Words starting with P & Q | Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) for GRE PDF Download

p: mocking; cynical

He has a wry sense of humor which sometimes hurts people's feelings.

paean: a song of praise or triumph

A paean was written in honor of the victorious warrior.

pagan: polytheistic

Moses, distraught over some of his people's continuing pagan ways, smashed the stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments.

painstaking: thorough, careful, precise

Helga's painstaking research paid off with a top grade on her essay.

palatial: large and ornate, like a palace

The new palatial home contained two pools and an indoor track for jogging.

palindrome: a word or phrase which reads the same backwards and forwards

Bob, "Dad," and "Madam" are examples of palindromes.

palliate: to alleviate or ease pain but not cure; to make appear less serious

The medication will help palliate the pain.
The lawyer attempted to palliate the offense to the jury.

pallid: pale in color

The visitor left the hospital room with a pallid face.

pallor: lack of facial color

The more vivid the testimony grew, the more the witness seemed to take on a ghostly pallor.

palpable: touchable; clear, obvious

The palpable decision was to discontinue the use of drugs.
On a flight that had included a sudden 5,000-foot drop, the passengers' relief upon landing was palpable .

panegyric: high praise

Upon his retirement, he received a great panegyric from many of his associates.
His panegyric to his opponent stood in sharp contrast to the harsh tenor of the campaign.

paradigm: model, prototype; pattern

The machine could no longer be produced after the paradigm was destroyed.
The Massachusetts gubernatorial race was considered a paradigm of campaign civility.

paradox: a tenet seemingly contradictory or false, but actually true

The paradox seemed so unlikely though it was true.
At first blush, the company's results were a paradox: Sales were down, yet profits were up.

parapet: a wall for protection; a low wall or railing

The parapet protected the kingdom from the raging army.
The parapet kept the child from falling into the river.

paraphernalia: equipment; accessories

She looked guilty since the drug paraphernalia was found in her apartment.

pariah: an outcast

The pariah of the group sat by himself under the tree.

parity: state of being the same in power, value, or rank

When the younger brother was promoted to co-president with the elder son, it established parity between the two.

parley: to speak with another; to discourse

I will parley the information to the appropriate person.

parochial: religious; narrow-minded

Devout Christians, the Chesterfields enrolled their children in a parochial school.
Governor Kean urged Republicans to rise above parochial interests and be the party of inclusion.

parody: a piece of work imitating another in a satirical manner; a poor imitation

The play was a parody of the Prince and Princess's marital difficulties.
Ugh! This is a parody of a fashionable dress!

parry: to avoid; to ward off

I dislike talking to the woman so I will attempt to parry her by ducking around the corner.

parse: to separate (a sentence) into parts and describe the function of each

An English teacher may ask a student to parse a sentence.

parsimonious: very frugal; unwilling to spend

The owner was so parsimonious he refused to purchase new curtains when the old ones fell off the window.
The parsimonious individual argued that twenty-five cents was much too expensive for a pack of gum.

parsimony: to be unreasonably careful when spending

The parsimony of the wealthy woman was uncalled for.

partisan: supporter; follower; biased; one-sided

The union president is a partisan of minimum-wage legislation.
A partisan for the incumbent mayor will not support the challenger.

passive: submissive; unassertive

He is so passive that others walk all over him.

paucity: scarcity

The described feast was actually a buffet with a paucity of food.

pavilion: a large tent or covered area, usually used for entertainment

The wedding pavilion was not only beautifully decorated, but also served as welcome protection from a sudden downpour.

peccadillo: a slight fault or offense

The child was embarrassed when he was caught committing the peccadillo of eating chocolate before dinner.

pecuniary: pertaining to money

The retiring employee was delighted when he received a pecuniary gift.

pedagogue: a teacher

Seeing the way she worked with children there was no doubt she was a true edagogue.

pedantic: emphasizing minutiae or form in scholarship or teaching

Professor Jones's lectures were so pedantic that his students sometimes had a tough time understanding the big picture.
It is important to understand pedantic terminology before beginning a lecture.

pedestrian: mediocre; ordinary

We expected the meal to be exceptional, but it was just pedestrian.

pejorative: making things worse

The pejorative comment deepened the dislike between the two families.

pellucid: transparent

The pellucid material was not an adequate shield from the sun.

penchant: a liking for

I have a penchant for all flavors of ice cream.

penitent: feeling sorry for what one has done

The burglar expressed his penitent feelings during his confession.

pensive: reflective; contemplative

She was in a pensive mood, just wanting to be alone to think.
My hours alone are often more pensive than the time I spend with friends.
The pensive mood was broken by a witty joke.

penurious: stingy, miserly

The penurious man had millions of dollars, but lived in a cottage to save money.
Charles Dickens' Scrooge is the most penurious character in any of his tales.

perceptive: full of insight; aware

The perceptive detective discovered that the murder weapon was hidden in a safe under the floor.

percussion: striking one object against another

The loud percussion of the hunter's gunshot startled the birds.

perdition: ruination

The perdition of the building was caused by the strong quake.

peremptory: barring future action; that cannot be denied, changed, etc.

The peremptory means of defense was satisfactory to keep out the intruders.
The wildcat strike was a peremptory move on the part of the workers.

perfidious: faithless; treacherous

The trust between the business associates was broken after the perfidious actions by one of the partners.

perfunctory: done in a routine, mechanical way, without interest

Change in career is a good cure for someone who has become bored with their occupation and is currently performing their duties in a perfunctory fashion.
The girl will not improve unless she changes her perfunctory attitude.

peripheral: marginal; outer

Those are peripheral problems; let's look at the central challenge.
The peripheral shrubs were used to create a fence-like blockade.
He thought he was my best friend, when in fact, he was a peripheral acquaintance.

perjury: the practice of lying

The already sensational trial of a star athlete turned all the more so when it turned out that a police detective had committed perjury.
Lying while on the witness stand is perjury.

permeable: porous; allowing to pass through

Because the material was permeable, the water was able to drain.

pernicious: dangerous; harmful

Standing oil combined with a fresh rain on the asphalt can have a pernicious impact on a driver's control of the road.
The pernicious fire engulfed four blocks of homes.

perpetual: never ceasing; continuous

Perpetual pain keeps the woman from walking.

perquisite: extra payment; a tip

After working overtime, I had enough money to make a perquisite on my loan.

pertinent: related to the matter at hand

During a trial everyone should concentrate on the same subject, stating only pertinent information.

peruse: to read carefully; to study

A vast majority of time was spent perusing the possible solution to the dilemma.

pervade: to occupy the whole of

Her perfume was so strong that it pervaded the whole room.

pervasive: spreading throughout

The home was filled with the pervasive aroma of baking bread.

pessimism: seeing only the gloomy side; hopelessness

After endless years of drought, pessimism grew in the hearts of even the most dedicated farmer.

petty: unimportant; of subordinate standing

With all of the crime in the world, stealing bubble gum is considered petty theft.

petulant: peevish; cranky; rude

The long illness put the boy in a petulant mood.
The tone of his voice and the things that he says become quite petulant when he has not gotten enough sleep.

phenomenon: exceptional person; unusual occurrence

Not for nothing do they call Yankee Stadium "The House that Ruth
Built"-the Babe was a phenomenon.
The northern lights are a rare phenomenon for those not living near the Arctic Circle.

philanthropy: charity; unselfishness

After years of donating time and money to the children's hospital, Mrs. Elderwood was commended for her philanthropy.

phlegmatic: without emotion or interest; sluggish and dull

The playwright had hoped his story would take theatergoers on an emotional roller coaster, but on opening night they just sat there, stonefaced and phlegmatic.
The phlegmatic child rarely went outside to play.

phobia: morbid fear

Fear of heights is a not uncommon phobia.

pied: colored, blotched together

The extreme heat caused the colors to become pied.

pinioned: bound fast

The two rafts were pinioned by steel wire.

pious: religious; devout; dedicated

The religious couple believed that their pious method of worship would bring them eternal life.
The statues of the saints have pious symbolism.
Many people think of this land as pious territory.

pique: resentment at being slighted; to provoke

Being passed over for the promotion aroused his pique.
The more he piqued her, the redder she grew.

pithy: terse and full of meaning

Columnist William Safire, a former presidential speech writer, has a way with words that often yields pithy comments.

pittance: a small amount

The reward money was only a pittance compared to the money lost.
The little girl received a pittance every week for keeping her room clean.

placate: to appease or pacify

The entire family attempted to placate the stubborn child.
With a soothing voice and the promise of a juicy steak, the trainer placated the escaped lion so that he wouldn't hurt anyone.

placid: undisturbed and calm

The placid lake's water was completely motionless.

plaintive: being mournful or sad

His wife's death made Sam plaintive.

platonic: idealistic or impractical; not amorous or sensual

The platonic advice of the doctor was to stay away from all odors.
Our relationship is platonic now, but I hope it will someday be otherwise.

plausible: probable; feasible

After weeks of trying to determine what or who was raiding the chicken coop, the farmer came up with a plausible explanation.
After scrimping and saving for a decade, it was now plausible to send his daughter to college.

plenary: full; entire; complete

A plenary class of students staged the protest.

plethora: a superabundance

There was a plethora of food at the royal feast.

plumb: perfectly straight down; to solve

The two walls met plumb at the corner.
I was able to plumb the riddle in a few seconds.

polemic: controversial

The polemic decision caused a stir in the community.

polemicist: a person skilled in argument

The polemicist could debate any case skillfully.

pommel: the rounded, upward-projecting front of a saddle

The woman was so nervous about being on the horse she would not let go of the pommel.

ponderous: unwieldy from weight; dull or labored

The ponderous piano posed a serious challenge to having it pulled up to the 16th floor.
As if being grainy wasn't bad enough, the film's ponderous story made it tough to get through.

portend: to be an omen of; signify

The distant roll of thunder portends of an oncoming storm.

potable: drinkable; a beverage that is drinkable

The liquid was not potable, but rather poisonous.
Sea water isn't potable.

potent: having great power or physical strength

He took very potent medication and felt better immediately.

pragmatic: matter-of-fact; practical

Since they were saving money to buy a new home, the pragmatic married couple decided not to go on an expensive vacation.
A pragmatic solution to the car's continual repairs would be to purchase a new car.

prate: talking foolishly; chatter

It is not uncommon for people to prate when they become nervous about speaking to a superior.

prattle: childish babble; to babble while speaking

I've listened to his prattle for far too long.
The toddler does more prattling than talking.

precarious: depending upon another; risky, uncertain

The precarious plans fell through when the second couple changed their plans.
My position in the negotiations was precarious at best.

precept: a rule or direction of moral conduct

The organization believed their members should abide by certain precepts.

precipitate: to cause to happen; happening quickly

A rude comment may precipitate an argument.
The precipitating flood caught the village off-guard.

preclude: inhibit; make impossible

A healthy diet and lifestyle will not preclude you from getting ill, although it improves your immune system.
Exercise may help to preclude heart disease.

precocious: developed or matured earlier than usual

The precocious eight year-old wanted to read the romance novel.

predecessor: one who has occupied an office before another

Although her predecessor did not accomplish any goals that would help the poor, the new mayor was confident that she could finally help those in need.

prefatory: coming before

The prefatory comments informed the audience of what was to come.

premise: the basis for an argument

The prosecutor claimed that the defense lawyer's premise was shaky, and thus his whole argument was suspect.

preponderate: to outweigh; to be superior in amount, weight, etc.

His positive qualities are the preponderate ones over his occasional rudeness.

presage: an omen; a foreshadowing characteristic

They considered the rainbow at their wedding a presage for a happy life.
Bright sun in the morning was a good presage that it was going to be a good day.

prescience: knowing about something before it happens

The morning of the big game I had a prescience that we would win.

prescriptive: done by custom; unbending

At the heart of the Australian aborigines' prescriptive coming-of-age rite for men is a walkabout.

prevalent: generally occurring

Rain is usually more prevalent than snow during April.

prevaricate: to speak equivocally or evasively, i.e., to lie

The mayor's desperate attempt to prevaricate about the scandal was ransparent to the voters.
His mother knew no one else could have done it, but the child foolishly prevaricated about the stain on the rug.

pristine: primitive, pure, uncorrupted

The pristine lake had not been marred by pollution.
She had such a pristine look about her, you would have thought she was an angel.

privy: private; confidential

He was one of a handful of people privy to the news of the pending merger.
Only the woman's best friend was privy to her secret.

probity: honesty

The young man's probity was reassuring to the fearful parent.

problematic: being hard to deal with; unsolved situation

The constant squeak of the door was problematic.
The tense political struggle remains problematic.

prodigal: wasteful; lavish

The actor's prodigal lifestyle ultimately led to his undoing.
Spending his rent money on your birthday present was more than generous, it was prodigal.
The prodigal gift by the poor woman was truly a thoughtful gesture.

prodigious: wonderful; enormous

The prodigious festivities lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
The Empire State Building required a prodigious amount of steel to erect.

profound: deep; knowledgeable; thorough

It was with profound regret and sorrow that the family had to leave their homeland for a more prosperous country.

profusion: great wastefulness; a large abundance of

The profusion of the food-fight was unforgivable considering the orldwide hunger problem.
The profusion of uneaten food was sent to the shelter.
The wet winter brought about a profusion of mosquitoes.

progeny: children; offspring

It is through his progeny that his name shall live on.
The princes were the progeny of royalty.

program: the parts of entertainment; a plan for dealing with a matter; coded instructions

The free-form music program on Sunday nights is virtually unique in commercial radio.
The program for better health is to eat more vegetables and fruits.
The store's computer program allows sale information to prompt at the register for certain items at certain hours.

proliferate: to reproduce quickly

Gerbils are known to proliferate quickly.

prolific: fruitful

The merger resulted in a prolific business which became an asset to the community.

promontory: a piece of land jutting into a body of water

The boat hit the rocky promontory, splitting the bow.

propagate: to reproduce or multiply

Rabbits and gerbils are said to propagate quickly.

propensity: a natural tendency towards; bias

I have a propensity to talk too fast.
She has a propensity to hire men over women.

propinquity: closeness in time or place; closeness of relationship

The propinquity of the disasters put the community in chaos.
The propinquity of the two stories was the basis of the teacher's lesson.

propitiate: to win the goodwill of

If I try my best I will hopefully propitiate my new supervisor.

prosaic: tiresome; ordinary

He wanted to do something new; he was tired of the prosaic activities his parents suggested each day.
The only entertainment would be a prosaic game of cards.

proselytize: to convert from one belief or religion to another

The preacher often attempts to proselytize wayward travelers.

protocol: an original draft or record of a document

The protocol was given to the president once it was completed.

proverbial: well-known because it is commonly referred to

King Solomon's proverbial wisdom has been admired through the ages.

provident: prudent; economical

It was provident, in his opinion, to wait and buy the new car when he was financially secure.

provincial: regional; unsophisticated

After living in the city for five years, he found that his family back home on the farm was too provincial for his cultured ways.

proviso: A clause stating a condition or stipulation

The governor began the conference with a proviso stating the disastrous results of the flood.

provocative: tempting; irritating

In the movie Roger Rabbit, the animated Jessica Rabbit demurs when she's told she's provocative, saying that she's only drawn that way.
The U.S. considered the invasion of Kuwait a provocative action.

provoke: to stir action or feeling; arouse

By calling him names, he was provoking a fight.

quaff: drinking deeply

A dog will quaff if he becomes overheated.

quagmire: marshy land

The vehicle became stuck in the quagmire.

quaint: old-fashioned; unusual; odd

One of the best qualities of the bed-and-breakfast was its quaint setting in the charming English village.

qualified: experienced, indefinite

She was well qualified for the job after working the field for ten years.

qualm: sudden feeling of uneasiness or doubt

His qualms about flying disappeared once the plane landed softly.

quandary: dilemma

Joe and Elizabeth were caught in a quandary: Should they spend
Thanksgiving with his parents or hers?
Unable to make a firm decision, I've been in this quandary for weeks.
When the car broke down the commuter was left in a quandary.

quarantine: isolation of a person or persons to prevent the spread of disease 

To be sure they didn't bring any contagions back to Earth, the astronauts were put under quarantine when they returned.

quiescence: state of being at rest or without motion

After a tough day on the shipping dock, one needs quiescence.
A period of quiescence is useful to calm the nerves.

quiescent: inactive, at rest

Everyone deserves a day off and should remain quiescent on Sundays.
The Bible says that the Lord created the Earth in six days and on the seventh He was quiescent.

quintessence: the pure essence of anything

This story is the quintessence of American fiction.

quirk: peculiar behavior; startling twist

Nobody's perfect-we all have our quirks.
Our vacation went smoothly save for one quirk-a hurricane that came barreling into the coastline as we were preparing to head home.
The plot of that movie had so many quirks that it became very hard to follow.
Always needing to put the left shoe on first is a peculiar quirk.

quixotic: foolishly idealistic; romantically idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous

He was popular with the ladies due to his quixotic charm.
She had a quixotic view of the world, believing that humans need never suffer.