: strong men of few words.
check what snacks his mother had in the larder.
2000. laggard
2012. largess
뜻: slow; sluggish
뜻: generous gift
예: The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out
예: Lady Bountiful distributed largess to the poor.
orders. 2013. lascivious 2001. lagoon
뜻: lustful
뜻: shallow body of water near a sea; lake
예: Because they might arouse lascivious impulses in their readers,
예: They enjoyed their swim in the calm lagoon.
the lewd books were banned by the clergy.
2002. laity
2014. lassitude
뜻: laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy
뜻: languor; weariness
예: The laity does not always understand the clergy's problems.
예: The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness.
2003. lambaste 뜻: beat; thrash verbally or physically
2015. latent
예: It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his opponent,
뜻: dormant; hidden
tearing into him mercilessly.
예: Her latent talent was discovered by accident.
2004. lament
2016. lateral
뜻: grieve; express sorrow
뜻: coming from the side
예: Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in
예: In order to get good plant growth, the gardener must pinch off all
combat.
lateral shoots.
2005. lampoon
2017. latitude
뜻: ridicule
뜻: freedom from narrow limitations
예: This article lampoons the pretensions of some movie moguls.
예: I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter.
2006. languid 뜻: weary; sluggish; listless
2018. laudable
예: Her siege of illness left her languid and pallid.
뜻: praiseworthy; commendable 예: His laudable deeds will be remarked by all whom he aided.
2007. languish 뜻: lose animation; lose strength
2019. laudatory
예: In stories, lovelorn damsels used to languish and pine away.
뜻: expressing praise 예: The critics' laudatory comments helped to make her a star.
2008. languor 뜻: lassitude; depression
2020. lavish
예: His friends tried to overcome the languor into which he had fallen
뜻: liberal; wasteful
by taking him to parties and to the theater.
예: The actor's lavish gifts pleased her.
2009. lank
2021. lax
뜻: long and thin
뜻: careless
예: lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln was a striking figure.
예: We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive.
2010. larceny
2022. leaven
뜻: theft
뜻: cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven
예: Because of the prisoner's record, the district attorney refused to
예: As bread dough is leavened, it puffs up, expanding in volume.
reduce the charge from grand larceny to petit larceny. 2023. lechery 뜻: gross lewdness; lustfulness
2011. larder
90
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not
emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls with sandbags.
mend his ways until middle age. 2035. levitate 2024. lectern
뜻: float in the air (especially by magical means)
뜻: reading desk
예: As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of
예: The chaplain delivered his sermon from a hastily improvised
his assistant, she appeared to rise and levitate about three feet
lectern.
above the table.
2025. leery
2036. levity
뜻: suspicious; cautious
뜻: lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity
예: Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh it
예: Stop giggling abd wriggling around in the pew; such levity is
is.
improper in church.
2026. leeway
2037. levy
뜻: room to move; margin
뜻: impose (a fine); collect (a payment)
예: When you set a deadline, allow a little leeway.
예: Crying "No taxation withouth representation," the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy taxes.
2027. legacy 뜻: a gift made by a will
2038. lewd
예: Part of my legacy from my parents is an album of family
뜻: lustful
photographs.
예: They found his lewd stories objectionable.
2028. legend
2039. lexicographer
뜻: explanatory list of symbols on a map
뜻: compiler of a dictionary
예: The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols
예: The new dictionary is the work of many lexicographers who spent
stood for rest areas along the highway and which stood for public
years compiling and editing the work.
camp sites. 2040. lexicon 2029. legerdemain
뜻: dictionary
뜻: sleight of hand
예: I cannot find this word in any lexicon in the library.
예: The magician demonstrated his renowned legerdemain. 2041. liability 2030. leniency
뜻: drawback; debts
뜻: mildness; permissiveness
예: Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a liability that she was
예: Considering the gravity of the offense, we were surprised by the
able to overcome.
leniency of the sentence. 2042. liaison 2031. leonine
뜻: officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary
뜻: like a lion
예: As the liason, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two
예: He was leonine in his rage.
armies.
2032. lethal
2043. libelous
뜻: deadly
뜻: defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person
예: It is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find
예: He sued the newspaper because of its libelous story.
them. 2044. libertine 뜻: debauched person, roue
2033. lethargic 뜻: drowsy; dull
예: Although she was aware of his reputation as a libertine, she felt
예: The stuffy room made her lethargic; she felt as if she was about
she could reform him and help him break his dissolute way of life.
to nod off. 2045. libidinous 2034. levee
뜻: lustful
뜻: earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding
예: They objected to his libidinous behavior.
예: As the river rose and threatened to overflow the levee,
91
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2046. libido
2058. linguistic
뜻: emotional urges behind human activity
뜻: pertaining to language
예: The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the libido often
예: The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as
resulted in maladjustment and neuroses.
English has become an almost universal language.
2047. libretto
2059. lionize
뜻: text of an opera
뜻: treat as a celebrity
예: The composer of an opera's music is remembered more
예: She enjoyed being lionized and adored by the public.
frequently than the author of its libretto. 2060. liquidate 2048. licentious
뜻: settle accounts; clear up
뜻: wanton; lewd; dissolute
예: He was able to liquidate all his debts in short period of time.
예: The licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall. 2061. list 뜻: tilt; lean over
2049. lien 뜻: legal claim on a property
예: That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead, it lists to one
예: There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late
side.
uncle's home; apparently, another claimant had a lien upon the estate.
2062. listless 뜻: lacking in spirit or energy
2050. ligneous
예: We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were
뜻: like wood
surprised by his listless attitude.
예: Petrified wood may be ligneous in appearance, but it is stonelike in composition.
2063. litany 뜻: supplicatory prayer
2051. lilliputian
예: On this solemn day, the congregation responded to the prayers
뜻: extremely small
of the priest during the litany with fervor and intensity.
예: Tiny and delicate, the model was built on a lilliputian scale. 2064. lithe 2052. limber
뜻: flexible; supple
뜻: flexible
예: Her figure was lithe and willowy.
예: Hours of ballet classes kept him limber. 2065. litigation 2053. limbo
뜻: lawsuit
뜻: region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept
예: Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start litigation.
예: Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and limbo. 2066. litotes 2054. limn
뜻: understatement for emphasis
뜻: draw; outline; describe
예: To say, "He little realizes," when we mean that he does not
예: Parodoxically, the more realistic the details this artist chooses,
realize at all, is an example of the kind of understatement we call
the better able to limn her fantastic, other-worldly landscapes.
litotes.
2055. limpid
2067. livid
뜻: clear
뜻: lead-coloredl; black and blue; ashen; enraged
예: A limpid stream ran through his property.
예: His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.
2056. lineage 뜻: descent; ancestry
2068. loath
예: He traced his lineage back to Mayflower days.
뜻: averse; reluctant 예: They were both loath for him to go.
2057. lineaments 뜻: features, especially of the face
2069. loathe
예: She quickly sketched the lineaments of his face.
뜻: detest 예: We loathed the wicked villain.
92
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: laughable; trifling 예: Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue.
2070. lode 뜻: metal-bearing vein 예: If this lode that we have discovered extends for any distance, we
2083. lugubrious
have found a fortune.
뜻: mournful 예: The lugabrious howling of the dogs added to our sadness.
2071. lofty 뜻: very high
2084. lull
예: They used to tease him about his lofty ambitions.
뜻: moment of calm 예: Not wanting to get wet, they waited under the awning for a lull in
2072. loiter
the rain.
뜻: hang around; linger 예: The policeman told him not to loiter in the alley.
2085. lumber
2073. loll
예: Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the bear lumbered
뜻: lounge about
through the woods.
뜻: move heavily of clumsily
예: They lolled around in their chairs watching television. 2086. lumen 2074. longevity
뜻: unit of light energy (one candle's worth)
뜻: long life
예: In buying light bulbs, she checked not only their power, as
예: When he reached ninety, the old man was proud of his longevity.
measured in watts, but their brightness, as measured in lumens.
2075. lope
2087. luminary
뜻: gallop slowly
뜻: celebrity; dignitary
예: As the horses loped along, we had an opportunity to admire the
예: A leading light of the American stage, Ethel Barrymore was a
ever-changing scenery.
theatrical luminary whose name lives on.
2076. loquacious
2088. luminous
뜻: talkative
뜻: shining; issuing light
예: She is very loquacious and can speak on the telephone for hours.
예: The sun is a luminous body.
2077. lout
2089. lunar
뜻: clumsy person
뜻: pertaining to the moon
예: The delivery boy is an awkward lout.
예: lunar craters can be plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope.
2078. low
2090. lurid
뜻: moo
뜻: wild; sensational
예: From the hilltop, they could see the herd like ants in the distance;
예: The lurid stories he told shocked his listeners.
they could barely hear the cattle low. 2091. lurk 2079. lucid
뜻: stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived
뜻: easily understood; clear; intelligible
예: "Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men? The shadow
예: Her explanation was lucid enought for a child to grasp.
knows."
2080. lucrative
2092. luscious
뜻: profitable
뜻: pleasing to taste or smell
예: He turned his hobby into a lucrative profession.
예: The ripe peach was luscious.
2081. lucre
2093. luster
뜻: money
뜻: shine; gloss
예: Preferring lucre to undying fame, he wrote stories of popular
예: The soft luster of the silk in the dim light was pleasing.
appeal. 2094. lustrous 뜻: shining
2082. ludicrous
93
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Her large and lustrous eyes gave a touch of beauty to an
예: The canoe was tossed about in the maelstrom.
otherwise drab face. 2105. magisterial 2095. luxuriant
뜻: authoritative; imperious
뜻: fertile; abundant; ornate
예: The learned doctor laid down the law to his patient in a
예: Farming was easy in this luxuriant soil.
magisterial tone of voice.
2096. laxative
2106. magnanimity
뜻: facilitating evacuation of the bowels
뜻: generosity
예: The effect of the constipation medicine is laxative; it empties the
예: Noted for his magnanimity, philanthropist Eugene Lang donated
bowels.
millions to charity. 2107. magnate 뜻: person of prominence or influence 예: The steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics. M 2108. magniloquent
2097. macabre
뜻: boastful, pompous
뜻: gruesome; grisly
예: In their stories of the trial, the reporters ridiculed the
예: The city morgue is a macabre spot for the uninitiated.
magniloquent speeches of the defense attorney.
2098. mace
2109. magnitude
뜻: ceremonial staff; clublike medieval weapon
뜻: greatness; extent
예: The Grand Marshal of the parade raised his mace to signal that it
예: It is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of his crime.
was time for the procession to begin. 2110. maim 2099. macerate
뜻: mutilate; injure
뜻: soften by soaking in liquid; waste away
예: The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or
예: The strawberries had been soaking in the champagn for so long
maimed in the railroad accident.
that they had begun to macerate: they literally fell apart at the touch of a spoon.
2111. maladroit 뜻: clumsy; bungling
2100. machiavellian
예: In his usual maladroit way, he managed to upset the cart and
뜻: crafty; double-dealing
spill the food.
예: I do not think he will be a good embassador because he is not accustomed to the machiavellian maneuverings of foreign diplomats.
2112. malaise 뜻: uneasiness; distress
2101. machinations
예: She felt a sudden vague malaise when she heard sounds at the
뜻: schemes
door.
예: I can see through your wily machinations. 2113. malapropism 2102. maculated
뜻: comic misuse of a word
뜻: spotted; stained
예: When Mrs. Malaprop criticizes Lydia for being "as headstrong as
예: Instead of writing that Gorbachev had a birthmark on his
an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she confuses "allegory" and
forehead, the pompous young poet sang of the former premier's
"allegator" in a typical malapropism.
maculated brow. 2114. malcontent 2103. madrigal
뜻: person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs
뜻: pastoral song
예: He was one of the few malcontents in the Congress; he
예: His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he
constantly voiced his objections to the Presidential program.
sang to the accompaniment of a lute. 2115. malediction 2104. maelstrom
뜻: curse
뜻: whirlpool
예: The witch uttered maledictions against her captors.
94
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The police immediately manacled the prisoner so he could not 2116. malefactor
escape.
뜻: criminal 예: We must try to bring these malefactors to justice.
2128. mandate 뜻: order; charge
2117. malevolent
예: In his inaugural address, the President stated that he had a
뜻: wishing evil
mandate from the people to seek an end to social evils such as
예: We must thwart his malevolent schemes.
poverty and poor housing.
2118. malfeasance
2129. mandatory
뜻: wrongdoing
뜻: obligatory
예: The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's
예: These instructions are mandatory; any violation will be severely
malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had
punished.
embezzled. 2130. mangy 2119. malicious
뜻: shabby; wretched
뜻: dictated by hatred or spite
예: We finally thew out the mangy rug that the dog had destroyed.
예: The malicious neighbor spread the gossip. 2131. maniacal 2120. malign
뜻: raving mad
뜻: speak evil of; defame
예: His maniacal laughter frightened us.
예: Because of her hatred of the family, she maligns all who are friendly to them.
2132. manifest 뜻: understandable; clear 예: His evil intentions were manifest and yet we could not stop him.
2121. malignant 뜻: having an evil influence; virulent 예: This is a malignant disease; we must have to use drastic
2133. manifestation
measures to stop its spread.
뜻: outward demonstration; indication 예: Mozart's early attraction to the harsichord was the first
2122. malingerer
manifestation of his pronounced musical bent.
뜻: one who feigns illness to escape duty 예: The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and
2134. manifesto
force them to work.
뜻: declaration; statement of policy 예: The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the
2123. malleable
principles of modern communism.
뜻: capable of being shaped by pounding 예: Gold is a malleable metal.
2135. manifold 뜻: numerous; varied
2124. malodorous
예: I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your manifold
뜻: foul-smelling
kindnesses.
예: The component heap was most malodorous in summer. 2136. manipulate 2125. mammal
뜻: operate with the hands; control or change by artful means
뜻: vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young
예: How do you manipulate these puppets?
예: Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal.
2137. mannered 뜻: affected; not natural
2126. mammoth
예: Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby
뜻: gigantic
adopted a mannered, artificial way of speech.
예: The mammoth corporations of the twentieth century are a mixed blessing
2138. manumit
2127. manacle
예: Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves
뜻: restrain; handcuff
and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country.
뜻: emancipate; free from bondage
95
Barron’s GRE Master Words emphasizes the needs of the soul. 2139. marital 뜻: pertaining to marriage
2150. maternal
예: After the publication of his book on marital affairs, he was often
뜻: motherly
consulted by married people on the verge of divorce.
예: Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.
2140. maritime 뜻: bordering on the sea; nautical
2151. matriarch
예: The maritime Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth.
뜻: woman who rules a family or larger social group 예: The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.
2141. marked 뜻: noticeable; targeted for vengeance
2152. martrix
예: He walked with a marked limp, a souvenir of an old IRA attack.
뜻: point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold
As British ambassador, he knew he was a marked man.
or die 예: Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the matrix of the
2142. marred
Western civilization.
뜻: damaged; disfigured 예: She had to refinish the marred surface of the table.
2153. maudlin 뜻: effusively sentimental 예: I do not like such maudlin pictures. I call them tearjerkers.
2143. marshal 뜻: put in order 예: At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a
2154. maul
minute or two to marshal their thoughts before addressing their
뜻: handle roughly
audience.
예: The rock star was mauled by his overexcited fans.
2144. marsupial
2155. mausoleum
뜻: one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a
뜻: monumental tomb
pouch
예: His body was placed in the family mausolem.
예: The most common marsupial in North America is the opposum. 2156. mauve 2145. martial
뜻: pale purple
뜻: warlike
예: The mauve tint in the lilac bush was another indication that spring
예: The sound of marital music was always inspiring to the young
had finally arrived.
poet. 2157. maverick 2146. martinet
뜻: rebel; nonconformist
뜻: strict disciplinarian
예: To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her
예: The commanding officer was a martinet who observed each
insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a
regulation to the ltter.
maverick who fought her proper womanly role.
2147. masochist
2158. mawkish
뜻: person who enjoys his own pain
뜻: sickening; insipid
예: The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I
예: Your mawkish sighs fill me with disgust.
won't." 2159. maxim 2148. masticate
뜻: proverb; a truth pithily stated
뜻: chew
예: Aesop's fables illustrate moral maxims.
예: We must masticate our food carefully and slowly in order to avoid digestive disorders.
2160. mayhem 뜻: injury to the body
2149. materialism
예: The riot was marked not only by mayhem, with its attendant loss
뜻: preoccupation with physical comforts and things
of life and limb, but also by arson and pillage.
예: By its nature, materialism is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body, the idealist
2161. meager
96
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: scanty; inadequate 예: His salary was far too meager for him to afford to buy a new car.
2173. memento 뜻: token; reminder 예: Take this book as a memento of your visit.
2162. mealymouthed 뜻: indirect speech; hypocritical; evasive 예: Rather than tell Jill directly what he disliked, Jack made a few
2174. memorialize
mealymouthed comments and tried to change the subject.
뜻: commemorate 예: Let us memorialize his great contribution by dedicating this library
2163. meander
in his honor.
뜻: to wind or turn in its course 예: It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders
2175. mendacious
through the countryside.
뜻: lying; false 예: He was pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his
2164. meddlesome
mendacious stories.
뜻: interfering 예: He felt his marriage was suffering because of his meddlesome
2176. mendicant
mother-in-law.
뜻: beggar 예: From the moment we left the ship, we were surrounded by
2165. mediate
mendicants and peddlers.
뜻: settle a dispute through the services of an outsider 예: Let us mediate out differences rather than engage in a costly
2177. menial
strike.
뜻: suitable for sevants; low 예: I cannot understand why a person of your ability and talent
2166. mediocre
should engage in such menial activities.
뜻: ordinary; commonplace 예: We were disappointed because he gave a rather mediocre
2178. mentor
performance in this role.
뜻: counselor; teacher 예: During this very trying period, she could not have had a better
2167. meditation
mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.
뜻: reflection; thought 예: She reached her decision only after much meditation.
2179. mercantile
2168. medley
예: I am more interested in the opportunites available in the
뜻: mixture
mercantile field than I am in those in the legal profession.
뜻: concerning trade
예: The band played a medley of Gershwin tunes. 2180. mercenary 2169. meek
뜻: motivated solely by money or gain
뜻: submissive; patient and long-suffering
예: "I'm not in this war because I get my kicks waving flags," said the
예: Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy
mercenary soldier. "I'm in it for the dough."
him by eloping with her suitor. 2181. mercurial 2170. megalomania
뜻: fickle; changing
뜻: mania for doing grandiose things
예: He was of a mercurial temperament and therefore unpredictable.
예: Developers who spend millions trying to build the world's tallest skyscraper suffer from megalomania.
2182. meretricious 뜻: flashy; tawdry; falsely attractive 예: Her jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious.
2171. melee 뜻: fight 예: The captain tried to ascertain the cause of the melee that had
2183. merger 뜻: combination (of two business corporations)
broken out among the crew members.
예: When the firm's president married the director of financial 2172. mellifluous
planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage, it was a
뜻: flowing smoothly; smooth
merger.
예: Italian is a mellifluous language.
97
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2184. mesmerize 뜻: hypnotize
2195. miasma
예: The incessant drone seemed to mesmerize him and place him in
뜻: swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating
a trance.
from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence 예: The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome,
2185. metallurgical
reeking of decay, it was a visible miasma.
뜻: pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores 예: During the course of his metallurgical research, the scientist
2196. microcosm
developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength.
뜻: small world 예: In the microcosm of our rural village, we find illustrations of all the
2186. metamorphosis
evils that beset the universe.
뜻: change of form 예: The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many
2197. migrant 뜻: changing its habitat; wandering
such changes in animal life.
예: These migrant birds return every spring. 2187. metaphor 뜻: implied comparison
2198. migratory
예: "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an
뜻: wandering
eagle in flight," is a metaphor.
예: The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring.
2188. metaphysical 뜻: pertaining to speculative philosophy
2199. milieu
예: The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the
뜻: environment; means of expression
metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century for many of their
예: His milieu is watercolors, although he has produced excellent oil
images.
paintings and lithographs.
2189. mete
2200. militant
뜻: measure; distribute
뜻: combative; bellicose
예: He tried to be impartial in his efforts to mete out justice.
예: Althoughat this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more militant attitude.
2190. meteoric 뜻: swift; momentarily brilliant
2201. militate
예: We all wondered at his meteoric rise to fame.
뜻: work against 예: Your record of lateness and absence will militate against your
2191. methodical
chances of promotion.
뜻: systematic 예: An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his
2202. millenium
financial records.
뜻: thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity 예: I do not expect the milennium to come during my lifetime.
2192. meticulous 뜻: excessively careful
2203. mimicry
예: He was meticulous in checking his accounts and never made
뜻: imitation
mistakes.
예: Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.
2193. metropolis 뜻: large city
2204. minatory
예: Every evening this terminal is filled with the thousands of
뜻: menacing; threatening
commuters who are going from this metropolis to their homes in the
예: Jabbing a minatory forefinger at Dorothy, the Wicked Witch cried,
suburbs.
"I'll get you, and your little dog, too!"
2194. mettle
2205. mincing
뜻: courage; spirit
뜻: affectedly dainty
예: When challenged by the other horses in the race, the
예: Yum-Yum walked across the stage with mincing steps.
thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.
98
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2206. minion
2218. misconstrue
뜻: a servile dependent
뜻: interpret incorrectly; misjudge
예: He was always accompanied by several of his minions because
예: She took the passage seriously rather than humourously
he enjoyed their subservience and flattery.
because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone.
2207. minuscule
2219. miscreant
뜻: extremely small
뜻: wretch; villain
예: Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a
예: His kindness to the miscreant amazed all of us who had
chance for success?
expected to hear severe punishment pronounced.
2208. minute
2220. misdemeanor
뜻: extremely small
뜻: minor crime
예: The twins resembled one another closely; only minute
예: The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial
differences set them apart.
for a felony.
2209. minutiae
2221. miserly
뜻: petty details
뜻: stingy; mean
예: She would have liked to ignore the minutiae of daily living.
예: The miserly old man hoarded his coins not out of prudence but out of greed.
2210. mirage 뜻: unreal reflection; optical illusion
2222. misgivings
예: The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.
뜻: doubts 예: Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence
2211. mire
with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil.
뜻: entangle; stick in swampy ground 예: Their rear wheels became mired in mud.
2223. mishap 뜻: accident 예: With a little care you could have avoided this mishap.
2212. mirth 뜻: merriment; laughter 예: Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's mirth improper.
2224. misnomer 뜻: wrong name; incorrect designation
2213. misadventure
예: His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric
뜻: mischance; ill luck
the Just, was a misnomer.
예: The young explorer met death by misadventure. 2225. misogamy 2214. misanthrope
뜻: hatred of marriage
뜻: one who hates mankind
예: He remained a bachelor not because of misogamy but because
예: We thought the hermit was a miantrope because he shunned our
of ill fate: his fiancee died before the wedding.
society. 2226. misogynist 2215. misapprehension
뜻: hater of women
뜻: error; misunderstanding
예: She accused him of being a misogynist because he had been a
예: To avoid msapprehension, I am going to ask all of you to repeat
bachelor all his life.
the instructions I have given. 2227. missile 2216. miscellany
뜻: object to be thrown or projected
뜻: mixture of writings on various subjects
예: Scientists are experimenting with guided missiles.
예: This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.
2228. missive 뜻: letter 예: The ambassador received a missive from the Secretary of State.
2217. mischance 뜻: ill luck 예: By mischance, he lost his week's salary.
2229. mite 뜻: very small object or creature; small coin
99
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Gnats are annoying mites that sing.
2242. molten
2230. mitigate
예: The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by
뜻: appease
molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.
뜻: melted
예: Nothing he did could mitigate her wrath; she was unforgiving. 2243. momentous 2231. mnemonic
뜻: very important
뜻: pertaining to memory
예: On this momentous occasion, we must be very solemn.
예: He used mnemonic tricks to master new words. 2244. momentum 2232. mobile
뜻: quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus
뜻: movable; not fixed
예: The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill.
예: The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today.
2245. monarchy 뜻: government under a single hereditary ruler with varying
2233. mode
degrees of power
뜻: prevailing style
예: England today remains a monarchy.
예: She was not used to their lavish mode of living. 2246. monastic 2234. modicum
뜻: related to monks
뜻: limited quantity
예: Wanting to live a religious life, he took his monastic vows.
예: Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious.
2247. monetary 뜻: pertaining to money
2235. modish
예: Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary
뜻: fashionable
decisions affecting the household.
예: She always discarded all garments that were no longer modish. 2248. monochromatic 2236. modulation
뜻: having only one color
뜻: toning down; changing from one key to another
예: Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several
예: When we she spoke, it was with quiet modulation of voice.
colors; some, however, have a truly monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray.
2237. mogul 뜻: powerful person
2249. monolithic
예: The oil moguls made great profits when the price of gasoline rose.
뜻: solidly uniform; unyielding 예: Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots
2238. molecule
sought to present a monolithic front.
뜻: the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
2250. monotheism
예: In chemistry, we study how atoms and molcules react to form
뜻: belief in one God
new substances.
예: Abraham was the first to proclaim his belief in monotheism.
2239. mollify
2251. monotony
뜻: soothe
뜻: sameness leading to boredom
예: We tried to mollify the hysterical child by promising her many gifts.
예: He took a clerical job, but soon grew to hate the monotony of his daily routine.
2240. mollycoddle 뜻: pamper; indulge excessively
2252. monumental
예: Don't mollycoddle the boy, Maud! You'll spoil him.
뜻: massive 예: Writing a dictionary is a monumental task.
2241. molt 뜻: shed or cast off hair or feathers
2253. moodiness
예: The male robin molted in the spring.
뜻: fits of depression or gloom 예: We could not discover the cause of her recurrent moodiness.
100
Barron’s GRE Master Words
2254. moratorium
2266. motley
뜻: legal delay of payment
뜻: parti-colored; mixed
예: If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six
예: The captain had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel.
months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills. 2267. mottled 2255. morbid
뜻: spotted
뜻: given to unwholesome thought; gloomy
예: When he blushed, his face took on a mottled hue.
예: These morbid speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our spirits by emphasizing more pleasant matters.
2268. mountebank 뜻: charlatan; boastful pretender 예: The patent medicine man was a mountebank.
2256. mordant 뜻: biting; sarcastic; stinging 예: Actors feared the critic's mordant pen.
2269. muddle 뜻: confuse; mix up 예: His thoughts were muddled and chaotic.
2257. mores 뜻: customs 예: The mores of Mexico are those of Spain with some modifications.
2270. muggy 뜻: warm and damp 예: August in New York City is often muggy.
2258. moribund 뜻: at the point of death 예: The doctors called the family to the bedside of the moribund
2271. mulct
patient.
뜻: defraud a person of something 예: The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy.
2259. morose 뜻: ill-humored; sullen
2272. multifarious
예: When we first meet Hamlet, we find him morose and depressed.
뜻: varied; greatly diversified 예: A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the
2260. mortician
multifarious activities of her daily life.
뜻: undertaker 예: The mortician prepared the corpse for burial.
2273. multiform
2261. mortify
예: Snowflakes are multiform but always hexagonal.
뜻: having many forms 뜻: humiliate; punish the flesh 예: She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in
2274. multilingual
tears.
뜻: having many languages 예: Because they are bordered by so many countries, the Swiss
2262. mosaic
people are multilingual.
뜻: picture made of smell, colorful inlaid tiles 예: The mayor compared the ciry to a beautiful mosaic made up of
2275. multiplicity
people of every race and religion on earth.
뜻: state of being numerous 예: He was appalled by the multuplicity of details he had to complete
2263. mote
before setting out on his mission.
뜻: small speck 예: The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful.
2276. mundane 뜻: worldly as opposed to spiritual
2264. motif
예: He was concerned only with mundane matters, especially the
뜻: theme
daily stock market quotations.
예: This simple motif runs throughout the score. 2277. munificent 2265. motility
뜻: very generous
뜻: ability to move spontaneously
예: The munificent gift was presented to the bride by her rich uncle.
예: Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest.
2278. murkiness
101
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: darkness; gloom
예: The millinery displayed fashionable hats in the street where many
예: The murkiness and fog of the waterfront that evening depressed
women passed by.
me. 2279. muse 뜻: ponder 예: For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene, but his
N
thought soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems. 2291. nadir 2280. musky
뜻: lowest point
뜻: having the odor of musk
예: Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones averages had
예: She left a trace of musky perfume behind her.
reached their nadir and would soon begin an upward surge.
2281. muster
2292. naivete
뜻: gather; assemble
뜻: quality of being unsophisticated 예: I cannot believe that such naivete is unassumed in a person of
예: Washington mustered his forces at Trenton.
her age and experience. 2282. musty 뜻: stale; spoiled by age
2293. narcissist
예: The attic was dark and musty.
뜻: conceited person 예: A narcissist is his own best friend.
2283. mutable 뜻: changing in form; fickle
2294. narrative
예: His opinion were mutable and easily influenced by anyone who
뜻: related to telling a story
had any powers of persuasion.
예: A born teller of tales, Olsen used her impressive narrative skills to advantage in her story "I Stand Here Ironing."
2284. muted 뜻: silent; muffled; toned down
2295. nascent
예: In the funeral parlor, the mourners' voices had a muted quality.
뜻: incipient; coming into being 예: If we could identify these revolutionary movements in their
2285. mutilate
nascent state, we would be able to eliminate serious trouble in later
뜻: maim
years.
예: The torturer threatened to mutilate his victim. 2296. natation 2286. mutinous
뜻: swimming
뜻: unruly; rebellious
예: The Red Cross emphasizes the need for courses in natation.
예: The captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew. 2297. natty 뜻: neatly or smartly dresssed
2287. myopic 뜻: nearsighted
예: Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy
예: In thinking only of your present needs and ignoring the future,
Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties.
you are being rather myopic. 2298. nauseate 2288. myriad
뜻: cause to become sick; fill with disgust
뜻: very large number
예: The foul smells began to nauseate him.
예: myriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village 2299. nautical
every twilight.
뜻: pertaining to ships or navigation 2289. mutter
예: The Maritime Museum contains many models of clipper ships,
뜻: murmur or grumble
logbooks, anchors and many other items of a nautical nature.
예: The child muttered at the doll. 2300. nebulous 2290. millinery
뜻: vague; hazy; cloudy
뜻: person who makes or sells women's hats
예: She had only a nebulous memory of her grandmother's face.
102
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: connection 2301. necromancy
예: I fail to see the nexus that binds these two widely separated
뜻: black magic; dealings with the dead
events.
예: Because he was able to perform feats of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil.
2313. nib 뜻: beak; pen point 예: The nibs of fountain pens often become clotted and corroded.
2302. nefarious 뜻: very wicked 예: He was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds.
2314. nicety 뜻: precision; minute distinction 예: I cannot distinguish between such niceties of reasoning.
2303. negation 뜻: denial 예: I must accept his argument since you have been unable to
2315. niggardly 뜻: meanly stingy; parsimonious
present any negation of his evidence.
예: The niggardly pittance the widow receives from the government 2304. negligence
cannot keep her from poverty.
뜻: carelessness 예: negligence can prove costly near complicated machinery.
2316. niggle 뜻: spend too much time on minor points; carp 예: Let's not niggle over details.
2305. negligible 뜻: so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded 예: Because the damage to his car had been negligible, Michael
2317. nihilism
decided he wouldn't bother to report the matter to his insurance
뜻: denial of traditional values; total skepticism
company.
예: nihilism holds that existence has no meaning.
2306. nemesis
2318. nirvana
뜻: revenging agent
뜻: Buddihist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual
예: Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis.
loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude 예: Despite his desire to achieve nirvana, the young Buddhist found
2307. neologism
that even the buzzing of a fly could distract him from his meditation.
뜻: new or newly coined word or phrase 예: As we invent new techniques and professions, we must also
2319. nocturnal
invent neologisms such as "microcomputer" and "astronaut" to
뜻: done at night 예: Mr. Jones obtained a watchdog to prevent the nocturnal raids on
describe them.
his chicken coops. 2308. neophyte 뜻: recent convert; beginner
2320. noisome
예: This monuntain slope contains slides that will challenge esperts
뜻: foul smelling; unwholesome
as well as neophytes.
예: I never could stand the noisome atmosphere surrounding the slaughter houses.
2309. nepotism 뜻: favoritism (to a relative)
2321. nomadic
예: John left his position with the company because he felt that
뜻: wandering
advancement was based on nepotism rather than ability.
예: Several nomadic tribes of Indians would hunt in this area each year.
2310. nether 뜻: lower
2322. nomenclature
예: Tradition locates hell in the nether regions.
뜻: terminology; system of names 예: She struggled to master scientific nomenclature.
2311. nettle 뜻: annoy; vex
2323. nominal
예: Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks.
뜻: in name only; trifling 예: He offered to drive her to the airport for only a nominal fee.
2312. nexus
103
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2324. nonchalance 뜻: indifference; lack of interest
2335. nuance
예: Few people could understand how he could listen to the news of
뜻: shade of difference in meaning or color
the tragedy with such nonchalance; the mahority regarded him as
예: The unskilled eye of the layperson has difficulty in dicerning the
callous and unsympathetic.
nuances of color in the paintings.
2325. noncommittal
2336. nubile
뜻: neutral; unpledged; undecided
뜻: marrigeable
예: We were annoyed by his noncommittal reply for we had been led
예: Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried
to expect definite assurances of his approval.
about finding suitable husbands for her five nubile daughters.
2326. nondescript
2337. nugatory
뜻: undistinctive; ordinary
뜻: futile; worthless
예: The private detective was a short, nondescript fellow with no
예: This agreement is nugatory for no court will enforce it.
ourstanding features, the sort of person one would never notice in a crowd.
2338. nullify 뜻: to make invalid 예: Once the contract was nullified, it no longer had any legal force.
2327. nonentity 뜻: person of no importance; nonexistence 예: Don't dismiss John as a nonentity; in his quiet way, he's very
2339. numismatist
important to the firm.
뜻: person who collects coins 예: The numismatist had a splendid collection of antique coins.
2328. nonplus 뜻: bring to a halt by confusion; perplex
2340. nuptial
예: Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her
뜻: related to marriage
uncertain how to react.
예: Their nuptial ceremony was performed in Golden Gate Park.
2329. nostalgia
2341. nurture
뜻: homesickness; longing for the past
뜻: nourish; educate; foster
예: The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little
예: The head Start program attempts to nurture prekindergarten
time for nostalgia.
children so that they will do well when they enter public school.
2330. nostrum
2342. nutrient
뜻: questionable medicine
뜻: nourishing substance
예: No quack selling nostrums is going to cheat me.
예: As a budding nutritionist, Kim has learned to design diets that contain foods rich in important basic nutrients.
2331. notoriety 뜻: disrepute; ill fame 예: To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if she couldn't have a good reputation, she'd settle for notoriety. O 2332. novelty 뜻: something new; newness
2343. oaf
예: The computer is no longer a novelty around the office.
뜻: stupid, awkward person 예: He called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf.
2333. novice 뜻: beginner
2344. obdurate
예: Even a novice can do good work if he follows these simple
뜻: stubborn
directions.
예: He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints.
2334. noxious
2345. obeisance
뜻: harmful
뜻: bow
예: We must trace the source of these noxious gases before they
예: She made an obeisance as the king and queen entered the room.
asphyxiate us.
104
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2346. obelisk
뜻: dark; vague; unclear
뜻: tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid
예: Even after I read the poem a fourth time, its meaning was still
예: Cleopatra's Needle is an obelisk in New York City's Central Park.
obscure.
2347. obese
2359. obscure
뜻: excessively fat
뜻: darken; make unclear
예: It is advisable that obese people try to lose weight.
예: At times he seemed purposely to obscure his meaning, preferring mystery to clarity.
2348. obfuscate 뜻: confuse; muddle
2360. obsequious
예: Do not obfuscate the issues by dragging in irrelevant arguments.
뜻: slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic 예: Helen valued people who behaved as if they respected
2349. obituary
themselves; nothing irritated her more than an excessively
뜻: dealth notice
obsequious waiter or a fawning salesclerk.
예: I first learned of her death when I read the obituary in the newspaper.
2361. obsequy 뜻: funeral ceremony 예: Hundreads paid their last respects at his obsequies.
2350. objective 뜻: not influenced by emotions; fair 예: Even though he was her son, she tried to be objective about his
2362. obsession
behavior.
뜻: fixed idea; continued brooding 예: This obsession with the supernatural has made him unpopular
2351. objective
with his neighbors.
뜻: goal; aim 예: A degree in medicine was her ultimate objective.
2363. obsidian 뜻: clak volcanic rock
2352. obligatory
예: The deposits of obsidian on the mountain slopes were an
뜻: binding; required
indiacation that volcano had erupted in ancient times.
예: It is obligatory that books borrowed from the library be returned within two weeks.
2364. obsolete 뜻: outmoded
2353. oblique
예: "Hip" is an obsolete expression; it went out with love beads and
뜻: slanting; deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight
tie-dye shirts.
line 예: The sergeant ordered the men to march "oblique right."
2365. obstetrician
2354. obliterate
예: Unlike midwives, who care for women giving birth at home,
뜻: destroy completely
obstetricians generally work in a hospital setting.
뜻: physician specializing in delivery of babies
예: The tidal wave obliterated several island villages. 2366. obstinate 2355. oblivion
뜻: stubborn
뜻: forgetfulness
예: We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was
예: Her work had fallen into a state of oblivion; no one bothered to
obstinate and refused to change.
read them. 2367. obstreperous 2356. obloquy
뜻: boisterous; noisy
뜻: slander; disgrace; infamy
예: The crowd became obstreperous and shouted their disapproval
예: I resent the obloquy that you are casting upon my reputation.
of the proposals made by the speaker.
2357. obnoxious
2368. obtrusive
뜻: offensive
뜻: pushing forward
예: I find your behavior obnoxious; please mend your ways.
예: I found her a very obstrusive person, constantly seeking the center of the stage.
2358. obscure
105
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2369. obtuse
the ring.
뜻: blunt; stupid 예: Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's
2381. offhand
reasoning and asked foolish questions.
뜻: casual; done without prior thought 예: Expecting to be treated with due propriety by her costs, Great-
2370. obviate
Aunt Maud was offended by their offhand manner.
뜻: make unnecessary; get rid of 예: I hope this contribution will obviate any need for further
2382. officious
collections of funds.
뜻: meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services 예: After her long flight, Jill just wanted to nap, but the officious
2371. occident
bellboy was intent on showing her all the special features of the
뜻: the West
deluxe suite.
예: It will take occident to understand the ways and customs of the orient.
2383. ogle 뜻: glance coquettishly at; make eyes at
2372. occlude
예: Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would
뜻: shut; close
oggle the young girls and recall his youthful romances.
예: A blood clot occluded an artery to the heart. 2384. olfactory 2373. occult
뜻: concerning the sense of smell
뜻: mysterious; secret; supernatural
예: The olfactory organ is the nose.
예: The occult rites of the organization were revealed only to members.
2385. oligarchy
2374. oculist
예: The feudal oligarchy was supplanted by an autocracy.
뜻: government by a few 뜻: physician who specialized in treatment of the eyes 예: In many states, an oculist is the only one who may apply
2386. ominous
medicinal drops to the eyes for the purpose of examining them.
뜻: threatening 예: Those clouds are ominous; they suggest that a severe storm is
2375. odious
on the way.
뜻: hateful 예: I find the task of punishing you most odious.
2387. omnipotent 뜻: all-powerful
2376. odium
예: The monarch regarded himself as omnipotent and responsible to
뜻: repugnance; dislike
no one for his acts.
예: I cannot express the odium I feel at your heinous actions. 2388. omnipresent 2377. odoriferous
뜻: universally present; ubiquitous
뜻: giving off an odor
예: On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is omnipotent.
예: The odoriferous spices stimulated her jaded appetite. 2389. omniscient 2378. odorous
뜻: all-knowing
뜻: having an odor
예: I do not pretend to be omniscient, but I am positive about this fact.
예: This variety of hybrid tea rose is more odorous than the one you have in your garden.
2390. omnivorous
2379. odyssey
예: Some animals, including humans, are omnivorous and eat both
뜻: long, evenful journey
meat and vegetables; others are either carnivorous or herbivorous.
뜻: eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
예: The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying odyssey. 2391. onerous 2380. offensive
뜻: burdensome
뜻: attacking; insulting; distasteful
예: He asked for an assistant because his work load was too
예: Getting into street brawls is no minor offense for professional
onerous.
boxers, who are required by law to restrict their offensive impulses to
106
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2392. onomatopoeia
2403. optimum
뜻: words formed in imitation of natural sounds
뜻: most favorable
예: Words like "rustle" and "gargle" are illustrations of onomatopoeia.
예: If you wait for the optimum moment to act, you may never begin your project .
2393. onslaught 뜻: vicious assault
2404. optional
예: We suffered many casualties during unexpected onslaght of the
뜻: not compulsory; left to one's choice
enemy troops.
예: I was impressed by the range of optional accessories for my microcomputer that were available.
2394. onus 뜻: burden; responsibility
2405. optometrist
예: The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender
뜻: one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals.
예: Although an optometrist is qualified to treat many eye disorders, she may not use medicinesor surgery in her examinations.
2395. opalescent 뜻: iridescent
2406. opulence
예: The Ancient Mariner admired the opalescent sheen on the water.
뜻: extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
2396. opaque
away.
예: The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath 뜻: dark; not transparent 예: The opaque window kept the sunlight out of the room.
2407. opus 뜻: work
2397. opiate
예: Although many critics hailed his Fifth Symphony, he did not
뜻: sleep producer; deadener of pain
regard it as his major opus.
예: By such opiates, she made the people forget their difficulties and accept their unpleasant circumstances.
2408. oracular 뜻: foretelling; mysterious 예: Oedipus could not understand the oracular warning he received.
2398. opportune 뜻: timely; well chosen 예: You have come at an opportune moment for I need a new
2409. oratorio
secretary.
뜻: dramatic poem set to music 예: The Glee Club decided to present an oratorio during their recital.
2399. opportunist 뜻: individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking
2410. ordain
advantage of circumstances
뜻: command; arrange; consecrate
예: Forget about ethics! He's such an opportunist that he'll vote in
예: The king ordained that no foreigner should be allowed to enter
favor of any deal that will give him a break.
the city.
2400. opprobrium
2411. ordeal
뜻: infamy; vilification
뜻: severe trial or affliction
예: He refused to defend himself against the slander and opprobrium
예: Terry Anderson spoke movingly of his long ordeal as a hostage
hurled against him by the newspapers; he preferred to rely on his
in Lebanon.
record. 2412. ordinance 2401. optician
뜻: decree
뜻: maker and seller of eyeglasses
예: Passing a red light is a violation of a city ordinance.
예: The patient took the prescription given him by his oculist to the optician.
2413. ordination 뜻: ceremony conferring holy orders
2402. optimist
예: The candidate for ordination had to meet with the bishop and the
뜻: person who looks on the bright side
diocean officers before being judged ready to be ordained a deacon.
예: The pessimist says the glass is half-empty; the optimist says it is half-full.
2414. orient 뜻: get one's bearings; adjust
107
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Philip spent his first day in Denver orienting himself to the city.
2425. ostentatious 뜻: showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention
2415. orientation
예: Trump's latest casino in Atlantic City is the most ostentatious
뜻: act of finding oneself in society
gambling place in the East: it easily outglitters its competitors.
예: Freshman orientation provides the incoming students with an opportunity to learn about their new environment and their place in it.
2426. ostracize 뜻: exclude from public favor; ban
2416. orifice
예: As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection
뜻: mouthlike opening; small opening
with the criminals, his friends began to ostracize him.
예: The Howe Caverns were discovered when someone observed that a cold wind was issuing from an orifice in the hillside.
2427. oust 뜻: expel; drive out
2417. ornate
예: The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from
뜻: excessively or elaborately decorated
office.
예: Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its ornate carvings.
2428. outlandish 뜻: bizzare; peculiar; unconventional
2418. ornithologist
예: The eccentric professor who engages in markedly outlandish
뜻: scientific student of birds
behavior is a stock figure in novels with an academic setting.
예: Auduborn's drawings of American bird life have been of interest not only to the ornithologists but also to the general public.
2429. outmoded 뜻: no longer stylish; old-fahioned
2419. orthodox
예: Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy
뜻: traditional; conservative in belief
to wear outmoded clothes as long as they were clean and unfrayed.
예: Faced with a problem, he preferred to take an orthodox approach rather than shock anyone.
2430. outskirts 뜻: fringes; outer borders
2420. orthography
예: Living outskirts of Boston, Sarah sometimes felt as if she were
뜻: correct spelling
cut off from the cultural heart of the city.
예: Many of us find English orthography difficult to master because so many of our words are written phonetically.
2431. outspoken 뜻: candid; blunt
2421. oscillate
예: The candidate was too outspoken to be a successful politician;
뜻: vibrate pendulumlike; waver
he had not yet learned to weigh his words carefully.
예: It is interesting to note how public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism and pessimism.
2432. outrtip 뜻: surpass; outdo
2422. osseus
예: Jesse Owens easily outstripped his competitors to win the gold
뜻: made of bone; bony
metal at the Olympic Games.
예: The hollow "soft spot" found at the top of the infant's skull gradually closes as new osseus tissue fills in the gap.
2433. outwit
2423. ossify
예: By disguising himself as an old woman, Holmes was able to
뜻: change or harden into bone
outwit his pursuers and escape capture.
뜻: outsmart; trick
예: When he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had ossified and that he was not capable of clear
2434. ovation
thinking.
뜻: enthusiastic applause 예: When Placido Domingo came on stage in the first act of La
2424. ostensible
Boheme, he was greeted by a tremendous ovation.
뜻: apparent; professed; pretended 예: Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover
2435. overbearing
new lands, we are really interested in finding new markets for our
뜻: bossy; arrogant; decisively important
products.
예: Certain of her own importance and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably overbearing in manner.
108
Barron’s GRE Master Words "In choosing a husband," she said, "good birth is of overbearing
efforts on the part of our research staff.
importance; compared to that, neither wealth nor talent signifi 예: e 2446. palatable 2436. overt
뜻: agreeable; pleasing to the taste
뜻: open to view
예: Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked
예: According to the United States Constitution, a person must
casseroles were palatable to me.
commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason. 2447. palatial 2437. overweening
뜻: magnificent
뜻: presumptuous; arrogant
예: He proudly showed us through his palatial home.
예: His overweening pride in his accomplishments was not justified. 2448. paleontology 2438. overwrought
뜻: study of prehistoric life
뜻: extremely agitated; hysterical
예: The professor of paleontology had a superb collection of fossils.
예: When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too overwrought to work and had to leave the office early.
2449. palette 뜻: board on which a painter mixes pigments
2439. ovoid
예: At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper palette
뜻: egg-shaped
that may be discarded after use.
예: At Easter she had to cut out hundreds of brightly colored ovoid shapes.
2450. palimpsest 뜻: parchment used for second time after original writing has
2440. overhaul
been erased
뜻: thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary
예: Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the
예: It is necessary for the engineers of NASA to overhaul the rocket
original writings on many palimpsests.
everyday; otherwise, an incident similar to that of Challenger accident might happen.
2451. pall 뜻: grow tiresome 예: The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep. 2452. pallet 뜻: small, poor bed
P
예: The weary traveler went to sleep on his straw pallet. 2441. pachyderm 뜻: thick-skinned animal
2453. palliate
예: The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm.
뜻: ease pain; make less severe or offensive 예: If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to
2442. pacifist
palliate the symptoms.
뜻: one opposed to force; antimilitarist 예: The pacifists urged that we reduce our military budget and recall
2454. pallid
our troops stationed overseas.
뜻: pale; wan 예: Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep
2443. pacify
during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.
뜻: soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue 예: Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to
2455. palpable 뜻: tangible; easily perceptible
pacify them.
예: I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable 2444. paean
blunder.
뜻: song of praise or joy 예: paeans celebrating the victory filled the air.
2456. palpitate 뜻: throb; flutter
2445. painstaking
예: As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and
뜻: showing hard work; taking great care
more erratically.
예: The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking
109
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2457. paltry
2468. parable
뜻: insignificant; petty
뜻: short, simple story teaching a moral
예: This is a paltry sum to pay for such a masterpiece.
예: Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches.
2458. pan 뜻: criticize harshly
2469. paradigm
예: Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was
뜻: model; example; pattern
miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.
예: Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment
2459. panacea
in behavioal psychology.
뜻: cure-all; remedy for all diseases 예: There is no easy panacea that will solve our complicated
2470. paradox
international situation.
뜻: statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement
2460. panache
예: Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of
뜻: flair; flamboyance
paradox.
예: Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.
2471. paragon 뜻: model of perfection
2461. pandemic
예: The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing
뜻: widespread; affecting the majority of people
him out as a paragon of virtue.
예: They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.
2472. parallelism 뜻: state of being parallel; similarity 예: There is a striking parallelism between the twins.
2462. pandemonium 뜻: wild tumult 예: When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out
2473. parameter
among the passengers.
뜻: limit; independent variable 예: We need to define the parameters of the problem.
2463. pander 뜻: cater to the low desires of others
2474. paramount
예: The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering
뜻: foremost in importance; supreme
to the masses' taste of violence.
예: Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth.
2464. panegyric 뜻: formal praise
2475. paramour
예: The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering
뜻: illicit lover
panegyrics about his valorous act.
예: She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a paramour in another town.
2465. panoramic 뜻: denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view
2476. paranoia
예: On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can
뜻: psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution
get a panoramic view of New York City and neighboring stretches of
예: Suffering from paranois, he claimed everyone was out to get him;
New Jersey and Long Island.
ironically, his claim was accurate; even paranoids have enemies.
2466. pantomime
2477. paraphernalia
뜻: acting without dialogue
뜻: equipment; odds and ends
예: Because he worked in pantomime, the clown could be
예: His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other
understood wherever he appeared.
paraphernalia of the writing craft.
2467. papyrus
2478. paraphrase
뜻: ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
뜻: restate a passage in one's own words while retaining
예: The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus.
thought of author 예: In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article.
110
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries. 2479. parasite 뜻: animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant
2491. partial
예: The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may
뜻: incomplete
infest the human body.
예: In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone.
2480. parched 뜻: extremely dry; very thirsty
2492. partial
예: The parched desert landscape seemed hostile to life.
뜻: biased; having a liking for something 예: I am extremely partial to chocolate eclairs.
2481. pariah 뜻: social outcast
2493. partiality
예: I am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized.
뜻: inclination; bias 예: As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid
2482. parity
any evidence of partiality when I award the prize.
뜻: equality; close resemblance 예: I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity
2494. partisan 뜻: one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
between the two illustrations.
예: On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan 2483. parlance
stand.
뜻: language; idiom 예: All this legal parlance confuses me; I need an interpreter.
2495. passe 뜻: old-fashioned; past the prime 예: Her style is passe and reminiscent of the Victorian era.
2484. parley 뜻: conference 예: The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce.
2496. passive 뜻: not active; acted upon
2485. parochial
예: Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of
뜻: narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes
passive resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence
예: Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural
and acts of terrorism.
communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial. 2497. pastiche 2486. parody
뜻: imitation of another's style in musical composition or in
뜻: humorous imitation; travesty
writing
예: We enjoyed the clever parodies of popular songs that the chorus
예: We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of this or that
sang.
composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many musicians.
2487. paroxysm
2498. pastoral
뜻: fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
뜻: rural
예: When he heared of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a
예: In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the
paroxysm of rage.
daily tasks of country folk.
2488. parquet
2499. patent
뜻: floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosic-like pattern.
뜻: open for the public to read; obvious
예: In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in
예: It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.
an elegant parquet. 2500. pathetic 2489. parry
뜻: causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
뜻: ward off a blow
예: Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished
예: He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his
his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy.
opponent's thrusts. 2501. pathological 2490. parsimonious
뜻: pertaining to disease
뜻: stingy; excessively frugal
예: As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must
111
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always
not overlook the psychological elements.
lively and filled with humor. 2502. pathos 뜻: tender to sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that
2513. pedagogy
produces these feelings.
뜻: teaching; art of education
예: The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never
예: Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in
degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental.
pedagogy, it took years before her teaching techniques became common practice in American schools.
2503. patina 뜻: green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by
2514. pedant
varnished painting
뜻: scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
예: Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude
예: Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher
that this is the work of a medieval artist.
as a pedant rather than a scholar.
2504. patois
2515. pedantic
뜻: local or provincial dialect
뜻: showing off learning; bookish
예: His years of study of the language at the university did not enable
예: Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes,
him to understand the patois of the natives.
Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal scholar.
2505. patriarch
2516. pedestrian
뜻: father and ruler of a family or tribe
뜻: ordinary; unimaginative
예: In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the
예: Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian
patriarch.
prose.
2506. patrician
2517. pediatrician
뜻: noble; aristocratic
뜻: physician specializing in children's diseases.
예: We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance
예: The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment.
2507. patronize 뜻: support; act superior toward
2518. pejorative
예: Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are
뜻: negative in connotation; having a belittling effect.
less knowledgeable of the subject.
예: Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character.
2508. paucity 뜻: scarcity
2519. pellmell
예: They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers
뜻: in confusion; disorderly
made it uneconomical to operate.
예: The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory.
2509. pauper 뜻: very poor person
2520. pellucid
예: Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was
뜻: transparent; limpid; easy to understand
by no means a pauper.
예: After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable.
2510. peccadillo 뜻: slight offense
2521. penance
예: If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they
뜻: self-imposed punishment for sin
are mere peccadilloes rather than major crimes.
예: The Ancient Mariner said, "I have penance done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing the albatross.
2511. pecuniary 뜻: pertaining to money
2522. penchant
예: I never expected a pecuniary reward for my work in this activity.
뜻: strong inclination; liking 예: He had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues.
2512. pedagogue 뜻: teacher
2523. pendant
112
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: hanging down from something
예: Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to
예: Her pendant earrings glistened in the light.
eternal perdition.
2524. pendant
2535. peregrination
뜻: ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.)
뜻: journey
예: The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and
예: Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her
pendant engraved with the school's motto.
from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.
2525. pendulous
2536. peremptory
뜻: hanging; suspended
뜻: demanding and leaving no choice
예: The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were
예: From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he
about to fall from the ceiling.
would not give up until she let him in.
2526. penitent
2537. perennial
뜻: repentant
뜻: something long-lasting
예: When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became
예: Tese plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years.
remorseful and penitent. 2538. perifidious 2527. pensive
뜻: treacherous; disloyal
뜻: dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness
예: When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he
예: The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then
reproached his perfidious friend.
sighed. 2539. perforate 2528. penumbra
뜻: pierce; put a hole through
뜻: partial shadow (in an eclipse)
예: Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate
예: During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a
the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.
lighter area, which is the penumbra. 2540. perfunctory 2529. penurious
뜻: superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or
뜻: stingy; parsimonious
enthusiasm
예: He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the
예: The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked
necessities of life.
many errors.
2530. penury
2541. perigee
뜻: extreme poverty
뜻: point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth
예: When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his
예: The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon
days in penury.
was launched as the moon approached its perigee.
2531. peon
2542. perimeter
뜻: landless agricultural worker; bond servant
뜻: outer boundary
예: The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish
예: To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of
them as independent farmers.
the four sides.
2532. perceptive
2543. peripatetic
뜻: insightful; aware; wise
뜻: walking about; moving
예: Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her
예: The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the
blind sports: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends.
fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils while discussing philosophy with them.
2533. percussion 뜻: striking one object against another sharply
2544. peripheral
예: The drum is a percussion instrument.
뜻: marginal; outer 예: We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral
2534. perdition
suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city.
뜻: damnation; complete ruin
113
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2545. periphery
misinterpretation.
뜻: edge, especially of a round surface 예: He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of
2557. pert
his vision.
뜻: impertinent; forward 예: I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an apology.
2546. perjury 뜻: false testimony while under oath
2558. pertinacious
예: When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was
뜻: stubborn; persistent
indicted for perjury.
예: He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit.
2547. permeable 뜻: porous; allowing passage through
2559. pertinent
예: Glass is permeable to light.
뜻: suitable; to the point 예: The lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details.
2548. pernicious 뜻: very destructive, harmful
2560. perturb
예: He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and
뜻: disturb greatly
susceptible minds.
예: I am afraid this news will perturb him and cause him grief.
2549. peroration
2561. perusal
뜻: conclusion of an oration
뜻: reading
예: The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to
예: I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid
its feet clamoring for action at its close.
perusal of this document.
2550. perpetrate
2562. pervasive
뜻: commit an offense
뜻: spread throughout
예: Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime.
예: Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that clung to them.
2551. perpetual 뜻: everlasting
2563. perverse
예: Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth.
뜻: stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable 예: When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh
2552. perquisite
of his victims.
뜻: any gain above stipulated salary 예: The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive
2564. perversion
than the salary indicates.
뜻: corruption; turning from right to wrong 예: Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not
2553. personable
understand his perversion.
뜻: attractive 예: The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable
2565. pessimism
since he will be representing us before the public.
뜻: belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess 예: The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there
2554. perspicacious
is little reason for your pessimism.
뜻: having insight; penetrating; astute 예: The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions.
2566. pestilential 뜻: causing plague; baneful 예: People were afraid to explore the pestilential swap.
2555. perspicuity 뜻: clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity 예: One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of
2567. pestle
its author; her meaning is always clear.
뜻: tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl 예: From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug
2556. perspicuous
with his pestle, young George could tell that his employer was
뜻: plainly expressed
agitated about something.
예: Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of
114
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2568. petrify
face of sudden emergencies.
뜻: turn to stone 예: His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to petrify her.
2579. phobia 뜻: morbid fear
2569. petty
예: Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real
뜻: trivial; unimportant; very small
phobia.
예: She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too minor to state.
2580. physiognomy 뜻: face
2570. petulant
예: He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character
뜻: touchy; peevish
by studying his physiognomy.
예: The feverish patient was petulant and restless. 2581. physiological 2571. pharisaical
뜻: pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms
뜻: pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to
예: To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its
tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical
physiological aspects but also its psychological elements.
예: Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they advocate are often regarded
2582. piebald
as pharisaical and ignored.
뜻: of different colors; motled; spotted 예: You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the
2572. phenomena
only piebald horse running.
뜻: observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation 예: We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the
2583. pied
course of these experiments.
뜻: variegated; multicolored 예: The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored
2573. philanderer
clothing he wore.
뜻: faithless lover; flirt 예: Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman,
2584. piety
Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer.
뜻: devoutness; reverence for God 예: Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa
2574. philanthropist
exemplifies the true sprit of piety.
뜻: lover of mankind; doer of good 예: As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and
2585. pigment
benefactor of the needy.
뜻: coloring matter 예: Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his
2575. philatelist
paints.
뜻: stamp-collector 예: When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was
2586. pillage
inspired to become a philatelist.
뜻: plunder 예: The enemy pillaged the quiet village and left it in ruins.
2576. philistine 뜻: narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively
2587. pillory
interested in material gain
뜻: punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism
예: We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too
and ridicule
many philistines among us.
예: Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs.
2577. philology 뜻: study of language
2588. pine
예: The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an
뜻: languish, decline; long for, yearn
international language.
예: Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather.
2578. phlegmatic 뜻: calm; not easily disturbed
2589. pinion
예: The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the
뜻: restrain
115
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so
rested.
that he could move about. 2601. plagiarize 2590. pinnacle
뜻: steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own
뜻: peak
예: The editor could tell that the writer had plagiarized parts of the
예: We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while
article; he could recognize whole paragraphs from the original
the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.
source.
2591. pious
2602. plaintive
뜻: devout
뜻: mournful
예: The pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing.
예: The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call
2592. piquant
2603. plasticity
뜻: pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating
뜻: ability to be molded
예: The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal.
예: When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable.
2593. pique 뜻: irritation; resentment
2604. platitude
예: She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other
뜻: trite remark; commonplace statement
contestants at the end of the contest.
예: The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks
2594. piscatorial
were.
뜻: pertaining to fishing 예: He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities.
2605. platonic 뜻: purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
2595. pithy
예: Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the
뜻: concise; meaty
professor maintained he had only a platonic interest in the women
예: I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and
involved.
pithy. 2606. plauditory 뜻: approving; applauding
2596. pittance 뜻: a small allowance or wage
예: The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the
예: He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and
critics in its advertisement.
had to look for an additional source of revenue. 2607. plausible 2597. pivotal
뜻: having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
뜻: central; critical
예: Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have
예: De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal;
more proof.
without Mandela's release, there was no possibility that the African National Cogress would entertain talks with the South African
2608. plebeian
government.
뜻: common; pertaining to the common people 예: His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions;
2598. placate
they disgusted the more refined.
뜻: pacify; conciliate 예: The teacher tried to placate the angry mother.
2609. plenary 뜻: complete; full
2599. placebo
예: The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new
뜻: harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
contract with the employers.
예: In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received only placebos.
2610. plenitude 뜻: abundance; completeness
2600. placid
예: Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and
뜻: peaceful; calm
pickles we had preserved during the summer.
예: After his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and
116
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2611. plethora
2622. polemic
뜻: excess; overabundance
뜻: controversy; argument in support of point of view
예: She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings.
예: Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy.
2612. pliable
2623. politic
뜻: flexible; yielding; adaptable
뜻: expedient; prudent; well devised
예: In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead
예: Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to
pipes with new, pliable copper tubing.
refuse the offer.
2613. pliant
2624. polity
뜻: flexible; easily influenced
뜻: form of government of nation or state
예: Catherine's disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her
예: Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government
suitor's hands.
should strive for the good of all citizens.
2614. pluck
2625. polygamist
뜻: courage
뜻: one who has more than one spouse at a time
예: Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by
예: He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed
the boy's pluck in trying to rescue the archeological treasure they
complaints about him.
had stolen. 2626. polyglot 뜻: speaking several languages
2615. plumb 뜻: vertical
예: New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands
예: Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from
of immigrants who settle there.
the ceiling as a guide. 2627. pomposity 2616. plummet
뜻: self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt
뜻: fall sharply
예: Although the commencement speaker had some good things to
예: Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in
say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and general air of parading his
interest rates.
own dignity.
2617. plutocracy
2628. ponderous
뜻: society ruled by the wealthy
뜻: weighty; unwieldy
예: From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think
예: His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always
our society is a plutocracy rather than a democracy.
ponderous.
2618. podiatrist
2629. pontifical
뜻: doctor who treats ailments of the feet
뜻: pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
예: He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches.
예: From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was destined for a high
2619. podium
pontifical office.
뜻: pedestal; raised platform 예: The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the
2630. pore
podium.
뜻: study industriously; ponder; scrutinize 예: Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring
2620. poignancy
over her anatomy text.
뜻: quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion 예: Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and
2631. porous
child, the social worker was touched by the poignancy of the scene.
뜻: full of pores; like a sieve 예: Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready
2621. polarize
passage of water and air.
뜻: split into opposite extremes or camps 예: The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and
2632. portend
anti-abortion camps.
뜻: foretell; presage 예: The king did not know what these omens might portend and
117
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: expressing possibility; latent
asked his soothsayers to interpret them.
예: The juvenile delinquent is a potential murderer. 2633. portent 뜻: sign; omen; forewarning
2644. potion
예: He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil.
뜻: dose (of liquid) 예: Tristan and Lsolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera.
2634. portly 뜻: stout; corpulent
2645. potpourri
예: The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as
뜻: heterogeneous mixture; medley
portly rather than fat.
예: He offered a potpourri of folk songs from many lands.
2635. poseur
2646. poultice
뜻: person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to
뜻: soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions
impress others
of the body
예: Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as
예: He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation.
a poseur. 2647. practicable 2636. posterity
뜻: feasible
뜻: descendants; future generations
예: The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and
예: We hope to leave a better world to posterity.
agreed to undertake the project.
2637. posthumous
2648. practical
뜻: after death (as of child born after father's death or book
뜻: based on experience; useful
published after author's death)
예: He was a practical man, opposed to theory
예: The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last novel that they recognized his
2649. pragmatic
great talent.
뜻: practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
2638. postulate
예: This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic
뜻: self-evident truth
test of the value of my conversational French class.
예: We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further.
2650. pragmatist 뜻: practical person
2639. posture
예: No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can
뜻: assume an affected pose; act artificially
never win
예: No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended to be.
2651. prate 뜻: speak foolishly; boast idly
2640. potable
예: Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak
뜻: suitable for drinking
for themselves.
예: The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water potable.
2652. prattle 뜻: babble 예: The children prattle endlessly about their new toys.
2641. potent 뜻: powerful; persuasive; greatly influential 예: The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the
2653. preamble
crime's sole eyewitness.
뜻: introductory statement
2642. potentate
is set forth.
예: In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document 뜻: monarch; sovereign 예: The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at
2654. precarious
home on his throne.
뜻: uncertain; risky 예: I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its
2643. potential
purchase.
118
Barron’s GRE Master Words
2655. precedent
2666. predatory
뜻: something preceding in time that may be used as an
뜻: plundering
authority or guide for future action
예: The hawk is a predatory bird.
예: This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature. 2667. predecessor 2656. precedent
뜻: former occupant of a post
뜻: preceding in time, rank, etc.
예: I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late
예: Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give
predecessor in this office.
you any reason to believe that we would adopt your proposal. 2668. predilection 2657. precept
뜻: partiality; preference
뜻: practical rule guiding conduct
예: Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had
예: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept.
a predilection for watercolors.
2658. precipice
2669. preeminent
뜻: cliff; dangerous position
뜻: outstanding; superior
예: Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of
예: The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent
a precipice.
surgeon in the field to perform the operation.
2659. precipitate
2670. preempt
뜻: headlong; rash
뜻: head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself;
예: Do not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further.
supplant 예: Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make
2660. precipitate
educational reform a hot political issue, the candidate set out her
뜻: throw headlong; hasten
own plan to revitalize the public schools.
예: The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime.
2671. preen 뜻: make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction
2661. precipitous
예: As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her
뜻: steep; overhasty
shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself on her good looks.
예: This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.
2672. prefactory
2662. precise
예: The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on
뜻: exact
the first speaker.
뜻: introductory
예: If you don't give me precise directions and a map, I'll never find your place.
2673. prehensile 뜻: capable of grasping or holding
2663. preclude
예: Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their
뜻: make impossible; eliminate
prehensile tails in traveling through the trees.
예: This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you.
2674. prelate
2664. precocious
예: The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates
뜻: advanced in development
visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.
뜻: church dignitary
예: By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious.
2675. prelude 뜻: introduction; forerunner
2665. precursor
예: I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious
뜻: forerunner
attacks.
예: Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics consider them precursors of
2676. premeditate
the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics.
뜻: plan in advance
119
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about
2687. presumptous
common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic.
뜻: arrogant; taking liberties 예: It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to
2677. premise
challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.
뜻: assumption; postulate 예: Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his
2688. pretentious
opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes in his logic.
뜻: ostentatious; ambitious 예: I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry
2678. premonition
out such a pretentious program.
뜻: forewarning 예: We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they
2689. preternatural 뜻: beyond that which is normal in nature
appeared to be based on childish fears.
예: John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him 2679. premonitory
as almost preternatural.
뜻: serving to warn 예: You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these
2690. pretext
premonitory chest pains.
뜻: excuse 예: He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his
2680. preponderance
aunt.
뜻: superiority of power, quantity, etc. 예: The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of
2691. prevail 뜻: induce; triumph over
the government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics.
예: He tried to prevail on her to type his essays for him. 2681. preposterous 뜻: absurd; ridiculous
2692. prevalent
예: When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments
뜻: widespread; generally accepted
with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a
예: A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with
preposterous excuse!"
the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day.
2682. prerogative
2693. prevaricate
뜻: privilege; unquestionable right
뜻: lie
예: The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the
예: Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is
legislative branch of government.
justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie."
2683. presage
2694. prey
뜻: foretell
뜻: target of a hunt; victim
예: The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the
예: In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey
corpse in the desert.
not wild beasts but wild plants.
2684. prescience
2695. prim
뜻: ability to foretell the future
뜻: very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
예: Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take
예: Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire
prescience for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations
of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.
with Japan. 2696. primogeniture 2685. presentiment
뜻: seniority by birth
뜻: premonition; foreboding
예: By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child
예: Hamlet felt a presentiment about his meeting with Laertes.
has many privileges denied his brothers and sisters.
2686. prestige
2697. primordial
뜻: impression produced by achievements or reputation
뜻: existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
예: The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing
예: The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.
to popular charities. 2698. primp
120
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: dress or groom oneself with care
뜻: enormous; marvelous
예: She primps for hours before a dance.
예: He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate.
2699. pristine 뜻: characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled
2711. prodigy
예: This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.
뜻: highly gifted child; marvel 예: Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when
2700. privation
he was barely eight years old.
뜻: hardship; want 예: In his youth, he knew hunger and privation.
2712. profane 뜻: violate; desecrate
2701. privy
예: Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by
뜻: secret; hidden; not public
wearing improper garb.
예: We do not care for privy chamber of government. 2713. profilgate 2702. probe
뜻: dissipated; wasteful; licentious
뜻: explore with tools
예: In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency.
예: The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it.
2714. profound 뜻: deep; not superficial; complete
2703. probity
예: Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his
뜻: uprightness; incorruptibility
fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker.
예: Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.
2715. profusion 뜻: lavish expenditure; overabundant condition
2704. problematic
예: Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as
뜻: perplexing; unsettled: questionable
at the wedding feast.
예: Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains problematic.
2716. progenitor
2705. proclivity
예: The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany
뜻: inclination; natural tendency
early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois.
뜻: ancestor
예: The cross old lady has a proclivity to grumble. 2717. progeny 2706. procrastinate
뜻: children; offspring
뜻: postpone; delay
예: He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most
예: It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves
promising of all his children.
bogged down in a mass of work that should have been finished long ago.
2718. prognosis
2707. procurement
예: If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma
뜻: obtaining
for at least twenty-four hours.
뜻: forecasted course of a disease; prediction
예: The personnel department handles the procurement of new employees.
2719. prognosticate 뜻: predict 예: I prognosticate disaster unless we change our wasteful ways.
2708. prod 뜻: poke; stir up; urge 예: If you prod him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room.
2720. projectile 뜻: missile
2709. prodigal
예: Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the
뜻: wasteful; reckless with money
form of stones or of highly explosive shells.
예: The prodigal son squandered his inheritance. 2721. proletarian 뜻: member of the working class
2710. prodigious
121
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the proletarians of a voice in
2732. propagate
government.
뜻: multiply; spread 예: Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary
2722. proliferate
environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.
뜻: grow rapidly; spread; multiply 예: Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-
2733. propellant
rich-quick schemes to proliferate
뜻: substance that propels or drives forward 예: The development of our missile program has forced our scientists
2723. prolific
to seek more powerful propellants.
뜻: abundantly fruitful 예: She was a prolific writer who produced as many as three books a
2734. propensity
year.
뜻: natural inclination
2724. prolix
belittle the talents of others.
예: Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to 뜻: verbose; drawn out 예: Her prolix arguments irritated and bored the jury.
2735. prophetic 뜻: having to do with predicting the future
2725. prolong
예: In interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dream, Joseph said that the
뜻: extend; draw out; lengthen
seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean cows represented seven
예: In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life,
years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.
2736. prophylactic 뜻: used to prevent disease
2726. prominent
예: Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities,
뜻: conspicuous; notable; protruding
the epidemic raged until cool weather set in.
예: Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in Mad comics?
2737. propinquity 뜻: nearness; kinship
2727. promiscuous
예: Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere
뜻: mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly
propinquity: they were more than relatives; they were true friends.
sexually 예: In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life
2738. propitiate 뜻: appease
led by the young artists of Paris.
예: The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods. 2728. promontory 뜻: headland
2739. propitious
예: They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn
뜻: favorable; kindly
approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.
예: I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good time.
2729. prompt 뜻: cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor
2740. proponent
예: Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when
뜻: person who supports or proposes (an idea)
you're on a diet?
예: After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn't want to vote in its favor.
2730. promulgate 뜻: make known by official proclamation or publication
2741. propound
예: As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names
뜻: put forth for analysis
of the successful candidates, we shall begin to hire members of our
예: In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us
staff.
consider each one separately.
2731. prone
2742. propriety
뜻: inclined to; prostrate
뜻: fitness; correct conduct
예: She was prone to sudden fits of anger.
예: I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don't embarass
122
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype
me.
of the elaborate machines in use today. 2743. propulsive 뜻: driving forward
2754. protract
예: The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-
뜻: prolong
driven plane.
예: Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations endlessly, but the union
2744. prosaic
representatives saw through their strategy.
뜻: dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual 예: Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative
2755. protrude
campaign to publicize the company's newest product, the head office
뜻: stick out
rejected it for a more prosaic, down-to-earth approach.
예: His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves.
2745. proscenium
2756. protuberance
뜻: part of stage in front of curtain
뜻: protrusion; bulge
예: In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or
예: A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that
proscenium arch.
develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance.
2746. proscribe 뜻: ostracize; banish; outlaw
2757. provenance
예: Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had
뜻: origin or source of something 예: I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with
conspired against Julius Caesar.
its usefulness than with its source. 2747. proselytize 뜻: induce someone to convert to religion or belief
2758. provender
예: In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to
뜻: dry food; fodder
proselytize; we must respect all points of view.
예: I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle.
2748. prosody 뜻: the art of versification
2759. provident
예: This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as
뜻: displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies
samples of the various verse forms.
예: In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.
2749. prosperity 뜻: good fortune; financial success; physical well-being
2760. provincial
예: Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds
뜻: pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.
예: As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada.
2750. prostrate 뜻: stretch out full on ground
2761. provisional
예: He prostrated himself before the idol.
뜻: tentative 예: The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board
2751. protean
of directors will it be made permanent.
뜻: versatile; able to take on many forms 예: A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any
2762. proviso 뜻: stipulation
role.
예: I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you 2752. protocol
meet your obligations within the next two weeks.
뜻: diplomatic etiquette 예: We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to
2763. provoke
avoid offending any of our guests.
뜻: stir up anger; cause retaliation 예: In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not
2753. prototype
provoke our foe.
뜻: original work used as a model by others
123
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2764. proximity
Muhammed Ali.
뜻: nearness 예: The deer sensed the hunter's proximity and bounded away.
2776. pugnacious
2765. proxy
예: As a child he was pugnacious and fought with everyone.
뜻: combative; disposed to fight 뜻: authorized agent 예: Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in
2777. puissant
my absence.
뜻: powerful; strong; potent 예: We must keep his friendship for he will make a puissant ally.
2766. prude 뜻: excessively modest or proper person
2778. pulchritude
예: The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes.
뜻: beauty; comeliness 예: I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss
2767. prudent
America from this collection of female pulchritude.
뜻: cautious; careful 예: A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he
2779. pulmonary
is greedy.
뜻: pertaining to the lungs
2768. prune
facts about the lungs of animals and human beings.
예: In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many 뜻: cut away; trim 예: With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript
2780. pulsate
into publishable form.
뜻: throb 예: We could see the blood vessels in his temple pulsate as he
2769. pseudonym
became more angry.
뜻: pen name 예: Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.
2781. pulverize 뜻: crush or grind into very small particles
2770. psychiatrist
예: Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first
뜻: a doctor who treats mental diseases
pulverized them into a fine powder.
예: A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made.
2782. pummel
2771. psychopathic
예: The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the
뜻: pertaining to mental derangement
bruises he displayed on his head and face.
뜻: beat
예: The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a diseased brain.
2783. punctilious 뜻: laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise
2772. psychosis
예: We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error
뜻: mental disorder
may be regarded as a personal affront.
예: We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis.
2784. pundit 뜻: learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject
2773. pterodactyl
예: Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is
뜻: extinct flying reptile
actually rather ignorant about this topic.
예: The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.
2785. pungency 뜻: sharpness; stinging quality 예: The pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough.
2774. puerile 뜻: childish 예: His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.
2786. punitive 뜻: punishing 예: He asked for punitive measures against the offender.
2775. pugilist 뜻: boxer 예: The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to
2787. puny
124
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: insignificant; tiny; weak 예: Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.
2799. prohibitive 뜻: extremely high (of prices etc.) 예: The super computer's price was prohibitive.
2788. purchase 뜻: firm grasp or footing 예: The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock.
Q
2789. purgatory 뜻: place of spiritual expiation 예: In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades.
2800. quack 뜻: charlatan; impostor
2790. purge
예: Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he
뜻: clean by removing impurities; clear of changes
cannot cure you.
예: If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, 2801. quadruped
you must be willing to answer the questions previously asked.
뜻: four-footed animal 예: Most mammals are quadrupeds.
2791. purport 뜻: intention; meaning 예: If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you
2802. quaff
succeeded admirably.
뜻: drink with relish 예: As we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.
2792. purveyor 뜻: furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer 예: As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through
2803. quagmire
France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.
뜻: soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself
2793. pusillanimous
예: Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was
뜻: cowardly; fainthearted
going to extricate herself from this quagmire.
예: You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during 2804. quail
this dispute.
뜻: cower; lose heart 예: He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.
2794. putative 뜻: supposed; reputed 예: Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work
2805. quaint
is Massinger.
뜻: odd; old-fashioned; picturesque 예: Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric.
2795. putrid 뜻: foul; rotten; decayed 예: The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the
2806. qualified
putrid smell when the bandages were removed.
뜻: limited; restricted 예: Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement.
2796. pyromaniac 뜻: person with an insane desire to set things on fire 예: The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had
2807. qualms
set these costly fires.
뜻: misgivings 예: His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans.
2797. pyre 뜻: heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse. 예: The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse.
2808. quandary 뜻: dilemma
2798. pest
예: When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he
뜻: troublesome or annoying person
was in a quandary as to which one he should attend.
예: He was a pest; always bothering people.
125
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2809. quarantine
pervaded the valley.
뜻: isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection
2821. quintessence
예: We will have to place this house under quarantine until we
뜻: purest and highest embodiment
determine the nature of the disease.
예: Noel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit.
2810. quarry
2822. quip
뜻: victim; object of a hunt
뜻: taunt
예: The police closed in on their quarry.
예: You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments.
2811. quarry 뜻: dig into
2823. quirk
예: They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside.
뜻: startling twise; caprice 예: By a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he
2812. quash
had discharged years before.
뜻: subdue; crush; squash 예: The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion,
2824. quisling 뜻: traitor who aids invaders
sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators.
예: In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the quislings who 2813. quay
betrayed their own people and served in the puppet governments
뜻: dock; landing place
established by the Nazis.
예: Because of the captain's carelessness, the ship crashed into the quay.
2825. quiver 뜻: case for arrows
2814. queasy
예: Robin Hood reached back and plucked one last arrow from his
뜻: easily nauseated; squeamish
quiver.
예: As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness.
2826. quixotic 뜻: idealistic but impractical
2815. quell
예: His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these
뜻: put down; quiet
quixotic schemes.
예: The police used fire hoses and teat gas to quell the rioters. 2827. quizzical 2816. querulous
뜻: bantering; comical; humorously serious
뜻: fretful; whining
예: Will Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences.
예: His classmates were repelled by his querulous and complaining statements.
2828. quorum 뜻: number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
2817. queue
예: The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum
뜻: line
was present.
예: They stood patiently in the queue outside the movie theatre. 2829. quotidian 2818. quibble
뜻: daily; commonplace; customary
뜻: equivocate; play on words
예: To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with
예: Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer.
excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as merely quotidian routine.
2819. quiescent 뜻: at rest; dormant 예: After this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours. R 2820. quietude 뜻: tranquillity
2830. rabid
예: He was impressed by the air of quietude and peace that
뜻: like a fanatic; furious
126
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.
2842. ramshackle 뜻: rickety; falling apart
2831. raconteur
예: The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of
뜻: story-teller
boards.
예: My father was a gifted raconteur with an unlimited supply of anecdotes.
2843. rancid 뜻: having the odor of stale fat 예: A rancid odor filled the ship's galley and nauseated the crew.
2832. ragamuffin 뜻: person wearing tattered clothes 예: He felt sorry for the ragamuffin who was begging for food and
2844. rancor
gave him money to buy a meal.
뜻: bitterness; hatred 예: Let us forget out rancor and cooperate in this new endeavor.
2833. rail 뜻: scold; rant
2845. random
예: You may rail at him all you want; you will never change him.
뜻: without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard 예: Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were
2834. raiment
chosen at random, people had their suspicions when the grand prize
뜻: clothing
went to the sponsor's brother-in-law.
예: "How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no raiment fit to wear."
2846. rankle 뜻: irritate; fester 예: The memory of having been jilted rankled him for years.
2835. rakish 뜻: stylish; sporty 예: He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle.
2847. rant 뜻: rave; speak bombastically
2836. ramble
예: As we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand
뜻: wander aimlessly (physically or mentally)
his strange popularity with many people.
예: Listening to the teacher ramble, Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point.
2848. rapacious 뜻: excessively grasping; plundering 예: Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on variety of small animals.
2837. ramification 뜻: branching out; subdivision 예: We must examine all the ramifications of this problem.
2849. rapport 뜻: emotional closeness; harmony
2838. ramify
예: In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group
뜻: divide into branches or subdivisions
have good rapport with one another.
예: When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches.
2850. rarefied 뜻: made less dense [of a gas]
2839. ramp
예: The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied
뜻: slope; inclined plane
atmosphere.
예: The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room
2851. raspy
and floor to floor.
뜻: grating; harsh 예: The sergeant's raspy voice grated on the recruits' ears.
2840. rampant 뜻: rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained
2852. ratify
예: The rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had
뜻: approve formally; verify
been planted in the spring.
예: Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be ratified by the president.
2841. rampart 뜻: defensive mound on earth
2853. ratiocination
예: "From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued.
뜻: reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises
127
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a
2865. reaper
genius, whose gift for ratiocination made him a superb detective.
뜻: one who harvests grain 예: Death, the Grim Reaper, cuts down men and women, just as a
2854. rationalization
farmer cuts down the ripened grain.
뜻: bringing into conformity with reason 예: All attempts at rationalization at this time are doomed to failure;
2866. rebate
tempers and emotions run too high for intelligent thought to prevail.
뜻: discount 예: We offer a rebate of ten percent to those who pay cash.
2855. rationalize 뜻: reason; justify an improper act
2867. rebuff
예: Do not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your
뜻: snub; beat back
companions.
예: She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed.
2856. raucous 뜻: harsh and shrill
2868. rebus
예: His raucous laughter irritated me and grated on my ears.
뜻: puzzle in which pictures stand for words 예: A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible rebus for the town
2857. ravage
Coventry.
뜻: plunder; despoil 예: The marauding army ravaged the countryside.
2869. rebuttal 뜻: refutation; response with contrary evidence
2858. rave
예: The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up
뜻: overwhelmingly favorable review
his case, sure that she could answer his arguments in her rebuttal.
예: Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in the Timing was a total rave.
2870. recalcitrant
2859. ravel
예: Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant of animals.
뜻: obstinately stubborn 뜻: fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle 예: A sigle thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to ravel.
2871. recant
2860. ravenous
예: Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely.
뜻: repudiate; withdraw previous statement 뜻: extremely hungry 예: The revenous dog upset several garbage pails in its search for
2872. recapitulate
food.
뜻: summarize 예: Let us recapitulate what has been said thus far before going
2861. ravine
ahead.
뜻: narrow valley with steep sides 예: Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a ravine is,
2873. receptive
like them, the product of years of erosion.
뜻: quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc.
2862. raze
Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy.
예: Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for 뜻: destroy completely 예: The owners intend to raze the hotel and erect an office building
2874. recession 뜻: withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity
on the site.
예: The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the 2863. reactionary
crews working to restore power to the area.
뜻: recoiling from progress; retrograde 예: His program was reactionary since it sought to abolish many of
2875. recidivism
the social reforms instituted by the previous administration.
뜻: habitual return to crime 예: Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high
2864. realm
rate of recidivism; the number of persons serving second and third
뜻: kingdom; sphere
terms indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.
예: The realm of possibilities for the new invention was endless. 2876. recipient
128
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: receiver
예: He was renowned for his rectitude and integrity.
예: Although he had been the recipient of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor.
2888. recumbent 뜻: reclining; lying down completely or in part
2877. reciprocal
예: The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a
뜻: mutual; exchangeable; interacting
recumbent position.
예: The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement. 2889. recuperate 2878. reciprocate
뜻: recover
뜻: repay in kind
예: The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate
예: If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb
as rapidly as they had expected.
their territory. 2890. recurrent 2879. recluse
뜻: occurring again and again
뜻: hermit
예: These recurrent attacks disturbed us and we consulted a
예: The recluse lived in a hut in the forest.
physician.
2880. reconcile
2891. redolent
뜻: correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel
뜻: fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor
예: Every time we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank
예: Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring.
statement, we quarrel. However, despite these monthly lovers' quarrels, we always manage to reconcile.
2892. redoubtable 뜻: formidable; causing fear
2881. recondite
예: During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to
뜻: abstruse; profound; secret
offend the Russians because they could be redoubtable foes.
예: He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis.
2893. redress
2882. reconnaissance
예: Do you mean to tell me that I can get no redress for my injuries?
뜻: remedy; compensation 뜻: survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering 예: If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance,
2894. redundant 뜻: superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious
capture them for questioning.
예: Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length. 2883. recount 뜻: narrate or tell; count over again
2895. reek
예: About to recount the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes,
뜻: emit (odor)
Watson lost track of exactly how many cases Holmes had solved
예: The room reeked with stale tobacco smoke.
and refused to begin his tale until he'd recounted them one by one. 2896. refectory 2884. recourse
뜻: dining hall
뜻: resorting to help when in trouble
예: In this huge refectory, we can feed the entire student body at one
예: The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid.
sitting.
2885. recrimination
2897. refraction
뜻: countercharges
뜻: bending of a ray of light
예: Loud and angry recriminations were her answer to his
예: When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because
accusations.
of the refraction of the light by the water.
2886. rectify
2898. refractory
뜻: correct
뜻: stubborn; unmanageable
예: I want to rectify my error before it is too late.
예: The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.
2887. rectitude 뜻: uprightness
2899. refrain
129
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: v. abstain from; resist n. chorus
예: He reiterated the warning to make sure everyone understood it.
예: Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain.
2912. rejoinder 뜻: retort; comeback; reply
2900. refurbish
예: When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly
뜻: renovate; make bright by polishing
satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder.
예: The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to refurbish our belongings.
2913. rejuvenate 뜻: make young again
2901. refute
예: The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged
뜻: disprove
and weary.
예: The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the prosecution's only witness.
2914. relegate
2902. regal
예: If we relegate these experts to minor posts because of their
뜻: royal
political persuasions, we shall lose their valuable services.
뜻: banish; consign to inferior position
예: Prince Albert had a regal manner. 2915. relent 뜻: give in
2903. regale 뜻: entertain
예: When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry
예: John regaled us with tales of his adventures in Africa.
Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with her suitor.
2904. regatta
2916. relevant
뜻: boat or yacht race
뜻: pertinent; referring to the case in hand
예: Many boating enthusiasts followed the regatta in their own yachts.
예: Teri was impressed by how relevant Virginia Woolf's remarks were to her as a woman writer; it was as if Woolf had been writing
2905. regeneration
with Teri's situation in mind.
뜻: spiritual rebirth 예: Modern penologists strive for the regeneration of the prisoners.
2917. relic 뜻: surviving remnant; memento
2906. regicide
예: Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking
뜻: murder of a king or queen
mummies and other ancient relics out of the country.
예: The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an act of regicide. 2918. relinquish 2907. regime
뜻: abandon
뜻: method or system of government
예: I will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain
예: When a Frenchman mentions the Old Regime, he refers to the
my employees.
government existing before the revolution. 2919. relish 2908. regimen
뜻: savor; enjoy
뜻: prescribed diet and habits
예: I relish a good joke as much as anyone else.
예: I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen.
2920. remediable 뜻: reparable 예: Let us be grateful that the damage is remediable.
2909. rehabilitate 뜻: restore to proper condition 예: We must rehabilitate those whom we send to prison.
2921. reminiscence 뜻: recollection
2910. reimburse
예: Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she
뜻: repay
ought to write a book.
예: Let me know what you have spent and I will reimburse you. 2922. remiss 2911. reiterate
뜻: negligent
뜻: repeat
예: He was accused of being remiss in his duty when the prisoner
130
Barron’s GRE Master Words escaped. 2934. renounce 2923. remission
뜻: abandon; disown; repudiate
뜻: temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of
예: Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a
a debt; forgiveness or pardon
witch, Joan of Arc refused to renounce her belief that her voices
예: Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his
came from God.
symptoms were in remission, and he was considered fit to handle the strains of a Presidential race.
2935. renovate 뜻: restore to good condition; renew
2924. remnant
예: They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look
뜻: remainder
like new ones.
예: I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale.
2936. renown 뜻: fame
2925. remonstrance
예: For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock
뜻: protest; objection
gained international renown when she won the Nobel Prize in
예: The authorities were deaf to the pastor's remonstrances about
Physiology and Medicine.
the lack of police protection in the area. 2937. rent 2926. remorse
뜻: tear or rip; split
뜻: guilt; self-reproach
예: The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a
예: The murderer felt no remorse for his crime.
rent in the social fabric that will be difficult to mend.
2927. remunerative
2938. reparable
뜻: compensating; rewarding
뜻: capable of being repaired
예: I find my new work so renumerative that I may not return to my
예: Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were
previous employment.
reparable and our car looks brand new.
2928. rend
2939. reparation
뜻: split; tear apart
뜻: amends; compensation
예: In his grief, he tried to rend his garments.
예: At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors.
2929. render 뜻: deliver; provide; represent
2940. repartee
예: He rendered aid to the needy and indigent.
뜻: clever reply 예: He was famous for his witty repartee and his sarcasm.
2930. rendezvous 뜻: meeting place
2941. repeal
예: The two fleets met at the rendezvous at the appointed time.
뜻: revoke; annul 예: What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug
2931. rendition
use by repealing the laws against the possession and sale of
뜻: translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.
narcotics?
예: The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria.
2942. repellent 뜻: driving away; unattractive
2932. renegade
예: Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot
뜻: deserter; traitor
where this liquid has been sprayed.
예: Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the hero of Dances with
2943. repercussion
Wolves a renegade.
뜻: rebound; reverberation; reaction 예: I am afraid that this event will have serious repercussions.
2933. renege 뜻: deny; go back on
2944. repertoire
예: He reneged on paying off his debt.
뜻: list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared
131
Barron’s GRE Master Words to present 예: The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its
2956. reprise
repertoire for the following season.
뜻: recurrent action; musical repetition; repeat performance 예: At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that
2945. repine
exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the cumulative effect of the
뜻: fret; complain
constant reprises that left him spent.
예: There is no sense repining over the work you have left undone. 2957. reproach 2946. replenish
뜻: blame; censure
뜻: fill up again
예: I want my work to be above reproach and without error
예: Before she could take another backpacking trip, Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried foods.
2958. reprobate 뜻: person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency
2947. replete
예: I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the
뜻: filled to capacity; abundantly supplied
reprobate you say he is.
예: The book is replete with humorous situations. 2959. reprobation 2948. replica
뜻: severe disapproval
뜻: copy
예: The students showed their reprobation of his act by refusing to
예: Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of
talk with him.
Independence in the classroom or in the auditorium? 2960. reprove 2949. replicate
뜻: censure; rebuke
뜻: reproduce; duplicate
예: The principal reproved the students when they became unruly in
예: To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to replicate the
the auditorium.
results of their controversial experiment. 2961. repudiate 2950. repository
뜻: disown; disavow
뜻: storehouse
예: He announced that he would repudiate all debts incurred by his
예: Libraries are repositories of the world's best thoughts.
wife.
2951. reprehensible
2962. repugnance
뜻: deserving blame
뜻: loathing
예: Your vicious conduct in this situation is reprehensible.
예: She looked at the snake with repugnance.
2952. repress
2963. repulsion
뜻: restrain; crush; oppress
뜻: act of driving back; distaste
예: Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing
예: The repulsion of the enemy forces was not accomplished
her boundless high spirits.
bloodlessly; many of the defenders were wounded in driving the enemy back.
2953. reprieve 뜻: temporary stay
2964. reputable
예: During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make
뜻: respectable
the stay of execution permanent.
예: If you want to buy antiques, look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as genuine antiques.
2954. reprimand 뜻: reprove severely
2965. reputed
예: I am afraid that my parents will reprimand me when I show them
뜻: supposed
my report card.
예: He is the reputed father of the child.
2955. reprisal
2966. requiem
뜻: retaliation
뜻: mass for the dead; dirge
예: I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may
예: They played Mozart's Requiem at the funeral.
undertake.
132
Barron’s GRE Master Words 2967. requisite
뜻: breathing; exhalation
뜻: necessary requirement
예: The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had
예: Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a
adversely affected both his lung capacity and his rate of respiration.
language as a requisite for admission. 2979. respite 2968. requite
뜻: delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest
뜻: repay; revenge
예: The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his
예: The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them.
attorneys to file an appeal.
2969. rescind
2980. resplendent
뜻: cancel
뜻: brilliant; lustrous
예: Because of public resentment, the king had to rescind his order.
예: The toreador wore a resplendent costume called a suit of lights.
2970. reserve
2981. responsiveness
뜻: self-control; formal but distant manner
뜻: state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc.
예: Although some girls were attracted by Mark's reserve, Judy was
예: The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers
put off by it, for she felt his aloofness indicated a lack of openness.
by its responsiveness.
2971. residue
2982. restitution
뜻: remainder; balance
뜻: reparation; indemnification
예: In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and
예: He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son.
funeral expenses, the residue be given to his wife. 2983. restive 2972. resignation
뜻: restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control
뜻: patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job
예: Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-
예: If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge's bullying with timid
behaved children grow restive and start to fidget.
resignation, he might have gotten up the nerve to hand in his resignation.
2984. restraint 뜻: controlling force 예: She dreamt of living an independent life, free of all restraints.
2973. resilient 뜻: elastic; having the power of springing back 예: Highly resilient, steel makes excellent bedsprings.
2985. resumption 뜻: taking up again; recommencement
2974. resolution
예: During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he
뜻: determination
missed university life: at the resumption of classes, however, he felt
예: Nothing could shake his resolution to succeed despite all
marked excitement and pleasure.
difficulties. 2986. resurgent 2975. resolve
뜻: rising again after defeat, etc.
뜻: determination
예: The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery
예: Nothing could shake his resolve that his children would get the
after total defeat.
best education that money could buy. 2987. resuscitate 2976. resolve
뜻: revive
뜻: decide; settle; solve
예: The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned child by applying
예: Homes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute
artificial respiration.
between Irene Adler and the King. 2988. retain 2977. resonant
뜻: keep; employ
뜻: echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound
예: Fighting to retain his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained
예: The deep, resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes
a new manager to head his reelection campaign.
him particulary effective when he appears on stage. 2989. retaliate 뜻: repay in kind (usually for bad treatment)
2978. respiration
133
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Fear that we will retaliate immediately deters our foe from
for the pension.
attacking us. 3000. retrograde 2990. retentive
뜻: go backwards; degenerate
뜻: holding; having a good memory
예: Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have retrograded
예: The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a
in ethics and culture.
retentive mind. 3001. retrospective 2991. reticent
뜻: looking back on the past
뜻: reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence
예: It is only when we become retrospective that we can appreciate
예: Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones, noting
the tremendous advances made during this century.
that the formers' dislike of idle chatter might ensure their discretion about his affairs.
3002. revelry 뜻: boisterous merrymaking 예: New Year's Eve is a night of revelry.
2992. retinue 뜻: following; attendants 예: The queen's retinue followed her down the aisle.
3003. reverberate
2993. retiring
예: The entire valley reverberated with the sound of the church bells.
뜻: echo; resound 뜻: modest; shy 예: Given Susan't retiring personality, no one expected her to take up
3004. reverent
public speaking; surprisingly enough, she became a star of the
뜻: respectful
school debate team.
예: His reverent attitude was appropriate in a house of worship.
2994. retort
3005. reverie
뜻: quick, sharp reply
뜻: daydream; musing
예: Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she
예: He was awakened from his reverie by the teacher's question.
was always ready with a retort. 3006. revile 2995. retraction
뜻: slander; vilify
뜻: withdrawal
예: He was avoided by all who feared that he would revile and abuse
예: He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a
them if they displeased him.
retraction of its statement. 3007. revoke 2996. retrench
뜻: cancel; retract
뜻: cut down; economize
예: Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of
예: If they were to be able to send their children to college, they
alcohol face having their driver's licenses permanently revoked.
would have to retrench. 3008. revulsion 2997. retribution
뜻: sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction
뜻: vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses
예: Many people in this country who admired dictatorships
예: The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact
underwent a revulsion when they realized what Hitler and Mussolini
retribution from the sinners.
were trying to do.
2998. retrieve
3009. rhapsodize
뜻: recover; find and bring in
뜻: to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner
예: The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game
예: She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and rhapsodized
killed by the hunter.
about it for weeks.
2999. retroactive
3010. rhetoric
뜻: taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition
뜻: art of effective communication; insincere or grandiloquent
(as a tax)
language
예: Because the new pension law was retroactive to the first of the
예: All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in rhetoric.
year, even though Martha had retired in February she was eligible
134
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3011. ribald 뜻: wanton; profane
3022. rococo
예: He sang a ribald song that offended many of the more prudish
뜻: ornate; highly decorated
listeners.
예: The rococo style in furniture and architecture, marked by scrollwork and excessive decoration, flourished during the middle of
3012. rider
the eighteenth century.
뜻: amendment or clause added to a legislative bill 예: Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax
3023. roil
reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add an antipollution rider to the
뜻: to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb
bill.
예: Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor.
3013. rife 뜻: abundant; current
3024. roseate
예: In the face of the many rumors of scandal, which are rife at the
뜻: rosy; optimistic
moment, it is best to remain silent.
예: I am afraid you will have to alter your roseate views in the light of the distressing news that has just arrived.
3014. rift 뜻: opening; break
3025. roster
예: The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city
뜻: list
through a rift in the clouds.
예: They print the roster of players in the season's program.
3015. rig
3026. rostrum
뜻: fix or manipulate
뜻: platform for speech-making; pulpit
예: The ward boss was able to rig the election by bribing people to
예: The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care
stuff the ballot boxes with ballots marked in his candidate's favor.
to listen to the speaker who was approaching the rostrum.
3016. rigid
3027. rote
뜻: stiff and unyielding; strict; hard and unbending
뜻: repetition
예: By living with a man to whom she was not married, George Eliot
예: He recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he
broke Victorian society's most rigid rule of respectable behavior.
understood what he was saying.
3017. rigor
3028. rotunda
뜻: severity
뜻: circular building or hall covered with a dome
예: Many settlers could not stand the rigors of the New England
예: His body lay in state in the rotunda of the Capitol.
winters. 3029. rotundity 3018. rile
뜻: roundness; sonorousness of speech
뜻: vex; irritate; muddy
예: Washington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by
예: Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man to rile.
describing his height and circumference.
3019. riveting
3030. rousing
뜻: absorbing; engrossing
뜻: lively; stirring
예: The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a riveting
예: "And now, let's have a rousing welcome for TV's own Roseanne
tale: absorbed in the story, he had finished it in a single evening.
Arnold, who'll lead us in a rousing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
3020. rivulet 뜻: small stream
3031. rout
예: As the rains continued, the trickle of water running down the
뜻: stampede; drive out
hillside grew into a rivulet that threatened to wash away a portion of
예: The reinforcements were able to rout the enemy
the slope. 3032. rubble 3021. robust
뜻: fragments
뜻: vigorous; strong
예: Ten years after World War II, some of the rubble left by enemy
예: The candidate for the football team had a robust physique.
bombings could still be seen.
135
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The escaped convict was a dangerous and ruthless murderer. 3033. rubric 뜻: title or heading (in red print); directions for religious
3045. relapse
ceremony; protocol
뜻: fall back or sink again
예: In ordaining the new priests, the bishop carefully observed all the
예: The economy relapsed into a depression from the peak.
rubrics for the ordination service. 3034. ruddy 뜻: reddish; healthy-looking 예: His ruddy features indicated that he had spent much time in the
S
open. 3046. saboteur 3035. rudimentary
뜻: one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property
뜻: not developed; elementary
예: Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs, blowing up train
예: His dancing was limited to a few rudimentary steps.
lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army.
3036. rueful
3047. saccharine
뜻: regretful; sorrowful; dejected
뜻: cloyingly sweet
예: The artist has captured the sadness of childhood in his portrait of
예: She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a
the boy with the rueful countenance.
saccharine smile.
3037. ruffian
3048. sacrilegious
뜻: bully; scoundrel
뜻: desecrating; profane
예: The ruffians threw stones at the police.
예: His stealing of the altar cloth was a very sacrilegious act.
3038. ruminate
3049. sacrosanct
뜻: chew the cud; ponder
뜻: most sacred; inviolable
예: We cannot afford to wait while you ruminate upon these plans.
예: The brash insurance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company.
3039. rummage 뜻: ransack; thoroughly search
3050. sadistic
예: When we rummaged through the trunks in the attic, we found
뜻: inclined to cruelty
many souvenirs of our childhood days.
예: If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the sadistic warden.
3040. runic 뜻: mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet
3051. saga
예: Tolkien's use of Old English words and inscriptions in the runic
뜻: Scandinavian myth; any legend
alphabet give The Lord of the Rings its atmosphere of antiquity.
예: This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.
3041. ruse
3052. sagacious
뜻: trick; stratagem
뜻: keen; shrewd; having insight
예: You will not be able to fool your friends with such an obvious ruse.
예: He is much too sagacious to be fooled by a trick like that.
3042. rustic
3053. sage
뜻: pertaining to country people; uncouth
뜻: person celebrated for wisdom
예: The backwoodsman looked out place in his rustic attire.
예: Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to consult the legendary sage.
3043. rusticate 뜻: banish to the country; dwell in the country 예: I like city life so much that I can never understand how people
3054. salacious
can rusticate in the suburbs.
뜻: lascivious; lustful
3044. ruthless
and ribald jests.
예: Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious, a teller of lewd tales 뜻: pitiless
136
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3055. salient
뜻: scornful remarks, stinging rebuke
뜻: prominent
예: His feelings were hurt by the sarcasm of his supposed friends.
예: One of the salient features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page.
3067. sardonic 뜻: disdainful; sarcastic; cynical
3056. saline
예: The sardonic humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or
뜻: salty
ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some people as amusing and
예: The slightly saline taste of this mineral water is pleasant.
others as rude.
3057. sallow
3068. sartorial
뜻: yellowish; sickly in color
뜻: pertaining to tailors
예: We were disturbed by his sallow complexion, which was due to
예: He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he
jaundice.
was for his acting.
3058. salubrious
3069. sate
뜻: healthful
뜻: satisfy to the full; cloy
예: Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of
예: Its hunger sated, the lion dozed.
the country during the months of August and September. 3070. satellite 3059. salutary
뜻: small body revolving around a larger one
뜻: tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome
예: During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of
예: The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as he became
satellites were launched by Russia and the United States.
a model student. 3071. satiate 3060. salvage
뜻: surfeit; satisfy fully
뜻: rescue from loss
예: The guests, having eaten until they were satiated, now listened
예: All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.
inattentively to the speakers.
3061. sanctimonious
3072. satire
뜻: displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness
뜻: form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are
예: You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are
employed to attack vice and folly
devout.
예: Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter satire attacking human folly.
3062. sanction 뜻: approve; ratify
3073. satirical
예: Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my
뜻: mocking
daughter to such a worthless young man.
예: The humor of cartoonists Gary Trudeau often is satirical; though the comments of the Doonesbury characters, Trudeau ridicules
3063. sanguinary
political corruption and folly.
뜻: bloody 예: The battle of lwo Jina was unexpectedly sanguinary with many
3074. saturate
casualties.
뜻: soak 예: Their clothes were saturated by the rain.
3064. sanguine 뜻: cheerful; hopeful
3075. saturnine
예: Let us not be too sanguine about the outcome; something could
뜻: gloomy
go wrong.
예: Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.
3065. sap 뜻: diminish; undermine
3076. satyr
예: The element kryptonite had an unhealthy effect on Superman: it
뜻: half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus,
sapped his strength.
portrayed as wanton and cunning 예: He was like a satyr in his lustful conduct.
3066. sarcasm
137
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3077. saunter
scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers' yards.
뜻: stroll slowly 예: As we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to
3088. scenario
admire the spring flowers.
뜻: plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto 예: Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe
3078. savant
when he suddenly departed from their customary scenario and
뜻: scholar
began to improvise.
예: Our faculty includes many worldfamous savants. 3089. schematic 3079. savor
뜻: relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols
뜻: enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality
예: In working out the solution to an analytical logic question, you
예: Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored the chagrin of
may find it helpful to construct a simple schematic diagram
the critics who had predicted his failure.
illustrating the relationships between the items of information given in the question.
3080. savory 뜻: tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable
3090. schism
예: Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory
뜻: division; split
delicacies for their guests.
예: Let us not widen the schism by further bickering.
3081. scabbard
3091. scintilla
뜻: case for a sword blade; sheath
뜻: shred; least bit
예: The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword
예: You have not produced a scintilla of evidence to support your
before slipping it back into the scabbard.
argument.
3082. scad
3092. scintillate
뜻: a great quantity
뜻: sparkle; flash
예: Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks:
예: I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the
I've got scads of clothes."
conversation scintillates.
3083. scaffold
3093. scoff
뜻: temporary platform for workers; bracing framework;
뜻: mock; ridicule
platform for execution
예: He scoffed at dentists until he had his first toothache.
예: Before painting the house, the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the second story.
3094. scotch 뜻: stamp out; thwart; hinder
3084. scale
예: Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best
뜻: climb up; ascend
friend's fiance.
예: To locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder.
3095. scourge 뜻: lash; whip; severe punishment 예: They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge.
3085. scanty 뜻: meager; insufficient 예: Thinking his helping of food was scanty, Oliver Twist asked for
3096. scruple
more.
뜻: fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons 예: Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she
3086. scapegoat
did not scruple to read his diary.
뜻: someone who bears the blame for others 예: After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on
3097. scrupulous
whom they could cast the blame.
뜻: conscientious; extremely thorough 예: I can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have
3087. scavenge
found him a very scrupulous young man.
뜻: hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food
3098. scrutinize
예: If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try
뜻: examine closely and critically
138
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Searching for flaws, the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the
예: The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas
private's uniform.
secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans.
3099. scuffle
3110. sectarian
뜻: struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry.
뜻: narrow-minded; limited in scope
예: The twins briefly scuffled, wrestling to see which of them would
예: As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious
get the toy. When their big brother yelled, "Let go of my Gameboy!"
issues and not limit herself to mere sectarian concerns.
they scuffled off down the hall. 3111. secular 3100. scurrilous
뜻: worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal
뜻: obscene; indecent
예: The church leaders decided not interfere in secular matters.
예: Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.
3112. sedate 뜻: composed; grave
3101. scurry
예: The parents were worried because they felt their son was too
뜻: move briskly
quiet and sedate.
예: The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his appointment on time. 3113. sedentary 3102. scurvy
뜻: requiring sitting
뜻: despicable; contemptible
예: Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to visit a
예: Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his scurvy crew.
gymnasium weekly.
3103. scuttle
3114. sedition
뜻: sink
뜻: resistance to authority; insubordination
예: The sailors decided to scuttle their vessel rather than surrender it
예: His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated
to the enemy.
to arouse thoughts of sedition.
3104. seamy
3115. sedulous
뜻: sordid; unwholesome
뜻: diligent
예: In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife
예: The young woman was so sedulous that she received a
and children to the seamy side of his life as the son of a Mafia don.
commendation for her hard work.
3105. sear
3116. seedy
뜻: char or burn; brand
뜻: run-down; decrepit; disreputable
예: Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she seared her hand
예: I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel
badly.
than have a room of my own in a seedy downtown hotel.
3106. seasoned
3117. seemly
뜻: experienced
뜻: proper; appropriate
예: Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball
예: Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a
coach wished she had a few more seasoned players on the team.
proper family; no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to marry her daughter.
3107. secession 뜻: withdrawal
3118. seep
예: The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his
뜻: ooze; trickle
first major problem after his inauguration.
예: During the rainstorm, water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards.
3108. seclusion 뜻: isolation; solitude
3119. seethe
예: One moment she loved crowds; the next, she sought seclusion.
뜻: be disturbed; boil 예: The nation was seething with discontent as the nobleman
3109. secrete
continued their arrogant ways.
뜻: hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism.
3120. seine
139
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: net for catching fish
예: The hospital was in such a filthy state that we were afraid that
예: When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen
many of the patients would suffer from septic poisoning.
with seines along the banks of our coastal rivers. 3131. sepulcher 3121. seismic
뜻: tomb
뜻: pertaining to earthquakes
예: Annabel Lee was buried in a sepulcher by the sea.
예: The Richter scale is a measurement of seismic disturbances. 3132. sequester 뜻: retire from public life; segregate; seclude
3122. semblance 뜻: outward appearance; guise
예: Although he had hoped for a long time to sequester himself in a
예: Although this book has a semblance of wisdom and scholarship,
small community, he never was able to drop his busy round of
a careful examination will reveal many errors and omissions.
activities in the city.
3123. seminal
3133. sere
뜻: germinal; influencing future developments; related to seed
뜻: parched; dry
or semen
예: After the unseasonably dry winter the Berkeley hills looked dusty
예: Although Freud has generally been regarded as a seminal
and sere.
thinker who shaped the course of psychology, his psychoanalytic methods have come under attack recently.
3134. serendipity 뜻: gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident;
3124. seminary
accidental good fortune or luck
뜻: school for training future ministers; secondary school,
예: Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity: Newton
especially for young women
was not sitting there thinking about gravity when the apple dropped
예: Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his
on his head.
theological training at the local Roman Catholic seminary. 3135. serenity 3125. senility
뜻: calmness; placidity
뜻: old age; feeble mindedness of old age
예: The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous
예: Most of the decisions are being made by the junior members of
explosion.
the company because of the senility of the president. 3136. serpentine 3126. sensual
뜻: winding; twisting
뜻: devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptous
예: The car swerved at every curve in the serpentine road.
예: I cannot understand what caused him to drop his sensual way of life and become so ascetic.
3137. serrated 뜻: having a sawtoothed edge 예: The beech tree is one of many plants that have serrated leaves.
3127. sensuous 뜻: pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses
3138. servile
예: He was stimulated by the sights, sounds and smells about him;
뜻: slavish; cringing
he was enjoying his sensuous experience.
예: Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.
3128. sententious 뜻: terse; concise; aphoristic
3139. servitude
예: After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious
뜻: slavery; compulsory labor
style particulary pleasing.
예: Born a slave, Douglass resented his wife of servitude and plotted to escape to the North.
3129. sentinel 뜻: sentry; lookout
3140. severance
예: Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the
뜻: division; partition; separation
elementary precaution of posting sentinels around the encampment.
예: The severance of church and state is a basic principle of our government.
3130. septic 뜻: putrid; producing putrefaction
3141. severity
140
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: harshness; plainness 예: The newspapers disapproved of the severity of the sentence.
3153. shrew 뜻: scolding woman
3142. sextant
예: No one wanted to marry Shakespeare's Kate because she was a
뜻: navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and
shrew.
longitude 예: Given a clear night, with the aid of his sextant and compass, he
3154. shrewd
could keep the ship safely on course.
뜻: clever; astute 예: A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of
3143. shackle
the stock market.
뜻: chain; fetter 예: The criminal's ankles were shackled to prevent his escape.
3155. shun 뜻: keep away from
3144. sham
예: Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of
뜻: pretend
other human beings.
예: He shammed sickness to get out of going to school. 3156. shunt 3145. shambles
뜻: turn aside; divert; sidetrack
뜻: slaughterhouse; scene of carnage
예: If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track,
예: By the time the police arrived, the room was a shambles.
the train would plow right into Union Station.
3146. shard
3157. shyster
뜻: fragment, generally of pottery
뜻: lawyer using questionable methods.
예: The archaeologist assigned several students the task of
예: On L.A. Law, respectable attorney Brackman was horrified to
reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought
learn that his newly discovered half brother was a cheap shyster.
back from the expedition. 3158. sibling 3147. sheaf
뜻: brother or sister
뜻: bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together
예: We may not enjoy being siblings, but we cannot forget that we
예: The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question
still belong to the same family.
the witness. 3159. sibylline 3148. sheathe
뜻: prophetic; oracular
뜻: place into a case
예: Until their destruction by fire in 83 B.C., the sibylline books were
예: As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathed his
often consulted by the Romans.
dagger and hailed them as friends. 3160. sidereal 3149. sherbet
뜻: relating to the stars
뜻: flavored dessert ice
예: Although hampered by optical and mechanical flaws, the orbiting
예: I prefer raspberry sherbet to ice cream since it is less fattening.
Hubble space telescope has relayed extraordinary images of distant sidereal bodies.
3150. shimmer 뜻: glimmer intermittently
3161. silt
예: The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke
뜻: sediment deposited by running water
through the clouds for a moment.
예: The harbor channel must be dredged annually to remove the silt.
3151. shirk
3162. simian
뜻: avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger
뜻: monkeylike
예: Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any
예: Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian
responsibility.
characteristics, although they are less intelligent than monkeys.
3152. shoddy
3163. simile
뜻: sham; not genuine; inferior
뜻: comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or
예: You will never get the public to buy such shoddy material.
as
141
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: "My love is like a red, red rose" is a simile. 3175. skinflint 3164. simper
뜻: miser
뜻: smirk; smile affectedly
예: The old skinflint refused to give her a raise.
예: Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously simpered.
3176. skirmish 뜻: minor fight
3165. simplistic
예: Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on
뜻: oversimplified
maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle.
예: Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was simplistic in failing to consider various complicating
3177. skittish
factors that might arise.
뜻: lively; frisky 예: She is as skittish as a kitten playing with a piece of string.
3166. simulate 뜻: feign
3178. skulduggery
예: He simulated insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime.
뜻: dishonest behavior 예: The investigation into municipal corruption turned up new
3167. sinecure
instances of skulduggery daily.
뜻: well-paid position with little responsibility 예: My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much
3179. skulk
responsibility.
뜻: move furtively and secretly 예: He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in
3168. sinewy
order to avoid meeting any of his former friends.
뜻: tough; strong and firm 예: The steak was too sinewy to chew
3180. slacken 뜻: slow up; loosen 예: As they passed the finish line, the runners slackened their pace.
3169. singular 뜻: unique; extraordinary; odd 예: Though the young man tried to understand Father William's
3181. slag
singular behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly
뜻: residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
stood on his head.
예: The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag.
3170. sinister 뜻: evil
3182. slake
예: We must defeat the sinister forces that seek our downfall.
뜻: quench; sate 예: When we reached the oasis, we were able to slake our thirst.
3171. sinuous 뜻: winding; bending in and out; not morally honest
3183. slander
예: The snake moved in a sinuous manner.
뜻: defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements 예: Unless you can prove your allegations, your remarks constitute
3172. skeptic
slander.
뜻: doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view.
3184. slapdash
예: In this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof.
뜻: haphazard; careless; sloppy 예: From the number of typos and misspellings I've found on it, it's
3173. skiff
clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably slapdash
뜻: small, light sailboat or rowboat
fashion.
예: Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay.
3185. sleazy
3174. skimp
예: This is a sleazy fabric; it will not wear well.
뜻: flimsy; unsubstantial 뜻: provide scantily; live very economically 예: They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their
3186. sleeper
limited supplies last the winter.
뜻: something originally of little value or importance that in time
142
Barron’s GRE Master Words becomes very valuable
staff.
예: Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper.
3198. smattering
3187. sleight
예: I don't know whether it is better to be ignorant of a subject or to
뜻: dexterity
have a mere smattering of information about it.
뜻: slight knowledge
예: The magician amazed the audience with his sleight of hand. 3199. smirk 3188. slight
뜻: conceited smile
뜻: insult to one's dignity; snub
예: Wipe that smirk off your face!
예: Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary slights.
3200. smolder 뜻: burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment 예: The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame.
3189. slither 뜻: slip or slide 예: During the recent ice storm, many people slithered down this hill
3201. snicker
as they walked to the station.
뜻: half-stifled laugh 예: The boy could not suppress a snicker when the teacher sat on
3190. sloth
the tack.
뜻: laziness 예: Such sloth in a young person is deplorable; go to work!
3202. snivel 뜻: run at the nose; snuffle; whine
3191. sloth
예: Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big
뜻: slow-moving tree-dwelling mammal
brother.
예: Note how well the somewhat greenish coat of the sloth enables it to blend in with its arboreal surroundings.
3203. sobriety 뜻: moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol);
3192. slough
seriousness
뜻: cast off
예: Neither drunkards nor comics are noted for sobriety.
예: Each spring, the snake sloughs off its skin. 3204. sodden 3193. slovenly
뜻: soaked; dull, as if from drink
뜻: untidy; slipshod
예: He set his sodden overcoat near the radiator to dry.
예: Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products. 3205. sojourn 3194. sluggard
뜻: temporary stay
뜻: lazy person
예: After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the colder
예: "You are a sluggard, a drone, a parasite," the angry father
climate of his native New England home.
shouted at his lazy son. 3206. solace 3195. sluggish
뜻: comfort in trouble
뜻: slow; lazy; lethargic
예: I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your
예: After two nights without sleep, she felt sluggish and incapable of
loss.
exertion. 3207. solder 3196. sluice
뜻: repair or make whole by using a metal alloy
뜻: artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water
예: The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of
예: In times of drought, this sluice enables farmers to obtain water for
joints from which water had been oozing.
irrigation. 3208. solecism 3197. slur
뜻: construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically
뜻: insult to one's character or reputation; slander
예: I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many
예: Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been
solecisms.
damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's
143
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3209. solemnity 뜻: seriousness; gravity
3220. sophist
예: The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the
뜻: teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious
solemnity of the marriage service.
reasoning 예: You are using all the devices of a sophist in trying to prove your
3210. solicit
case; your argument is specious.
뜻: request earnestly; seek 예: Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to
3221. sophistication
pass, the mayor telephoned all the members of the city council to
뜻: artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in
solicit their votes.
reasoning 예: Sophistication is an acquired characteristic, found more
3211. solicitous
frequently among city dwellers than among residents of rural areas.
뜻: worried, concerned 예: The employer was very solicitous about the health of her
3222. sophistry
employees as replacements were difficult to get.
뜻: seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning 예: Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his
3212. soliloquy
audience with a flood of sophistries.
뜻: talking to oneself 예: The soliloquy is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a
3223. sophomoric
character's innermost thoughts and emotions.
뜻: immature; shallow 예: Your sophomoric remarks are a sign of your youth and indicate
3213. solstice
that you have not given much thought to the problem.
뜻: point at which the sun is farthest from the equator 예: The winter solstice usually occurs on December 21.
3224. soporific 뜻: sleep producing
3214. solvent
예: I do not need a sedative when I listen to one of his soporific
뜻: able to pay all debts
speeches.
예: By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bankruptcy proceedings.
3225. sordid 뜻: filthy; base; vile
3215. somatic
예: The social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided
뜻: pertaining to the body; physical
for the homeless.
예: Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects and emphasize only the corporeal and the somatic ones?
3226. spangle 뜻: small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
3216. somber
예: The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of
뜻: gloomy; depressing
the stage lights.
예: From the doctor's grim expression, I could tell he had somber news.
3227. spartan 뜻: lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined
3217. somnambulist
예: Looking over the bare, unheated room with its hard cot, he
뜻: sleepwalker
wondered what he was doing in such spartan quarters. Only his
예: The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her
spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.
monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play.
3228. spasmodic 뜻: fitful; periodic
3218. somnolent
예: The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed the
뜻: half asleep
performers.
예: The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker.
3229. spat 뜻: squabble; minor dispute
3219. sonorous
예: What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown
뜻: resonant
argument.
예: His sonorous voice resounded through the hall.
144
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3230. spate
3241. spoonerism
뜻: sudden flood
뜻: accidental transposition of sounds in sucessive words
예: I am worried about the possibility of a spate if the rains do not
예: When the radio announcer introduced the President as Hoobert
diminish soon.
Herver, he was guilty of spoonerism.
3231. spatial
3242. sporadic
뜻: relating to space
뜻: occurring irregularly
예: It is difficult to visualize the spatial extent of our universe.
예: Although there are still sporadic outbursts of shooting in the streets, the rebellion is essentially over.
3232. spatula 뜻: broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
3243. sportive
예: The manufacturers of this frying pan recommended the use of a
뜻: playful
rubber spatula to avoid scratching the specially treated surface.
예: Such a sportive attitude is surprising in a person as serious as you usually are.
3233. spawn 뜻: lay eggs
3244. spruce
예: Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon
뜻: neat and trim
returning to spawn in their native streams.
예: Every button buttoned, tie firmly in place, young Alex Keaton looked spruce and tidy for his job interview at the bank.
3234. specious 뜻: seemingly reasonable but incorrect
3245. spry
예: Let us not be misled by such specious arguments.
뜻: vigorously active; nimble 예: She was eighty years old, yet still spry and alert.
3235. spectral 뜻: ghostly
3246. spurious
예: We were frightened by the spectral glow that filled the room.
뜻: false; counterfeit; forged; illogical 예: The hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels is an antique dealer
3236. spectrum
who gives the reader advice on how to tell spurious antiques from
뜻: colored band produced when a beam of light passes
the real things.
through a prism 예: The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and
3247. spurn 뜻: reject; scorn
violet at the other.
예: The heroine spurned the villain's advances. 3237. spendthrift 뜻: someone who wastes money
3248. squabble
예: Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts
뜻: minor quarrel; bickering
who shop till they drop.
예: Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out
3238. sphinx-like
on their own.
뜻: enigmatic; mysterious 예: The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has puzzled art lovers for
3249. squalid
centuries.
뜻: dirty; neglected; poor 예: It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid
3239. splice
neighborhood.
뜻: fasten together; unite 예: Before you splice two strips of tape together, be sure to line them
3250. squander
up evenly.
뜻: waste 예: The prodigal son squandered the family estate.
3240. spontaneity 뜻: impulsiveness; absence of premeditation
3251. squat
예: What I liked best about Dale's parties was their spontaneity: a
뜻: stocky; short and thick
couple of friends would drop by, someone would pull out a fiddle or
예: Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat, sturdy little creatures, fond
guitar, and before you knew it the party would be in full swing.
of good ale, good music, and good food.
145
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3252. staccato
Ulysses to return from his wanderings.
뜻: played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt, sharp sound 예: His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine
3264. stealth 뜻: slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness
gun.
예: Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his 3253. stagnant
way toward the enemy camp with great stealth.
뜻: motionless; stale; dull 예: The stagnant water was a breeding ground for disease
3265. steep 뜻: soak; saturate
3254. staid
예: Be sure to steep the fabric in the dye bath for the full time
뜻: sober; sedate
prescribed.
예: Her conduct during the funeral ceremony was staid and solemn. 3266. stellar 3255. stalemate
뜻: pertaining to the stars
뜻: deadlock
예: He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance.
예: Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated
3267. stem 뜻: check the flow
positions.
예: The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from the 3256. stalwart
slashed artery.
뜻: strong, brawny; steadfast 예: His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a
3268. stemfrom
stalwart and loyal member.
뜻: arise from 예: Milton's problems in school stemmed from his poor study habits.
3257. stamina 뜻: strength; staying power
3269. stentorian
예: I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the
뜻: extremely loud
marathon race.
예: The town crier had stentorian voice.
3258. stanch
3270. streotyped
뜻: check flow of blood
뜻: oversimplified; lacking individuality; seen as a type
예: It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we
예: My chief objection to the book is that the characters are
attend to the other injuries.
stereotyped; they come across as ethnic caricatures, not as real people with individual quirks, fears, and dreams.
3259. stanza 뜻: division of a poem
3271. stickler
예: Do you know the last stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner"?
뜻: perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right 예: The Internal Revenue Service agent was a stickler for accuracy;
3260. static
no approximations or rough estimates would satisfy him.
뜻: unchanging; lacking development 예: Nothing had changed at home; things were static there
3272. stifle 뜻: suppress; extinguish; inhibit
3261. statute
예: Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to stifle
뜻: law
her yawns.
예: We have many statutes in our law books which should be repealed.
3273. stigma 뜻: token of disgrace; brand
3262. statutory
예: I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of
뜻: created by statute or legislative action
this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.
예: The judicial courts review and try statutory crimes. 3274. stilted 3263. steadfast
뜻: bombastic; stiffly pompous
뜻: loyal; unswerving
예: His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they
예: Penelope was steadfast in her affections, faithfully waiting for
were immune to bombastic utterances.
146
Barron’s GRE Master Words society, we may expect grumbling and revolt. 3275. stint 뜻: be thrifty; set limits
3286. strew
예: "Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to stint on
뜻: spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
the wedding arrangements.
예: Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle.
3276. stint 뜻: supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work
3287. striated
예: He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly.
뜻: marked with parallel bands; grooved 예: The glacier left many striated rocks.
3277. stipend 뜻: pay for services
3288. stricture
예: There is a nominal stipend for this position.
뜻: critical comments; severe and adverse criticism 예: His strictures on the author's style are prejudiced and
3278. stipple
unwarranted.
뜻: paint or draw with dots 예: Seurat carefully stippled dabs of pure color on the canvas,
3289. strident
juxtaposing dots of blue and yellow that the viewer's eye would
뜻: loud and harsh
interpret as green.
예: She scolded him in a strident voice
3279. stipulate
3290. stringent
뜻: make express conditions, specify
뜻: binding; rigid
예: Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe,
예: I think these regulations are too stringent.
the president stipulated that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.
3291. strut
3280. stodgy
예: His strut as he marched about the parade ground revealed him
뜻: stuffy; boringly conservative
for what he was: a pompous buffoon.
뜻: pompous walk
예: For a young person, Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone of his age to have a little more life.
3292. strut 뜻: supporting bar
3281. stoic
예: The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter
뜻: person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain
needed to be reinforced.
예: The doctor called her patient a stoic because he had borne the pain of the examination without whimpering.
3293. studied 뜻: unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful
3282. stoke
예: Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his
뜻: stir up a fire; feed plentifully
name from the guest list was a studied insult.
예: As a Scout, Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to stoke it if it started to die down, and how to extinguish it completely.
3294. stultify 뜻: cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate
3283. stolidity
or hinder
뜻: dullness; impassivenss
예: His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb
예: The earthquake shattered his usual stolidity; trembling, he
and incurious, as if the menial labor had stultified his mind.
crouched on the no longer stable ground. 3295. stupefy 3284. stratified
뜻: make numb; stun; amaze
뜻: divided into classes; arranged into strata
예: Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping
예: As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased,
pills or any other medicine that might stupefy her.
Roman society grew increasingly stratified. 3296. stupor 3285. stratum
뜻: state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness
뜻: layer of earth's surface; layer of society
예: In his stupor, the addict was unaware of the events taking place
예: Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest stratum of our
around him.
147
Barron’s GRE Master Words
3297. stymie
3308. subsequent
뜻: present an obstacle; stump
뜻: following; later
예: The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the
예: In subsequent lessons, we shall take up more difficult problems.
robbery investigation. 3309. subservient 3298. suavity
뜻: behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious
뜻: urbanity; polish
예: He was proud and dignified; he refused to be subservient to
예: He is particulary good in roles that require suavity and
anyone.
sophistication. 3310. subside 3299. subaltern
뜻: settle down; descend; grow quiet
뜻: subordinate
예: The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.
예: The captain treated his subalterns as though they were children rather than commissioned officers.
3311. subsidiary 뜻: subordinate; secondary
3300. subjective
예: This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not
뜻: occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal
sufficient by itself to prove your argument.
예: Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking.
3312. subsidy 뜻: direct financial aid by government, etc.
3301. subjugate
예: Without this subsidy, American ship operators would not be able
뜻: conquer; bring under control
to compete in world markets.
예: It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.
3313. subsistence
3302. sublimate
예: In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided mere
뜻: refine; purify
subsistence.
뜻: existence; means of support; livelihood
예: We must strive to sublimate these desires and emotions into worthwhile activities.
3314. substantiate 뜻: verify; support 예: I intend to substantiate my statement by producing witnesses.
3303. sublime 뜻: exalted; noble; uplifting 예: Mother Teresa has been honored for her sublime deeds.
3315. substantive 뜻: essential; pertaining to the substance
3304. subliminal
예: Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the
뜻: below the threshold
problem, they could not agree on the substantive issues.
예: We may not be aware of the subliminal influences that affect our thinking.
3316. subsume 뜻: include; encompass
3305. submissive
예: Does the general theory of relativity contradict Newtonian physics,
뜻: yielding; timid
or is Newton's law of gravity subsumed into Einstein's larger scheme?
예: Crushed by his authoritarian father, Will had no defiance left in him; he was totally submissive in the face of authority.
3317. subterfuge 뜻: pretense; evasion
3306. suborn
예: As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a
뜻: persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury)
subterfuge we withdrew our endorsement of your candidacy.
예: In the Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael Corleone.
3318. subtlety
3307. subpoena
예: The subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his
뜻: writ summoning a witness to appear
audience.
뜻: nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy
예: The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness.
3319. subversive
148
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: tending to overthrow; destructive
뜻: separate; part
예: At first glance, the notion that Styrofoam cups may actually be
예: Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously
more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most
sundered.
environmentalists as subversive. 3331. sundry 3320. succinct
뜻: various; several
뜻: brief; terse; compact
예: My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the
예: His remarks are always succinct and pointed.
newspapers about your behavior.
3321. succor
3332. superannuated
뜻: aid; assistance; relief
뜻: retired or disqualified because of age
예: We shall be ever grateful for the succor our country gave us
예: The superannuated man was indignant because he felt that he
when we were in need.
could still perform a good day's work.
3322. succulent
3333. supercilious
뜻: juicy; full of richness
뜻: contemptuous; haughty
예: To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than
예: I prefer Jill's modesty to Jack's supercilious and arrogant attitude.
those from California. 3334. supererogatory 3323. succumb
뜻: superfluous; more than needed or demanded
뜻: yield; give in; die
예: We have more than enough witnesses to corroborate your
예: I succumb to temptation whenever it comes my way.
statement; to present any more would be supererogatory.
3324. suffragist
3335. superficial
뜻: advocate of voting rights (for women)
뜻: trivial; shallow
예: In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress
예: Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem,
authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the suffragist Susan B.
I cannot give you more than a passing grade.
Anthony. 3336. superfluous 3325. suffuse
뜻: excessive; overabundant, unnecessary
뜻: spread over
예: Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your
예: A blush suffused her cheeks when we teased her about her love
report; just give me the bare facts.
affair. 3337. superimpose 3326. sully
뜻: place over something else
뜻: tarnish; soil
예: Your attempt to superimpose another agency in this field will
예: He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such
merely increase the bureaucratic nature of our government.
menial labor. 3338. supernumerary 3327. sultry
뜻: person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra
뜻: sweltering
예: His first appearance on the stage was as a supernumerary in a
예: He could not adjust himself to the sultry climate of the tropics.
Shakespearean tragedy.
3328. summation
3339. supersede
뜻: act of finding the total, summary
뜻: cause to be set aside; replace
예: In his summation, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by
예: This regulation will supersede all previous rules.
the two witnesses. 3340. supine 3329. sumptuous
뜻: lying on back
뜻: lavish; rich
예: The defeated pugilist lay supine on the canvas.
예: I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.
3341. supplant 뜻: replace; usurp 예: Corazon Aquino supplanted Ferdinand Marcos as president of
3330. sunder
149
Barron’s GRE Master Words the Philippines. 3354. surveillance 뜻: watching; guarding
3342. supple 뜻: flexible; pliant
예: The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope
예: The angler found a supple limb and used it as a fishing rod.
of capturing all the criminals at one time.
3343. suppliant
3355. susceptible
뜻: entreating; beseeching
뜻: impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance,
예: He could not resist the dog's suppliant whimpering, and he gave
as to a disease
it some food.
예: He was a very susceptible young man, and so his parents worried that he might fall into bad company.
3344. supplicate 뜻: petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
3356. sustain
예: We supplicate Your Majesty to grant him amnesty.
뜻: experience; support; nourish 예: He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he
3345. supposition
would be unable to work to sustain his growing family.
뜻: hypothesis; surmise 예: I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he
3357. sustenance
would be discreet.
뜻: means of support, food, nourishment 예: In the tropics, the natives find sustenance easy to obtain because
3346. supposititious
of all the fruit trees.
뜻: assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical 예: I find no similarity between your supposititious illustration and the
3358. suture
problem we are facing.
뜻: stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing 예: We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals.
3347. surfeit 뜻: satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything 예: Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of
3359. swarthy
holiday treats.
뜻: dark; dusky
3348. surly
and blond.
예: Despite the stereotype, not all Italians are swarthy; many are fair 뜻: rude; cross 예: Because of his surly attitude, many people avoided his company.
3360. swathe 뜻: wrap around; bandage
3349. surmise
예: When I visited him in the hospital, I found him swathed in
뜻: guess
bandages.
예: I surmise that he will be late for this meeting. 3361. swelter 3350. surmount
뜻: be oppressed by heat
뜻: overcome
예: I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I
예: He had to surmount many obstacles in order to succeed.
do not intend to swelter through another hot and humid summer.
3351. surpass
3362. swerve
뜻: exceed
뜻: deviate; turn aside sharply
예: Her SAT scores surpassed out expectations.
예: The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.
3352. surreptitious 뜻: secret
3363. swill
예: News of their surreptitious meeting gradually leaked out.
뜻: drink greedily 예: Singing, "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and
3353. surrogate
his fellow pirates swilled their grog.
뜻: substitute 예: For a fatherless child, a male teacher may become a father
3364. swindler
surrogate.
뜻: cheat
150
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for the first swindler
예: During the twentieth century, many synthetic products have
who came along.
replaced the natural products.
3365. sybarite
3375. sedative
뜻: lover of luxury
뜻: calming drug or influence
예: Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little
예: It is dangerous to drive after taking the sedative; it brings
taste for a life of luxury.
drowsiness.
3366. sycophant
3376. stygian
뜻: servile flatterer
뜻: literary dark
예: The king enjoyed the servile compliments and attentions of the
예: The stygian room reminded him of an empty space.
sycophants in his retinue. 3367. syllogism 뜻: logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor T
premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument 예: There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot accept its 3377. tacit
conclusion.
뜻: understood; not put into words 예: We have a tacit agreement based on only a handshake.
3368. sylvan 뜻: pertaining to the woods; rustic 예: His paintings of nymphs in sylvan backgrounds were criticized as
3378. taciturn
oversentimental.
뜻: habitually silent; talking a little 예: New Englanders are reputedly taciturn people.
3369. symbiosis 뜻: interdependent relationship (between groups, species),
3379. tactile
often mutually beneficial
뜻: pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
예: Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their
예: His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity.
symbiosis; pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile,
3380. tainted
meanwhile, derives proper dental hygiene.
뜻: contaminated; corrupt 예: Health authorities are always trying to prevent the sale and use of tainted food.
3370. symmetry 뜻: arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity 예: The addition of a second tower will give this edifice the symmetry
3381. talisman 뜻: charm
that it now lacks.
예: She wore the talisman to ward off evil. 3371. synchronous 뜻: similary timed; simultaneous with
3382. talon
예: We have many examples of scientists in different parts of the
뜻: claw of bird
world who have made synchronous discoveries.
예: The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to avoid being clawed by the hawk's talons.
3372. synoptic 뜻: providing a general overview; summary
3383. tangential
예: The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts
뜻: peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing 예: Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with tangential remarks,
for a synoptic account of what was new in the field.
Lois kept on coming back to her main question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Superman and her?
3373. synthesis 뜻: combining parts into a whole 예: Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next
3384. tangible
problem is to plan its synthesis in the laboratory.
뜻: able to be touched; real; palpable 예: Although Tom did not own a house, he had several tangible assets--a car, a television, a PC--that he could sell if he needed cash.
3374. synthetic 뜻: artificial; resulting from synthesis
151
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3385. tanner
3397. temerity
뜻: person who turns animal hides into leather
뜻: boldness; rashness
예: Using a solution of tanbark, the tanner treated the cowhide,
예: Do you have the temerity to argue with me?
transforming it into supple leather. 3398. temper 3386. tantalize
뜻: moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel)
뜻: tease; torture with disappointment
예: Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could temper Nancy's
예: Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with candy; he knew
enthusiasm for her new job.
the boy was forbidden to have it. 3399. temperament 3387. tantamount
뜻: characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess
뜻: equal
예: Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly in
예: Your ignoring their pathetic condition is tantamount to the murder.
temperament: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable.
3388. tantrum
3400. temperate
뜻: fit of petulance; caprice
뜻: restrained; self-controlled
예: The child learned that he could have almost anything if he went
예: Noted for his temperate appetite, he seldom gained weight.
into tantrums. 3401. tempo 3389. taper
뜻: speed of music
뜻: candle
예: I find the conductor's tempo too slow for such a brilliant piece of
예: He lit the taper on the windowsill.
music.
3390. tarantula
3402. temporal
뜻: venomous spider
뜻: not lasting forever; limited by time; secular
예: We need an antitoxin to counteract the bite of the tarantula.
예: At one time in our history, temporal rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right.
3391. tarry 뜻: delay; dawdle
3403. temporize
예: We can't tarry if we want to get to the airport on time.
뜻: avoid committing oneself; gain time 예: I cannot permit you to temporize any longer; I must have a
3392. taut
definite answer today.
뜻: tight; ready 예: The captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.
3404. tenacious 뜻: holding fast 예: I had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my arm.
3393. tautological 뜻: needlessly repetitious 예: In the sentence "It was visible to the eye," the phrase "to the eye"
3405. tenacity
is tautological.
뜻: firmness; persistency; adhesiveness 예: It is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacity of a habit such as
3394. tawdry
smoking.
뜻: cheap and gaudy 예: He won a few tawdry trinkets in Coney Island.
3406. tendentious 뜻: having an aim; biased; designed to further a cause
3395. taxonomist
예: The editorials in this periodical are tendentious rather than truth-
뜻: specialist in classifying (animals, etc.)
seeking.
예: Dental patterns often enable the taxonomist to distinguish members of one rodent species from those of another.
3407. tender 뜻: offer; extend
3396. tedium
예: Although no formal changes had been made against him, in the
뜻: boredom; weariness
wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt he should tender his
예: We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in
resignation.
the hospital. 3408. tenet
152
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: doctrine; dogma
3420. tesselated
예: The agnostic did not accept the tenets of their faith.
뜻: inlaid; mosaic 예: I recall seeing a table with a tesselated top of bits of stone and
3409. tensile
glass in a very interesting pattern.
뜻: capable of being stretched 예: Mountain climbers must know the tensile strength of their ropes.
3421. testator 뜻: maker of a will
3410. tentative
예: The attorney called in his secretary and his partner to witness the
뜻: provisional; experimental
signature of the testator.
예: Your tentative plans sound plausible; let me know when the final details are worked out.
3422. testy 뜻: irritable; short-tempered
3411. tenuous
예: My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as
뜻: thin; rare; slim
he is rather testy and may shout at you.
예: The allegiance of our allies is held by rather tenuous ties; let us hope they will remain loyal.
3423. tether 뜻: tie with a rope
3412. tenure
예: Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their
뜻: holding of an office; time during which such an office is held
wandering off during the night.
예: He was permanent tenure in this position and cannot be fired. 3424. thematic 3413. tepid
뜻: relating to a unifying motif or idea
뜻: lukewarm
예: Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about
예: During the summer, I like to take a tepid bath, not a hot one.
whaling miss is underlying thematic import.
3414. terminate
3425. theocracy
뜻: to bring to an end
뜻: government of a community by religious leaders
예: When his contract was terminated unexpectedly, he desperately
예: Some Pilgrims favored the establishment of a theocracy in New
needed a new job.
England.
3415. terminology
3426. theoretical
뜻: terms used in a science or art
뜻: not practical or applied; hypothetical
예: The special terminology developed by some authorities in the
예: Bob was better at applied engineering and computer
field has done more to confuse laypersons than to enlighten them.
programming than he was at theoretical physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan, you've
3416. terminus
convinced me of its basic soundness.
뜻: last stop of railroad 예: After we reached the railroad terminus, we continued our journey
3427. therapeutic
into the wilderness on saddle horses.
뜻: curative 예: Now better known for its racetrack, Saratoga Springs first gained
3417. terrestrial
attention for the therapeutic qualities of its famous "healing waters."
뜻: on or relating to the earth 예: We have been able to explore the terrestrial regions much more
3428. thermal
thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial regions.
뜻: pertaining to heat 예: The natives discovered that the host springs gave excellent
3418. terse
thermal baths and began to develop their community as a health
뜻: concise; abrupt; pithy
resort.
예: I admire his terse style of writing; he comes directly to the point. 3429. thespian 3419. tertiary
뜻: pertaining to drama
뜻: third
예: Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined
예: He is so thorough that he analyzes tertiary causes where other
for a thespian career.
writers are content with primary and secondary reasons. 3430. thrall
153
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: slave; bondage
3442. tipple
예: The captured soldier was held in thrall by the conquering army.
뜻: drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently 예: He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he
3431. thrifty
tippled with his friends at the local pub.
뜻: careful about money; economical 예: A thrifty shopper compares prices before making major
3443. tirade
purchases.
뜻: extended scolding; denunciation 예: Long before he had finished his tirade, we were sufficiently aware
3432. thrive
of the seriousness of our misconduct.
뜻: prosper; flourish 예: Despite the impact of recession on the restaurant trade, Philip's
3444. titanic
cafe thrived.
뜻: gigantic 예: titanic waves beat aginst the shore during the hurricane.
3433. throes 뜻: violent anguish
3445. tithe
예: The throes of despair can be as devastating as the spasms
뜻: tax of one-tenth
accompanying physical pain.
예: Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his tithes to the clergy.
3434. throng 뜻: crowd
3446. titillate
예: Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles.
뜻: tickle 예: I am here not to titillate my audience but to enlighten it.
3435. throttle 뜻: strangle
3447. title
예: The criminal tried to throttle the old man with his bare hands.
뜻: right or claim to possession; mark of rank; name (of a book, film, etc.)
3436. thwart
예: Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the
뜻: baffle; frustrate
family estate, he still retained his title as head of one of England's
예: He felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent
oldest families.
his success. 3448. titter 3437. tightwad
뜻: nervous laugh
뜻: excessively frugal person; miser
예: Her aunt's constant titter nearly drove her mad.
예: Jill called Jack a tightwad because he never picked up the check. 3449. titular 3438. tilter
뜻: having the title of an office without the obligations
뜻: handle used to move the boat's rudder (to steer)
예: Although he was the titular head of the company, the real
예: Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff, Tom
decisions were made by his general manager.
kept one hand on the tilter at all times. 3450. toady 3439. timbre
뜻: servile flatterer; yes man
뜻: quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument
예: Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't
예: We identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its
want an independent adviser, he just wants a toady.
timbre. 3451. toga 3440. timidity
뜻: Roman outer robe
뜻: lack of self-confidence or courage
예: Marc Antony pointed to the slashes in Caesar's toga.
예: If you are to succeed as a salesperson, you must first lose your timidity and fear of failure.
3452. tome
3441. timorous
예: He spent much time in the libraries poring over ancient tomes.
뜻: large volume 뜻: fearful; demonstrating fear 예: His timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment.
3453. tonsure 뜻: shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious
154
Barron’s GRE Master Words orders
3464. tract
예: His tonsure, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he
뜻: pamphlet; a region of indefinite size
was a member of the religious order.
예: The King granted William Penn a tract of land in the New World.
3454. topography
3465. tractable
뜻: physical features of a region
뜻: docile
예: Before the generals gave the order to attack, they ordered a
예: You will find the children in this school very tractable and willing
complete study of the topography of the region.
to learn.
3455. torpor
3466. traduce
뜻: lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy
뜻: expose to slander
예: Nothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor; he had wholly
예: His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by
surrendered himself to lethargy.
spreading rumors about his past.
3456. torque
3467. trajectory
뜻: twisting force; force producing rotation
뜻: path taken by a projectile
예: With her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut the
예: The police tried to locate the spot from which the assassin had
loosen it.
fired the fatal shot by tracing the trajectory of the bullet.
3457. torrent
3468. tranquillity
뜻: rushing stream; flood
뜻: calmness; peace
예: Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water
예: After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the
ran downhill in torrents.
tranquillity of these fields and forests.
3458. torso
3469. transcend
뜻: trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk
뜻: exceed; surpass
예: This torso, found in the ruins of Pompeii, is now on exhibition in
예: This accomplishment transcends all our previous efforts.
the museum in Naples. 3470. transcribe 3459. tortuous
뜻: copy
뜻: winding; full of curves
예: When you transcribe your notes, please send a copy to Mr.Smith
예: Because this road is so tortuous, it is unwise to go faster than
and keep the original for our files.
twenty miles an hour on it. 3471. transgression 3460. touchstone
뜻: violation of a law; sin
뜻: stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion
예: Forgive us our transgressions; we know not what we do.
예: What touchstone can be used to measure the character of a person?
3472. transient 뜻: momentary; temporary; staying for a short time
3461. touchy
예: Lexy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was
뜻: sensitive; irascible
transient; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob.
예: Do not discuss this phase of the problem as he is very touchy
Located near the airport, this hotel caters to the largely transient
about it.
trade.
3462. tout
3473. transition
뜻: publicize; praise excessively
뜻: going from one state of action to another
예: I lost confidence in my broker after he touted some junk bonds
예: During the period of transition from oil heat to gas heat, the
that turned out to be a bad investment.
furnace will have to be shut off.
3463. toxic
3474. transitoriness
뜻: poisonous
뜻: impermanence
예: We must seek an antidote for whatever toxic substance he has
예: Conscious that all things pass, the psalmist relates the
eaten.
transitoriness of happiness and fame.
155
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3475. translucent
graduate degree.
뜻: partly transparent 예: We could not recognize the people in the next room because of
3486. trek 뜻: travel; journey
the translucent curtains that separated us.
예: The tribe made their trek further north that summer in search of 3476. transmute
game.
뜻: change; convert to something different 예: He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities.
3487. tremor 뜻: trembling; slight quiver 예: She had a nervous tremor in her right hand.
3477. transparent 뜻: permitting to light to pass through freely; easily detected 예: Your scheme is so transparent that it will fool no one.
3488. tremulous 뜻: trembling; wavering 예: She was tremulous more from excitement than from fear.
3478. transpire 뜻: be revealed; happen 예: When Austen writes the sentence "It had just transpired that he
3489. trenchant
had left gaming debts behind him," her meaning is not that the debts
뜻: cutting; keen
had just been incurred, but the the shocking news had just leaked
예: I am afraid of his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic.
out. 3490. trepidation 뜻: fear; trembling agitation
3479. transport 뜻: strong emotion
예: We must face the enemy without trepidation if we are to win this
예: Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in transports
battle.
of joy over a vivid sunset, at another moment in transports of grief over a dying bird.
3491. tribulation
3480. trappings
예: After all the trials and tribulations we have gone through, we
뜻: outward decorations; ornaments
need this rest.
뜻: distress; suffering
예: He loved the trappings of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet.
3492. tribunal 뜻: court of justice
3481. traumatic
예: The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was
뜻: pertaining to an injury caused by violence
sentenced to death.
예: In his nightmares, he kept on recalling the traumatic experience of being wounded in battle.
3493. tribute
3482. travail
예: The colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot.
뜻: tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect 뜻: painful labor 예: How long do you think a man can endure such travail and
3494. trident
degradation without rebelling?
뜻: three-pronged spear 예: Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his
3483. traverse
trident on his shoulder.
뜻: go through or across 예: When you traverse this field, be careful of the bull.
3495. trigger 뜻: set off
3484. travesty
예: John is touchy today; say one word wrong and you'll trigger an
뜻: comical parody; treatment aimed at making something
explosion.
appear ridiculous 예: The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of
3496. trilogy 뜻: group of three works
justice.
예: Romain Rolland's novel Jean Christophe was first published as a 3485. treatise
trilogy.
뜻: article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly 예: He is preparing a treatise on the Elizabethan playwrights for his
3497. trinket
156
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: knickknack; bauble
예: Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable
예: Whenever she traveled abroad, Ethel would pick up costume
mineral deposits in the tundra.
jewelry and other trinkets as souvenirs. 3509. turbid 3498. trite
뜻: muddy; having the sediment disturbed
뜻: hackneyed; commonplace
예: The water was turbid after the children had waded through it.
예: Thr trite and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers.
3510. turbulence 뜻: state of violent agitation
3499. trivia
예: We were frightened by the turbulence of the ocean during the
뜻: trifles; unimportant matters
storm.
예: Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature trivia.
3511. tureen 뜻: deep dish for serving soup 예: The waiters brought the soup to the tables in silver tureens.
3500. troth 뜻: pledge of good faith especially in betrothal 예: He gave her his troth and vowed to cherish her always.
3512. turgid
3501. trough
예: The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the
뜻: container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave,
contryside.
뜻: swollen; distended
business cycle, etc.) 예: The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the trough.
3513. turmoil
The surfer rode her board, coasting along in the trough between two
뜻: confusion; strife
waves.
예: Conscious he had sinned, he was in a state of spiritual turmoil.
3502. truculence
3514. turncoat
뜻: agressiveness; ferocity
뜻: traitor
예: Tynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general
예: The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans
tone of truculence.
considered him a turncoat.
3503. truism
3515. turpitude
뜻: self-evident truth
뜻: depravity
예: Many a truism is well expressed in a proverb.
예: A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude.
3504. truncate 뜻: cut the top off
3516. tutelage
예: The top of the cone that has been truncated in a plane parallel to
뜻: guardianship; training
its base is a circle.
예: Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.
3505. tryst 뜻: meeting
3517. tutelary
예: The lovers kept their tryst even though they realized their danger.
뜻: protective; pertaining to a guardianship 예: I am acting in my tutelary capacity when I refuse to grant you
3506. tumid
permission to leave the campus.
뜻: swollen; pompous; bombastic 예: I especially dislike his tumid style; I prefer writing which is less
3518. tycoon
swollen and bombastic.
뜻: wealthy leader 예: John D. Rockefeller was a prominent tycoon.
3507. tumult 뜻: commotion; riot; noise
3519. tyranny
예: She could not make herself heard over the tumult of the mob.
뜻: oppression; cruel government 예: Frederick Douglass fought against the tyranny of slavery
3508. tundra
throughout his entire life.
뜻: rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America
157
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Her anger is unassuaged by your apology.
3520. tyro 뜻: beginner; novice 예: For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results.
3531. unassuming 뜻: modest
3521. timid
예: He is so unassuming that some people fail to realize how great a
뜻: easily frightened; apprehensive
man he really is.
예: He was timid and cowardish; always backing up at daunting situations.
3532. unbridled 뜻: violent 예: She had a sudden fit of unbridled rage.
3522. tonic 뜻: invigorating medicine 예: The tonic water invigorated her, contrary to the enervating effect
3533. uncanny
of the alcohol.
뜻: strange; mysterious 예: You have the uncanny knack of reading my innermost thoughts.
3523. toil 뜻: work laboriously; make slow painful progress
3534. unconscionable
예: You must toil through 3500 words list in order to achieve a high
뜻: unscrupulous; excessive
score on GRE.
예: She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. 3535. uncouth 뜻: outlandish; clumsy; boorish 예: Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly
U
young man. 3524. ubiquitous 뜻: being everywhere; omnipresent
3536. unction
예: That Christmas "The Little Drummer Boy" seemed ubiquitous:
뜻: the act of anointing with oil
Justin heard the tune everywhere he went.
예: The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme unction.
3525. ulterior 뜻: situated beyond; unstated and often questionable
3537. unctous
예: You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior, since there is
뜻: oily; bland; insincerely suave
no obvious reason for it.
예: Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctuous protestations of his "'umility."
3526. ultimate 뜻: final; not susceptible to further analysis
3538. undermine
예: Scientists are searching for the ultimate truths.
뜻: weaken; sap 예: The recent corruption scandals have undermined many people's
3527. ultimatum
faith in the city government.
뜻: last demand; warning 예: Since they have ignored our ultimatum, our only recourse is to
3539. underscore 뜻: emphasize
declare war.
예: Adressing the jogging class, Kim underscored the importance to 3528. umbrage
runners of good nutrition.
뜻: resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult 예: She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff.
3540. undulate 뜻: move with a wavelike motion 예: The flag undulated in the breeze.
3529. unanimity 뜻: complete agreement 예: We were surprised by the unanimity with which our proposals
3541. unearth
were accepted by the different groups.
뜻: dig up 예: When they unearthed the city, the archeologists found many
3530. unassuaged
relics of an ancient civilization.
뜻: unsatisfied; not soothed
158
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3542. unearthly 뜻: not earthly; weird
3554. unimpeachable
예: There is an unearthly atmosphere in her work that amazes the
뜻: blameless and exemplary
casual observer.
예: Her conduct in office was unimpeachable and her record is spotless.
3543. unequivocal 뜻: plain; obvious
3555. uninhibited
예: My answer to your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute "No."
뜻: unrepressed 예: The congregation was shocked by her uninhibited laughter during
3544. unerringly
the sermon.
뜻: infallibly 예: My teacher unerringly pounced on the one typographical error in
3556. unintimidating
my essay.
뜻: unfrightening 예: Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe
3545. unfaltering
Montana, he found the experience unintimidating and relaxing.
뜻: steadfast 예: She approached the guillotine with unfaltering steps.
3557. unique
3546. unfeigned
예: You have the unique distinction of being the first student whom I
뜻: genuine; real
have had to fail in this course.
뜻: without an equal; single in kind
예: She turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was unfeigned. 3558. unison 3547. unfettered
뜻: unity of pitch; complete accord
뜻: liberated; freed from chains
예: The choir sang in unison.
예: Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage despaired that he would ever be unfettered.
3559. universal 뜻: characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere
3548. unfledged
예: At first, no one shared Christopher's opinions; his theory that the
뜻: immature
world was round was met with universal disdain.
예: It is hard for an unfledged writer to find a sympathetic publisher. 3560. unkempt 3549. unfrock
뜻: disheveled; with uncared-for appearance
뜻: to strip a priest or minister of church authority
예: The beggar was dirty and unkempt.
예: To disbar a lawyer, to unfrock a priest, to suspend a doctor's license to practice--these are extreme steps that the authorities
3561. unobtrusive 뜻: inconspicuous; not blatant
should take only after careful consideration.
예: The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President 3550. ungainly
tried to be as unobtrusive as possible.
뜻: awkward 예: He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything.
3562. unprecedented 뜻: novel; unparalleled
3551. unguent
예: Margaret Mitchell's book Gone with the Wind was an
뜻: ointment
unprecedented success.
예: Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before retiring. 3563. unprepossessing 3552. uniformity
뜻: unattractive
뜻: sameness; consistency; monotony
예: During adolescence many attractive young people somehow
예: After a while, the uniformity of TV situation comedies becomes
acquire the false notion that their appearance is unprepossessing.
boring. 3564. unravel 뜻: disentangle; solve
3553. unilateral 뜻: one-sided
예: With equal ease Miss Marple unraveled tangled balls of yarn and
예: This legislation is unilateral since it binds only one party in the
baffling murder mysteries.
controversy.
159
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3565. unrequited 뜻: not reciprocated
3577. unwonted
예: Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes Cesario for
뜻: unaccustomed 예: He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of
his hard-heartedness.
ceremonies at the dinner. 3566. unruly 뜻: disobedient; lawless
3578. upbraid
예: The only way to curb this unruly mob is to use tear gas.
뜻: scold; reproach 예: I must upbraid him for his unruly behavior.
3567. unsavory 뜻: distasteful; morally offensive
3579. uproarious
예: People with unsavory reputations should not be allowed to work
뜻: marked by commotion; extremely funny; very noisy
with young children.
예: The uproarious comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin, whose mugging and comic antics provoked gales of
3568. unscathed
uproarious laughter from audiences coast to coast.
뜻: unharmed 예: They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed.
3580. upshot
3569. unseemly
예: The upshot of the rematch was that the former champion proved
뜻: unbecoming; indecent
that he still possessed all the skills of his youth.
뜻: outcome
예: Your levity is unseemly at this time of mourning. 3581. urbane 3570. unsightly
뜻: suave; refined; elegant
뜻: ugly
예: The courtier was urbane and sophisticated
예: Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse, he occasionally became queasy when faced with a particularly unsightly
3582. urchin
injury.
뜻: mischievous child (usually a boy) 예: Get out! This store is no place for grubby urchins!
3571. unsullied 뜻: untarnished
3583. ursine
예: I am happy that my reputation is unsullied.
뜻: bearlike; pertaining to a bear 예: Because of its ursine appearance, the great panda has been
3572. untenable
identified with the bears; actually, it is closely related to the raccoon.
뜻: unsupportable 예: I find your theory untenable and must reject it.
3584. usurp 뜻: seize power; supplant
3573. untoward
예: The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader usurped
뜻: unfortunate; annoying
the throne.
예: Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.
3585. usury 뜻: lending money at illegal rates of interest 예: The loan shark was found guilty of usury.
3574. unwarranted 뜻: unjustified; groundless; undeserved 예: We could not understand Martin's unwarranted rudeness to his
3586. utopia
mother's guests.
뜻: imaginary land with perfect social and political system 예: Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton's Tibetan utopia.
3575. unwieldy 뜻: awkward; cumbersome; unmanageable
3587. uxorious
예: The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble
뜻: excessively devoted to one's wife
getting it up the stairs.
예: His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires.
3576. unwitting 뜻: unintentional; not knowing
3588. undergird
예: She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers
뜻: strengthen the base of
160
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics,
3599. valor
cosmology was undergirded by it.
뜻: bravery 예: He received the Medal of Honor for his valor in battle. 3600. vampire 뜻: ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living 예: Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many
V
legends of vampires. 3589. vacillate 뜻: waver; fluctuate
3601. vanguard
예: Uncertain which suitor she ought to marry, the princess vacillated,
뜻: forerunners; advance forces
saying now one, now the other.
예: We are the vanguard of a tremendous army that is following us.
3590. vacuous
3602. vantage
뜻: empty; lacking in ideas; stupid
뜻: position giving an advantage
예: The candidate's vacuous remarks annoyed the audience, who
예: They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any
had hoped to hear more than empty platitudes
other point of vantage they could find.
3591. vagabond
3603. vapid
뜻: wanderer; tramp
뜻: insipid; inane
예: In summer, college students wander the roads of Europe like
예: She delivered an uninspired and vapid address.
carefree vagabonds. 3604. variegated 3592. vagary
뜻: many-colored
뜻: caprice; whim
예: Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a
예: She followed every vagary of fashion.
variegated blur.
3593. vagrant
3605. vassal
뜻: stray; random
뜻: in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord
예: He tried to study, but could not collect his vagrant thoughts.
예: The lord demanded that his vassals contribute more to his military campaign.
3594. vagrant 뜻: homeless wanderer
3606. vaunted
예: Because he was a stranger in town with no visible means of
뜻: boasted; bragged; highly publicized
support, Martin feared he would be jailed as a vagrant.
예: This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapsed.
3595. vainglorious 뜻: boastful; excessively conceited
3607. veer
예: She was a vainglorious and arrogant individual.
뜻: change in direction 예: After what seemed an eternity, the wind veered to the east and
3596. valedictory
the storm abated.
뜻: pertaining to farewell 예: I found the valedictory address too long; leave-taking should be
3608. vegetate
brief.
뜻: live in a monotonous way 예: I do not understand how you can vegetate in this quiet village
3597. valid
after the adventurous life you have led.
뜻: logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable 예: You're going to have to come up with a better argument if you
3609. vehement
want to convince me that your reasoning is valid.
뜻: impetuous; with marked vigor 예: He spoke with vehement eloquence in defense of his client.
3598. validate 뜻: confirm; ratify
3610. velocity
예: I will not publish my findings until I validate my results.
뜻: speed 예: The train went by at considerable velocity.
161
Barron’s GRE Master Words with a wooden dummy. 3611. venal 뜻: capable of being bribed
3623. venturesome
예: The venal policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the
뜻: bold
speeding motorist whom he had stopped.
예: A group of venturesome women were the first to scale Mt.Annapurna.
3612. vendetta 뜻: blood feud
3624. venue
예: The rival mobs engaged in a bitter vendetta.
뜻: location 예: The attorney asked for a change of venue; he thought his client
3613. vendor
would do better if the trial were held in a less conservative county.
뜻: seller 예: The fruit vendor sold her wares from a stall on the sidewalk.
3625. veracious 뜻: truthful
3614. veneer
예: I can recommend him for this position because I have always
뜻: thin layer; cover
found him veracious and reliable.
예: Casual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental shallowness.
3626. veracity 뜻: truthfulness
3615. venerable
예: Trying to prove Hill a liar, Senator Spector repeatedly questioned
뜻: deserving high respect
her veracity.
예: We do not mean to be disrespectful when we refuse to follow the advice of our venerable leader.
3627. verbalize
3616. venerate
예: I know you don't like to talk about these things, but please try to
뜻: revere
verbalize your feelings.
뜻: put into words
예: In China, the people venerate their ancestors. 3628. verbatim 3617. venial
뜻: word for word
뜻: forgivable; trivial
예: He repeated the message verbatim.
예: We may regard a hugry man's stealing as a venial crime. 3629. verbiage 3618. venison
뜻: pompous array of words
뜻: the meat of a deer
예: After we had waded through all the verbiage, we discovered that
예: The hunters dined on venison.
the writer had said very little.
3619. vent
3630. verbose
뜻: small opening; outlet
뜻: wordy
예: The wine did not flow because the air vent in the barrel was
예: This article is too verbose; we must edit it.
clogged. 3631. verdant 3620. vent
뜻: green; lush in vegetation
뜻: express; utter
예: Monet's paintings of the verdant meadows were symphonies in
예: He vented his wrath on his class.
green.
3621. ventral
3632. verdigris
뜻: abdominal
뜻: green coating on copper which has been exposed to the
예: We shall now examine the ventral plates of this serpent, not the
weather
dorsal side.
예: Despite all attempts to protect the statue from the elements, it became coated with verdigris.
3622. ventriloquist 뜻: someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from
3633. verge
another person or thing
뜻: border; edge
예: This ventriloquist does an act in which she has a conversation
예: Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the
162
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: food
secrets of radioactive elements.
예: There was a variety of viands at the feast. 3634. verisimilitude 뜻: appearance of truth; likelihood
3646. vicarious
예: Critics praised her for the verisimilitude of her performance as
뜻: acting as a substitute; done by a deputy
Lady Macbeth. She was completely believable.
예: Many people get a vicarious thrill at the movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen.
3635. verity 뜻: truth; reality
3647. vicissitude
예: The four verities were revealed to Buddha during his long
뜻: change of fortune
meditation.
예: Humbled by life's vicissitudes, the last emperor of China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over which he had once ruled.
3636. vernacular 뜻: living language; natural style
3648. victuals
예: Cut out those old-fashioned "thee's" and "thou's" and write in the
뜻: food 예: I am very happy to be able to provide you with these victuals; I
vernacular.
know you are hungry. 3637. vernal 뜻: pertaining to spring
3649. vie
예: We may expect vernal showers all during the month of April.
뜻: contend; compete 예: Politicians vie with one another, competing for donations and
3638. versatile
votes.
뜻: having many talents; capable of working in many fields 예: He was a versatile athlete; at college he had earned varsity
3650. vigilance
letters in baseball, football, and track.
뜻: watchfulness 예: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
3639. vertex 뜻: summit
3651. vigor
예: Let us drop a perpendicular line from the vertex of the triangle to
뜻: active strength
the base.
예: Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the vigor of a man in his prime.
3640. vertigo 뜻: dizziness
3652. vignette
예: We test potential plane pilots for susceptibility to spells of vertigo.
뜻: picture; short literary sketch 예: The New Yorker published her latest vignette.
3641. verve 뜻: enthusiasm; liveliness
3653. vilify
예: She approached her studies with such verve that it was
뜻: slander
impossible for her to do poorly.
예: She is a liar and is always trying to vilify my reputation.
3642. vestige
3654. vindicate
뜻: trace; remains
뜻: clear of charges
예: We discovered vestiges of early Indian life in the cave.
예: I hope to vindicate my client and return him to society as a free man.
3643. vex 뜻: annoy; distress
3655. vindictive
예: Please try not to vex your mother; she is doing the best she can.
뜻: revengeful 예: She was very vindictive and never forgave an injury.
3644. viable 뜻: capable of maintaining life; practicable; workable
3656. vintner
예: The infant, though prematurely born, is viable and has a good
뜻: winemaker; seller of wine
chance to survive.
예: The poet wondered what the vintners could buy that would be half as precious as the wine they sold.
3645. viand
163
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3657. viper
예: Before filling its edges, the keysmith took the blank key and fixed
뜻: poisonous snake
it firmly between the jaws of a vise.
예: The habitat of the horned viper, a particularly venomous snake, is in sandy regions like the Sahara or the Sinai peninsula.
3669. visionary 뜻: produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical 예: She was given to visionary schemes that never materialized.
3658. virile 뜻: manly 예: I do not accept the premise that a man is virile only when he is
3670. vital
belligerent.
뜻: vibrant and lively; critical; living, breathing 예: The vital, highly energetic first aid instructor stressed that it was
3659. virtual
vital in examining accident victims to note their vital signs.
뜻: in essence; for practical purposes 예: She is a virtual financial wizard when it comes to money matters.
3671. vitiate
3660. virtue
예: Fraud will vitiate the contract.
뜻: spoil the effect of; make inoperative 뜻: goodness; moral excellence; good quality 예: A virtue carried to extremes can turn into something resembling
3672. vitreous
vice; humility, for example, can degenerate into servility and
뜻: pertaining to or resembling glass
spinelessness.
예: Although this plastic has many vitreous qualties such as transparency, it is unbreakable.
3661. virtuoso 뜻: highly skilled artist
3673. vitriolic
예: The child prodigy Yehudi Menuhin grew into a virtuoso whose
뜻: corrosive; sarcastic
virtuosity on the violin thrilled millions.
예: Such vitriolic criticism is uncalled for.
3662. virulent
3674. vituperative
뜻: extremely poisonous
뜻: abusive; scolding
예: The virus is highly virulent and has made many of us ill for days.
예: He became more vituperative as he realized that we were not going to grant him his wish.
3663. virus 뜻: disease communicator
3675. vivacious
예: The doctors are looking for a specific medicine to control this
뜻: lively or animated; sprightly
virus.
예: She had always been vivacious and sparkling.
3664. visage
3676. vivisection
뜻: face; appearance
뜻: act of dissecting living animals
예: The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had decided to
예: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposed
impose a severe penalty.
vivisection and deplored the practice of using animals in scientific experiments.
3665. visceral 뜻: felt in one's inner organs
3677. vixen
예: She disliked the visceral sensations she had whenever she rode
뜻: female fox; ill-tempered woman
the roller coaster.
예: Aware that she was right once again, he lost his temper and called her a shrew and a vixen.
3666. viscid 뜻: adhesive; gluey
3678. vociferous
예: The trunk of the maple tree was viscid with sap.
뜻: clamorous; noisy 예: The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and threatened to take
3667. viscous
the law into its own hands.
뜻: sticky, gluey 예: Melted tar is a viscous substance.
3679. vogue 뜻: popular fashion 예: Jeans became the vogue on many college campuses.
3668. vise 뜻: tool for holding work in place
164
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3680. volatile 뜻: changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
3691. waffle
예: The political climate today is extremely volatile: no one can
뜻: speak equivocally about an issue
predict what the electorate will do next.
예: When asked directly about the governor's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the press secretary waffled, talking all
3681. volition
around the issue.
뜻: act of making a conscious choice 예: She selected this dress of her own volition.
3692. waft 뜻: moved gently by wind or waves
3682. voluble
예: Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that wafted past his
뜻: fluent; glib
window.
예: She was a voluble speaker, always ready to talk. 3693. waggish 3683. voluminous
뜻: mischievous; humorous; tricky
뜻: bulky; large
예: He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often overlooked the
예: Despite her family burdens, she kept up a voluminous
damage he could cause with his waggish tricks.
correspondence with her friends. 3694. waif 3684. voluptuous
뜻: homeless child or animal
뜻: gratifying the senses
예: Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting
예: The nobility during the Renaissance led voluptuous lives.
yet another feline waif.
3685. voracious
3695. waive
뜻: ravenous
뜻: give up temporarily; yield
예: The wolf is a voracious animal, its hunger never satisfied.
예: I will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision.
3686. vortex 뜻: whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence; predicament into
3696. wallow
which one is inexorably plunged
뜻: roll in; indulge in; become helpless
예: Sucked into the vortex of the tornado, Dorothy and Toto were
예: The hippopotamus loves to wallow in the mud.
carried from Kansas to Oz. 3697. wan 3687. vouchsafe
뜻: having a pale or sickly color; pallid
뜻: grant condescendingly; guarantee
예: Suckling asked, "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?"
예: I can safely vouchsafe you fair return on your investment. 3698. wane 3688. voyeur
뜻: grow gradually smaller
뜻: Peeping
예: From now until December 21, the winter solstice, the hours of
예: Jill called Jack a voyeur when she caught him aiming his
daylight will wane.
binoculars at a bedroom window of the house next door. 3699. wangle 3689. vulnerable
뜻: wiggle out; fake
뜻: susceptible to wounds
예: She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.
예: Achilles was vulnerable only in his heel. 3700. wanton 3690. vulpine
뜻: unrestrained; willfully malicious; unchaste
뜻: like a fox; crafty
예: Pointing to the stack of bills, Sheldon criticized Sarah for her
예: She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain vulpine
wanton expenditures. In response, Sara accused Sheldon of making
intelligence.
an unfounded, wanton attack. 3701. warble 뜻: sing; babble 예: Every morning the birds warbled outside her window. W
165
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3702. warrant 뜻: justify; authorize
3713. welter
예: Before the judge issues the injunction, you must convince her
뜻: wallow
this action is warranted.
예: At the height of the battle, the casualties were so numerous that the victims weltered in their blood while waiting for medical attention.
3703. warranty 뜻: guarantee; assurance by seller
3714. wheedle
예: The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the
뜻: cajole; coax; deceive by flattery
manufacturer's warranty that he will replace any defective part for
예: She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her
five years or 50,000 miles.
father.
3704. warren
3715. whelp
뜻: tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which
뜻: young wolf, dog, tiger, etc.
people live
예: This collie whelp won't do for breeding, but he'd make a fine pet.
예: The tenement was a veritable warren, packed with people too poor to live elsewhere.
3716. whet 뜻: sharpen; stimulate
3705. wary
예: The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be
뜻: very cautious
ravenous by the time the meal is served.
예: The spies grew wary as they approached the sentry. 3717. whiff 3706. wastrel
뜻: puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint
뜻: profligate
예: The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought memories of
예: He was denounced as a wastrel who had dissipated his
George to her mind.
inheritance. 3718. whimsical 3707. wax
뜻: capricious; fanciful
뜻: increase; grow
예: He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental
예: With proper handling, his fortunes waxed and he became rich.
fancy, an old man's whimsical gesture.
3708. waylay
3719. whinny
뜻: ambush; lie in wait
뜻: neigh like a horse
예: They agreed to waylay their victim as he passed through the dark
예: When he laughed through his nose, it sounded as if he whinnied.
alley going home. 3720. whit 3709. wean
뜻: smallest speck
뜻: accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity
예: There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your
예: He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food
observations.
and stick to fruits and vegetables. 3721. whittle 3710. weather
뜻: pare; cut off bits
뜻: endure the effects of weather or other forces
예: As a present for Aunt Polly, Tom whittled some clothespins out of
예: He weathered the changes in his personal life with difficulty, as
a chunk of wood.
he had no one in whom to confide. 3722. whorl 3711. welt
뜻: ring of leaves around stem; ring
뜻: mark from beating or whipping
예: Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape
예: The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer's small body
and number of whorls on the fingers.
was covered with welts and bruises. 3723. willful 3712. welter
뜻: intentional; headstrong
뜻: turmoil; bewildering jumble
예: Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly, her death
예: The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims
was a case of deliberate, willful murder, not a crime of passion
cries out for immediate reform.
committed by a hasty, willful youth unable to foresee the
166
Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: sorcery; magic
consequences of his deeds.
예: Merlin amazed the knights with his wizardry. 3724. wily 뜻: cunning; artful
3736. wizened
예: She is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble.
뜻: withered; shriveled 예: The wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active
3725. wince
and energetic.
뜻: shrink back; flinch 예: The screech of the chalk on the blackboard made her wince.
3737. wont 뜻: custom; habitual procedure
3726. windfall
예: As was his wont, he jogged two miles every morning before
뜻: fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event
going to work.
예: This huge tax refund is quite a windfall. 3738. worldly 3727. winnow
뜻: engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual
뜻: sift; separate good parts from bad
예: You must leave your worldly goods behind you when you go to
예: This test will winnow out the students who study from those who
meet your Maker.
don't bother. 3739. wrangle 3728. winsome
뜻: quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle
뜻: agreeable; gracious; engaging
예: They wrangled over their inheritance.
예: By her winsome manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her.
3740. wrath 뜻: anger; fury
3729. wispy
예: She turned to him, full of wrath, and said, "What makes you think
뜻: thin; slight; barely discernible
I'll accept lower pay for this job than you get?"
예: Worried about preserving his few wispy tufts of hair, Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair restorer every night.
3741. wreak 뜻: inflict
3730. wistful
예: I am afraid he will wreak his vengeance on the innocent as well
뜻: vaguely longing; sadly pensive
as the guilty.
예: With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam.
3742. wrench
3731. withdrawn
예: She wrenched free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to
뜻: introverted; remote
his kneecap.
뜻: pull; strain; twist
예: Rebuffed by his colleagues, the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly withdrawn.
3743. wrest 뜻: pull away; take by violence
3732. wither
예: With only ten seconds left to play, our team wrested victory from
뜻: shrivel; decay
their grasp.
예: Cut flowers are beautiful for a day, but all too soon they wither. 3744. writ 3733. witless
뜻: written command issued by a court
뜻: foolish; idiotic
예: The hero of Leonard's novel is a process server who invents
예: Such witless and fatuous statements will create the impression
unorthodox ways of serving writs on reluctant parties.
that you are an ignorant individual. 3745. writhe 3734. witticism
뜻: squirm, twist
뜻: witty saying; facetious remark
예: He was writhing in pain, desperate for the drug his body required.
예: What you regard as witticisms are often offensive to sensitive people.
3746. wry 뜻: twisted; with a humorous twist 예: We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its wry wit.
3735. wizardry
167
Barron’s GRE Master Words 3757. zealot 뜻: fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal 예: It is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious. X 3758. zenith 3747. xenophobia
뜻: point directly overhead in the sky; summit
뜻: fear or hatred of foreigners
예: When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at
예: When the refugee arrived in America, he was unprepared for the
sunrise and sunset.
xenophobia he found there. 3759. zephyr 3748. yen
뜻: gentle breeze; west wind
뜻: longing; urge
예: When these zephyrs blow, it is good to be in an open boat under
예: She had a yen to get away and live on her own for a while.
a full sail.
3749. yeoman 뜻: man owing small estate; middle-class farmer 예: It was not the aristocrat but the yeoman who determined the nation's policies. 3750. yield 뜻: amount produced; crop; income on investment 예: An experienced farmer can estimate the annual yield of his acres with surprising accuracy. 3751. yield 뜻: give in; surrender 예: The wounded knight refused to yield to his foe. 3752. yoke 뜻: join together, unite 예: I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow. 3753. yokel 뜻: country bumpkin 예: At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms. 3754. yore 뜻: time past 예: He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing. 3755. zany 뜻: crazy; comic 예: I can watch the Marx brothers' zany antics for hours. 3756. zeal 뜻: eager enthusiasm 예: Wang's zeal was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters, inspired by his ardent enthusiasm for the cause.
168
