GRE Vocabulary — Group 3

To grow or develop rapidly and vigorously.

To give extra support to something, often an argument or structure.

Prone to sudden, unpredictable changes in mood or behavior.

To criticize or punish someone harshly.

Bitterly sarcastic and cutting in tone; also, chemically corrosive.

The use of trickery or clever deception to achieve one's goals.

Careful and cautious, especially about weighing possible consequences before acting.

To find a clever way around an obstacle, rule, or difficulty.

To come together to form one single group, mass, or whole.

Overly satisfied with oneself or one's situation, to the point of ignoring real risks.

Intended to calm anger or settle a dispute; peace-making in tone.

Likely to cause disagreement or argument; controversial.

To provide supporting evidence that confirms a statement or theory is true.

Too ready to believe things without enough proof or skepticism.

Done quickly, without attention to detail; hasty and superficial.

A sudden, complete failure or disastrous collapse of something.

Behavior that is socially proper and in good taste.

A leader who gains power by appealing to people's emotions and prejudices rather than reason.

To mock or ridicule someone or something with contempt.

Light, delicate, and so thin that it is nearly see-through.

A division between two things that are presented as completely opposite or contradictory.

Intended to teach or instruct, often in an overly moralizing way.

Lacking confidence in oneself; shy and hesitant to assert an opinion.

To speak of someone or something in a dismissive, belittling way.

To hide one's true feelings or intentions by pretending or being misleading.