harried, precarious, abstruse, indomitable, ameliorable: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from GRE Vocabulary set 119. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. harried · adjective/ˈhɛr.id/

   feeling or showing stress or anxiety usually due to having too many tasks or demands

   The harried mother juggled work, school activities, and household chores, leaving her exhausted by the end of the day.

   Synonyms: frazzled, stressed, beleaguered

   Origin: from Old English 'harian', meaning to make a raid or to plunder

2. precarious · adjective/prɪˈkɛriəs/

   not securely held or in position dangerously likely to fall or collapse

   The climber found himself in a precarious position as he clung to the edge of the cliff.

   Synonyms: unstable, insecure, risky

   Origin: from Latin 'precarius' meaning 'obtained by prayer or entreaty', later 'risky, dependent on chance'

3. abstruse · adjective/æbˈstruːs/

   difficult to understand or obscure

   The professor's lecture on quantum mechanics was so abstruse that most students struggled to follow along.

   Synonyms: recondite, obscure, esoteric

   Origin: derived from the Latin word 'abstrusus', meaning 'hidden, concealed', from 'ab-' meaning 'away' and 'struere' meaning 'to build'.

4. indomitable · adjective/ɪnˈdɑːmɪtəbl/

   impossible to subdue or defeat

   Her indomitable spirit allowed her to overcome every challenge that life threw her way.

   Synonyms: unconquerable, invincible, unyielding

   Origin: from Latin 'indomitabillis', from 'in-' (not) + 'domitare' (to tame, subdue)

5. ameliorable · adjective/əˈmiːljərəbl/

   capable of being improved

   The committee found that the community's economic challenges were ameliorable with targeted investment and support programs.

   Synonyms: improvable, amendable, betterable

   Origin: from Latin 'ameliorare' meaning 'to make better'