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IELTS - SAT - GRE - GMAT

1. Disingenuous ( Not straightforward or candid ; 13. Abate ( subside or moderate ; lessen ) Rather than
giving a false appearance of frankness ; dishonest ; leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to
deceitful ) Although he was young , his remarks abate.
indicated that he was disingenuous . 14. Banal ( dull and unoriginal ; hackneyed ;
2. Complaisant ( trying to please ; obliging ; commonplace ; trite ; prosaic ; clichéd ) His frequent use
accommodating ; willing ) The courtier obeyed the of clichés made his essay seem banal.
king’s orders in a complaisant manner. 15. Dilatory ( tending to waste time ; delaying ; slow ;
3. Paucity ( an inadequacy or lack of something ; tardy ; slack ; laggard ; remiss ; behindhand ) Your
scarcity ; dearth ) They closed the restaurant because dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract.
the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to 16. Feckless ( ineffective ; unlikely to become successful ;
operate. irresponsible ; feeble) Einstein was noted for his
4. Demur ( to delay or try to avoid doing something extraordinary inspirations ; on the other hand, he was
because of personal reservations or objections ; noted for being feckless in his daily chores.
object ; protest ; hesitate ) To demur at this time will 17. Invective ( abusive language ; diatribe ; tirade ;
only worsen the already serious situation; now is the vituperation ; execration ) He had expected criticism
time for action. but not the invective that greeted his proposal.
5. Misanthrope ( somebody who hates people ; cynic ; 18. Noisome ( foul smelling ; unwholesome ; dangerous )
pessimist ) We thought the hermit was a misanthrope I never could stand the noisome atmosphere
because he shunned our society. surrounding the slaughter houses.
6. Surfeit ( gratify desire ; satiate ; fill ; indulge to excess 19. Peremptory ( demanding and leaving no choice ;
in anything ; overindulgence ; profusion ; excess ) dictatorial ; expressing urgency) From Jack's
Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would
overabundance of holidays treats. not give up until she let him in.
7. Teetotal ( completely abstaining from alcoholic 20. Remonstrance (argue strongly ; protest ; objection ;
beverages; complete and absolute; sober ) Strictly complaint; squabble ; dispute ) The authorities were
teetotal, Peter doesn't need drink to get him going. deaf to the pastor's remonstrance about the lack of
8. Burgeon ( produce new growth ; send out buds / police protection in the area.
multiply, prosper, proliferate, flourish ) In the spring, 21. Tortuous ( twisting and curving ; winding ; intricate ;
the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty devious ; crafty ; deceitful ; byzantine ) Because this
that is to come. road is so tortuous, it is unwise to go faster than
9. Endemic ( prevailing among a specific group of twenty miles an hour on it.
people of a defined geographic area ; local ; regional ) 22. Abjure ( renounce upon oath ; give up ; to abstain
This disease is endemic in this part of the world ; from, reject or avoid something ) He abjured his
more than 80 percent of the population are at one allegiance to the king.
time or another affected by it. 23. Broach ( bring up difficult subject ; propose ;
10. Incorrigible ( impossible to change; uncorrectable ; introduce ; mention ; open up ) He finally broached the
unruly and unmanageable ) The purpose of this question of the loan.
legislation is not to let dangerous or incorrigible 24. Complacent ( self-satisfied ; smug ; self-righteous
people go free. ; content / eager to please ) There was a complacent
11. Obviate ( make unnecessary ; get rid of ; avoid look on his face as he examined his paintings.
something ; preclude ; do away with ; ward off ; stave 25. Diaphanous ( light, delicate, and translucent ;
off ; fend off ) I hope this contribution will obviate transparent ; gauzy ; insubstantial ; gossamer ) She
any need for further collections of funds. wore a flowing, diaphanous gown and had long, wavy,
12. Refractory ( uncontrollable ; stubborn ; bronze colored hair.
unmanageable) The refractory horse was eliminated
from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.

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26. Epicure ( somebody who has developed a 39. Callow ( youthful ; immature ; young and
refined taste for food ; gourmet ; bon vivant ; inexperienced ; naïve ; raw ) In that youthful
connoisseur / somebody who loves sensual pleasure movement, the leaders were only a little less callow
and luxury ) Epicures frequent this restaurant than their immature followers.
because it features exotic wines and dishes. 40. Countenance ( n. somebody’s face or expression on

27. Feint ( deceptive action ; deceptive move ; trick ; it / composure / v. tolerate or approve something )
sham blow ; stratagem ; dodge) The boxer was fooled When Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile
by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard. spread across his countenance.
28. Glut (overstock; fill to excess; surfeit; surplus ) 41. Disinter ( dig up body ; exhume ; unearth or expose

Glut of ideas, and each idea sounds as enthralling as something hidden ; divulge ) I was told a story about
the previous ones. human remains disinterred by archeologists working
29. Incisive ( quick to understand ; keen ; sharp ; on a local development.
perceptive / expressed clearly ) His incisive remarks 42. Encomium ( text expressing high praise ; an

made us see the fallacy in our plans. expression of high praise ; eulogy ) Uneasy with the
30. Machinations ( schemes ; plot or intrigue ; collusion encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt
; conspiracy ) I can see through your wily unworthy of such high praise.
machinations. 43. Fetid ( malodorous ; nauseating ; fusty ; noisome )

31. Oblivious ( unaware ; forgetting ; unmindful ; The neglected wound became fetid.
44. Glean ( accumulate something ; gather leavings ;
ignorant ) Bill and Katie were in deep conversation
and sat down in unison, completely oblivious to what after harvest ; combine ; reconciliate ) After the crops
was going on around them. had been harvested by the machines, the peasants
32. Pique (n. a bad mood ; annoyance ; resentment ) (v. were permitted to glean the wheat left in the fields.
45. Indelible ( impossible to remove or alter ; permanent
put somebody in a bad mood ; to irritate ; arouse
somebody’s interest ; to stimulate ) It was there that ; unforgettable ; deep-seated ; ingrained ) Industry and
Nastase's interest in the sport was first piqued. our pursuit of fossil fuels have left indelible marks on
33. Quandary ( a state of uncertainty or indecision as to
the planet in numerous ways.
46. Lambaste ( criticize strongly ; upbraid ; reprimand ;
what to do in a difficult situation ; dilemma ;
predicament ; fix ;Catch-22 ) When the two colleges to beat or whip somebody ; thrash verbally or physically )
which he had applied accepted him, he was in a It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his
quandary as to which one he should attend. opponent, tearing into him mercilessly.
47. Morbid ( inspiring disgust or horror ; gloomy ; grisly
34. Rotundity ( roundness ; sonorousness of speech ;
richness of sound ; wholeness ) Washington Irving ; sullen ; macabre / relating to disease) These morbid
emphasized the rotundity of the governor by speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our
describing his height and circumference. spirits by emphasizing more pleasant matters.
48. Placate ( to make somebody less angry, upset, or
35. Stanch ( check flow of blood ; stop wound from
hostile, usually by doing or saying things to please him or
bleeding / halt, restrict, slow, lessen ) It is imperative
her ; appease ; pacify ; mollify ; conciliate ) The teacher
that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend
to the other injuries. tried to placate the angry mother.
49. Pusillanimous ( weak-spirited ; faint-hearted ;
36. Tyro ( beginner ; novice ; trainee ; apprentice;
neophyte ; greenhorn ) For a mere tyro, you have cowardly ; nervous ; timid ; tremulous ) You should be
produced some marvelous results. ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this
37. Whimsical ( capricious ; fanciful ; amusing ; erratic
dispute.
50. Reprehensible ( highly unacceptable and deserving
or unpredictable ) Scientific discoveries often seem
blame or censure ; inexcusable ) Your vicious conduct
rather whimsical to the layman.
38. Augury ( portent or omen ; prophesy ; divination ;
in this situation is reprehensible.
forewarning ) Hamlet defies augury and accepts the
challenge.

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51. Somatic ( affecting body as distinct from mind ; 64. Acumen ( the ability to make quick accurate intelligent
physical ) Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects judgments about people or situations ; mental keenness ;
and emphasize only the corporeal and the somatic ones? sharpness of mind ; shrewdness ; perspicuity ; perspicacity )
52. Wean ( stop feeding baby with mother's milk ; to cause His business acumen helped him to succeed where
somebody to go without something that has become a others had failed.
habit or that is much liked ; dissuade ; discourage ; deter) 65. Bulwark ( defensive walls ; protection ; person who

He decided he would wean defends; barricade ; rampart; safeguard ) The navy is our
himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits principal bulwark against invasion.
and vegetables. 66. Consequential ( resultant ; important ; pompous ;
53. Astringent ( sharp and acidic in tone ; harsh ; severe ; too self-important ; momentous ) Convinced of his own
biting ; caustic ) The leaves and husk of the fruit are importance, the actor strutted about the dressing room
resinous and astringent, and are sometimes used with a consequential air.
medicinally as well as for dyeing purposes. 67. Rapprochement ( renewal of friendly relations ;
54. Colloquy ( a formal discussion or conservation ) reconciliation ) It was the Nixon administration that saw
I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they the rapprochement between the United States and China.
could be made more formal and more searching. 68. Fell ( cruel ; deadly ; fierce ; lethal ) The newspapers
55. Deprecate (express disapproval of; protest against; told of the tragic spread of the fell disease.
belittle) A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss 69. Gambol ( skip ; leap playfully ; caper ; frisk ; romp ; hop )
Post deprecated the modern tendency to Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant
address new acquaintances by their first names. experience.
56. Emollient ( soothing to skin ; calming ; palliative / 70. Inordinate ( unrestrained ; excessive ; exorbitant ;
smoothing substance) He applied an emollient to the extravagant ; unrestrained ) She had an inordinate
inflamed area. fondness for candy.
57. Fetter ( n. and v. shackle for ankles ; chain ; yoke / 71. Maculated ( marked with spots, blotches, or blemishes ;
restraint ) The prisoner was fettered to the wall. spotted ; stained ) Instead of writing that Gorbachev had
58. Impunity ( n. exemption from punishment, harm, or a birthmark on his forehead, the pompous young poet
recrimination ; immunity ; latitude) The bully mistreated sang of the former premier’s maculated brow.
everyone in the class with impunity for he felt that no 72. Panacea ( cure-all; remedy for all diseases ) There is no

one would dare retaliate. easy panacea that will solve our complicated
59. Lurid ( horrifying or shocking ; wild ; sensational / international situation.
pallid / garish ; gaudy ) The lurid stories he told shocked 73. Remiss ( careless or negligent about doing something

his listeners. careless ; lax ; slapdash ) He was accused of being remiss

60. Overwrought ( very upset ; extremely agitated ; in his duty when the prisoner escaped.
hysterical ; tense ; fidgety / too elaborate or decorated ) 74. Strident ( loud and harsh ; raucous / forceful ;

When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, persuasive ; strongly expressed ) She scolded him in a
she became too overwrought to work and had to strident voice.
leave the office early. 75. Vagrant ( stray; random; homeless ; wanderer ;
61. Puerile ( silly ; childish; immature / relating to wayward ) He tried to study, but could not collect his
childhood) His puerile pranks sometimes offended vagrant thoughts.
his more mature friends. 76. Aghast (overcome with shock and dismay ; horrified ;
62. Sedentary ( requiring or involving sitting ; inactive ) horror-struck ; astounded ; appalled ) He was aghast at the
Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.
visit a gymnasium weekly.
63. Tendentious ( trying to influence opinions ;
written or spoken with personal bias in order to
promote a cause or support a viewpoint ; having an aim ;
biased ; designed to further a cause ) The editorials in this
periodical are tendentious rather than truth-seeking.

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77. Attrition ( loss of personnel ; wearing away of 89. Meager ( unsatisfactorily small ; scanty ; inadequate
surface ; weakening by persistent attack ; sorrow for sin ) ; of bad quality ; thin ) It's tough work for an often
They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to meager reward.
rely on all-out attack. 90. Nauseate ( cause to become sick or upset ; fill with
78. Byzantine ( very complex ; tortuous ; intricate / disgust) The foul smells began to nauseate him.
devious / scheming / deceitful ) Day after day, tape after 91. Panache ( flair ; flamboyance ) Many performers
tape, I became more enthralled with the byzantine imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and
plot of his life. sense of style.
79. Chide ( reproach, scold, reprimand, rebuke, blame, take 92. Pert ( impudent ; impertinent ; forward ; jaunty ;
somebody to task, nag, harass, tell off ) Grandma began sassy ; perky / bold and lively in a pleasant or amusing
to chide Steven for his lying. way ; small and well-shaped) I think your pert and
80. Consanguinity ( relationship by blood ; kinship ; close imprudent remarks call for an apology.
connection ) We believe that some pods have close 93. Polemic ( a passionate, strongly worded, and often
consanguinity with other pods and share some of the controversial argument against or, less often, in favor of
same calls. somebody or something ; passionate argument in
81. Cringe ( shrink or move back suddenly, as if in fear ; be support of point of view ) Her essays were, for the
embarrassed or uncomfortable ; act humbly) He cringed main part, polemics for the party's policy.
as the bird collided with the window. 94. Profligate ( wasteful ; dissipated ; reckless /
82. Dispel (scatter; disperse something ; dissipate ; drive licentious ; immoral ) In this profligate company, she
away ; cause to vanish ; rid mind of something ) But the lost all sense of decency.
brief exercise failed to dispel the glumness for more 95. Quaint ( with a charming old-fashioned quality ;
than a few moments. picturesque / strange or unusual in a pleasing or
83. Elysian ( relating to paradise or heaven ; blissful ) An interesting way ; bizarre ) She found the building
afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey. quaint and historic ; he thought it was just old.
84. Exhume ( dig out of the ground disinter ; reintroduce 96. Reparation ( amends ; compensation; repair ;
something ; disclose ) Because of the rumor that he had recompense ; reinstitution ) At the peace conference,
been poisoned, his body was exhumed in order that an the defeated country promised to pay reparations to
autopsy might be performed. the victors.
85. Fluster ( confuse ; make or become nervous or 97. Sedition ( rebellion or incitement ; resistance to
agitated ; flap ) The teacher's sudden question flustered authority ; insubordination ) His words, though not
him and he stammered his reply. treasonous in themselves, were calculated to arouse
86. Gawk ( stare foolishly or rudely ; look in open-mouthed thoughts of sedition.
awe ; gape ; ogle ) The country boy gawked at the 98. Somnolent ( sleepy ; half asleep ; sleep inducing ;
skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city. lacking activity ; dozy ; torpid ) The heavy meal and the
87. Impale ( pierce; spear; stab ; bayonet ; spike ; skewer ) overheated room made us all somnolent and
He was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary. indifferent to the speaker.
88. Ingénue ( unsophisticated young girl or woman; naïve; 99. Suffice ( be enough ; be sufficient ; serve )
simple ; gullible ) In the tragedy, she chain-smokes and Depending on the type of floors and the need for a
fidgets, while in the comedy she has an ingenue's golden deep or surface clean, plain hot water will nearly
glow. always suffice.
100. Unconscionable ( unreasonable ; unscrupulous ;
excessive ; morally unacceptable ; outrageous )
She found the load shark's demands unconscionable
and impossible to meet.

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