GRE GRE Vocabulary Builder 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the GRE word 'enervate' mean?
- To energize and invigorate
- To weaken or drain of vitality (Correct answer)
- To confuse thoroughly
- To strengthen gradually
Correct answer: To weaken or drain of vitality
Enervate means to weaken someone or something, draining their strength or vitality.
Question 2: Which GRE word means 'showing off knowledge in a pedantic or irritating way'?
- Perspicacious
- Pedantic (Correct answer)
- Pragmatic
- Pellucid
Correct answer: Pedantic
Pedantic describes someone excessively focused on minor details or who displays learning in an annoying, showy way.
Question 3: 'Laconic' most nearly means:
- Extremely verbose
- Using very few words; brief (Correct answer)
- Deeply melancholy
- Relating to lakes
Correct answer: Using very few words; brief
Laconic describes speech or writing that uses very few words, being brief and concise.
Question 4: Which word describes someone who acts morally superior or self-righteous in an irritating way?
- Sanctimonious (Correct answer)
- Sanguine
- Sardonic
- Salient
Correct answer: Sanctimonious
Sanctimonious describes a person who displays self-righteous moral superiority in an ostentatious or hypocritical way.
Question 5: What does 'equivocal' mean?
- Perfectly equal in value
- Clearly and precisely stated
- Open to more than one interpretation; deliberately ambiguous (Correct answer)
- Relating to equations
Correct answer: Open to more than one interpretation; deliberately ambiguous
Equivocal describes something that can be interpreted in multiple ways, often intentionally vague to avoid commitment.
Question 6: An 'iconoclast' is a person who:
- Collects and restores religious icons
- Attacks or challenges established beliefs and institutions (Correct answer)
- Studies ancient cultures and artifacts
- Follows tradition with great devotion
Correct answer: Attacks or challenges established beliefs and institutions
An iconoclast attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, or widely accepted conventions.
GRE GRE Vocabulary Builder 1
What does the GRE word 'enervate' mean?