Set 129 · Study 1 / 5

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encroach

verb/ɪnˈkroʊtʃ/

definition

to gradually and silently infringe upon or invade someone's space or rights

example

As the city expanded, the development began to encroach upon the natural habitats of local wildlife.

synonyms
intrudeinfringeencroach upon
word origin — Middle English 'encrochen', from Old French 'encrocher', meaning 'to seize or take possession of'.

GRE Vocabulary — Set 129

Set 129 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: encroach, vindicate, recapitulate, interpolate, gainsaid. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. encroach · verb/ɪnˈkroʊtʃ/

    to gradually and silently infringe upon or invade someone's space or rights

    As the city expanded, the development began to encroach upon the natural habitats of local wildlife.

    Synonyms: intrude, infringe, encroach upon

    Origin: Middle English 'encrochen', from Old French 'encrocher', meaning 'to seize or take possession of'.

  2. vindicate · verb/ˈvɪn.dɪ.keɪt/

    to clear someone of blame or suspicion

    The new evidence served to vindicate the defendant, proving that he was not at the crime scene.

    Synonyms: exonerate, absolve, clear

    Origin: from Latin 'vindicare', meaning 'to claim, assert, avenge'.

  3. recapitulate · verb/ˌriː.kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/

    to summarize or restate the main points

    At the end of the lecture, the professor took a moment to recapitulate the main arguments presented in the discussion.

    Synonyms: summarize, recap, restate

    Origin: From Latin 'recapitulare', meaning 'to go over the main points again'; 're-' (again) + 'capitulum' (a heading, chapter).

  4. interpolate · verb/ɪnˈtɝː.pə.leɪt/

    to estimate or calculate an intermediate value or to insert something into a text

    To predict future temperatures, scientists often interpolate between recorded data points to create a smoother trend line.

    Synonyms: insert, estimate, infer

    Origin: from Latin 'interpolatus', the past participle of 'interpolare', meaning 'to polish up, to mix in'.

  5. gainsaid · verb/ɡeɪnˈseɪd/

    to deny or contradict a statement or assertion

    The evidence presented in court was so compelling that it could not be gainsaid by the defense.

    Synonyms: dispute, deny, contradict

    Origin: Middle English 'gainsayen', from 'gain-' meaning 'against' and 'say' from Old English 'sægan', meaning 'to say, to tell'.