Manhattan Prep - 500 Advanced Words: GRE Vocabulary Flash Cards

Manhattan Prep
GRE Flash Cards: 500 Advanced Words

Written by Jennifer Dziura

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Table of Contents

abase

(verb)

uh-BASE

Also abased (adj) , abasement (noun)

Definition: Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or esteem

Usage: After messing up at work, the man faced a thorough abasement from his boss; when he realized he had forgotten his own wedding anniversary, he further abased himself in front of his wife.

Related Words: Defame (attack the reputation of), Belittle (put down, disparage)

Memory Trick: Abasement means degradation or lowering of statusthat is, abasement makes you feel like you should go hide in a basement.

abeyance

(noun)

uh-BAY-enss

Definition: Temporary suspension, inactivity

Usage: The baseball players contract negotiations are in abeyance while doctors try to determine whether his injuries will heal in time for the season.

Related Words: Hiatus (break or gap in an activity), Dormant (inactive, resting), Deferment or Deferral (postponement)

More Info: Abeyance generally occurs in the expression in abeyance . Real estate is in abeyance when no one owns it or the owner is unknown.

abreast

(adj)

uh-BREST

Definition: Side-by-side. The more common abreast of means keeping up with, staying aware of, or remaining equal in progress with.

Usage: As the professor walked abreast down the street with her mentor, she was amazed that the old man, long since retired, still kept abreast of all the latest developments in neurobiology.

Related Words: Conversant with (familiar by use or study), well versed in (experienced, skilled)

More Info: You are conversant with a topic about which you know enough to have an intelligent conversation. Well versed is stronger, implying some expertise. Keeping abreast of a topic implies that you are continually updating your knowledge.

abscission

(noun)

ab-SIZZ-zhun

Definition: Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or animal

Usage: The abscission of leaves from the trees is normal in fall. / An inflamed appendix calls for an immediate surgical abscission.

Related Words: Ablation (removal of growths, etc., by surgery or other mechanical means)

More Info: Ab means away. The scissio root in abscission means cut and is the same as in scissors, excise (cut out or censor), and incision (cut into).

abscond

(verb)

ab-SCOND

Definition: Depart suddenly and secretively

Usage: A robber absconds with stolen goods. People who eat in a restaurant and run out without payingor criminals who jump bailcould also be said to be absconding .

Related Words: Decamp (to depart from camp, or to abscond)

More Info: Ab means away and the rest of abscond comes from a Latin word meaning to put.

abyss

(noun)

uh-BISS

Definition: A deep and vast space or cavity; anything profound or infinite

Usage: Walking a tightrope over an active volcano, the acrobat was terrified of falling into the abyss . / Now recovering, the patient remembered her experience with clinical depression as an abyss of hopelessness.

Related Words: Chasm, Crevasse, Fissure, Gorge are all words for deep openings in the earth, and can be used metaphorically (a fissure in a personal relationship, the chasm between cultures, etc.).

More Info: The 1989 classic science fiction movie The Abyss is about a diving team that encounters an underwater alien species.

accede

(verb)

ack-SEED

Also accedence (noun)

Definition: Agree, give consent; assume power (usually as accede to)

Usage: While the Englishman was a strong believer in democracy, he had to accede that watching Prince Charles someday accede to the throne would indeed be exciting.

Related Words: Assent also means agree or give in.

More Info: When Prince Charles accedes to the throne, he will be succeeding (taking power after) Queen Elizabeth.

accretion

(noun)

uh-CREE-shun

Also accrue (verb)

Definition: Gradual increase; an added part or addition

Usage: He was pleased by the accretion of money in his portfolio. / Some charitable funds keep the principal in their accounts untouched and use only the accretion for philanthropic purposes.

Related Words: Augment (grow larger), Agglomerate (form into a mass or cluster, join together)

More Info: Bank accounts accrue interest. Good deeds, ideally, accrue rewards.

acerbic

(adj)

uh-SER-bick

Definition: Sour; harsh or severe

Usage: Lemons are acerbic . Harsh comments are also acerbic , like putting lemon juice on a wound.

Related Words: Caustic (capable of burning or corroding; extremely critical or sarcastic), Acrid (sharp or biting, pungent), Astringent (biting, severe; a skin cleaning fluid that clears pores)

More Info: An acerbic taste is sour and an acrid taste is unpleasantly bitter, but when used metaphorically, both words mean harsh, critical.

acidulous

(adj)

uh-SID-joo-luss

Definition: Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic

Usage: Grapefruit juice is acidulous . / Im skipping Thanksgiving this year just to avoid my mothers acidulous comments about what she thinks I ought to be doing with my life.

Related Words: Acerbic (sour, harsh or severe)

More Info: In Latin, acidus meant sour, so acidulus, a diminutive version, meant slightly sour.

acumen

(noun)

ACK-yoo-men

Definition: Keen, quick, accurate insight or judgment

Usage: His political acumen allowed him to bargain behind the scenes and get bills passed despite being in the minority party.

Related Words: Perspicacity (acuteness of perception)

More Info: Acumen comes from a Latin word for needlehence the idea of being mentally sharp.

adulterate

(verb)

uh-DULL-ter-ayt

Definition: Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior ingredients

Usage: Some bars adulterate top-shelf liquor by pouring cheaper brands into the more expensive brands bottles.

Related Words: Taint (contaminate, corrupt), Debase (reduce in quality or dignity)

More Info: Adulterate is indeed related to adultery (cheating on ones spouse)both come from a Latin word meaning to defile.

adumbrate

(verb)

AD-um-brayt or uh-DUM-brayt

Also adumbration (noun)

Definition: Give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only partially; obscure

Usage: When I took on the lead role in the movie, I agreed not to give away the plot, but I suppose I could give a brief adumbration of the premise.

More Info: Adumbrate contains the root umbra, Latin for shadow. It may seem that give an outline of and obscure are opposites, but think of it this wayto adumbrate is to give a shadowy, vague picture of something, which could mean giving more information (if starting with nothing) or obscuring information (if starting with a clear picture) in order to reach that point.

aerie

(noun)

AIR-ee or EYE-ree

Definition: Dwelling or fortress built on a high place; the nest of a bird of prey, such as an eagle or hawk, built on a mountain or cliff

Usage: The billionaire smoked a cigar out his window and watched the riots in the streets below, safe in the aerie of his penthouse apartment.