Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - Quality and Temperament

Here you will learn some English words about quality and temperament, such as "anemic", "gauche", "reticent", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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aboveboard [adjective]

doing something honestly and legally, without any trickery

Ex: The negotiations were transparent and aboveboard from start to finish .

anemic [adjective]

lacking in strength, energy, and effect

Ex: The campaign had an anemic effect on voter turnout .

asperity [noun]

harshness or sharpness of tone, manner, or temper

Ex: The manager 's asperity discouraged open discussion .

avarice [noun]

excessive desire for money and material goods

Ex: They criticized his avarice as the root of many societal problems .

bilious [adjective]

having a tendency to be irritable or ill-tempered

Ex: After the argument , he was in a particularly bilious state .

capricious [adjective]

(of a person) prone to unexpected and sudden changes of behavior, mood, or mind

Ex: The capricious leader ’s policies seemed to change without notice .

to cosset [verb]

to treat someone with an excessive amount of care and indulgence

Ex: The grandparents cosseted their grandchildren during their visit .

crafty [adjective]

using clever and usually deceitful methods to achieve what one wants

Ex: She came up with a crafty excuse to avoid the meeting .

cupidity [noun]

the strong desire for attaining a lot of money or material goods

Ex: Their cupidity led them to exploit others for financial gain .

deference [noun]

a willingness or habit of submitting to the opinions or authority of others

Ex: The committee acted in deference to the board 's final decision .

discerning [adjective]

evaluating situations, people, or ideas with clarity and wisdom

Ex:

ebullient [adjective]

having or displaying enthusiasm, happiness, and liveliness

Ex: He greeted everyone with an ebullient smile .

facetious [adjective]

not showing the amount of seriousness needed toward a serious matter by trying to seem clever and humorous

Ex:

fell [adjective]

having the ability to be deadly, cruel, or destructive

Ex: The storm brought a fell destruction to the coastal town .

gauche [adjective]

having an awkward or impolite way of behaving due to a lack of social skills or experience

Ex:

idiosyncrasy [noun]

an unusual or strange behavior, thought, or habit that is specific to one person

Ex: The professor ’s idiosyncrasy of speaking in rhymes often puzzled students .

ingenuous [adjective]

showing simplicity, honesty, or innocence and willing to trust others due to a lack of life experience

Ex: He was taken advantage of due to his ingenuous nature .

invidious [adjective]

causing offense or unhappiness due to being prejudice or unjust

Ex: His invidious behavior during the meeting made others feel uncomfortable .

lascivious [adjective]

experiencing or displaying an intense sexual interest

Ex: Her lascivious advances were quickly rejected .

maudlin [adjective]

having an excessive emotional quality, often in a way that seems overly sentimental or self-pitying

Ex:

nettlesome [adjective]

causing difficulties, problems, or annoyances

Ex: The nettlesome issue with the software was frustrating the team .

officious [adjective]

self-important and very eager to give orders or help when it is not wanted, or needed

Ex: Her officious attitude at the event made others feel uncomfortable .

Panglossian [adjective]

having an extremely optimistic point of view

Ex: The manager 's Panglossian view of the project led to unexpected issues .

percipient [adjective]

quickly and effortlessly noticing things and understanding them

Ex: He was known for his percipient analysis of market trends .

phlegmatic [adjective]

able to keep a calm demeanor and not get emotional easily

Ex: The phlegmatic officer handled the chaotic scene with impressive composure .

quixotic [adjective]

(of ideas or plans) hopeful or imaginative but impractical

Ex: The inventor 's quixotic dream involved building a flying bicycle .

reticent [adjective]

reluctant to speak to others, especially about one's thoughts and emotions

Ex: Mary 's reticent nature made it difficult for her to express her feelings to her friends .

sanguine [adjective]

having a confident, hopeful, and positive outlook for the future

Ex: His sanguine outlook helped the team stay motivated during tough times .

saturnine [adjective]

having a bitter, grumpy, and serious appearance and attitude, oftentimes in a threatening manner

Ex:

stoic [adjective]

not displaying emotions and not complaining, especially in difficult and painful situations

Ex: The soldier was stoic in the face of adversity .

sybarite [noun]

an individual who is very fond of enjoying luxurious pleasures and items

Ex: She was known as a sybarite , always seeking the most luxurious vacations .

tempestuous [adjective]

involving many extreme and powerful emotions

Ex: The actor 's tempestuous performance captivated the audience .

slapdash [adjective]

doing something hastily and without much thought or care

Ex: The slapdash organization of the event led to chaos and delays .

sedulous [adjective]

putting continuous effort, care, and attention in doing something

Ex: The student ’s sedulous study habits led to excellent exam results .

loquacious [adjective]

relating to someone who likes to talk much more than necessary

Ex: The loquacious speaker kept the audience engaged for hours .

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