Words related to "Change, Cause and Effect" | Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE

Here you will learn some English words about change, cause and effect, such as "baleful", "trifling", "constrict", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE
baleful [adjective]

able to bring about dangerous or destructive consequences

Ex: They were wary of the baleful impact that the new policy might have on their jobs .
cardinal [adjective]

possessing the quality of being the most important or basic part of something

Ex: Understanding the cardinal concepts of mathematics is crucial for solving complex problems .
concomitant [adjective]

simultaneously occurring with something else as it is either related to it or an outcome of it

Ex: The rise in online shopping has brought a concomitant decline in traditional brick-and-mortar retail sales .

producing results that are contrary to what was intended

Ex: The new software update was counterproductive , causing more glitches than it solved .
feckless [adjective]

of no determination, competence, or strength

Ex: The manager ’s feckless leadership led to a series of missed deadlines and poor results .
immaterial [adjective]

not relevant or significant to the current situation, discussion, etc.

Ex: When assessing job performance , the manager decided that minor delays were immaterial as long as the quality of work remained high .
inchoate [adjective]

just beginning to take shape

Ex: She had an inchoate sense of longing she could n't quite explain .
inconsequential [adjective]

lacking significance or importance

Ex: The delay caused by the traffic jam was inconsequential ; they still arrived on time .
transitory [adjective]

lasting for only a brief period

Ex: Their relationship was transitory , lasting only a few months before they went their separate ways .
trifling [adjective]

without any value or importance

Ex:
plastic [adjective]

capable of easily being molded or shaped into taking another form

Ex: The plastic nature of the new compound allows it to be shaped into complex forms .
portentous [adjective]

extraordinary and serving as a warning or sign of future events, often suggesting something bad or threatening

Ex: Her portentous remarks about the future made everyone in the meeting feel uneasy and apprehensive .
retrospective [adjective]

referring or relating to a past event

Ex: The film is a retrospective view of the events that shaped the nation ’s history .

to make a person or thing seem more important or impressive than they actually are

Ex: The politician 's speeches often aggrandize his past achievements .

to end or lessen a person's anger by giving in to their demands

Ex: The company plans to appease customer complaints by improving its customer service .

to take away from something's effect, value, size, power, or amount

Ex: Planting trees along the highway can help attenuate the effects of pollution on nearby communities .

to have a rapid development or growth

Ex: The city 's skyline burgeoned as new skyscrapers were constructed .

to restrict the things someone can or wants to do

Ex: The oppressive government policies constricted the citizens ' rights and freedoms .

to end by coming to a climactic point

Ex: The journey culminated in reaching the summit of the mountain .

to stop a person from doing what they initially intended

Ex: The quick thinking of the bystanders helped deflect the teenager from making a hasty decision .

to raise someone or something to a higher rank or better position

Ex: Education can elevate individuals out of poverty by providing opportunities for advancement .

to encourage or provoke something, especially trouble or conflict

Ex: The speech was meant to foment fear among the people .

to push someone into taking action, particularly by evoking a strong emotion in them

Ex: By sharing her personal story , she galvanized others to contribute to the fundraiser .
to lull [verb]

to help someone feel relaxed and calm or to help them fall asleep

Ex: She had lulled her child with a bedtime story before tucking him in .
to wax [verb]

to grow in strength, size, intensity, etc.

Ex: His popularity waxed last year after his breakthrough performance in the film .

to incorrectly state what or who created or caused something

Ex: The article misattributes the invention to the wrong scientist , causing confusion .

to be widely common, applied, or recognized

Ex:

to move back and forth in a regular rhythm between two or more states, positions, or opinions

Ex: During a midlife crisis , Tom 's worldview oscillated between optimism and uncertainty as he reconsidered life goals and choices made decades earlier .

to cause a person or thing to come across as less significant

Ex: The grandeur of the ancient temple overshadowed the smaller shrines nearby .

to expand to every part of a thing

Ex: The calming music permeated the spa , creating a relaxing atmosphere for the patrons .

to cause something to increase rapidly in number or size

Ex: The organization ’s outreach efforts proliferated support for their environmental initiatives .

to forcefully bring the development or growth of something that is troubling to an end

Ex: By the end of the meeting , he will have squelched all objections to the plan .

to take something or someone's position or place, particularly due to being more effective or up-to-date

Ex: The amended constitution officially superseded the original founding document .

a thing that reduces the chances of someone doing something because it makes them aware of its difficulties or consequences

Ex: The lack of sufficient funding was a deterrent to starting the new project .
nadir [noun]

the moment in which a situation or life is at its lowest or worst

Ex: She realized she was at her emotional nadir after the breakup .

someone or something that comes before another of the same type, acting as a sign of what will come next

Ex: The dark clouds were a precursor to the approaching storm .
to check [verb]

to keep something bad under control in order to prevent deterioration or to slow down its spread or development

Ex: The doctor recommended medication to check the progression of the illness .

(of roads, paths, lines, etc.) to lead toward a point that connects them

Ex: In the bustling downtown area , several streets converge at a central square .

the situation or condition that is currently at hand

Ex: They challenged the status quo with their innovative approach to the problem .

to help reduce the severity of an unpleasant feeling

Ex: The apology did little to assuage his anger over the misunderstanding .
zenith [noun]

the highest point that a certain celestial body reaches, directly above an observer

Ex: Observing the stars , he noted how their zenith differed based on their location .