GRE vocabulary: change, time and movement.

To make something bad or unsatisfactory better; to improve

Urban planners proposed a network of green spaces to ameliorate the effects of extreme heat in the city center.

Made something bad or unsatisfactory better; improved

The new irrigation system ameliorated the chronic water shortages that had plagued the farming community for decades.

Belonging to a period other than the one being portrayed; outdated

The novel's characters use smartphones in a story supposedly set in the 1950s, an anachronistic error the editor missed.

Preceded in time; came before in chronological order

The cave paintings antedated the arrival of agriculture in the region by several thousand years.

Away from the expected course; amiss

The carefully planned experiment went awry when a power outage corrupted the data at a critical stage.

To begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish

The tech industry continued to burgeon throughout the decade, creating millions of new jobs.

To reach a climax or point of highest development

Years of research culminated in a paper that transformed the field of molecular biology.

A sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco

The product launch was a debacle, with software glitches rendering the device unusable.

To diminish in quality, strength, or condition; to become worse

Fish populations in the river began to decline sharply after the upstream factory expanded its operations.

Break down; deteriorate in quality or structure over time

Ultraviolet radiation causes plastics to degrade, releasing microparticles that contaminate soil and water.

To become progressively worse in quality, condition, or value

Without proper conservation, the medieval frescoes will continue to deteriorate from exposure to moisture and light.

Disturbance from a proper or original position; disruption

The rapid dislocation of traditional communities during industrialization created social upheaval that lasted generations.

The action or process of distributing or spreading things over a wide area

Wind-driven dispersal of seeds allows certain plant species to colonize areas far from the parent organism.

The moving of something from its place or position; the replacing of one thing by another

The displacement of indigenous languages by colonial tongues remains one of the most lasting effects of imperialism.

Taking the place of; pushing aside

Automation is displacing workers in sectors that once provided stable middle-class employment.

The breaking up or disintegration of something; the closing down of an assembly

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 redrew the political map of an entire continent.

To swell or expand from internal pressure

The balloon will distend as the gas inside it heats and expands under direct sunlight.

Temporarily inactive; in a state of rest or suspension

The volcano had been dormant for centuries before showing signs of renewed activity.

To surpass in importance or achievement; to obscure or overshadow

The younger scientist's groundbreaking discoveries threatened to eclipse the contributions of her more famous mentor.

Surpassed or outshone; made to seem less important

The scandal eclipsed the administration's genuine policy achievements, dominating headlines for months.

Matched or surpassed by imitation; strived to equal

Younger painters emulated her bold use of color, though none quite captured the emotional intensity of her originals.

Lasting over a long period; durable

The philosopher's enduring influence can be traced in debates that continue to shape political theory three centuries later.

To cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; to weaken

The oppressive heat enervated the workers, slowing production to a crawl.

To cause or give rise to a feeling, situation, or condition

The policy change engendered widespread resentment among the affected communities.

Lasting for a very short time; transient; fleeting

Social media posts are ephemeral by nature, yet their consequences can be lasting and far-reaching.

Still in existence; surviving

Only three extant copies of the original manuscript are known to exist.

Complete failures, especially in a ludicrous or humiliating way

A series of diplomatic fiascoes damaged the nation's reputation and strained relationships with longtime allies.

Lasting for a very short time; passing quickly

The comet's appearance was fleeting, visible to the naked eye for only three nights before fading from view.

Prevented or obstructed in advance; anticipated and acted against

Quick diplomatic intervention forestalled a military confrontation that both sides would later agree they wanted to avoid.

Encouraged or promoted the development of something

The mentorship program fostered a sense of belonging among first-generation college students who might otherwise have felt isolated.

A state of inactivity or dormancy (used metaphorically here for a practice that had gone dormant)

The art form had entered a kind of hibernation in the early twentieth century before a dramatic revival in the 1960s.

About to happen; impending

With floodwaters rising by the hour, the danger to downstream communities was imminent.

Unable to be moved; fixed and rigid

The negotiator found her counterpart immovable on the key issue, forcing the talks to stall.

Unchanging over time; unable to be altered

The laws of thermodynamics are considered immutable, governing everything from engine design to the fate of the universe.

Continuing without pause or interruption; ceaseless

The incessant noise from the construction site made it impossible for residents to sleep or concentrate.

Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary

The inchoate movement lacked clear leadership but showed signs of growing momentum.

Impossible to stop or prevent; impossible to persuade by request or entreaty

The inexorable march of technological change has transformed every aspect of modern life.

The introduction of a new element or quality; an injection (as of capital)

The infusion of venture capital allowed the startup to hire top engineers and accelerate product development.

Never changing; constant

The scientist's invariable routine—arriving at the lab at dawn and leaving well after midnight—became legendary.

Given strength or energy to

The infusion of new talent invigorated the research group, leading to a burst of publications in top journals.

The blending or merging of different elements into one

The album represents a melding of classical Indian ragas with contemporary electronic music.

Lasting for a very short time; brief

A momentary lapse in concentration cost the chess grandmaster the match and the tournament title.

Just beginning to develop; not yet fully formed; emerging

The nascent democracy faced numerous challenges in establishing stable institutions.

Destroying utterly; wiping out

The volcanic eruption buried the city in ash, obliterating all traces of habitation for centuries.

No longer produced or used; out of date

The rapid pace of technological change renders today's cutting-edge devices obsolete within a few years.

Removing or preventing (a need or difficulty); making unnecessary

The new software update fixed the security flaw, obviating the need for the temporary workaround.

To obscure or make less important by comparison; to cast a shadow over

The composer's symphonies have long been overshadowed by his more popular operas, though scholars argue they deserve equal attention.

Lasting throughout the year or for an indefinitely long time; enduring

The question of how to balance economic growth with environmental protection is a perennial challenge for policymakers.

Involving new ideas or methods; groundbreaking; trailblazing

Her pioneering research on gene therapy laid the groundwork for treatments that are now saving thousands of lives.

Occurring after death; awarded or recognized after one's death

The writer received posthumous recognition when her unpublished manuscripts were discovered and celebrated as masterpieces.

Occurring after a war, especially after World War II

The postwar economic boom transformed the country from an agrarian society into an industrial powerhouse within two decades.

To cause something to happen suddenly; done hastily without careful consideration

The assassination precipitated a political crisis that lasted for months.

Relating to or characteristic of an early stage of development; unsophisticated

The primitive tools found at the site suggest human habitation tens of thousands of years earlier than previously thought.

Tending or able to change frequently or easily; versatile

The protean actor transformed convincingly from role to role across wildly different genres.

Occurring at a favorable time; opportune; involving divine foresight or care

The providential arrival of reinforcements at the last possible moment saved the garrison from being overrun.

In a state or period of inactivity or dormancy

The volcano had been quiescent for decades before the sudden eruption.

To voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up

The aging monarch was reluctant to relinquish power, even as advisors urged him to step aside for his successor.

Given or intended as a remedy or cure; intended to correct or improve

The school introduced remedial reading programs for students who had fallen behind during the pandemic.

Showing no activity or advancement; not flowing or moving (wrong answer, contrasted with tested word)

The stagnant economy offered few opportunities for young graduates entering the workforce.

A state of little or no growth, activity, or development

After decades of rapid expansion, the industry entered a period of stagnation characterized by falling investment and flat revenues.

Permanent; continuing in existence or operation over time (tested word)

The museum's standing collection includes works by every major Impressionist painter.

Coming after something in time; following

The initial discovery and the subsequent investigations that followed transformed our understanding of the disease.

Taken the place of; supplanted something previously held or used

Newtonian mechanics was not so much disproved as superseded by Einstein's more comprehensive theory of relativity.

To supersede and replace; to take the place of

Digital photography has largely supplanted traditional film in both professional and amateur settings.

Causing astonishment or wonder; unexpected

The most surprising finding of the study was that the treatment worked best in patients initially expected to respond least.

The path or direction of development; the course of an argument

The trajectory of the nation's economic development over the last fifty years has been nothing short of remarkable.

Lasting only for a short time; impermanent; passing through with only a brief stay

The economic boom proved transient, giving way to a severe downturn within two years.

Not permanent; lasting only a short time

Fame in the art world can be transitory; many celebrated painters are forgotten within a generation.

Deeply disturbing or distressing; relating to emotional shock

The traumatic experience of combat left lasting psychological scars that took decades of therapy to address.

Making a loud, confused noise; excited, confused, or disorderly; turbulent

The nation endured a tumultuous decade of revolution, civil war, and foreign intervention before achieving stability.

Not reduced, lessened, or weakened in any way

Her enthusiasm for the project remained undiminished after three years of setbacks and funding cuts.

Not able to be anticipated or predicted

The pandemic was an unforeseeable event that upended economic assumptions held by policymakers worldwide.

Never done or known before; without previous example

The scale of the humanitarian crisis was unprecedented, overwhelming the capacity of relief organizations.

Not planned or thought out in advance; spontaneous

The defense argued that the act was unpremeditated, committed in a moment of panic rather than deliberate intent.

Violent or sudden changes or disruptions

The political upheavals of the 1960s reshaped the cultural landscape of the nation in ways still felt today.

To decrease gradually in power, size, or extent; to decline

Public interest in the scandal began to wane after several weeks without new revelations.