Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE - Appearance Could be Deceptive!

Here you will learn some English words about appearance, such as "austere", "opaque", "turgid", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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amorphous

[Adjective]

lacking a clear or distinct shape or form

Ex: The blob of clay remained amorphous until shaped by the sculptor.

austere

[Adjective]

simple in design or style and lacking embellishments

Ex: The office was decorated in an austere style, with minimal furniture and a monochromatic color scheme.

cadaverous

[Adjective]

very thin or pale in a way that is suggestive of an illness

Ex: The patient's cadaverous appearance alarmed the doctors, indicating severe malnutrition.

ethereal

[Adjective]

extremely delicate, light, as if it belongs to a heavenly realm

Ex: The ethereal music of the flute floated through the room, creating a sense of calm.

heterogeneous

[Adjective]

composed of a wide range of different things or people

Ex: The city's population was heterogeneous, comprising people from various cultural backgrounds.

homogeneous

[Adjective]

composed of things or people of the same or very similar type

Ex: The neighborhood was homogeneous, consisting mainly of single-family homes.

incongruous

[Adjective]

peculiar and not like what is considered suitable or appropriate for a situation

Ex: The bright red dress was incongruous at the somber funeral.

lackluster

[Adjective]

(of hair or eyes) without shine, sheen, or brightness

Ex: Her hair looked lackluster after several days without washing, losing its usual shine.

opaque

[Adjective]

(of an object) blocking the passage of light and preventing objects from being seen through it

Ex: The opaque curtains blocked out all sunlight from entering the room.

peripheral

[Adjective]

relating or belonging to the edge or outer section of something

Ex: The peripheral vision allows us to detect movement on the sides without directly looking at it.

pronounced

[Adjective]

immediately noticed due to being apparent

Ex: The patient's symptoms became more pronounced after the medication was discontinued.

sardonic

[Adjective]

humorous in a manner that is cruel and disrespectful

Ex: She responded with a sardonic smile when he suggested that her idea was brilliant.

specious

[Adjective]

falsely giving a pleasing appearance

Ex: Her specious reasoning seemed convincing at first, but it didn't stand up to closer scrutiny.

surreptitious

[Adjective]

doing something secretly in an attempt to avoid notice

Ex: The cat gave a surreptitious prowl around the kitchen.

tenuous

[Adjective]

very delicate or thin

Ex: The spider's web was so tenuous that even the slightest breeze could break it.

turgid

[Adjective]

(of speech or writing) using a serious and elevated style that makes it tedious and complicated

Ex: The professor’s lecture was so turgid that many students struggled to stay awake.

to dovetail

[Verb]

to fit together in a satisfactory or suitable way

Ex: The furniture pieces were chosen to dovetail with the room’s overall decor and color scheme.

to mesmerize

[Verb]

to capture someone's attention and interest completely, in a way that they forget about everything else

Ex: The hypnotic dance performance mesmerized the audience, holding their attention until the very end.

disposition

[noun]

the inherent qualities that one is normally characterized by

Ex: Her cheerful disposition made her a favorite among her colleagues and friends.

fringe

[noun]

the marginal, or outer part of something, such as an area, activity, or group

Ex: The fringe of the forest was dotted with wildflowers and was less dense than the inner parts.

goose bumps

[noun]

a state in which little bumps appear on the skin and bodily hair becomes upright because of excitement, cold, or fear

Ex: That song always gives me goose bumps.

semblance

[noun]

a condition or situation that is similar or only appears to be similar to something

Ex: The old house had a semblance of its former grandeur, though it was now in disrepair.

eclectic

[Adjective]

containing what is best of various ideas, styles, methods, beliefs, etc.

Ex: Their restaurant had an eclectic ethnic menu that blended flavors from around the world.

verisimilitude

[noun]

the state or quality of implying the truth

Ex: The novel’s attention to historical detail added a layer of verisimilitude to its fictional narrative.

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!

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