Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - Civil Society and Religiosity

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

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affluent [adjective]

possessing a great amount of riches and material goods

Ex: She grew up in an affluent family , attending private schools and traveling abroad frequently .

ascetic [adjective]

following a strict lifestyle where one practices self-discipline and denies oneself of any form of pleasure, particularly due to religious reasons

Ex: She admired the ascetic discipline of the spiritual leader who lived without luxury .

base [adjective]

completely lacking moral or honorable purpose or character

Ex:

disinterested [adjective]

not being involved in a situation or benefiting from it, thus able to act fairly

Ex: His disinterested approach meant he had no personal stake in the outcome of the project .

dispassionate [adjective]

not letting one's emotions influence one's judgment and decisions, thus able to stay rational and fair

Ex: The dispassionate review of the project highlighted both strengths and weaknesses without bias .

egalitarian [adjective]

supporting the notion that all humans are equal and should be given equal rights

Ex: They advocate for an egalitarian distribution of wealth and resources to address social inequality .

equitable [adjective]

ensuring fairness and impartiality, so everyone gets what they rightfully deserve

Ex: The contract included equitable terms that were fair to both the employer and the employee .

expansive [adjective]

having a generous and friendly personality with a willingness to engage in conversations

Ex: Despite being in a new city , her expansive attitude helped her make friends quickly and feel at home .

impartial [adjective]

not favoring a particular party in a way that enables one to act or decide fairly

Ex: The judge ’s impartial ruling was based solely on the evidence presented in court .

mundane [adjective]

lacking the ability to arouse interest or cause excitement

Ex: The mundane scenery along the highway made the long drive seem even longer .

profligate [adjective]

acting in a shameless, overindulgent, and immoral manner

Ex: The movie depicted a profligate society where indulgence and excess were the norms .

rustic [adjective]

displaying a natural simplicity and warmth that evokes traditional rural life

Ex: He preferred the rustic lifestyle — quiet , slow-paced , and close to nature .

sanctimonious [adjective]

attempting to showcase how one believes to be morally or religiously superior

Ex: He found her sanctimonious attitude towards environmental issues rather off-putting .

spartan [adjective]

characterized by strict self-discipline, frugality, or simplicity

Ex: The coach 's spartan training regimen pushed the athletes to their limits , instilling discipline and determination in every aspect of their lives .

unforthcoming [adjective]

unwilling to reveal information or offer assistance

Ex:

apostasy [noun]

the act of abandoning a religious or political belief that one used to hold

Ex: The religious leader 's apostasy led to a re-evaluation of his previous teachings and influence .

arriviste [noun]

an individual who is either new to a higher society or trying to get into it, and is looking for their approval

Ex: Despite his efforts , the arriviste found it challenging to gain the respect of long-standing members of the club .

chauvinism [noun]

the extreme belief in the superiority of one's gender, race, country, or group

Ex: Her chauvinism was apparent in the way she spoke condescendingly about other cultures .

gaffe [noun]

a thing that was done or said in a social or public situation that is considered to be an embarrassing or tactless mistake

Ex: His social media gaffe led to a backlash from followers who felt offended .

hierarchy [noun]

the grouping of people into different levels or ranks according to their power or importance within a society or system

Ex: In the military , there 's a clear hierarchy that determines who is in charge .

inequity [noun]

a situation or something that is lacking in equality or fairness

Ex: The students protested against the inequity in funding between public and private schools .

mendicant [noun]

a person who begs other people for food and money

Ex: The story follows a mendicant who wanders through the streets , reflecting on his past life .

notoriety [noun]

the state of having a widespread negative reputation due to a bad or disapproving behavior or characteristic

Ex: Tales of the pirate 's plundering exploits spread his notoriety throughout the Caribbean .

pariah [noun]

an individual who is avoided and not liked, accepted, or respected by society or a group of people

Ex: The celebrity 's personal mistakes turned her into a pariah among her once-loyal fans .

parvenu [noun]

a low-born individual who has gained quick and unexpected power, success, or wealth

Ex: The parvenu 's success story was a subject of fascination and skepticism in the media .

powwow [noun]

a traditional ceremony of Native Americans in which they gather, dance, and sing

Ex: During the powwow , stories of ancestors and tribal history were shared through songs and spoken word .

rank [noun]

(plural) the people who collectively form a particular group or organization

Ex: After years of advocacy , she rose through the ranks of environmental activists to become a prominent leader .

reprobate [noun]

an individual who lacks morality and principle

Ex: The film ’s villain was portrayed as a reprobate , embodying the worst traits of moral corruption and selfishness .

standing [noun]

a person's reputation, status, or position within a system, society, or organization

Ex: Her social standing was elevated after she was elected to a prominent community position .

virago [noun]

a woman who is loud, ill-tempered, and aggressive

Ex: The military commander , often described as a virago , earned respect for her strategic brilliance on the battlefield .

to coalesce [verb]

to come together in order to achieve a common goal

Ex: The communities are currently coalescing to tackle the issue of local pollution .

to deface [verb]

to ruin or damage something's appearance, particularly by writing or sketching on it

Ex: They are currently defacing the wall with unauthorized posters .

to desecrate [verb]

to insult or damage something that people greatly respect or consider holy, particularly a place

Ex: The ancient temple was desecrated when treasure hunters looted its sacred artifacts .

to disseminate [verb]

to spread information, ideas, or knowledge to a wide audience

Ex: The educational institution employs various methods to disseminate knowledge , including lectures , online courses , and publications .

to proselytize [verb]

to attempt to persuade a person into accepting one's beliefs, particularly political or religious ones

Ex: The new outreach program will proselytize environmental awareness to local businesses .

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