Common GRE Words – Verbs of ‘Denial’ – Easy ways to memorize.

This week we are going to memorize a few verbs of ‘Denial’…not to mention, they are the words which keep appearing on the GRE Exams. Denial is a refusal to believe in a doctrine, theory, or the like. We will now work exhaustively with just seven high frequency GRE verbs /words of denial.

• Abjure: Abjure is a verb of denial which means to give up, disown, disavow, renounce. Pretty good number of synonyms, aren’t they? A person who abjures is the one who gives up worldly concerns in quest of some nobler pursuit.

Do you remember any philosopher/saint who abjured worldly benefits in order to attain salvation?

Good, if you do remember, link that person to this verb of denial and you will never forget. Both the person and the verb.

• Ostracized: ‘Ostracized’ means to exclude, eliminate from a group, society, conversation or any other such thing by a general consent. When a person is ostracized, he generally is not allowed to participate in any group related activities.

Did you ever see a movie or a documentary dealing with the families of culprits? If you had, then you know that children of culprits are usually ostracized from their community. You can visualize a scene I guess or a situation wherein women from that particular culprit’s community, banging the door against the child’s face. Did you recollect any such scene? If you did, kudos!! For you will never forget this word too!!

• Repudiated: To repudiate is to reject, disclaim, deny, not accept, rebut. Well, that’s interesting. One can repudiate a doctrine, a principle. Last but not least one can also repudiate (disown) one’s son!! Have you come across a thing like that, wherein a father repudiated (disowned) his own child? A visit to a nearby rehabilitation center will get you face to face with addicted children repudiated by their parents.

• Proscribed: ‘Proscribed’ is a high frequency verb of denial which means banned, controlled, restricted. To proscribe is to banish or outlaw (a person)

• Nullified: ‘Nullified’ is not so tough high frequency GRE word. It’s a word that’s more or less familiar to many of us. Even if it is not, it can be committed to memory pretty fast. Null is void. To nullify is to cancel, to invalidate, to abolish, to quash so on and so forth.

• Rescind: ‘Rescind’ is again a verb of denial which means to annul, to cancel, countermand, withdraw etc.

• Confute: to confute something is to show something to be false. One can confute an argument, means; show an argument to be false, invalid or even defective.

Don’t just read these words, jot them down in your notebook and use them at least once or twice in your regular conversation today. Utter the words aloud- each word five times!!

As I always tell you do not just mug up the meaning of a word, instead:

1. Work with the word.

2. Expand its meaning into a suitable context.

3. Relate it to the person or situation you know.

4. Share the word with your friends, colleagues

5. Try to pronounce the word aloud at least five times

Practice the above mentioned words this week and share with us a few more words, verbs of denial. Please do suggest a new verb of denial, in case you know any.