The Best 4 GRE Prep Books:
・The Official Guide to the GRE General Test
・Princeton Review GRE Premium Prep, 2021
・500 Essential Words: GRE Vocabulary Flashcards
・500 Essential Vocabulary Words to Help Boost Your GRE Score
Essential Vocabulary for the GRE【Part 5】401. contend ～ 500. demagogic
401. contend [verb]
to compete in order to win something or to achieve a position of leadership:
During the trial, the defense attorney will contend his client is innocent because he was out of state when the murder was committed.
402. contiguous [adjective]
next to or touching another, usually similar, thing:
Although many individuals own several pieces of property in our town, few of them own contiguous lots that are located right next to each other.
403. continence [noun]
self-restraint or abstinence, especially in regard to sexual activity:
My continence gave me the strength to avoid the dessert table.
404. contraband [noun]
goods that are brought into or taken out of the country secretly and illegally:
At the airport, carryon bags are inspected to ensure passengers are not attempting to transport contraband.
405. contravene [verb]
to do something that a law or rule does not allow, or to break a law or rule:
Because your actions contravene school policy, you're being suspended for ten days.
406. contrite [adjective]
feeling very sorry and guilty for something bad that you have done:
The local news was noticeably contrite and apologized to viewers for the countless on-air technical difficulties.
407. contrive [verb]
to arrange a situation or event, or arrange for something to happen, using clever planning:
I've decided to contrive a meeting between the two of them.
408. contumacious [adjective]
refusing to obey or respect the law in a way that shows contempt:
Because the contumacious student refused to obey the principal’s instructions, he was suspended from school.
409. conundrum [noun]
a problem that is difficult to deal with:
Trying to solve this conundrum is really making my head hurt.
410. convene [verb]
to bring together a group of people for a meeting, or to meet for a meeting:
As soon as the last closing argument is made, the jury will convene to ponder the verdict.
411. convention [noun]
a usual or accepted way of behaving, especially in social situations, often following an old way of thinking or a custom in one particular society:
They believe that it is essential to defy convention.
412. converge [verb]
to move toward the same point and come closer together or meet:
With the location and time of the would-be protest shared with everyone beforehand, the many protesters involved will converge on the town hall at exactly eight AM.
413. conversant [adjective]
familiar with, having experience of, or knowing:
The man is conversant in several different languages including French and English.
414. convex [adjective]
curved or swelling out:
The convex curve of the scythe allows for the tool to wrap around the wheat like a closed hand.
415. convince [verb]
to persuade someone or make someone certain:
Protesters tried to convince the congressman to vote against the bill through loud protests and moving letters.
416. convivial [adjective]
pleasant and friendly in manner or attitude:
If you cannot be convivial, then you should not invite people over for dinner.
417. convoke [verb]
to arrange or call people to attend a large formal meeting:
The chairman decided to convoke a meeting to discuss the company’s budget issue.
418. convolute [adjective]
having a complicated structure and therefore difficult to understand:
My head began to hurt as I listened to the professor’s convoluted speech.
419. convulse [verb]
to shake violently, or to cause someone to shake without control:
During the seizure, the man’s muscles tightened, and his body began to convulse back and forth.
420. copious [adjective]
in large amounts, or more than enough:
To avoid having a hangover, do not drink a copious amount of alcohol.
421. coquette [noun]
a woman who likes to attract attention by behaving as if she is sexually interested in people, in a pleasant but not serious way:
When the young man saw the coquette playfully teasing other men at the party, he was heartbroken.
422. cornerstone [noun]
something of great importance that everything else depends on:
The cornerstone of the company’s marketing strategy is the dessert’s image as a healthy treat.
423. cornucopia [noun]
a large amount or supply of something:
According to the cruise director, passengers can choose from a cornucopia of activities during the voyage.
424. corollary [adjective]
existing or appearing as a consequence:
Although psychology recognizes the corollary uncertainties in computer-dependent methods, it tends to underestimate them.
425. corrigible [adjective]
possible to improve or correct:
The judge believed that there was hope for the corrigible criminal.
426. corroborate [verb]
to add proof to an account, statement, idea, etc. with new information:
We now have new evidence to corroborate the defendant's story.
427. cosmology [noun]
the study of the nature and origin of the universe:
Modern cosmology believes the Universe to have come into existence about fifteen billion years ago.
428. cosset [verb]
to give a lot of attention to making someone comfortable and to protecting them from anything unpleasant:
She had been cosseted by her parents all during her childhood.
429. coterie [noun]
a small group of people with shared interests, often one that does not want other people to join them:
Our coterie of girls always sits at the best table in the school cafeteria.
430. countenance [verb]
to approve of or give support to something:
The school will not countenance bad behavior.
431. counterpoint [verb]
to set off or emphasize by juxtaposition:
If you counterpoint some of her early writing with her later work, you can see just how much she improved.
432. counterproductive [adjective]
having an effect that is opposite to the one intended or wanted:
The measures are counterproductive and have only increased crime in our community.
433. coup [noun]
an unexpectedly successful achievement:
Their story about the princess was a real coup.
434. covert [adjective]
hidden or secret:
The spy went to great lengths to make sure his enemies would not discover his covert plans.
435. covetous [adjective]
wanting to have something too much, especially something that belongs to someone else:
The covetous woman couldn’t stop staring at my designer handbag.
436. cow [verb]
to frighten someone into doing something, using threats or violence:
Politicians are too cowed by the media even to introduce the bill.
437. coward [noun]
a person who is not brave and is too eager to avoid danger, difficulty, or pain:
Because Tim was a coward, he was afraid to ask Maggie on a date.
438. cower [verb]
to lower your head or body in fear, often while moving backwards:
The mean girls at school thought they would make me cower in shame when they posted the altered pictures of me online.
439. cozen [verb]
to trick or deceive someone:
The smooth-talking salesman was able to cozen money out of the unsuspecting woman who agreed to buy the junk vehicle.
440. crafty [adjective]
clever, especially in a dishonest or secret way:
I've had a crafty idea for getting round the regulations.
441. crank [noun]
a person who has strange or unusual ideas and beliefs:
He was originally dismissed as a crank, but his theories later became very influential.
442. craven [adjective]
extremely cowardly:
My husband James proves he is not craven every time he runs into a burning building to save a stranger.
443. credence [noun]
the belief that something is true:
Because the experiment had been performed over a hundred times, a great deal of credence was given to the results.
444. credo [noun]
a set of beliefs that influences the way you live:
The luxury hotel has earned its reputation by sticking to its credo of exceeding expectations.
445. credulous [adjective]
too willing to believe what you are told and so easily deceived:
Mary is so credulous that she may readily accept any excuse you make.
446. crestfallen [adjective]
disappointed and sad because of having failed unexpectedly:
When my husband learned his rival had gotten the promotion he wanted, he was crestfallen.
447. cripple [verb]
to cause serious damage to someone or something, making him, her, or it weak and not effective:
Economic sanctions have crippled the country’s economy.
448. cruel [adjective]
extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally:
Cruel and punishing dictators governed the country for many years.
449. crumble [verb]
to break, or cause something to break, into small pieces:
Ancient ruins that are exposed to weathering eventually erode and crumble.
450. culminate [verb]
to have as a result or be the final result of a process:
At the end of the night, the concert will culminate in a huge fireworks display.
451. culpable [adjective]
deserving to be blamed or considered responsible for something bad:
The judge found the man culpable of the crime and sentenced him to life in prison.
452. culprit [noun]
someone who has committed a crime or done something wrong:
Police finally managed to catch the culprit.
453. cunning [adjective]
skillful in planning and ready to deceive people in order to get what you want:
Despite the complex security systems in modern vehicles, cunning thieves still manage to get away with thousands of cars and trucks every year.
454. cupidity [noun]
a strong feeling of wanting to have something, especially money or possessions:
John’s cupidity led him to try and rob the bank.
455. cure-all [noun]
something that people think will solve any problem or cure any illness:
Investment is not a cure-all for every economic problem.
456. curmudgeon [noun]
a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man:
My neighbor is a curmudgeon who keeps the soccer balls that accidentally come into his yard.
457. cursive [adjective]
written with rounded letters that are joined together:
Cursive writing is no longer taught in some school since the use of computer has replaced traditional writing.
458. cursory [adjective]
quick and probably not detailed:
Even a cursory glance at the figures will tell you that sales are down this year.
459. curt [adjective]
rude as a result of being very quick or brief:
The service agent was fired after he was overheard treating customers in a curt manner.
460. curtail [verb]
to reduce or limit something, or to stop something before it is finished:
The checks and balances system of our government serves to curtail any of the three administrative branches from having too much power.
461. cutback [verb]
to shorten by cutting:
Ways to cutback corporate waste in offices are being discussed by those that want to decrease spending.
462. cynicism [noun]
cynical attitude or quality:
He's often been accused of cynicism in his attitude towards politics.
463. cytoplasm [noun]
the substance inside a cell that surrounds the cell's nucleus:
A cytoplasm is a thick solution inside a cell and is made up of water, salts, and proteins.
464. dairy [noun]
foods that are made from milk, such as cream, butter, and cheese:
Some smoothies are dairy because they have cream in them, but some are made strictly with ice and not milk.
465. dally [verb]
to waste time or do something slowly:
You won’t succeed if you dally away your time.
466. daunt [verb]
to make someone feel slightly frightened or worried about their ability to achieve something:
The difficulty did not daunt him at all, while most of us hesitated to progress in these challenging times.
467. dearth [noun]
an amount or supply that is not large enough:
Because there was a dearth of evidence, the district attorney had to drop the charges.
468. debacle [noun]
a complete failure, especially because of bad planning and organization:
When the movie was released, it was called a debacle by the critics.
469. debase [verb]
to reduce the quality or value of something:
The politician tried to debase his rival’s good reputation by spreading false rumors about him.
470. debauchery [noun]
bad sexual behavior, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs, etc.:
Because he was looking forward to four years of debauchery, Jamie could not wait to go to college.
471. debunk [verb]
to show that something is not true:
The scientist hoped to debunk the genetic theory by completing his own research.
472. decadent [adjective]
marked by decay or decline:
Once the decadent politician was finally caught in the scandalous affair he was having, he was dismissed from office.
473. decamp [verb]
to leave suddenly and unexpectedly, usually without telling anyone:
She has decamped with all our money.
474. decipher [verb]
to discover the meaning of something written badly or in a difficult or hidden way:
Even the country’s top linguist found it difficult to decipher the ancient text.
475. declaim [verb]
to express something with strong feeling, especially in a loud voice or with forceful language:
She declaimed against the evils of capitalism.
476. declivity [noun]
downward inclination, or a descending slope:
She has a hard time walking from her house to the lake due to her street’s slight declivity.
477. décor [noun]
the colour, style, and arrangement of the objects in a room:
The quiet decor of her home made her feel comfortable and at ease.
478. decorous [adjective]
behaving politely and in a controlled way:
The director of the finishing school is a decorous woman known for her perfect social skills.
479. decry [verb]
to publicly criticize something as being undesirable or harmful:
The liberal news media is constantly trying to decry the efforts of the country’s conservative president.
480. deduce [verb]
to reach an answer by thinking about a general truth and its relationship to a specific situation:
We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.
481. deem [verb]
to consider or judge something in a particular way:
The principal will probably deem the boy’s behavior as upsetting and worthy of a suspension.
482. defame [verb]
to damage someone’s or something’s reputation by saying or writing bad things that are not true:
The newspaper denies any intention to defame the senator's reputation.
483. default [noun]
a failure to do something, such as pay a debt, that you legally have to do:
The bank will repossess your car if you default on your loan payments.
484. defeasible [adjective]
capable of being annulled or made void:
The contract was rendered defeasible by this careless wording.
485. defendant [noun]
a person in a law case who is accused of having done something illegal:
The plaintiff sued the defendant for damages.
486. defer [verb]
to delay something until a later time:
Customers often defer payment for as long as possible.
487. deferential [adjective]
polite and showing respect:
People were always deferential to the military veteran and showed him respect every time he was in uniform.
488. defile [verb]
to spoil something or someone so that that thing or person is less beautiful or pure:
Although recent history has shown some improvement, humans continue to defile the planet with their extravagance and waste of natural resources.
489. deft [adjective]
skilful, clever, or quick:
The deft musician was able to play the harmonica and the piano at the same time.
490. defunct [adjective]
no longer existing, living, or working correctly:
The long-playing record was made defunct by the arrival of the CD.
491. degrade [verb]
to spoil or destroy the beauty or quality of something:
During the presidential debate, the candidates degrade each other with insults and name-calling.
492. deify [verb]
to consider someone or something to be so important that they are almost like a god:
The people seemed to deify their leader, worshiping him as if he was the Earth’s creator.
493. deject [verb]
to make gloomy:
The players were dejected after losing the big game.
494. deleterious [adjective]
harmful:
Because I believe alcohol is deleterious, I rarely drink more than one glass of wine.
495. delimit [verb]
to mark or describe the limits of something:
After the conflict broke out in Yugoslavia, world leaders came together to delimit boundaries and break the region into individual countries.
496. delineate [verb]
to mark the border of something:
Before I began to plant my seeds, I will delineate the rows of my garden to make sure every vegetable grows in a precise line.
497. delinquent [adjective]
late in paying money owed:
With so many bills delinquent, Kevin had to look for a second job to help him earn enough to catch up.
498. delusion [noun]
belief in something that is not true:
Though she is popular, my classmate is under the delusion that everyone likes her.
499. delve [verb]
to search, especially as if by digging, in order to find a thing or information:
Because she was planning a trip, the woman began to delve into a search for plane tickets.
500. demagogic [adjective]
trying to win support by exciting the emotions of ordinary people rather than by having good or morally right ideas:
Demagogic governments sometimes paint foreigners as scapegoats, leading to nationalization or laws restricting foreign investment.
REFERENCE
: Essential Vocabulary for the GRE
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