GRE Vocabulary — Set 62

Set 62 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: grandiose, idiosyncratic, fractious, evanescent, harrowing. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. grandiose · adjective/ˈɡræn.di.oʊs/

   characterized by excessive ambition or self-importance

   His grandiose plans for the new business venture left everyone skeptical about their feasibility.

   Synonyms: extravagant, ostentatious, pompous

   Origin: from French 'grandiose', from 'grand' meaning 'great' + the suffix '-ose'

2. idiosyncratic · adjective/ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkrætɪk/

   characterized by peculiar or unusual traits or habits

   Her idiosyncratic taste in music often surprised her friends, as she preferred obscure genres over mainstream hits.

   Synonyms: quirky, eccentric, peculiar

   Origin: The word 'idiosyncratic' originates from the Greek word 'idiosynkrasia', which means 'a particular temperament', composed of 'idio-' meaning 'personal' and 'synkrasis' meaning 'mixture'.

3. fractious · adjective/ˈfrækʃəs/

   irritable and quarrelsome

   The fractious debate over the new policy quickly escalated into a shouting match, revealing the underlying tensions among the team members.

   Synonyms: irritable, quarrelsome, testy

   Origin: Early 19th century: from Latin 'fractiosus', from 'frangere' meaning 'to break'.

4. evanescent · adjective/ˌɛv.əˈnɛs.ənt/

   soon passing out of sight memory or existence

   The beauty of the sunset was evanescent, fading away within minutes as darkness enveloped the sky.

   Synonyms: fleeting, transient, temporary

   Origin: The word evanescent comes from the Latin 'evanescere', which means 'to disappear'.

5. harrowing · adjective/ˈhɛr.oʊ.ɪŋ/

   extremely distressing or painful

   The documentary presented a harrowing account of survival in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

   Synonyms: distressing, traumatic, agonizing

   Origin: The word 'harrowing' originates from the Old English 'hergian,' meaning 'to plunder or lay waste,' and evolved in usage to describe a deep emotional disturbance.