Set 2

Front 1

avid

Back 1

Having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something

(An avid numismatist, Harold sedulously amassed a collection of coins from over 100 countries—anendeavor that took over fifteen years, and to five continents.)

Front 2

bleak

Back 2

1. not hopeful or encouraging; unlikely to have a favourable outcome

2. cold and miserable

(Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music—compare England’s band Radiohead to any band from Southern California.)

Front 3

vivid

Back 3

Producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind

synonyms: realistic, fascinating, crystal clear, detailed

( Perhaps a little more vividly, certain men who fail to button up their shirts completely let the world – perhaps not unwittingly – know of their profuse chest hairs (which, on their part, should necessitate a profuse apology).)

Front 4

skimpy

Back 4

(Of clothes) short and revealing

( During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles clad in nothing more than skimpy shorts.)

Front 5

clad

Back 5

( past participle) clothed, dressed

( During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles clad in nothing more than skimpy shorts.)

Front 6

innocuous

Back 6

not harmful, inoffensive

( Everyone found Nancy’s banter innocuous—except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.)

Front 7

erratic

Back 7

unpredictable

( An athlete who scores the winning point one game, and then botches numerous opportunities is known for his or her erratic play.)

Front 8

extant

Back 8

Still in existence; surviving

( Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be extant generations from now)

Front 9

equivocally

Back 9

Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

( The findings of the study were equivocal—the two researchers had divergent opinions on what the results signified)

Front 10

contentious

Back 10

Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial

(If you are contentious, you like to argue )

(Contentious is a very common GRE word, so unless you want me to become contentious, memorize it now!)

Front 11

botches

Back 11

Carry out (a task) badly or carelessly

( An athlete who scores the winning point one game, and then botches numerous opportunities is known for his or her erratic play)

Front 12

banter

Back 12

The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks

( Everyone found Nancy’s banter innocuous—except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.)

Front 13

diligent

Back 13

Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties

(If you are sedulously studying for the GRE, you are studying diligently and carefully—making flashcards, writing down important words and formulas, and, of course, checking out theMagoosh blog every day.)

Front 14

sedulous

Back 14

showing dedication and diligence

( If you are sedulously studying for the GRE, you are studying diligently and carefully—making flashcards, writing down important words and formulas, and, of course, checking out theMagoosh blog every day.)

Front 15

sedentary

Back 15

tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive

( sed- reminds them of sitting and being idle (like in sedentary))

Front 16

conceal

Back 16

hide, keep secret

Front 17

ambiguous

Back 17

Open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning / equivocal

Front 18

ambivalent

Back 18

Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

( Sam was ambivalent about studying for the GRE because it ate up a lot of her time, yet he learned many words and improved at reading comprehension)

Front 19

candid

Back 19

Truthful and straightforward; frank

(Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold anything back)

Front 20

profuse

Back 20

very plentiful; abundant

( Perhaps a little more vividly, certain men who fail to button up their shirts completely let the world – perhaps not unwittingly – know of their profuse chest hairs (which, on their part, should necessitate a profuse apology).)

Front 21

enervate

Back 21

to sap the energy from

( John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he’d spent the day sightseeing)

Front 22

flounder

Back 22

Be in serious difficulty; Struggle

( It came as no surprise to pundits that the President’s attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60percent.)

Front 23

unremitting

Back 23

Never relaxing; persistent; constant

(He achieved what he did by unremitting hard work )

(Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music—compare England’s band Radiohead to any band from Southern California)

Front 24

lugubrious

Back 24

Looking or sounding sad and dismal

(Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music—compare England’s band Radiohead to any band from Southern California)

Front 25

unequivocally

Back 25

to state it in such a way that there is no room for doubt.

(the message should be unequivocally clear)

Front 26

numismatics

Back 26

The study or collection of coins, banknotes, and medals.

Front 27

sap

Back 27

(verb) Drain someone of (strength or power)

(her illness had sapped her of energy and life)

Front 28

auspicious

Back 28

Conducive to success; favourable

( Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike’s road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile)

Front 29

contend

Back 29

assert, maintain, hold, claim, argue

(he contends that the judge was wrong)