Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - The Soul of a Soulless World

Here you will learn some English words about society and religion, such as "disperse", "dogma", "litany", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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to alienate

[Verb]

to make one feel isolated or hostile toward a person or group

Ex: His failure to acknowledge their contributions started to alienate his team .

to disperse

[Verb]

to part and move in different directions

Ex: The guests began to disperse from the party as the evening wore on .

to supplicate

[Verb]

to make a request or prayer for something, particularly in an earnest and humble manner

Ex: The devout followers would often supplicate for guidance and wisdom during their evening prayers .

to venerate

[Verb]

to feel or display a great amount of respect toward something or someone

Ex: The ceremony was held to venerate the cultural artifacts from the past .

apotheosis

[noun]

the act of elevating a person's rank to that of a god

Ex: The apotheosis in the epic symbolized the hero ’s ascension to a higher realm .

atavism

[noun]

an ancestral or ancient trait, feeling, outlook, activity, etc. that modern humans revert to

Ex: The child ’s instinct to climb trees seemed like an atavism from our evolutionary history .

chauvinist

[noun]

someone who strongly believes that their gender, race, country, or group is superior

Ex: The chauvinist refused to acknowledge the achievements of anyone outside his own country .

epiphany

[noun]

a moment in which one comes to a sudden realization

Ex: During the meeting , he experienced an epiphany that changed his approach to the project .

exegesis

[noun]

an interpretation and thorough explanation of a piece of writing, particularly a religious one

Ex: The exegesis of the religious manuscript shed light on its complex doctrines .

hedonist

[noun]

an individual who acts according to the belief that pursuing pleasure is of the highest importance in life

Ex: He was known as a hedonist, always choosing the most pleasurable path .

iconoclast

[noun]

an individual who criticizes and attacks beliefs, ideas, customs, etc. that are generally cherished or accepted

Ex: He was hailed as an iconoclast for his groundbreaking scientific discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of the natural world .

libertine

[noun]

an individual who is not concerned with morality and overindulges in pleasure, particularly sexual pleasure

Ex: His reputation as a libertine made him infamous in high society .

litany

[noun]

a religious service that consists of the leading person saying some prayers followed by set responses from the people who are participating

Ex: The priest 's voice guided the litany, while the people followed in harmony .

[noun]

the customs and values of a society that characterize it

Ex: Sociologists study the mores of different cultures to understand the norms and values that shape human behavior .

occult

[noun]

all that relates to the magical and supernatural, their events, practices, powers, etc.

Ex: His interest in the occult led him to attend secretive meetings with other practitioners .

prognostication

[noun]

a statement meaning to predict or guess the events of the future

Ex: The novel included a character known for his dark prognostications about the future .

recluse

[noun]

an individual who lives by themselves and avoids all sorts of contact with other people

Ex: Her decision to live as a recluse was driven by a desire for personal reflection .

solecism

[noun]

an act that is considered to be impolite or unacceptable

Ex: The solecism of ignoring the dress code at the wedding was seen as disrespectful .

turpitude

[noun]

a disposition or behavior that is extremely immoral or wicked

Ex: The leader ’s turpitude led to his downfall and loss of public trust .

arcane

[Adjective]

requiring specialized or secret knowledge to comprehend fully

Ex: The arcane details of the ancient manuscript could only be deciphered by experts .

benighted

[Adjective]

lacking in intellect, culture, knowledge, or morals

Ex: The film depicted a benighted world where knowledge was suppressed and ignorance prevailed .

contrite

[Adjective]

expressing or experiencing deep regret or guilt because of a wrong act that one has committed

Ex: The defendant ’s contrite statement was aimed at gaining leniency from the judge .

diabolical

[Adjective]

tremendously wicked or evil, just like the Devil

Ex: His diabolical manipulation of others left a trail of devastation .

disjointed

[Adjective]

not connected in an orderly or coherent way

Ex: The conversation became disjointed as more people joined and talked over each other.

fanatical

[Adjective]

extremely enthusiastic or obsessed about something

Ex: She has a fanatical approach to fitness , adhering strictly to a rigorous workout regime .

gregarious

[Adjective]

(of people) delighted by the company of others

Ex: Even in a large crowd , her gregarious nature shines through , as she effortlessly engages with everyone around her .

indifferent

[Adjective]

unbiased and not favoring one side

Ex: Her indifferent attitude towards the debate showed she had no strong opinions on the matter .

orthodox

[Adjective]

following established beliefs, traditions, or accepted standards

Ex: He held orthodox views on religious practices .

pious

[Adjective]

having strong faith in a religion and living according to it

Ex: She was known for her pious devotion , attending church services every week without fail .

principled

[Adjective]

behaving in a manner that shows one's high moral standards

Ex: Even in difficult situations, he stayed principled, ensuring that his actions aligned with his values.

polarized

[Adjective]

divided into groups that strongly disagree

Ex: The polarized reactions to the new law showed how contentious the issue had become .

sacrosanct

[Adjective]

extremely important, to the point that it is not allowed to be condemned or changed

Ex: The principle of freedom of speech was seen as sacrosanct in the democratic society.

secular

[Adjective]

not concerned or connected with religion

Ex: Secular organizations advocate for the separation of church and state in public affairs .

unseemly

[Adjective]

behaving in a manner that is impolite and not in accordance with the situation

Ex: Her unseemly display of anger in public was unexpected and made everyone uneasy .

Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE

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Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - The Soul of a Soulless World