Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - Traits and Behavior

Here you will learn some English words about traits and behavior, such as "auspicious", "pristine", "hubris", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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ambivalent [adjective]

having contradictory views or feelings about something or someone

Ex: The public 's response to the new policy was ambivalent , with some supporting it and others opposing it .

anomalous [adjective]

not consistent with what is considered to be expected

Ex: The accountant flagged an anomalous expense report that lacked proper approval and documentation .

arch [adjective]

mischievous and playful either on purpose or pretending to be so

Ex: He looked at her with an arch expression when she tried to explain herself .

auspicious [adjective]

indicating that something is very likely to succeed in the future

Ex: The team took the unexpected victory as an auspicious omen for the rest of the season .

churlish [adjective]

rude, ill-mannered, or surly in behavior

Ex:

crestfallen [adjective]

feeling disappointed and sad, especially due to experiencing an unexpected failure

Ex: They were crestfallen when their project , on which they had worked tirelessly , was rejected .

demonstrative [adjective]

showing no restraint in expressing one's feelings, particularly of love

Ex: They appreciated his demonstrative support during their difficult times .

discriminating [adjective]

having great taste and the ability to judge something's quality

Ex: His discriminating taste in clothing made him a trendsetter in the fashion industry .

effervescent [adjective]

behaving in an energetic, excited, and lively manner

Ex:

elated [adjective]

excited and happy because something has happened or is going to happen

Ex: Winning the competition left her feeling elated and grateful .

factitious [adjective]

relating to something that is created artificially instead of naturally

Ex: The factitious ingredients in the recipe were intended to mimic the real flavor .

flippant [adjective]

lacking seriousness and respect on a serious matter in an attempt to appear humorous or clever

Ex: He was criticized for his flippant response to the tragic news .

imperious [adjective]

having an unpleasantly proud and arrogant demeanor, displaying a demand for obedience

Ex: His imperious manner made it clear that he expected immediate compliance from everyone .

nonchalant [adjective]

behaving in an unconcerned and calm manner

Ex: He remained nonchalant even when faced with a tight deadline .

obstinate [adjective]

stubborn and unwilling to change one's behaviors, opinions, views, etc. despite other people's reasoning and persuasion

Ex:

perfidious [adjective]

relating to someone or something that is untrustworthy and disloyal

Ex: The perfidious actions of the spy jeopardized national security , revealing classified information to enemy forces .

presumptuous [adjective]

failing to respect boundaries, doing something despite having no right in doing so

Ex: He found it presumptuous that she criticized his work without knowing the details .

pristine [adjective]

having kept its original state, being clean and in great condition

Ex: The scientist discovered a pristine fossil that provided valuable insights into prehistoric life .

quotidian [adjective]

taking place every day and thus considered as an ordinary occurrence

Ex: Her work involved dealing with quotidian administrative duties .

reverent [adjective]

feeling or displaying a great amount of admiration and respect

Ex: The students listened with a reverent attitude during the ceremony .

self-effacing [adjective]

trying to avoid drawing attention toward one's abilities or oneself, especially due to modesty

Ex: The self-effacing leader gave credit to his team instead of taking it himself .

sagacious [adjective]

having keen, farsighted judgment and the ability to discern deeply and wisely

Ex: The sagacious investor made decisions that consistently resulted in profitable returns .

sporadic [adjective]

occurring from time to time, in an irregular manner

Ex: She made sporadic appearances at social events , preferring solitude .

succeeding [adjective]

taking something or someone's place or position by coming after them

Ex:

trenchant [adjective]

expressing something in a forceful, effective, and clear manner

Ex: His trenchant wit often left his opponents speechless .

ubiquitous [adjective]

seeming to exist or appear everywhere

Ex: Email communication has become ubiquitous in the workplace , replacing traditional written memos .

verbose [adjective]

using or having an excessive number of words

Ex:

aberration [noun]

something that is different from what is expected and normal

Ex: The team 's loss was an aberration in their otherwise successful season .

hubris [noun]

an unreasonably excessive amount of pride or arrogance

Ex: He spoke with such hubris that no one dared to challenge him .

inanity [noun]

words or actions that lack meaning, sense, or importance

Ex: The article was criticized for its inanity and lack of substance .

invective [noun]

the usage of abusive, insulting, and rude language when one is extremely angry

Ex:

maverick [noun]

an individual who thinks and behaves differently and independently

Ex: As a maverick , she challenged the status quo at every opportunity .

paragon [noun]

someone or something regarded as the perfect or ideal model of excellence

Ex: The painting is considered a paragon .

probity [noun]

the quality of abiding by the highest moral principles

Ex: In business , probity is essential to building lasting relationships .

solicitude [noun]

care or worry for a person's well-being

Ex: She showed great solicitude by checking on her neighbor daily .

to betray [verb]

to reveal something, such as thoughts, feelings, qualities, etc. unintentionally

Ex: She tried to act indifferent , but her eyes betrayed her true feelings .

to placate [verb]

to put a stop to someone's feelings of anger

Ex: She brought him a cup of tea to placate his irritation after a long day .

to importune [verb]

to request something in an annoyingly persistent way

Ex: Despite my repeated refusals , he continued to importune me for a loan .

prudent [adjective]

showing sensibility and wisdom, especially in avoiding risks or making decisions

Ex: The company took prudent measures to ensure the safety of its employees during the pandemic .

mettlesome [adjective]

having a lot of energy and enthusiasm

Ex:

Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE
Likes and Dislikes	Features and Attributes	Characteristics and Disposition	Traits and Behavior
Quality and Temperament	Aspects and Manners	Hold an Opinion, Give an Advice!	What's on Your Mind?
Everyone Is Entitled to Their Own Opinion!	Make Up Your Mind!	Open and Shut Case	Ripples in a Pond
Only Change Is Constant!	The Soul of a Soulless World	Civil Society and Religiosity	Cultural Sphere and Arts
Artsy Endeavors	Government as a Necessary Evil	Appearance Could be Deceptive!	As It Appears!
Beyond Measure!	Ensure Good Health!	Success Is a Sure Thing, Failure Is Not!	Experiment, Learn, and Repeat!
Stay on the Safe Side!	From Rags to Riches