brood
to think deeply and at length about something that makes one worried or unhappy
Word origin: From Old English brod, the hatching of young, hence to sit dwelling on something.
Quick GRE check
3 questions, about 2 minutes. How would you do on the real test?
Verbal · Sentence Equivalence
Once a blank supporter of the policy, the governor now denounces it at every opportunity, embarrassed that she ever endorsed it.
Using “brood” well
To brood is to dwell anxiously and at length on something troubling. It implies gloomy preoccupation rather than neutral reflection.
More GRE words starting with B
marked by riotous, unrestrained revelry and drunken festivity
to pester or harass someone persistently
light, playful, and witty banter
to confuse or perplex thoroughly
threatening harm or menacing in a sinister way
to hesitate or refuse to proceed with something
to swell or puff out, or to increase rapidly in amount or size
lacking originality and so dull or commonplace
Questions about “brood”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Take the free 39-minute GRE Quick Mock Test and meet words like this inside real Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions, with a worked solution for every answer.