What comes to your mind when you hear about the GRE? Of course, Vocabulary. But are GRE vocabulary words that important for doing well on the verbal section of the exam?
Yes. 50% of the GRE verbal section questions depend entirely on learning new words. If you don’t know any vocabulary, you can still get a decent verbal score of 155+. However, if you’re aiming for a 160+ verbal score, you’ll want to spend some time learning the most important and frequently tested GRE words.
In this post, I have compiled three separate lists of GRE words.
- Word List 1 contains 425 GRE words that have most frequently shown up on the exam in the last 3 months. Focus on this word list if you have less than 1 month to prepare for the exam.
- Word List 2 contains 600 GRE words that have shown up repeatedly in the last 6 months. Focus on this word list if you have 1-2 months to prepare for the exam.
- Word List 3 contains 1000 GRE words that have repeatedly shown up in the last 12 months. Focus on this word list if you have more than 2 months to prepare for the exam.
Like I said before, half of your GRE verbal section is Vocabulary based. So do not even think of skipping learning vocabulary.
You must know the meanings of these words and their usage as well. Therefore, these words will show up as options for half of the verbal questions on the test day.
In this Article
Word List 1: 425 GRE Vocab Words
Let’s go over the 425 words and definitions I suggest memorizing if you want to aim for at least a 155 on the GRE.
Below, I give each word and its definition that is most used in the GRE contextual usage.
You can also download the Vocabulary in pdf format.
All words are listed in alphabetical order.
| Words | Meanings |
|---|---|
| Abandon | complete lack of inhibition or restraint. |
| Abrasive | showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh. |
| Abstruse | difficult to understand; obscure. |
| Accentuate | to make (something) more prominent or noticeable |
| accessible | capable of being reached; easy to get along with or talk to; friendly; easily obtained; capable of being read with comprehension |
| Acerbic | sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone |
| Acquisitive | excessively interested in acquiring money or material things. |
| Acute | present or experienced to a severe or intense degree. |
| Acute | having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; shrewd. |
| Adroit | clever or skillful in using the hands or mind. |
| Adulation | obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise. |
| Affable | friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to. |
| Affectation | behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress. |
| Aghast | filled with horror or shock. |
| ahistorical | unconcerned with or unrelated to history or to historical development or to tradition |
| Alacrity | brisk and cheerful readiness. |
| allegorical | used in or characteristic of or containing allegory |
| Aloof | conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste. |
| Ameliorate | make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better, improve |
| Amuse | cause (someone) to find something funny; entertain. |
| Anachronism | belonging to a period other than that being portrayed. |
| anecdote | short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) |
| anoint | administer an oil or ointment to ; often in a religious ceremony of blessing; choose by or as if by divine intervention |
| Antagonistic | showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something. |
| Antedate | precede in time; come before (something) in date. |
| Antiquity | the ancient past, especially the period before the middle ages. |
| aphorism | a short pithy instructive saying |
| Aplomb | complete and confident composure or self-assurance |
| Apposite | apt in the circumstances or in relation to something. |
| Appropriate | take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission. |
| Arcane | understood by few; mysterious or secret. |
| archaic | little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type; so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period |
| ascetic | practicing great self denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline |
| Assiduous | showing great care and perseverance. |
| assuage | provide physical relief, as from pain; satisfy (thirst); cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of |
| Astound | shock or greatly surprise. |
| Augment | make (something) greater by adding to it; increase. |
| auspicious | auguring favorable circumstances and good luck |
| avarice | reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins); extreme greed for material wealth |
| Aversion | a strong dislike or disinclination. |
| Avert | prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence). |
| axiomatic | evident without proof or argument; of or relating to or derived from axioms; containing aphorisms or maxims |
| Banal | so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring. |
| Banish | send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment. |
| banter | light teasing repartee; verb be silly or tease one another |
| Beguile | charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way. |
| Beholden | owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service. |
| Belie | (of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict. |
| Bemuse | puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone). |
| Blight | have a severely detrimental effect on. |
| Blithe | showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper. |
| Boon | a thing that is helpful or beneficial. |
| Braggart | a person who boasts about achievements or possessions. |
| Brandish | wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement. |
| Brazen | bold and without shame. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame. |
| Brevity | concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. |
| Bridle | bring (something) under control; curb. |
| bromide | any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark |
| Bucolic | relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. |
| Buoyancy | an optimistic and cheerful disposition. |
| burgeon | grow and flourish |
| Calamitous | involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous. |
| Callous | feeling or showing no sympathy for others |
| callow | young and inexperienced |
| Calumny | a false and slanderous statement. |
| camaraderie | the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability |
| Canny | having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters. |
| Caprice | a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior. |
| Cerebral | intellectual rather than emotional or physical. |
| cessation | a stopping |
| Check | stop or slow down the progress of (something undesirable). |
| Circumscribe | restrict (something) within limits. |
| Clangor | a continuous loud banging or ringing sound. |
| Cloak | hide, cover, or disguise (something). |
| Cogent | (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing. |
| cognizance | range or scope of what is perceived; range of what one can know or understand; having knowledge of |
| Collusion | secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others. |
| Commensurate | corresponding in size or degree; in proportion. |
| commiserate | to feel or express sympathy or compassion |
| condescending | (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension |
| Condone | accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue. |
| Conspicuous | standing out so as to be clearly visible. |
| Contemptuous | feeling or expressing angry disgust, as at something unworthy or wicked; scornful. |
| Contend | struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger). |
| contentious | involving or likely to cause controversy; inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits |
| contrite | feeling regret for a fault or offence; feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses |
| Conundrum | a confusing and difficult problem or question. |
| Copious | abundant in supply or quantity. |
| Cow | cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation. |
| Crestfallen | sad and disappointed. |
| cupid | a symbol for love in the form of a cherubic naked boy with wings and a bow and arrow; (Roman mythology) god of love; counterpart of Greek Eros |
| Cursory | hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed. |
| Deferential | respectfully submissive to the desires, opinions, or judgments of others. |
| Deft | capable, quick, and clever in action; skillful; dexterous. |
| Deleterious | harmful or injurious, as to health. |
| Demur | raise doubts or objections or show reluctance. |
| Denigrate | criticize unfairly; disparage. |
| Devolve | (of duties or responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a lower level). |
| dexter | on or starting from the wearer's right |
| dictum | an authoritative declaration; an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding |
| Didactic | in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way. |
| Diffident | modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence. |
| dilate | become wider; add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing |
| Discern | to perceive, make out, or detect. |
| Discomfit | make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed. |
| disdain | a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient; lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike; verb reject with contempt; look down on with disdain |
| disenchant | free from enchantment |
| disgorge | eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over |
| Disgruntle | to make irritably dissatisfied or discontent. |
| disingenuous | not straightforward or candid; giving a FALSE appearance of frankness |
| Disparate | essentially different and distinct. |
| Dispense | to give out or distribute. |
| Dissemble | to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| Distill | extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of. |
| Eclectic | deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. |
| Eclipse | overshadow, outshine |
| egalitarian | favoring social equality; noun a person who believes in the equality of all people |
| Elate | to make extremely happy or proud; cause to be in elevated spirits. |
| Elusive | hard to perceive, understand, or remember. |
| embargo | a government order imposing a trade barrier; verb prevent commerce; ban the publication of (documents), as for security or copyright reasons |
| Emulate | to try to be the same as or better than (another person), especially by imitating. |
| enamor | attract; cause to be enamored |
| Enchant | to put under a magic spell, or as if under a magic spell; bewitch. |
| ensue | issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end |
| Entail | involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence. |
| Entrench | establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely. |
| Ephemeral | lasting for only a short period. |
| Equivocal | open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous. |
| Erstwhile | of an earlier time; former. |
| erudite | having or showing profound knowledge |
| esoteric | confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle |
| Euphoric | having or exhibiting a strong feeling of well-being or elation. |
| Evanescent | tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing; fleeting. |
| Evasive | ambiguous, tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly. |
| exact | marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; (of ideas, images, representations, expressions) characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth ; strictly correct; verb take as an undesirable consequence of some event or state of affairs; claim as due or just |
| Exacting | making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources. |
| exasperate | make worse; make furious; exasperate or irritate |
| excoriate | express strong disapproval of; tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading |
| exegesis | an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) |
| Exigent | requiring immediate attention; urgent or critical. |
| Expedient | a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or immoral. |
| Exposition | a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory. |
| Extant | still in existence; current; not extinct, destroyed, or lost. |
| extol | praise, glorify, or honor |
| facetious | cleverly amusing in tone |
| factious | dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion) |
| Fastidious | very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail. |
| Feckless | weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| Fester | (of a negative feeling or a problem) becoming worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference. |
| Fickle | quickly changing without reason or warning, especially in affection or allegiance; variable or capricious. |
| Flout | openly disregard (a rule, law or convention). |
| fluster | a disposition that is confused or nervous and upset; verb cause to be nervous or upset; be flustered; behave in a confused manner |
| forbearance | a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges; refraining from acting; good natured tolerance of delay or incompetence |
| forebode | make a prediction about; tell in advance |
| Forestall | to prevent or hinder by taking action beforehand. |
| Forsake | to abandon or desert. |
| Fortuitous | happening or appearing by chance, as a coincidence. |
| Fractious | (typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome. |
| Fringe | not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme. |
| Frivolous | unworthy of serious consideration or merit; trivial or silly. |
| Frugality | prudent or sparing use of resources, especially money. |
| Galvanize | to stimulate into awareness or activity. |
| garrulous | full of trivial conversation |
| Gawky | ungainly; awkward; clumsy. |
| Germane | having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| giddily | in a giddy light headed manner |
| gloat | malicious satisfaction; verb dwell on with satisfaction; gaze at or think about something with great self satisfaction, gratification, or joy |
| Gratify | to give pleasure or satisfaction to (someone). |
| gratuitous | without cause; unnecessary and unwarranted; costing nothing |
| grouchy | perversely irritable |
| grumble | a complaint uttered in a low and indistinct tone; a loud low dull continuous noise; verb to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds; make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath; show one's unhappiness or critical attitude; make a low noise |
| Hackneyed | made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| Harbinger | a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another. |
| harrow | a cultivator that pulverizes or smooths the soil; verb draw a harrow over (land) |
| Herald | be a sign that (something) is about to happen. |
| Hidebound | unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention. |
| histrionic | characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected |
| hodgepodge | a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas; a motley assortment of things |
| Hortatory | urging or exciting to some course of action with strong arguments, appeals, or advice. |
| Humdrum | lacking variety; dull, monotonous, and commonplace. |
| Hyperbole | exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. |
| idyllic | excellent and delightful in all respects; suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple and serene |
| Immure | to confine within or as though within walls; shut in. |
| Immutable | not subject to change; unchanging or unchangeable. |
| Impecunious | having little or no money. |
| Impenetrable | impossible to understand. |
| imperturbable | not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure |
| impervious | not admitting of passage or capable of being affected |
| Impetuous | acting or done quickly and without thought or care. |
| Impetus | something that urges or impels; a driving force. |
| Impolitic | not showing good sense or judgment; unwise or injudicious. |
| improbable | too improbable to admit of belief; not likely to be TRUE or to occur or to have occurred; having a probability too low to inspire belief |
| Imprudent | not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash. |
| impugn | attack as FALSE or wrong |
| Incendiary | tending to stir up conflict. |
| Incensed | very angry; enraged. |
| inchoate | only partly in existence; imperfectly formed |
| Indemnify | to make compensation to for loss, damage, or expense incurred. |
| indict | accuse formally of a crime |
| indignant | angered at something unjust or wrong |
| indiscretion | a petty misdeed; the trait of being injudicious |
| Indolent | wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy. |
| inducement | act of bringing about a desired result; a positive motivational influence |
| inductive | inducing or influencing; leading on; of reasoning; proceeding from particular facts to a general conclusion; arising from inductance |
| ineluctable | impossible to avoid or evade, inescapable conclusion |
| Infallible | incapable of error. |
| infelicity | inappropriate and unpleasing manner or style (especially manner or style of expression) |
| Ingenious | (of a person) clever, original, and inventive. |
| ingenuity | the property of being ingenious; the power of creative imagination |
| Inimical | unfriendly; hostile. |
| Inscrutable | impossible to comprehend or interpret; mysterious. |
| insidious | working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way; intended to entrap; beguiling but harmful |
| Insipid | having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| Insolence | rude or impudent behavior or speech. |
| insular | narrowly restricted in outlook or scope; suggestive of the isolated life of an island; relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island |
| insurmountable | not capable of being surmounted or overcome; impossible to surmount |
| Intransigent | refusing to alter an idea or a position in response to others' wishes; uncompromising. |
| Inveigle | to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery. |
| Irascible | easily angered or irritated; short-tempered. |
| Irksome | causing annoyance; bothersome or tiresome. |
| Jettison | throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship. |
| Juxtaposition | the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect. |
| Kindred | similar in kind; related. |
| laconic | brief and to the point; effectively cut short |
| lambast | censure severely or angrily; beat with a cane |
| Lament | a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. |
| lassitude | weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy; a feeling of lack of interest or energy; a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness) |
| Latitude | scope for freedom of action or thought. |
| Lax | not rigorous, strict, or careful; loose; lenient. |
| leeway | (of a ship or plane) sideways drift; a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits |
| Lionize | to view or treat (someone) as a celebrity or extraordinary person. |
| Loquacious | given to talking much or excessively; garrulous. |
| Lucid | easy to understand; articulate; clear. |
| ludicrous | broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce; incongruous; inviting ridicule |
| Lurid | sensational; shocking or dramatic. |
| malady | any unwholesome or desperate condition; impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism |
| Malignant | evil or injurious in intent, effect, or character. |
| Malleable | easily influenced; pliable. |
| Manacle | restrain, hinder |
| martinet | someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms |
| maunder | wander aimlessly; speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly; talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice |
| Melding | blend; combine. |
| mellow | having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience; having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience; having a full and pleasing flavor through proper aging; slightly and pleasantly intoxicated from alcohol or a drug (especially marijuana); unhurried and relaxed; adv. (obsolete) in a mellow manner; verb make or grow (more) mellow; become more relaxed, easygoing, or genial; soften, make mellow |
| mendacity | the tendency to be untruthful |
| meretricious | like or relating to a prostitute; based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; tastelessly showy |
| misconstrue | interpret in the wrong way |
| Misnomer | an incorrect or inappropriate name. |
| Modish | being in or according to current fashion or style; fashionable. |
| mollify | make less rigid or softer; make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of |
| monologue | a (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor; a long utterance by one person (especially one that prevents others from participating in the conversation); speech you make to yourself |
| Morbid | in an unhealthy, gloomy mental state; preoccupied with sickness, abnormality, or death. |
| Mortify | to subject (someone) to extreme embarrassment, shame, or humiliation. |
| multitudinous | too numerous to be counted |
| munificent | very generous |
| myriad | too numerous to be counted; noun a large indefinite number |
| Nascent | coming into being or starting to develop. |
| Nettle | irritate or annoy (someone). |
| Nonchalant | not showing excitement or anxiety; coolly confident, unflustered, or unworried;casually indifferent. |
| Noxious | harmful, dangerous, or destructive, especially to health. |
| Obdurate | stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action. |
| obeisance | the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person; bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame |
| obfuscate | make obscure or unclear |
| Objurgate | to criticize sharply; rebuke vehemently; berate. |
| oblivious | (followed by `to' or `of') lacking conscious awareness of; failing to keep in mind |
| Obscure | not important or well known. |
| Obsequious | obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree, fawning |
| Obstinate | holding stubbornly to one's own ideas or purposes; unwilling to change. |
| Obviate | avoid; prevent. |
| occlude | block passage through |
| onerous | not easily borne; wearing |
| opaque | not clearly understood or expressed |
| palliate | provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of |
| paltry | contemptibly small in amount; not worth considering |
| Panacea | a remedy or solution for all diseases, ills, or difficulties; cure-all. |
| Panache | a confidently stylish, dashing, or flamboyant manner. |
| Pastoral | of or relating to the country or country life; rural. |
| Patent | easily recognizable; obvious. |
| patronizing | (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension |
| Peculiarity | the state or fact of being odd or strange. |
| Pedestrian | lacking inspiration or excitement; dull. |
| Pejorative | expressing contempt or disapproval. |
| Pellucidity | lucid in style or meaning; easily understood. |
| Penchant | a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. |
| Penitent | feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant. |
| Perfunctory | done quickly and as a matter of routine; performed without care. |
| Peripheral | of secondary or minor importance; marginal. |
| Pernicious | having a very harmful or fatal effect; injurious, deadly, or destructive. |
| Perspicacity | keenness of mental perception or grasp; astuteness. |
| Phlegmatic | not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| Pithy | exactly and concisely appropriate; effective; forceful. |
| Placid | calm, smooth, or tranquil. |
| Plastic | not genuine; artificial or unnatural. |
| platitude | a trite or obvious remark |
| Plod | to move slowly or heavily, as if with weariness or reluctance; trudge. |
| Polemic | a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. |
| Portend | be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen. |
| portentous | of momentous or ominous significance; puffed up with vanity; ominously prophetic |
| Pragmatism | a practical approach to problems and issues. |
| Precarious | dependent on chance; uncertain. |
| precipitate | done with very great haste and without due deliberation; noun a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering; verb separate as a fine suspension of solid particles; hurl or throw violently; bring about abruptly; fall vertically, sharply, or headlong; fall from clouds |
| preclude | make impossible, especially beforehand; keep from happening or arising; make impossible |
| Precocious | (of a child) having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected. |
| predilection | a predisposition in favor of something; a strong liking |
| Premonition | a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant. |
| Presage | be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically an unwelcome one). |
| Prescience | the fact of knowing something in advance; foreknowledge. |
| Presume | take for granted that something exists or is the case. |
| Pretentious | attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed. |
| Prevaricate | speak or act in an evasive way. |
| Pristine | in its original condition; unspoilt. |
| Probity | the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency. |
| Prodigal | spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant. |
| Profligate | recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources. |
| profundity | intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge; keen insight; etc; the quality of being physically deep; the intellectual ability to penetrate deeply into ideas; wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound |
| prognosis | a prediction of the course of a disease; a prediction about how something (as the weather) will develop |
| Prolix | (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy. |
| Promulgate | promote or make widely known (an idea or cause). |
| propitiate | make peace with |
| Propped | support or keep in position. |
| Prosaic | commonplace |
| protract | lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer |
| Provincial | limited in outlook; narrow-minded. |
| Proxy | a person authorized to act on behalf of another. |
| Prudent | acting with or showing care and thought for the future. |
| Pugnacious | eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight. |
| Punctilious | showing great attention to detail or correct behaviour. |
| Quandary | a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation. |
| quiescence | quiet and inactive restfulness; a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction |
| Quirky | characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. |
| Quixotic | exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical. |
| Quotidian | of or occurring every day; daily. |
| raillery | light teasing repartee |
| rapprochement | the reestablishing of cordial relations |
| recapitulate | summarize briefly; repeat stages of evolutionary development during the embryonic phase of life; repeat an earlier theme of a composition |
| Recondite | (of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse. |
| Recrudesce | to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy |
| Redemption | the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. |
| Rein | keep under control; restrain. |
| Repudiate | refuse to accept; reject. |
| Restive | (of a person) unable to remain still, silent, or submissive, especially because of boredom or dissatisfaction. |
| reticent | reluctant to draw attention to yourself; temperamentally disinclined to talk; cool and formal in manner |
| retrench | make a reduction, as in one's workforce; tighten one's belt; use resources carefully |
| Reverence | deep respect for someone or something. |
| Rhapsody | an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling. |
| risible | arousing or provoking laughter |
| Row | dispute |
| Ruminate | think deeply about something. |
| sacrosanct | must be kept sacred |
| Salubrious | health-giving; healthy. |
| Sanguine | optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. |
| Sartorial | relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. |
| Scathe | harm; injure. |
| Schism | a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. |
| Scuffle | to take part in a brief, confused fight among a few people. |
| sedulous | marked by care and persistent effort |
| sensational | causing intense interest, curiosity, or emotion; exaggerate |
| Serendipity | the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. |
| sift | separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; move as if through a sieve; distinguish and separate out; check and sort carefully |
| singular | being a single and separate person or thing; grammatical number category referring to a single item or unit; composed of one member, set, or kind; the single one of its kind; beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; unusual or striking; noun the form of a word that is used to denote a singleton |
| Skittish | nervous or excitable; easily scared |
| slavishly | in a slave manner |
| Slighted | insult (someone) by treating or speaking of them without proper respect or attention. |
| sloth | apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins); any of several slow moving arboreal mammals of South America and Central America; they hang from branches back downward and feed on leaves and fruits; a disinclination to work or exert yourself |
| Snare | catch or trap (someone). |
| solicitous | showing hovering attentiveness; full of anxiety and concern |
| sophist | someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious |
| Sparing | moderate; economical. |
| Sporadic | scattered or isolated; scanty |
| spurned | rebuffed (by a lover) without warning |
| staid | characterized by dignity and propriety |
| Stanched | stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound. |
| Stigmatize | describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval. |
| Stingy | ungenerous. |
| subsume | consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle; contain or include |
| Subversion | the undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution. |
| Superfluous | unnecessary, especially through being more than enough. |
| supplant | take the place or move into the position of |
| Supplication | the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. |
| surfeit | the state of being more than full; eating until excessively full; the quality of being so overabundant that prices fall; verb indulge (one's appetite) to satiety; supply or feed to surfeit |
| Surly | bad-tempered and unfriendly |
| Surrogate | substitute, especially a person deputizing for another in a specific role or office. |
| Susceptible | likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing. |
| Sycophant | a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage |
| Taciturn | (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little. |
| Tactless | having or showing a lack of skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues. |
| tangent | ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right angled triangle; a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point |
| temerarious | presumptuously daring |
| Temperate | showing moderation or self-restraint. |
| tempestuous | (of the elements) as if showing violent anger; characterized by violent emotions or behavior |
| Tendentious | expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one. |
| Tepid | showing little enthusiasm |
| Thrift | the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. |
| Timorous | showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence. |
| torpid | slow and apathetic; in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation |
| tractable | easily managed (controlled or taught or molded); readily reacting to suggestions and influences |
| Transcend | surpass (a person or achievement). |
| Trifle | a thing of little value or importance. |
| Trite | lacking originality or freshness; dull on account of overuse. |
| truculent | defiantly aggressive |
| turgid | abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas; ostentatiously lofty in style |
| Ubiquitous | present, appearing, or found everywhere. |
| unadorned | not decorated with something to increase its beauty or distinction |
| Undermine | lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously. |
| unfathomable | impossible to come to understand; of depth; not capable of being sounded or measured; so deep as to be unmeasurable |
| Unpropitious | (of a circumstance) not giving or indicating a good chance of success; unfavourable. |
| vacuity | total lack of meaning or ideas; a region that is devoid of matter; the absence of matter |
| valedictory | of a speech expressing leave taking; of or relating to an occasion or expression of farewell; noun a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class) |
| valor | the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle) |
| Venal | showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt. |
| venerable | impressive by reason of age; profoundly honored |
| Veracious | speaking or representing the truth. |
| Vestigial | forming a very small remnant of something that was once greater or more noticeable, remaining, surviving |
| vexation | the act of troubling or annoying someone; something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness; anger produced by some annoying irritation; the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed |
| vilify | spread negative information about |
| Vindicate | clear (someone) of blame or suspicion. |
| virtuosity | technical skill or fluency or style exhibited by a virtuoso |
| Virulence | the severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison. |
| Vociferous | expressing or characterized by vehement opinions; loud and forceful. |
| Voluble | (of a person) talking fluently, readily, or incessantly |
| waggish | witty or joking |
| waning | (of the moon) pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon decreases; noun a gradual decrease in magnitude or extent |
| weary | physically and mentally fatigued; verb exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress; get tired of something or somebody |
| whimsical | determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason |
| wistful | showing pensive sadness |
| Witty | showing or characterized by quick and inventive verbal humour |
| Woo | seek the favour, support, or custom of |
Word List 2: 600 GRE Vocab Words
Let’s go over the 600 words and definitions I suggest memorizing if you want to aim for at least a 160 on the GRE.
Below, I give each word and its definition that is most used in the GRE contextual usage.
You can also download the Vocabulary in pdf format.
All words are listed in alphabetical order.
Words Meanings
Abandon complete lack of inhibition or restraint.
Abrasive showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh.
Abreast up to date with the latest news, ideas, or information
Abridge shorten (a piece of writing) without losing the sense.
Abstruse difficult to understand; obscure.
Accentuate to make (something) more prominent or noticeable
Accord an official agreement or treaty.
Acerbic sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone
Acquisitive excessively interested in acquiring money or material things.
Activism the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.
Acumen superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, especially in practical matters.
Acute present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.
Acute having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; shrewd.
Adroit clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.
Adulation obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise.
Aesthetic concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
Affable friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
Affectation behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress.
Aghast filled with horror or shock.
Alacrity brisk and cheerful readiness.
Alienate cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged.
Aloof conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste.
Ambiguity the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness.
Ambivalent having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
Ameliorate make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better, improve
Amiable having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.
Amuse cause (someone) to find something funny; entertain.
Anachronism belonging to a period other than that being portrayed.
Antagonistic showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something.
Antedate precede in time; come before (something) in date.
Antiquity the ancient past, especially the period before the middle ages.
Antithesis a contrast or opposition between two things.
Apathy lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
Aplomb complete and confident composure or self-assurance
Apologist a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial.
Apposite apt in the circumstances or in relation to something.
Appropriate take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.
Arbitrary based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
Arcane understood by few; mysterious or secret.
Arduous involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
Articulate (of a person or a person's words) having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently.
Assertive having or showing a confident and forceful personality.
Assiduous showing great care and perseverance.
Astonish surprise or impress (someone) greatly.
Astound shock or greatly surprise.
Attainment a thing achieved, especially a skill or educational achievement.
Attribute regard something as being caused by (someone or something).
Augment make (something) greater by adding to it; increase.
Austerity extreme plainness and simplicity of style or appearance.
Aversion a strong dislike or disinclination.
Avert prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence).
Banal so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.
Banish send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment.
Bearing relation; relevance.
Befriend act as a friend to (someone) by offering help or support.
Beguile charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way.
Beguile trick (someone) into doing something.
Beguile help (time) pass pleasantly.
Beholden owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service.
Belie (of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.
Bemuse puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone).
Benign harmless, kind, gentle
Betray unintentionally reveal; be evidence of.
Bias prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Blemish spoil the appearance of (something) that is otherwise aesthetically perfect.
Blight have a severely detrimental effect on.
Blithe showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
Blunt (of a person or remark) uncompromisingly forthright.
Bogus not genuine or true; fake.
Bolster support or strengthen; prop up.
Boon a thing that is helpful or beneficial.
Braggart a person who boasts about achievements or possessions.
Brandish wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.
Brazen bold and without shame. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.
Brevity concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
Bridle bring (something) under control; curb.
Bucolic relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Buoyancy an optimistic and cheerful disposition.
Calamitous involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous.
Callous feeling or showing no sympathy for others
Calumny a false and slanderous statement.
Canny having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters.
Canonize treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance.
Caprice a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior.
Catastrophe an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.
Cerebral intellectual rather than emotional or physical.
Check stop or slow down the progress of (something undesirable).
Cherish protect and care for (someone) lovingly.
Circumscribe restrict (something) within limits.
Circumstantial pointing indirectly toward someone's guilt but not conclusively proving it.
Clangor a continuous loud banging or ringing sound.
Clearheaded alert and thinking logically and coherently.
Clerical (of a job or person) concerned with or relating to work in an office, especially routine documentation and administrative tasks.
Clerical relating to the clergy.
Cloak hide, cover, or disguise (something).
Clumsy done awkwardly or without skill or elegance.
Coalesce come together to form one mass or whole.
Cogent (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
Coherent (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent.
Collusion secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others.
Commensurate corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.
Commonplace a trite saying or topic; a platitude, a usual or ordinary thing.
Compel force or oblige (someone) to do something.
Complacent showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
Complementary acting or serving to complete; completing.
Compliance unworthy or excessive acquiescence.
Conditional subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met; made or granted on certain terms.
Condone accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue.
Confound cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations.
Consensus a general agreement.
Conspicuous standing out so as to be clearly visible.
Contemporary living or occurring at the same time.
Contemptuous feeling or expressing angry disgust, as at something unworthy or wicked; scornful.
Contend struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger).
Contend assert something as a position in an argument.
Contend engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something).
Contentment a state of happiness and satisfaction.
Conundrum a confusing and difficult problem or question.
Convoluted (especially of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow.
Cope (of a person) deal effectively with something difficult.
Copious abundant in supply or quantity.
Corroborate confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding).
Counterfeit a fraudulent imitation of something else; a forgery.
Counterintuitive contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectation (but often nevertheless true).
Counterproductive having the opposite of the desired effect.
Cow cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation.
Crafty clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
Crestfallen sad and disappointed.
Cunning having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.
Cursory hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.
Curtail to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part
Cynical believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.
Daunt make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive.
Debacle a sudden collapse into disaster; downfall.
Debase to reduce in value, quality, esteem, or character.
Debunk to expose or ridicule the falseness or exaggerations of (a claim, theory, or the like).
Deceit the act or practice of misleading, tricking, or cheating.
Deceptive able or tending to trick or mislead.
Defamatory causing or tending to cause injury to another's reputation; libelous or slanderous.
Deferential respectfully submissive to the desires, opinions, or judgments of others.
Deft capable, quick, and clever in action; skillful; dexterous.
Defy to resist or challenge openly; act against the wishes or decrees of.
Deleterious harmful or injurious, as to health.
Delineate to describe or portray in precise or vivid detail.
Demur raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.
Denigrate criticize unfairly; disparage.
Derivative copied, modeled on, or extracted from something else.
Detrimental causing harm, disadvantage, or deterioration.
Devious not the straightest, most direct way; winding; roundabout.
Devolve (of duties or responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a lower level).
Didactic in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way.
Diffident modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.
Diffuse spread out over a large area; not concentrated.
Disaffection a state or feeling of being dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them.
Disapprobation strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds.
Discern to perceive, make out, or detect.
Discomfit make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
Discount regard (a possibility, fact, or person) as being unworthy of consideration because it lacks credibility.
Discredit to harm the reputation of.
Discrepancy lack of agreement; difference; inconsistency.
Disentangle to free or become free from entanglement or involvement; extricate.
Disgruntle to make irritably dissatisfied or discontent.
Disintegrate to come apart; break down into component parts or fragments.
Disinterested having or feeling no interest in something.
Dislocation disturbance from a proper, original, or usual place or state.
Dismantle to tear down; take apart.
Disparate essentially different and distinct.
Dispassionate without strong feeling or bias; calm; impartial.
Dispense to give out or distribute.
Disquiet lack of mental calm or peace; anxiety; uneasiness.
Dissemble to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of.
Disseminate to spread widely, as though scattering seed.
Dissimilar not alike; different.
Dissolution debauched living; dissipation.
Distill extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of.
Distort give a misleading or false account or impression of.
Divergent deviating, differing, or diverging.
Doctrinaire dogmatically adhering to a theory or a school of thought, regardless of its practicality.
Dogmatic asserting beliefs and opinions as though they were proven facts.
Dubious having or showing doubt; skeptical.
Duplicity deceitful speech or action.
Dynamism the quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress.
Eclectic deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
Eclipse overshadow, outshine
Ecstatic in a condition of extreme delight, overpowering emotion, or religious trance; enraptured.
Efficacy the ability to produce desired results; effectiveness.
Egoism the tendency to evaluate everything in relation to one's own interests; self-centeredness.
Egotist a conceited person; braggart.
Elate to make extremely happy or proud; cause to be in elevated spirits.
Elevate to raise or lift up to a higher physical position.
Eloquence skill or ability to use language that impresses or persuades.
Elusive hard to perceive, understand, or remember.
Empathy the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Emulate to try to be the same as or better than (another person), especially by imitating.
Enchant to put under a magic spell, or as if under a magic spell; bewitch.
Endanger to cause to be exposed to danger.
Endorse to approve or give support to.
Enfeeble to take away the strength of; make feeble, as from age or disease.
Engage occupy, attract, or involve (someone's interest or attention).
Enigmatic puzzling, mysterious, or inexplicable.
Entail involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.
Entreaty an earnest or humble request.
Entrench establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely.
Ephemeral lasting for only a short period.
Equitable characterized by fairness; just.
Equivocal open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
Erode gradually destroy or be gradually destroyed.
Erratic not occurring predictably or consistently; unpredictable.
Erroneous containing or based on a mistake; incorrect.
Erstwhile of an earlier time; former.
Estrange cause (someone) to be no longer close or affectionate to someone; alienate.
Euphoric having or exhibiting a strong feeling of well-being or elation.
Evanescent tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing; fleeting.
Evasive ambiguous, tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly.
Exacerbate make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.
Exacting making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources.
Exigent requiring immediate attention; urgent or critical.
Exotic attractive or striking because colorful or out of the ordinary.
Expedient a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or immoral.
Explicit stated fully, clearly, and without equivocation.
Exploit make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).
Exposition a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.
Extant still in existence; current; not extinct, destroyed, or lost.
Extraneous coming from outside; foreign.
Extravagance the act or an instance of spending excessively or imprudently.
Factual containing or based upon real or true things.
Fastidious very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Feckless weak or incompetent; ineffective.
Feeble without strength or vigor, physically, mentally, or morally.
Fester (of a negative feeling or a problem) becoming worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference.
Fickle quickly changing without reason or warning, especially in affection or allegiance; variable or capricious.
Fixate cause (someone) to acquire an obsessive attachment to someone or something.
Fleeting lasting for a very short time.
Florid elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated.
Flourish to make bold and sweeping gestures
Flout openly disregard (a rule, law or convention).
Foreground make (something) the most prominent or important feature.
Foresight the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future.
Forestall to prevent or hinder by taking action beforehand.
Forgo omit or decline to take (something pleasant or valuable); go without.
Forsake to abandon or desert.
Fortuitous happening or appearing by chance, as a coincidence.
Fractious (typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome.
Fringe not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme.
Frivolous unworthy of serious consideration or merit; trivial or silly.
Frugality prudent or sparing use of resources, especially money.
Futile unlikely to produce or incapable of producing a desired result; ineffective; useless.
Galvanize to stimulate into awareness or activity.
Gawky ungainly; awkward; clumsy.
Germane having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant.
Global relating to or embracing the whole of something, or of a group of things.
Gloom to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent
Goosebumps a state of the skin caused by cold, fear, or excitement, in which small bumps appear on the surface as the hairs become erect.
Gracious inclined to do what is polite, kind, right, or considerate.
Gratify to give pleasure or satisfaction to (someone).
Hackneyed made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase.
Harbinger a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
Harmonious characterized by agreement or accord.
Heed to give one's attention to; take notice of.
Herald be a sign that (something) is about to happen.
Heterodox deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion.
Hidebound unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention.
Hindrance someone or something that acts as an obstacle, as to an action or goal.
Homogeneity the quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind.
Hortatory urging or exciting to some course of action with strong arguments, appeals, or advice.
Humdrum lacking variety; dull, monotonous, and commonplace.
Hyperbole exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
Hypocrite one who states or pretends to hold beliefs or principles he or she does not actually practice.
Iconoclastic attacking or breaking away from established traditions, beliefs, or values.
Illiberal lacking tolerance; bigoted.
Illuminate help to clarify or explain.
Imitate to follow the manner or pattern of; attempt to resemble; mimic.
Imminent about to happen or likely to happen very soon.
Immunity protection or exemption from something, especially an obligation or penalty.
Immure to confine within or as though within walls; shut in.
Immutable not subject to change; unchanging or unchangeable.
Impair to weaken, damage, or cause to diminish in value or quality.
Impartial not biased or prejudiced; even-handed or objective.
Impecunious having little or no money.
Impediment an obstacle or hindrance.
Impenetrable impossible to understand.
Imperative extremely important; urgent; unavoidable.
Impetuous acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
Impetus something that urges or impels; a driving force.
Implicit essentially or very closely connected with; always to be found in.
Impolitic not showing good sense or judgment; unwise or injudicious.
Improvisation produce or make (something) from whatever is available.
Imprudent not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash.
Impudence the act or condition of being boldly disrespectful; insolence.
Impulsive motivated by spontaneous wishes and needs rather than careful thought.
Inalienable not subject to transfer, surrender, or removal, especially one's rights as a citizen.
Inarticulate unable to speak distinctly or express oneself clearly.
Incendiary tending to stir up conflict.
Incensed very angry; enraged.
Incongruous not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something.
Inconsequential having no significant effect or result; not important.
Inconsiderable unimportant or insignificant.
Indebted obligated to another person or persons, as for money or favors.
Indecision inability or unwillingness to make a decision.
Indecorous not in keeping with good taste and propriety; improper.
Indefatigable (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly.
Indemnify to make compensation to for loss, damage, or expense incurred.
Indifferent lacking interest or concern; not caring.
Indiscernible impossible to see or clearly distinguish.
Indolent wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.
Industrious diligent and hard-working.
Inestimable too great to calculate.
Infallible incapable of error.
Informed having or showing knowledge of a particular subject or situation.
Ingenious (of a person) clever, original, and inventive.
Inhibit to hold back, restrain, prevent, or tend to do so.
Inimical unfriendly; hostile.
Injudicious lacking in or poor in judgment; rash or unwise.
Innocuous not capable of causing damage; harmless.
Inscrutable impossible to comprehend or interpret; mysterious.
Insightful having or showing an accurate and deep understanding; perceptive.
Insipid having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless.
Insolence rude or impudent behavior or speech.
Integrate to bring together and blend into a whole.
Intelligible capable of being clearly understood; comprehensible.
Interchangeable of two things, able to be put or used in place of each other.
Intermediary a person who acts as an agent or mediator between persons, groups, or the like; go-between.
Interminable endless or seemingly endless; monotonously long.
Interweave blend closely.
Intimately in a way that involves detailed knowledge.
Intractable not easily controlled, managed, or persuaded.
Intransigent refusing to alter an idea or a position in response to others' wishes; uncompromising.
Intrigue to strongly draw the interest of; puzzle; fascinate.
Intrinsic being essential to or of the nature of a thing; inherent.
Invaluable having a worth too great to estimate or measure; priceless.
Inveigle to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery.
Invigorate to fill with energy, strength, or life.
Involved difficult to comprehend; complicated.
Irascible easily angered or irritated; short-tempered.
Irksome causing annoyance; bothersome or tiresome.
Ironic happening in the opposite way to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this.
Irrefutable impossible to disprove; indisputable.
Irremediable impossible to cure, repair, or correct.
Irresolute showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain.
Jettison throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship.
Judicious characterized by or using sound judgment; wise; prudent.
Juxtaposition the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Keen extremely sharp; able to cut readily and finely.
Kindred similar in kind; related.
Laborious requiring considerable effort or perseverance.
Lament a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
Latitude scope for freedom of action or thought.
Laudable worthy of praise.
Lax not rigorous, strict, or careful; loose; lenient.
Layperson a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject.
Lionize to view or treat (someone) as a celebrity or extraordinary person.
Long-Winded speaking or writing at too great a length, especially in a dull or tiresome way; verbose.
Loquacious given to talking much or excessively; garrulous.
Lucid easy to understand; articulate; clear.
Lucrative producing monetary gain; profitable.
Lure to attract, as by a desirable quality.
Lurid sensational; shocking or dramatic.
Magnanimity generosity or willingness to forgive.
Makeshift a temporary or improvised arrangement.
Maladroit not skillful; clumsy; tactless.
Malign to speak badly of; defame; slander.
Malignant evil or injurious in intent, effect, or character.
Malleable easily influenced; pliable.
Manacle restrain, hinder
Manipulate control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously.
Marginalize to exclude or treat as being of no importance, especially so as to divert attention from.
Mask conceal (something) from view.
Materialize become actual fact; happen.
Meager low in quantity, extent, strength, or richness; scanty or feeble.
Melding blend; combine.
Menace that which poses a danger or threatens injury or harm; threat.
Mercurial volatile in temper; changeable; fickle.
Meticulous carefully attentive to every small detail; painstaking.
Mimic to copy or imitate, often playfully or as part of a learning process.
Misnomer an incorrect or inappropriate name.
Mitigate to lessen the force, severity, or impact of.
Modish being in or according to current fashion or style; fashionable.
Monotony lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.
Morbid in an unhealthy, gloomy mental state; preoccupied with sickness, abnormality, or death.
Mortify to subject (someone) to extreme embarrassment, shame, or humiliation.
Mounting grow larger or more numerous.
Multifaceted having several aspects or stages; complex or various.
Mundane of or pertaining to what is common and everyday; ordinary; commonplace.
Murky not fully explained or understood, especially with concealed dishonesty or immorality.
Naive (of a person or action) showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment.
Narcissism excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance.
Narrative an account, description, or story, or the oral or written work containing such material.
Nascent coming into being or starting to develop.
Nettles irritate or annoy (someone).
Nonchalant not showing excitement or anxiety; coolly confident, unflustered, or unworried;casually indifferent.
Normative establishing, relating to, or deriving from a standard or norm, especially of behavior.
Novel new or unusual in an interesting way.
Noxious harmful, dangerous, or destructive, especially to health.
Obdurate stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.
Objurgate to criticize sharply; rebuke vehemently; berate.
Obligate to bind legally or morally; constrain.
Obscure not important or well known.
Obsequious obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree, fawning
Obsolete no longer produced or used; out of date.
Obstinate holding stubbornly to one's own ideas or purposes; unwilling to change.
Obviate avoid; prevent.
Omnipresent existing in all places at any given time.
Omniscient infinite in knowledge; all-knowing.
Opportunism the taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle.
Optimistic expecting or tending to expect favorable outcomes.
Opulent having or displaying wealth or richness.
Original created directly and personally by a particular artist; not a copy or imitation.
Outmoded no longer in keeping with current standards or practices; obsolete.
Overly excessively
Overshadow appear much more prominent or important than.
Overstate to inflate the importance of; exaggerate.
Panacea a remedy or solution for all diseases, ills, or difficulties; cure-all.
Panache a confidently stylish, dashing, or flamboyant manner.
Partial favoring one side in a dispute above the other; biased.
Partiality unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism.
Partisan devoted to or favoring a particular cause, group, political party, or the like.
Passable just good enough to be acceptable; satisfactory.
Pastoral of or relating to the country or country life; rural.
Patent easily recognizable; obvious.
Peculiarity the state or fact of being odd or strange.
Pedestrian lacking inspiration or excitement; dull.
Pejorative expressing contempt or disapproval.
Pellucidity lucid in style or meaning; easily understood.
Penchant a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something.
Penetrate be fully understood or realized by someone.
Penitent feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.
Perfunctory done quickly and as a matter of routine; performed without care.
Peripheral of secondary or minor importance; marginal.
Pernicious having a very harmful or fatal effect; injurious, deadly, or destructive.
Perseverance persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Persistence firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
Personify to be a perfect or typical example of; embody.
Perspicacity keenness of mental perception or grasp; astuteness.
Pessimism the belief that events will turn out badly; tendency to expect the worst.
Phlegmatic not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite.
Picturesque visually pleasing, enchanting, or unusual; suggestive of a painting.
Pithy exactly and concisely appropriate; effective; forceful.
Pivotal critically important or crucial; on which something is contingent.
Placid calm, smooth, or tranquil.
Plastic not genuine; artificial or unnatural.
Plod to move slowly or heavily, as if with weariness or reluctance; trudge.
Polemic a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.
Portend be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.
Pragmatism a practical approach to problems and issues.
Precarious dependent on chance; uncertain.
Precedence priority in importance, order, or rank.
Precocious (of a child) having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected.
Predicament a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation.
Predominant having or exerting control or power.
Preeminent surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way.
Premonition a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.
Presage be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically an unwelcome one).
Prescience the fact of knowing something in advance; foreknowledge.
Pressing requiring quick or immediate action or attention.
Presume take for granted that something exists or is the case.
Pretension the use of affectation to impress; ostentatiousness.
Pretentious attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.
Prevalent widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.
Prevaricate speak or act in an evasive way.
Pristine in its original condition; unspoilt.
Probity the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
Prodigal spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
Profligate recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
Profound (of a subject or idea) demanding deep study or thought.
Prolix (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy.
Promulgate promote or make widely known (an idea or cause).
Propagate spread and promote (an idea, theory, etc.) widely.
Prophetic accurately predicting what will happen in the future.
Propped support or keep in position.
Prosaic commonplace
Provincial limited in outlook; narrow-minded.
Provoke stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone.
Proxy a person authorized to act on behalf of another.
Prudent acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
Pugnacious eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
Punctilious showing great attention to detail or correct behaviour.
Puzzle cause (someone) to feel confused because they cannot understand something.
Quandary a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.
Quirky characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits.
Quixotic exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
Quotidian of or occurring every day; daily.
Rallying the action or process of coming together to support a person or cause.
Ramble talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way.
Rationalize attempt to explain or justify (behaviour or an attitude) with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
Recondite (of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.
Recrudesce to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy
Redemption the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
Redouble make or become much greater, more intense, or more numerous.
Redundant unnecessarily repetitive.
Refuge the state of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or difficulty.
Rein keep under control; restrain.
Rejuvenate give new energy or vigour to; revitalize.
Relish great enjoyment.
Remedial giving or intended as a remedy or cure.
Replicate make an exact copy of; reproduce.
Repudiate refuse to accept; reject.
Residual remaining after the greater part or quantity has gone.
Resolute admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
Restive (of a person) unable to remain still, silent, or submissive, especially because of boredom or dissatisfaction.
Restrain prevent (someone or something) from doing something; keep under control or within limits.
Resurgent increasing or reviving after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence.
Reverence deep respect for someone or something.
Rhapsody an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling.
Ridicule subject to contemptuous and dismissive language or behaviour.
Row dispute
Ruinous disastrous or destructive.
Ruminate think deeply about something.
Salubrious health-giving; healthy.
Sanguine optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.
Sartorial relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress.
Scanty small or insufficient in quantity or amount.
Scathe harm; injure.
Schism a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief.
Scintillating brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful.
Scornful feeling or expressing contempt or derision.
Scrupulous adhering strictly to standards of ethics or morality; punctilious.
Scrutinize examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Scuffle to take part in a brief, confused fight among a few people.
Flattery excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests.
Self-Righteous having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.
Serendipity the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
Sham an imitation that is passed as genuine; counterfeit.
Shirk avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility).
Shrewd having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.
Sinister giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen.
Skeptic a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions.
Skittish nervous or excitable; easily scared
Slighted insult (someone) by treating or speaking of them without proper respect or attention.
Snare catch or trap (someone).
Sparing moderate; economical.
Sporadic occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Spurious not being what it purports to be; false or fake.
Stanched stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound.
Staple main or important, especially in terms of consumption.
Startling very surprising, astonishing, or remarkable.
Stigmatize describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.
Stimulate encourage or arouse interest or enthusiasm in.
Stingy ungenerous.
Stun astonish or shock (someone) so that they are temporarily unable to react.
Substantiate provide evidence to support or prove the truth of.
Subtle especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe.
Subversion the undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.
Sullen a sulky or depressed mood.
Superfluous unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
Supersede take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant.
Supplement a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it.
Supplication the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.
Surly bad-tempered and unfriendly
Surrogate substitute, especially a person deputizing for another in a specific role or office.
Susceptible likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.
Sycophant a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage
Synoptic of or forming a general summary or synopsis.
Syntactical of or relating to or conforming to the rules of syntax
Synthesize to bring together or combine (separate elements) to form a whole.
Taciturn (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
Tactless having or showing a lack of skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues.
Temperate showing moderation or self-restraint.
Tendentious expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one.
Tepid showing little enthusiasm
Thrift the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.
Timorous showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence.
Tranquil free from disturbance; calm.
Transcend surpass (a person or achievement).
Transgression an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offence.
Transitory not permanent.
Trifle a thing of little value or importance.
Trite lacking originality or freshness; dull on account of overuse.
Trivial of little value or importance.
Ubiquitous present, appearing, or found everywhere.
Uncultivated (of a person) not highly educated or socially adept.
Undemonstrative (of a person) not tending to express feelings, especially of affection, openly.
Undermine lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously.
Underscore emphasize.
Understate describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is.
Undo unfasten, untie, or loosen (something).
Unintelligible impossible to understand.
Unmistakable not able to be mistaken for anything else; very distinctive.
Unprecedented never done or known before.
Unpremeditated (of an act, remark, or state) not thought out or planned beforehand.
Unpretentious not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.
Unpropitious (of a circumstance) not giving or indicating a good chance of success; unfavourable.
Unseemly (of behaviour or actions) not proper or appropriate
Unsound not safe or robust; in poor condition.
Untapped (of a resource) not yet exploited or used.
Utterly completely and without qualification; absolutel
Venal showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt.
Veracious speaking or representing the truth.
Vestigial forming a very small remnant of something that was once greater or more noticeable, remaining, surviving
Viable capable of working successfully; feasible.
Vigilance the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
Vindicate clear (someone) of blame or suspicion.
Virulence the severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison.
Vociferous expressing or characterized by vehement opinions; loud and forceful.
Voluble (of a person) talking fluently, readily, or incessantly
Wanting lacking in a required or necessary quality.
Wary feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.
Wilful (of a bad or harmful act) intentional; deliberate
Witty showing or characterized by quick and inventive verbal humour
Woo seek the favour, support, or custom of
Zealot a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
Word List 3: 1000 GRE Vocab Words
Let’s go over the 1000 words and definitions I suggest memorizing if you want to aim for at least a 164 on the GRE.
Below, I give each word and its definition that is most used in the GRE contextual usage.
You can also download the Vocabulary in pdf format.
All words are listed in alphabetical order.
| Words | Meanings |
|---|---|
| Abandon | complete lack of inhibition or restraint. |
| Abrasive | showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh. |
| Abreast | up to date with the latest news, ideas, or information |
| Abridge | shorten (a piece of writing) without losing the sense. |
| Abstruse | difficult to understand; obscure. |
| Accentuate | to make (something) more prominent or noticeable |
| Accord | an official agreement or treaty. |
| Acerbic | sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone |
| Acquisitive | excessively interested in acquiring money or material things. |
| Activism | the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. |
| Acumen | superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, especially in practical matters. |
| Acute | present or experienced to a severe or intense degree. |
| Acute | having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; shrewd. |
| Adroit | clever or skillful in using the hands or mind. |
| Adulation | obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise. |
| Aesthetic | concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty. |
| Affable | friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to. |
| Affectation | behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress. |
| Aghast | filled with horror or shock. |
| Alacrity | brisk and cheerful readiness. |
| Alienate | cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged. |
| Aloof | conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste. |
| Ambiguity | the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness. |
| Ambivalent | having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. |
| Ameliorate | make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better, improve |
| Amiable | having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner. |
| Amuse | cause (someone) to find something funny; entertain. |
| Anachronism | belonging to a period other than that being portrayed. |
| Antagonistic | showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something. |
| Antedate | precede in time; come before (something) in date. |
| Antiquity | the ancient past, especially the period before the middle ages. |
| Antithesis | a contrast or opposition between two things. |
| Apathy | lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. |
| Aplomb | complete and confident composure or self-assurance |
| Apologist | a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial. |
| Apposite | apt in the circumstances or in relation to something. |
| Appropriate | take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission. |
| Arbitrary | based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. |
| Arcane | understood by few; mysterious or secret. |
| Arduous | involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring. |
| Articulate | (of a person or a person's words) having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently. |
| Assertive | having or showing a confident and forceful personality. |
| Assiduous | showing great care and perseverance. |
| Astonish | surprise or impress (someone) greatly. |
| Astound | shock or greatly surprise. |
| Attainment | a thing achieved, especially a skill or educational achievement. |
| Attribute | regard something as being caused by (someone or something). |
| Augment | make (something) greater by adding to it; increase. |
| Austerity | extreme plainness and simplicity of style or appearance. |
| Aversion | a strong dislike or disinclination. |
| Avert | prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence). |
| Banal | so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring. |
| Banish | send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment. |
| Bearing | relation; relevance. |
| Befriend | act as a friend to (someone) by offering help or support. |
| Beguile | charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way. |
| Beguile | trick (someone) into doing something. |
| Beguile | help (time) pass pleasantly. |
| Beholden | owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service. |
| Belie | (of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict. |
| Bemuse | puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone). |
| Benign | harmless, kind, gentle |
| Betray | unintentionally reveal; be evidence of. |
| Bias | prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. |
| Blemish | spoil the appearance of (something) that is otherwise aesthetically perfect. |
| Blight | have a severely detrimental effect on. |
| Blithe | showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper. |
| Blunt | (of a person or remark) uncompromisingly forthright. |
| Bogus | not genuine or true; fake. |
| Bolster | support or strengthen; prop up. |
| Boon | a thing that is helpful or beneficial. |
| Braggart | a person who boasts about achievements or possessions. |
| Brandish | wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement. |
| Brazen | bold and without shame. endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame. |
| Brevity | concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. |
| Bridle | bring (something) under control; curb. |
| Bucolic | relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. |
| Buoyancy | an optimistic and cheerful disposition. |
| Calamitous | involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous. |
| Callous | feeling or showing no sympathy for others |
| Calumny | a false and slanderous statement. |
| Canny | having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters. |
| Canonize | treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance. |
| Caprice | a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior. |
| Catastrophe | an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster. |
| Cerebral | intellectual rather than emotional or physical. |
| Check | stop or slow down the progress of (something undesirable). |
| Cherish | protect and care for (someone) lovingly. |
| Circumscribe | restrict (something) within limits. |
| Circumstantial | pointing indirectly toward someone's guilt but not conclusively proving it. |
| Clangor | a continuous loud banging or ringing sound. |
| Clearheaded | alert and thinking logically and coherently. |
| Clerical | (of a job or person) concerned with or relating to work in an office, especially routine documentation and administrative tasks. |
| Clerical | relating to the clergy. |
| Cloak | hide, cover, or disguise (something). |
| Clumsy | done awkwardly or without skill or elegance. |
| Coalesce | come together to form one mass or whole. |
| Cogent | (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing. |
| Coherent | (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent. |
| Collusion | secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others. |
| Commensurate | corresponding in size or degree; in proportion. |
| Commonplace | a trite saying or topic; a platitude, a usual or ordinary thing. |
| Compel | force or oblige (someone) to do something. |
| Complacent | showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements. |
| Complementary | acting or serving to complete; completing. |
| Compliance | unworthy or excessive acquiescence. |
| Conditional | subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met; made or granted on certain terms. |
| Condone | accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue. |
| Confound | cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations. |
| Consensus | a general agreement. |
| Conspicuous | standing out so as to be clearly visible. |
| Contemporary | living or occurring at the same time. |
| Contemptuous | feeling or expressing angry disgust, as at something unworthy or wicked; scornful. |
| Contend | struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger). |
| Contend | assert something as a position in an argument. |
| Contend | engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something). |
| Contentment | a state of happiness and satisfaction. |
| Conundrum | a confusing and difficult problem or question. |
| Convoluted | (especially of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow. |
| Cope | (of a person) deal effectively with something difficult. |
| Copious | abundant in supply or quantity. |
| Corroborate | confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding). |
| Counterfeit | a fraudulent imitation of something else; a forgery. |
| Counterintuitive | contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectation (but often nevertheless true). |
| Counterproductive | having the opposite of the desired effect. |
| Cow | cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation. |
| Crafty | clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods. |
| Crestfallen | sad and disappointed. |
| Cunning | having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion. |
| Cursory | hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed. |
| Curtail | to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part |
| Cynical | believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. |
| Daunt | make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive. |
| Debacle | a sudden collapse into disaster; downfall. |
| Debase | to reduce in value, quality, esteem, or character. |
| Debunk | to expose or ridicule the falseness or exaggerations of (a claim, theory, or the like). |
| Deceit | the act or practice of misleading, tricking, or cheating. |
| Deceptive | able or tending to trick or mislead. |
| Defamatory | causing or tending to cause injury to another's reputation; libelous or slanderous. |
| Deferential | respectfully submissive to the desires, opinions, or judgments of others. |
| Deft | capable, quick, and clever in action; skillful; dexterous. |
| Defy | to resist or challenge openly; act against the wishes or decrees of. |
| Deleterious | harmful or injurious, as to health. |
| Delineate | to describe or portray in precise or vivid detail. |
| Demur | raise doubts or objections or show reluctance. |
| Denigrate | criticize unfairly; disparage. |
| Derivative | copied, modeled on, or extracted from something else. |
| Detrimental | causing harm, disadvantage, or deterioration. |
| Devious | not the straightest, most direct way; winding; roundabout. |
| Devolve | (of duties or responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a lower level). |
| Didactic | in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way. |
| Diffident | modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence. |
| Diffuse | spread out over a large area; not concentrated. |
| Disaffection | a state or feeling of being dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer willing to support them. |
| Disapprobation | strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds. |
| Discern | to perceive, make out, or detect. |
| Discomfit | make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed. |
| Discount | regard (a possibility, fact, or person) as being unworthy of consideration because it lacks credibility. |
| Discredit | to harm the reputation of. |
| Discrepancy | lack of agreement; difference; inconsistency. |
| Disentangle | to free or become free from entanglement or involvement; extricate. |
| Disgruntle | to make irritably dissatisfied or discontent. |
| Disintegrate | to come apart; break down into component parts or fragments. |
| Disinterested | having or feeling no interest in something. |
| Dislocation | disturbance from a proper, original, or usual place or state. |
| Dismantle | to tear down; take apart. |
| Disparate | essentially different and distinct. |
| Dispassionate | without strong feeling or bias; calm; impartial. |
| Dispense | to give out or distribute. |
| Disquiet | lack of mental calm or peace; anxiety; uneasiness. |
| Dissemble | to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| Disseminate | to spread widely, as though scattering seed. |
| Dissimilar | not alike; different. |
| Dissolution | debauched living; dissipation. |
| Distill | extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of. |
| Distort | give a misleading or false account or impression of. |
| Divergent | deviating, differing, or diverging. |
| Doctrinaire | dogmatically adhering to a theory or a school of thought, regardless of its practicality. |
| Dogmatic | asserting beliefs and opinions as though they were proven facts. |
| Dubious | having or showing doubt; skeptical. |
| Duplicity | deceitful speech or action. |
| Dynamism | the quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress. |
| Eclectic | deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. |
| Eclipse | overshadow, outshine |
| Ecstatic | in a condition of extreme delight, overpowering emotion, or religious trance; enraptured. |
| Efficacy | the ability to produce desired results; effectiveness. |
| Egoism | the tendency to evaluate everything in relation to one's own interests; self- centeredness. |
| Egotist | a conceited person; braggart. |
| Elate | to make extremely happy or proud; cause to be in elevated spirits. |
| Elevate | to raise or lift up to a higher physical position. |
| Eloquence | skill or ability to use language that impresses or persuades. |
| Elusive | hard to perceive, understand, or remember. |
| Empathy | the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. |
| Emulate | to try to be the same as or better than (another person), especially by imitating. |
| Enchant | to put under a magic spell, or as if under a magic spell; bewitch. |
| Endanger | to cause to be exposed to danger. |
| Endorse | to approve or give support to. |
| Enfeeble | to take away the strength of; make feeble, as from age or disease. |
| Engage | occupy, attract, or involve (someone's interest or attention). |
| Enigmatic | puzzling, mysterious, or inexplicable. |
| Entail | involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence. |
| Entreaty | an earnest or humble request. |
| Entrench | establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely. |
| Ephemeral | lasting for only a short period. |
| Equitable | characterized by fairness; just. |
| Equivocal | open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous. |
| Erode | gradually destroy or be gradually destroyed. |
| Erratic | not occurring predictably or consistently; unpredictable. |
| Erroneous | containing or based on a mistake; incorrect. |
| Erstwhile | of an earlier time; former. |
| Estrange | cause (someone) to be no longer close or affectionate to someone; alienate. |
| Euphoric | having or exhibiting a strong feeling of well-being or elation. |
| Evanescent | tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing; fleeting. |
| Evasive | ambiguous, tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly. |
| Exacerbate | make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse. |
| Exacting | making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources. |
| Exigent | requiring immediate attention; urgent or critical. |
| Exotic | attractive or striking because colorful or out of the ordinary. |
| Expedient | a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or immoral. |
| Explicit | stated fully, clearly, and without equivocation. |
| Exploit | make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource). |
| Exposition | a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory. |
| Extant | still in existence; current; not extinct, destroyed, or lost. |
| Extraneous | coming from outside; foreign. |
| Extravagance | the act or an instance of spending excessively or imprudently. |
| Factual | containing or based upon real or true things. |
| Fastidious | very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail. |
| Feckless | weak or incompetent; ineffective. |
| Feeble | without strength or vigor, physically, mentally, or morally. |
| Fester | (of a negative feeling or a problem) becoming worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference. |
| Fickle | quickly changing without reason or warning, especially in affection or allegiance; variable or capricious. |
| Fixate | cause (someone) to acquire an obsessive attachment to someone or something. |
| Fleeting | lasting for a very short time. |
| Florid | elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated. |
| Flourish | to make bold and sweeping gestures |
| Flout | openly disregard (a rule, law or convention). |
| Foreground | make (something) the most prominent or important feature. |
| Foresight | the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future. |
| Forestall | to prevent or hinder by taking action beforehand. |
| Forgo | omit or decline to take (something pleasant or valuable); go without. |
| Forsake | to abandon or desert. |
| Fortuitous | happening or appearing by chance, as a coincidence. |
| Fractious | (typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome. |
| Fringe | not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme. |
| Frivolous | unworthy of serious consideration or merit; trivial or silly. |
| Frugality | prudent or sparing use of resources, especially money. |
| Futile | unlikely to produce or incapable of producing a desired result; ineffective; useless. |
| Galvanize | to stimulate into awareness or activity. |
| Gawky | ungainly; awkward; clumsy. |
| Germane | having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| Global | relating to or embracing the whole of something, or of a group of things. |
| Gloom | to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent |
| Goosebumps | a state of the skin caused by cold, fear, or excitement, in which small bumps appear on the surface as the hairs become erect. |
| Gracious | inclined to do what is polite, kind, right, or considerate. |
| Gratify | to give pleasure or satisfaction to (someone). |
| Hackneyed | made trite or commonplace by overuse, as an expression or phrase. |
| Harbinger | a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another. |
| Harmonious | characterized by agreement or accord. |
| Heed | to give one's attention to; take notice of. |
| Herald | be a sign that (something) is about to happen. |
| Heterodox | deviating from an officially approved belief or doctrine, especially in religion. |
| Hidebound | unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention. |
| Hindrance | someone or something that acts as an obstacle, as to an action or goal. |
| Homogeneity | the quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind. |
| Hortatory | urging or exciting to some course of action with strong arguments, appeals, or advice. |
| Humdrum | lacking variety; dull, monotonous, and commonplace. |
| Hyperbole | exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. |
| Hypocrite | one who states or pretends to hold beliefs or principles he or she does not actually practice. |
| Iconoclastic | attacking or breaking away from established traditions, beliefs, or values. |
| Illiberal | lacking tolerance; bigoted. |
| Illuminate | help to clarify or explain. |
| Imitate | to follow the manner or pattern of; attempt to resemble; mimic. |
| Imminent | about to happen or likely to happen very soon. |
| Immunity | protection or exemption from something, especially an obligation or penalty. |
| Immure | to confine within or as though within walls; shut in. |
| Immutable | not subject to change; unchanging or unchangeable. |
| Impair | to weaken, damage, or cause to diminish in value or quality. |
| Impartial | not biased or prejudiced; even-handed or objective. |
| Impecunious | having little or no money. |
| Impediment | an obstacle or hindrance. |
| Impenetrable | impossible to understand. |
| Imperative | extremely important; urgent; unavoidable. |
| Impetuous | acting or done quickly and without thought or care. |
| Impetus | something that urges or impels; a driving force. |
| Implicit | essentially or very closely connected with; always to be found in. |
| Impolitic | not showing good sense or judgment; unwise or injudicious. |
| Improvisation | produce or make (something) from whatever is available. |
| Imprudent | not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash. |
| Impudence | the act or condition of being boldly disrespectful; insolence. |
| Impulsive | motivated by spontaneous wishes and needs rather than careful thought. |
| Inalienable | not subject to transfer, surrender, or removal, especially one's rights as a citizen. |
| Inarticulate | unable to speak distinctly or express oneself clearly. |
| Incendiary | tending to stir up conflict. |
| Incensed | very angry; enraged. |
| Incongruous | not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something. |
| Inconsequential | having no significant effect or result; not important. |
| Inconsiderable | unimportant or insignificant. |
| Indebted | obligated to another person or persons, as for money or favors. |
| Indecision | inability or unwillingness to make a decision. |
| Indecorous | not in keeping with good taste and propriety; improper. |
| Indefatigable | (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly. |
| Indemnify | to make compensation to for loss, damage, or expense incurred. |
| Indifferent | lacking interest or concern; not caring. |
| Indiscernible | impossible to see or clearly distinguish. |
| Indolent | wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy. |
| Industrious | diligent and hard-working. |
| Inestimable | too great to calculate. |
| Infallible | incapable of error. |
| Informed | having or showing knowledge of a particular subject or situation. |
| Ingenious | (of a person) clever, original, and inventive. |
| Inhibit | to hold back, restrain, prevent, or tend to do so. |
| Inimical | unfriendly; hostile. |
| Injudicious | lacking in or poor in judgment; rash or unwise. |
| Innocuous | not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| Inscrutable | impossible to comprehend or interpret; mysterious. |
| Insightful | having or showing an accurate and deep understanding; perceptive. |
| Insipid | having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| Insolence | rude or impudent behavior or speech. |
| Integrate | to bring together and blend into a whole. |
| Intelligible | capable of being clearly understood; comprehensible. |
| Interchangeable | of two things, able to be put or used in place of each other. |
| Intermediary | a person who acts as an agent or mediator between persons, groups, or the like; go-between. |
| Interminable | endless or seemingly endless; monotonously long. |
| Interweave | blend closely. |
| Intimately | in a way that involves detailed knowledge. |
| Intractable | not easily controlled, managed, or persuaded. |
| Intransigent | refusing to alter an idea or a position in response to others' wishes; uncompromising. |
| Intrigue | to strongly draw the interest of; puzzle; fascinate. |
| Intrinsic | being essential to or of the nature of a thing; inherent. |
| Invaluable | having a worth too great to estimate or measure; priceless. |
| Inveigle | to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery. |
| Invigorate | to fill with energy, strength, or life. |
| Involved | difficult to comprehend; complicated. |
| Irascible | easily angered or irritated; short-tempered. |
| Irksome | causing annoyance; bothersome or tiresome. |
| Ironic | happening in the opposite way to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this. |
| Irrefutable | impossible to disprove; indisputable. |
| Irremediable | impossible to cure, repair, or correct. |
| Irresolute | showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain. |
| Jettison | throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship. |
| Judicious | characterized by or using sound judgment; wise; prudent. |
| Juxtaposition | the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect. |
| Keen | extremely sharp; able to cut readily and finely. |
| Kindred | similar in kind; related. |
| Laborious | requiring considerable effort or perseverance. |
| Lament | a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. |
| Latitude | scope for freedom of action or thought. |
| Laudable | worthy of praise. |
| Lax | not rigorous, strict, or careful; loose; lenient. |
| Layperson | a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject. |
| Lionize | to view or treat (someone) as a celebrity or extraordinary person. |
| Long-Winded | speaking or writing at too great a length, especially in a dull or tiresome way; verbose. |
| Loquacious | given to talking much or excessively; garrulous. |
| Lucid | easy to understand; articulate; clear. |
| Lucrative | producing monetary gain; profitable. |
| Lure | to attract, as by a desirable quality. |
| Lurid | sensational; shocking or dramatic. |
| Magnanimity | generosity or willingness to forgive. |
| Makeshift | a temporary or improvised arrangement. |
| Maladroit | not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| Malign | to speak badly of; defame; slander. |
| Malignant | evil or injurious in intent, effect, or character. |
| Malleable | easily influenced; pliable. |
| Manacle | restrain, hinder |
| Manipulate | control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously. |
| Marginalize | to exclude or treat as being of no importance, especially so as to divert attention from. |
| Mask | conceal (something) from view. |
| Materialize | become actual fact; happen. |
| Meager | low in quantity, extent, strength, or richness; scanty or feeble. |
| Melding | blend; combine. |
| Menace | that which poses a danger or threatens injury or harm; threat. |
| Mercurial | volatile in temper; changeable; fickle. |
| Meticulous | carefully attentive to every small detail; painstaking. |
| Mimic | to copy or imitate, often playfully or as part of a learning process. |
| Misnomer | an incorrect or inappropriate name. |
| Mitigate | to lessen the force, severity, or impact of. |
| Modish | being in or according to current fashion or style; fashionable. |
| Monotony | lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine. |
| Morbid | in an unhealthy, gloomy mental state; preoccupied with sickness, abnormality, or death. |
| Mortify | to subject (someone) to extreme embarrassment, shame, or humiliation. |
| Mounting | grow larger or more numerous. |
| Multifaceted | having several aspects or stages; complex or various. |
| Mundane | of or pertaining to what is common and everyday; ordinary; commonplace. |
| Murky | not fully explained or understood, especially with concealed dishonesty or immorality. |
| Naive | (of a person or action) showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment. |
| Narcissism | excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance. |
| Narrative | an account, description, or story, or the oral or written work containing such material. |
| Nascent | coming into being or starting to develop. |
| Nettles | irritate or annoy (someone). |
| Nonchalant | not showing excitement or anxiety; coolly confident, unflustered, or unworried;casually indifferent. |
| Normative | establishing, relating to, or deriving from a standard or norm, especially of behavior. |
| Novel | new or unusual in an interesting way. |
| Noxious | harmful, dangerous, or destructive, especially to health. |
| Obdurate | stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action. |
| Objurgate | to criticize sharply; rebuke vehemently; berate. |
| Obligate | to bind legally or morally; constrain. |
| Obscure | not important or well known. |
| Obsequious | obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree, fawning |
| Obsolete | no longer produced or used; out of date. |
| Obstinate | holding stubbornly to one's own ideas or purposes; unwilling to change. |
| Obviate | avoid; prevent. |
| Omnipresent | existing in all places at any given time. |
| Omniscient | infinite in knowledge; all-knowing. |
| Opportunism | the taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle. |
| Optimistic | expecting or tending to expect favorable outcomes. |
| Opulent | having or displaying wealth or richness. |
| Original | created directly and personally by a particular artist; not a copy or imitation. |
| Outmoded | no longer in keeping with current standards or practices; obsolete. |
| Overly | excessively |
| Overshadow | appear much more prominent or important than. |
| Overstate | to inflate the importance of; exaggerate. |
| Panacea | a remedy or solution for all diseases, ills, or difficulties; cure-all. |
| Panache | a confidently stylish, dashing, or flamboyant manner. |
| Partial | favoring one side in a dispute above the other; biased. |
| Partiality | unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism. |
| Partisan | devoted to or favoring a particular cause, group, political party, or the like. |
| Passable | just good enough to be acceptable; satisfactory. |
| Pastoral | of or relating to the country or country life; rural. |
| Patent | easily recognizable; obvious. |
| Peculiarity | the state or fact of being odd or strange. |
| Pedestrian | lacking inspiration or excitement; dull. |
| Pejorative | expressing contempt or disapproval. |
| Pellucidity | lucid in style or meaning; easily understood. |
| Penchant | a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. |
| Penetrate | be fully understood or realized by someone. |
| Penitent | feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant. |
| Perfunctory | done quickly and as a matter of routine; performed without care. |
| Peripheral | of secondary or minor importance; marginal. |
| Pernicious | having a very harmful or fatal effect; injurious, deadly, or destructive. |
| Perseverance | persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. |
| Persistence | firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. |
| Personify | to be a perfect or typical example of; embody. |
| Perspicacity | keenness of mental perception or grasp; astuteness. |
| Pessimism | the belief that events will turn out badly; tendency to expect the worst. |
| Phlegmatic | not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| Picturesque | visually pleasing, enchanting, or unusual; suggestive of a painting. |
| Pithy | exactly and concisely appropriate; effective; forceful. |
| Pivotal | critically important or crucial; on which something is contingent. |
| Placid | calm, smooth, or tranquil. |
| Plastic | not genuine; artificial or unnatural. |
| Plod | to move slowly or heavily, as if with weariness or reluctance; trudge. |
| Polemic | a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. |
| Portend | be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen. |
| Pragmatism | a practical approach to problems and issues. |
| Precarious | dependent on chance; uncertain. |
| Precedence | priority in importance, order, or rank. |
| Precocious | (of a child) having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected. |
| Predicament | a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation. |
| Predominant | having or exerting control or power. |
| Preeminent | surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way. |
| Premonition | a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant. |
| Presage | be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically an unwelcome one). |
| Prescience | the fact of knowing something in advance; foreknowledge. |
| Pressing | requiring quick or immediate action or attention. |
| Presume | take for granted that something exists or is the case. |
| Pretension | the use of affectation to impress; ostentatiousness. |
| Pretentious | attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed. |
| Prevalent | widespread in a particular area or at a particular time. |
| Prevaricate | speak or act in an evasive way. |
| Pristine | in its original condition; unspoilt. |
| Probity | the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency. |
| Prodigal | spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant. |
| Profligate | recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources. |
| Profound | (of a subject or idea) demanding deep study or thought. |
| Prolix | (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy. |
| Promulgate | promote or make widely known (an idea or cause). |
| Propagate | spread and promote (an idea, theory, etc.) widely. |
| Prophetic | accurately predicting what will happen in the future. |
| Propped | support or keep in position. |
| Prosaic | commonplace |
| Provincial | limited in outlook; narrow-minded. |
| Provoke | stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone. |
| Proxy | a person authorized to act on behalf of another. |
| Prudent | acting with or showing care and thought for the future. |
| Pugnacious | eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight. |
| Punctilious | showing great attention to detail or correct behaviour. |
| Puzzle | cause (someone) to feel confused because they cannot understand something. |
| Quandary | a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation. |
| Quirky | characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. |
| Quixotic | exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical. |
| Quotidian | of or occurring every day; daily. |
| Rallying | the action or process of coming together to support a person or cause. |
| Ramble | talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way. |
| Rationalize | attempt to explain or justify (behaviour or an attitude) with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate. |
| Recondite | (of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse. |
| Recrudesce | to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy |
| Redemption | the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. |
| Redouble | make or become much greater, more intense, or more numerous. |
| Redundant | unnecessarily repetitive. |
| Refuge | the state of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or difficulty. |
| Rein | keep under control; restrain. |
| Rejuvenate | give new energy or vigour to; revitalize. |
| Relish | great enjoyment. |
| Remedial | giving or intended as a remedy or cure. |
| Replicate | make an exact copy of; reproduce. |
| Repudiate | refuse to accept; reject. |
| Residual | remaining after the greater part or quantity has gone. |
| Resolute | admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering. |
| Restive | (of a person) unable to remain still, silent, or submissive, especially because of boredom or dissatisfaction. |
| Restrain | prevent (someone or something) from doing something; keep under control or within limits. |
| Resurgent | increasing or reviving after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence. |
| Reverence | deep respect for someone or something. |
| Rhapsody | an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling. |
| Ridicule | subject to contemptuous and dismissive language or behaviour. |
| Row | dispute |
| Ruinous | disastrous or destructive. |
| Ruminate | think deeply about something. |
| Salubrious | health-giving; healthy. |
| Sanguine | optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. |
| Sartorial | relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. |
| Scanty | small or insufficient in quantity or amount. |
| Scathe | harm; injure. |
| Schism | a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. |
| Scintillating | brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful. |
| Scornful | feeling or expressing contempt or derision. |
| Scrupulous | adhering strictly to standards of ethics or morality; punctilious. |
| Scrutinize | examine or inspect closely and thoroughly. |
| Scuffle | to take part in a brief, confused fight among a few people. |
| Flattery | excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests. |
| Self-Righteous | having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior. |
| Serendipity | the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. |
| Sham | an imitation that is passed as genuine; counterfeit. |
| Shirk | avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility). |
| Shrewd | having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute. |
| Sinister | giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen. |
| Skeptic | a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions. |
| Skittish | nervous or excitable; easily scared |
| Slighted | insult (someone) by treating or speaking of them without proper respect or attention. |
| Snare | catch or trap (someone). |
| Sparing | moderate; economical. |
| Sporadic | occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated. |
| Spurious | not being what it purports to be; false or fake. |
| Stanched | stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound. |
| Staple | main or important, especially in terms of consumption. |
| Startling | very surprising, astonishing, or remarkable. |
| Stigmatize | describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval. |
| Stimulate | encourage or arouse interest or enthusiasm in. |
| Stingy | ungenerous. |
| Stun | astonish or shock (someone) so that they are temporarily unable to react. |
| Substantiate | provide evidence to support or prove the truth of. |
| Subtle | especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe. |
| Subversion | the undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution. |
| Sullen | a sulky or depressed mood. |
| Superfluous | unnecessary, especially through being more than enough. |
| Supersede | take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant. |
| Supplement | a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it. |
| Supplication | the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. |
| Surly | bad-tempered and unfriendly |
| Surrogate | substitute, especially a person deputizing for another in a specific role or office. |
| Susceptible | likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing. |
| Sycophant | a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage |
| Synoptic | of or forming a general summary or synopsis. |
| Syntactical | of or relating to or conforming to the rules of syntax |
| Synthesize | to bring together or combine (separate elements) to form a whole. |
| Taciturn | (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little. |
| Tactless | having or showing a lack of skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues. |
| Temperate | showing moderation or self-restraint. |
| Tendentious | expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one. |
| Tepid | showing little enthusiasm |
| Thrift | the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. |
| Timorous | showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence. |
| Tranquil | free from disturbance; calm. |
| Transcend | surpass (a person or achievement). |
| Transgression | an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offence. |
| Transitory | not permanent. |
| Trifle | a thing of little value or importance. |
| Trite | lacking originality or freshness; dull on account of overuse. |
| Trivial | of little value or importance. |
| Ubiquitous | present, appearing, or found everywhere. |
| Uncultivated | (of a person) not highly educated or socially adept. |
| Undemonstrative | (of a person) not tending to express feelings, especially of affection, openly. |
| Undermine | lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously. |
| Underscore | emphasize. |
| Understate | describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is. |
| Undo | unfasten, untie, or loosen (something). |
| Unintelligible | impossible to understand. |
| Unmistakable | not able to be mistaken for anything else; very distinctive. |
| Unprecedented | never done or known before. |
| Unpremeditated | (of an act, remark, or state) not thought out or planned beforehand. |
| Unpretentious | not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed. |
| Unpropitious | (of a circumstance) not giving or indicating a good chance of success; unfavourable. |
| Unseemly | (of behaviour or actions) not proper or appropriate |
| Unsound | not safe or robust; in poor condition. |
| Untapped | (of a resource) not yet exploited or used. |
| Utterly | completely and without qualification; absolutel |
| Venal | showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt. |
| Veracious | speaking or representing the truth. |
| Vestigial | forming a very small remnant of something that was once greater or more noticeable, remaining, surviving |
| Viable | capable of working successfully; feasible. |
| Vigilance | the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. |
| Vindicate | clear (someone) of blame or suspicion. |
| Virulence | the severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison. |
| Vociferous | expressing or characterized by vehement opinions; loud and forceful. |
| Voluble | (of a person) talking fluently, readily, or incessantly |
| Wanting | lacking in a required or necessary quality. |
| Wary | feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems. |
| Wilful | (of a bad or harmful act) intentional; deliberate |
| Witty | showing or characterized by quick and inventive verbal humour |
| Woo | seek the favour, support, or custom of |
| Zealot | a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals. |
| abstraction | a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples; the act of withdrawing or removing something; an abstract painting; the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances; a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance; preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else |
| accessible | capable of being reached; easy to get along with or talk to; friendly; easily obtained; capable of being read with comprehension |
| acclaim | enthusiastic approval; verb praise vociferously; clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval |
| accolade | a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction |
| adherent | sticking fast; noun someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another |
| adhoc | created or done for a particular purpose as necessary. |
| advocate | a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea; a lawyer who pleads cases in court; verb speak, plead, or argue in favor of; push for something |
| affect | the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion; verb act physically on; have an effect upon; have an effect upon; have an emotional or cognitive impact upon; make believe with the intent to deceive; connect closely and often incriminatingly |
| affluence | abundant wealth |
| agreeable | conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature; prepared to agree or consent; in keeping |
| ahistorical | unconcerned with or unrelated to history or to historical development or to tradition |
| all-encompassing | broad in scope or content |
| allegorical | used in or characteristic of or containing allegory |
| analogous | corresponding in function but not in evolutionary origin; similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar |
| anecdote | short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) |
| anoint | administer an oil or ointment to ; often in a religious ceremony of blessing; choose by or as if by divine intervention |
| anomaly | (astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun); a person who is unusual; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule |
| aphorism | a short pithy instructive saying |
| archaic | little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type; so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period |
| artful | marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft; not straightforward or candid; giving a FALSE appearance of frankness |
| ascetic | practicing great self denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline |
| assuage | provide physical relief, as from pain; satisfy (thirst); cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of |
| astute | marked by practical hardheaded intelligence |
| atypical | deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; not representative of a group, class, or type |
| audacity | aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery; fearless daring |
| auspicious | auguring favorable circumstances and good luck |
| autonomous | (of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment; existing as an independent entity; (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces |
| avarice | reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins); extreme greed for material wealth |
| avid | marked by active interest and enthusiasm; (often followed by `for') ardently or excessively desirous |
| axiomatic | evident without proof or argument; of or relating to or derived from axioms; containing aphorisms or maxims |
| baffling | making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe |
| balloon | large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated air; small thin inflatable rubber bag with narrow neck; verb become inflated; ride in a hot air balloon |
| banter | light teasing repartee; verb be silly or tease one another |
| baseness | unworthiness by virtue of lacking higher values |
| belligerence | hostile or warlike attitude or nature; a natural disposition to be hostile |
| bromide | any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark |
| burgeon | grow and flourish |
| calibrate | make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring; measure the caliber of; mark (the scale of a measuring instrument) so that it can be read in the desired units |
| callow | young and inexperienced |
| camaraderie | the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability |
| candid | openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness; informal or natural; especially caught off guard or unprepared; characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion |
| candor | the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech; ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty |
| caricature | a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect; verb represent in or produce a caricature of |
| catholic | free from provincial prejudices or attachments; of or relating to or supporting Catholicism; noun a member of a Catholic church |
| celebrated | having an illustrious past; widely known and esteemed |
| censure | harsh criticism or disapproval; the state of being excommunicated; verb rebuke formally |
| cessation | a stopping |
| champion | holding first place in a contest; noun someone who fights for a cause; someone who has won first place in a competition; someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field; a person who backs a politician or a team etc.; verb protect or fight for as a champion |
| circumspect | heedful of potential consequences |
| cite | a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage; verb call in an official matter, such as to attend court; advance evidence for; commend; repeat a passage from; refer to for illustration or proof; make reference to; refer to |
| code | a coding system used for transmitting messages requiring brevity or secrecy; (computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions; a set of rules or principles or laws (especially written ones); verb attach a code to; convert ordinary language into code |
| cognizance | range or scope of what is perceived; range of what one can know or understand; having knowledge of |
| commiserate | to feel or express sympathy or compassion |
| compete | compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others |
| compliant | disposed or willing to comply |
| compliment | a remark (or act) expressing praise and admiration; verb say something to someone that expresses praise; express respect or esteem for |
| complimentary | conveying or resembling a compliment; costing nothing |
| compounded | combined into or constituting a chemical compound |
| comprehensive | including all or everything; broad in scope; noun an intensive examination testing a student's proficiency in some special field of knowledge |
| conciliatory | intended or likely to overcome animosity or hostility; making or willing to make concessions |
| condescending | (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension |
| conjecture | reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence; a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence); a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence; verb to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds |
| consequential | having important issues or results |
| constraining | restricting the scope or freedom of action |
| contentious | involving or likely to cause controversy; inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits |
| contingent | uncertain because of uncontrollable circumstances; determined by conditions or circumstances not yet established; possible but not certain to occur; noun a gathering of persons representative of some larger group; a temporary military unit |
| contrite | feeling regret for a fault or offence; feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses |
| cosmopolitan | of worldwide scope or applicability; composed of people from or at home in many parts of the world; especially not provincial in attitudes or interests; growing or occurring in many parts of the world; noun a sophisticated person who has travelled in many countries |
| countercultural | a culture with values and mores that run counter to those of established society. |
| craft | a vehicle designed for navigation in or on water or air or through outer space; shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception; skill in an occupation or trade; people who perform a particular kind of skilled work; the skilled practice of a practical occupation; verb make by hand and with much skill |
| credible | appearing to merit belief or acceptance; capable of being believed; a common but incorrect usage where `credulous' would be appropriate |
| crumble | break or fall apart into fragments; fall apart; fall into decay or ruin |
| culprit | someone who perpetrates wrongdoing |
| cupid | a symbol for love in the form of a cherubic naked boy with wings and a bow and arrow; (Roman mythology) god of love; counterpart of Greek Eros |
| deflect | turn aside and away from an initial or intended course; turn from a straight course , fixed direction, or line of interest; impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball); draw someone's attention away from something; prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening |
| delicacy | subtly skillful handling of a situation; smallness of stature; refined taste; tact; lightness in movement or manner; the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance; lack of physical strength; something considered choice to eat |
| demanding | requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill |
| demystify | make less mysterious or remove the mystery from |
| despair | the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well; a state in which everything seems wrong and will turn out badly; verb abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart |
| detached | used of buildings; standing apart from others; no longer connected or joined; not fixed in position; being or feeling set or kept apart from others; showing lack of emotional involvement |
| deter | try to prevent; show opposition to; turn away from by persuasion |
| detractor | one who disparages or belittles the worth of something |
| dexter | on or starting from the wearer's right |
| dictum | an authoritative declaration; an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding |
| digression | wandering from the main path of a journey; a message that departs from the main subject; a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern) |
| dilate | become wider; add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing |
| dilemma | state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options |
| disciple | someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another |
| disconcert | cause to lose one's composure; cause to feel embarrassment |
| discord | strife resulting from a lack of agreement; disagreement among those expected to cooperate; lack of agreement or harmony; a harsh mixture of sounds; verb be different from one another |
| disdain | a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient; lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike; verb reject with contempt; look down on with disdain |
| disenchant | free from enchantment |
| disgorge | eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over |
| disingenuous | not straightforward or candid; giving a FALSE appearance of frankness |
| disjunction | state of being disconnected; the act of breaking a connection |
| disorient | cause to be lost or disoriented |
| distaste | a feeling of intense dislike |
| dormant | inactive but capable of becoming active; of e.g. volcanos; not erupting and not extinct; in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation |
| draconian | of or relating to Draco or his harsh code of laws |
| dwarf | a person who is markedly small; a legendary creature resembling a tiny old man; lives in the depths of the earth and guards buried treasure; verb check the growth of; make appear small by comparison |
| ecological | of or relating to the science of ecology; characterized by the interdependence of living organisms in an environment |
| economical | avoiding waste; using the minimum of time or resources necessary for effectiveness; of or relating to an economy, the system of production and management of material wealth |
| egalitarian | favoring social equality; noun a person who believes in the equality of all people |
| elitist | someone who believes in rule by an elite group |
| elucidate | make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear; make clear and (more) comprehensible |
| embargo | a government order imposing a trade barrier; verb prevent commerce; ban the publication of (documents), as for security or copyright reasons |
| empirical | derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; relying on medical quackery |
| enamor | attract; cause to be enamored |
| enlarge | make larger; become larger or bigger; make large; add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing |
| enlighten | give spiritual insight to; in religion; make understand; make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear |
| ensue | issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end |
| enviable | causing envy |
| erudite | having or showing profound knowledge |
| esoteric | confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle |
| estimable | deserving of respect or high regard; deserving of esteem and respect; may be computed or estimated |
| eventuate | come out in the end |
| evoke | call to mind; summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic; deduce (a principle) or construe (a meaning); evoke or provoke to appear or occur; call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses) |
| exact | marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; (of ideas, images, representations, expressions) characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth ; strictly correct; verb take as an undesirable consequence of some event or state of affairs; claim as due or just |
| exalt | raise in rank, character, or status; praise, glorify, or honor; fill with sublime emotion; tickle pink; heighten or intensify |
| exasperate | make worse; make furious; exasperate or irritate |
| excoriate | express strong disapproval of; tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading |
| exegesis | an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) |
| exhaustive | very thorough; exhaustively complete |
| expedite | process fast and efficiently; speed up the progress of; facilitate |
| explicate | elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses; make plain and comprehensible |
| extempore | with little or no preparation or forethought; adv. without prior preparation |
| extol | praise, glorify, or honor |
| facetious | cleverly amusing in tone |
| factious | dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion) |
| farsighted | able to see distant objects clearly; planning prudently for the future |
| fascinate | to render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe; attract; cause to be enamored; cause to be interested or curious |
| fervor | feelings of great warmth and intensity; the state of being emotionally aroused and worked up |
| fitfully | in a fitful manner |
| fluster | a disposition that is confused or nervous and upset; verb cause to be nervous or upset; be flustered; behave in a confused manner |
| forbearance | a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges; refraining from acting; good natured tolerance of delay or incompetence |
| forebode | make a prediction about; tell in advance |
| forgery | criminal falsification by making or altering an instrument with intent to defraud; a copy that is represented as the original |
| foster | providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties; noun United States songwriter whose songs embody the sentiment |
| of the South before the American Civil War (1826 1864); verb help develop, help grow; bring up under fosterage; of children; promote the growth of | |
| fusion | the act of fusing (or melting) together; correction of an unstable part of the spine by joining two or more vertebrae; usually done surgically but sometimes done by traction or immobilization; the combining of images from the two eyes to form a single visual percept; an occurrence that involves the production of a union; a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy; the merging of adjacent sounds or syllables or words; the state of being combined into one body |
| games | manipulate (a situation), typically in a way that is unfair or unscrupulous. |
| garrulous | full of trivial conversation |
| genealogy | the study or investigation of ancestry and family history; successive generations of kin |
| giddily | in a giddy light headed manner |
| gloat | malicious satisfaction; verb dwell on with satisfaction; gaze at or think about something with great self satisfaction, gratification, or joy |
| glorification | the act of glorifying (as in worship); a portrayal of something as ideal; a state of high honor |
| gratuitous | without cause; unnecessary and unwarranted; costing nothing |
| gravity | a solemn and dignified feeling; (physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface; a manner that is serious and solemn |
| grouchy | perversely irritable |
| grumble | a complaint uttered in a low and indistinct tone; a loud low dull continuous noise; verb to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds; make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath; show one's unhappiness or critical attitude; make a low noise |
| hamper | a basket usually with a cover; a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner); verb prevent the progress or free movement of; put at a disadvantage |
| harrow | a cultivator that pulverizes or smooths the soil; verb draw a harrow over (land) |
| heterogeneous | consisting of elements that are not of the same kind or nature; originating outside the body |
| histrionic | characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected |
| hodgepodge | a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas; a motley assortment of things |
| hospitable | favorable to life and growth; disposed to treat guests and strangers with cordiality and generosity; having an open mind |
| hybrid | produced by crossbreeding; noun an organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species; a composite of mixed origin; a word that is composed of parts from different languages (e.g., `monolingual' has a Greek prefix and a Latin root) |
| hypothesis | a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if TRUE would explain certain facts or phenomena; a proposal |
| intended to explain certain facts or observations; a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence | |
| idealistic | of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style; of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of the reality of ideas |
| ideologue | an advocate of some ideology |
| ideology | imaginary or visionary theorization; an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation |
| idiosyncratic | peculiar to the individual |
| idyllic | excellent and delightful in all respects; suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple and serene |
| illustrative | clarifying by use of examples; serving to demonstrate |
| imperturbable | not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure |
| impervious | not admitting of passage or capable of being affected |
| implausible | having a quality that provokes disbelief; highly imaginative but unlikely |
| improbable | too improbable to admit of belief; not likely to be TRUE or to occur or to have occurred; having a probability too low to inspire belief |
| impugn | attack as FALSE or wrong |
| inchoate | only partly in existence; imperfectly formed |
| incitement | something that incites or provokes; a means of arousing or stirring to action; an act of urging on or spurring on or rousing to action or instigating; the act of exhorting; an earnest attempt at persuasion; needed encouragement |
| indecipherable | impossible to determine the meaning of; not easily deciphered |
| indict | accuse formally of a crime |
| indignant | angered at something unjust or wrong |
| indiscretion | a petty misdeed; the trait of being injudicious |
| indiscriminate | not marked by fine distinctions; failing to make or recognize distinctions |
| indispensable | unavoidable; not to be dispensed with; essential; absolutely necessary; vitally necessary |
| inducement | act of bringing about a desired result; a positive motivational influence |
| inductive | inducing or influencing; leading on; of reasoning; proceeding from particular facts to a general conclusion; arising from inductance |
| ineluctable | impossible to avoid or evade, inescapable conclusion |
| inept | revealing lack of perceptiveness or judgment or finesse; generally incompetent and ineffectual; not elegant or graceful in expression |
| inertia | (physics) the tendency of a body to maintain is state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force; a disposition to remain inactive or inert |
| inevitable | incapable of being avoided or prevented; invariably occurring or appearing; noun an unavoidable event |
| inexhaustible | (of an amount or supply of something) unable to be used up because existing in abundance. |
| infelicity | inappropriate and unpleasing manner or style (especially manner or style of expression) |
| ingenuity | the property of being ingenious; the power of creative imagination |
| insidious | working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way; intended to entrap; beguiling but harmful |
| instigate | serve as the inciting cause of; provoke or stir up |
| institutionalize | cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution |
| insular | narrowly restricted in outlook or scope; suggestive of the isolated life of an island; relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island |
| insurmountable | not capable of being surmounted or overcome; impossible to surmount |
| integrity | moral soundness; an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting |
| intercept | the point at which a line intersects a coordinate axis; verb seize on its way; tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information |
| internalize | incorporate within oneself; make subjective or personal |
| inviting | attractive and tempting |
| irreconcilable | impossible to reconcile |
| laconic | brief and to the point; effectively cut short |
| lambast | censure severely or angrily; beat with a cane |
| lassitude | weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy; a feeling of lack of interest or energy; a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness) |
| leeway | (of a ship or plane) sideways drift; a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits |
| lethargy | a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness); inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy; weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy |
| liberate | grant freedom to; grant freedom to; free from confinement; give equal rights to; of women and minorities |
| lofty | of imposing height; especially standing out above others; having or displaying great dignity or nobility; of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style |
| ludicrous | broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce; incongruous; inviting ridicule |
| luminary | a celebrity who is an inspiration to others |
| malady | any unwholesome or desperate condition; impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism |
| manifest | clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment; noun a customs document listing the contents put on a ship or plane; verb reveal its presence or make an appearance; record in a ship's manifest; provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes |
| marketable | capable of being marketed; being in demand by especially employers; fit to be offered for sale |
| martinet | someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms |
| maunder | wander aimlessly; speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly; talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice |
| megalomaniac | a pathological egotist |
| mellow | having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience; having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience; having a full and pleasing flavor through proper aging; slightly and pleasantly intoxicated from alcohol or a drug (especially marijuana); unhurried and relaxed; adv. (obsolete) in a mellow manner; verb make or grow (more) mellow; become more relaxed, easygoing, or genial; soften, make mellow |
| mendacity | the tendency to be untruthful |
| meretricious | like or relating to a prostitute; based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; tastelessly showy |
| misconstrue | interpret in the wrong way |
| mollify | make less rigid or softer; make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of |
| momentary | lasting for a markedly brief time |
| monologue | a (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor; a long utterance by one person (especially one that prevents others from participating in the conversation); speech you make to yourself |
| multitudinous | too numerous to be counted |
| munificent | very generous |
| myriad | too numerous to be counted; noun a large indefinite number |
| mystification | the activity of obscuring people's understanding, leaving them baffled or bewildered; something designed to mystify or bewilder; confusion resulting from failure to understand |
| necessitate | require as useful, just, or proper; cause to be a concomitant |
| noninterventionist | a supporter of the principle of not becoming involved in the affairs of other countries. |
| novelty | originality by virtue of being new and surprising; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing; a small inexpensive mass produced article; originality by virtue of being refreshingly novel |
| obeisance | the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person; bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame |
| obfuscate | make obscure or unclear |
| objectivity | judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices |
| oblige | bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; provide a service or favor for someone; force or compel somebody to do something |
| oblivious | (followed by `to' or `of') lacking conscious awareness of; failing to keep in mind |
| occlude | block passage through |
| onerous | not easily borne; wearing |
| opaque | not clear; not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; not clearly understood or expressed |
| open-ended | allowing for future changes or revisions; allowing for a spontaneous response; without fixed limits or restrictions |
| ornamental | serving an esthetic rather than a useful purpose; noun any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value |
| outdated | old; no longer in use or valid or fashionable |
| overreaching | revealing excessive self confidence; reaching for the heights |
| overuse | exploitation to the point of diminishing returns; verb make use of too often or too extensively |
| overwhelm | charge someone with too many tasks; overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli; overcome by superior force; cover completely or make imperceptible |
| painstaking | characterized by extreme care and great effort |
| palliate | provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of |
| paltry | contemptibly small in amount; not worth considering |
| paradigm | the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time; systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word; a standard or typical example; the class of all items that can be substituted into the same position (or slot) in a grammatical sentence (are in paradigmatic relation with one another) |
| paradox | (logic) a statement that contradicts itself |
| passivity | the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative; submission to others or to outside influences |
| patronizing | (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension |
| paucity | an insufficient quantity or number |
| perceptive | having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment; of or relating to perception |
| perplex | be a mystery or bewildering to; make more complicated |
| persuasive | capable of convincing; tending or intended or having the power to induce action or belief |
| pertinent | having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand; being of striking appropriateness and pertinence |
| pervasive | spreading or spread throughout |
| phony | fraudulent; having a misleading appearance; noun a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives |
| platitude | a trite or obvious remark |
| plausible | apparently reasonable and valid, and truthful; given to or characterized by presenting specious arguments |
| polarize | become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation; cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions; cause to vibrate in a definite pattern |
| populous | densely populated |
| portentous | of momentous or ominous significance; puffed up with vanity; ominously prophetic |
| posed | arranged for pictorial purposes |
| posturing | adopting a vain conceited posture |
| potent | having a strong physiological or chemical effect; (of a male) capable of copulation; having or wielding force or authority; having great influence |
| precipitate | done with very great haste and without due deliberation; noun a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering; verb separate as a fine suspension of solid particles; hurl or throw violently; bring about abruptly; fall vertically, sharply, or headlong; fall from clouds |
| preclude | make impossible, especially beforehand; keep from happening or arising; make impossible |
| predilection | a predisposition in favor of something; a strong liking |
| prefigure | imagine or consider beforehand; indicate by signs |
| prescribe | issue commands or orders for |
| presuppose | require as a necessary antecedent or precondition; take for granted or as a given; suppose beforehand |
| preternatural | surpassing the ordinary or normal; existing outside of or not in accordance with nature |
| primed | (usually followed by `to' or `for') on the point of or strongly disposed |
| profundity | intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge; keen insight; etc; the quality of being physically deep; the intellectual ability to penetrate deeply into ideas; wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound |
| prognosis | a prediction of the course of a disease; a prediction about how something (as the weather) will develop |
| prolific | bearing in abundance especially offspring; intellectually productive |
| propitiate | make peace with |
| proportionate | being in due proportion; agreeing in amount, magnitude, or degree; exhibiting equivalence or correspondence among constituents of an entity or between different entities |
| protract | lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer |
| quantifiable | capable of being quantified |
| quiescence | quiet and inactive restfulness; a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction |
| radical | especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root like stem; arising from or going to the root; of or relating to or constituting a linguistic root; (used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm; markedly new or introducing radical change; noun a sign placed in front of an expression to denote that a root is to be extracted; a character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogram; a person who has radical ideas or opinions; (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed; (chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule; an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule than has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule |
| raillery | light teasing repartee |
| rampant | (of a plant) having a lush and unchecked growth; unrestrained and violent |
| rapprochement | the reestablishing of cordial relations |
| recapitulate | summarize briefly; repeat stages of evolutionary development during the embryonic phase of life; repeat an earlier theme of a composition |
| recipe | directions for making something |
| recklessness | the trait of giving little thought to danger |
| reconcile | come to terms; bring into consonance or accord; make compatible with; accept as inevitable |
| rehabilitate | help to readapt, as to a former state of health or good repute; restore to a state of good condition or operation; reinstall politically |
| reinterpret | assign a new or different meaning to; interpret from a different viewpoint |
| reinvent | create anew and make over; bring back into existence |
| relentless | never ceasing; not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty |
| resent | feel bitter or indignant about; wish ill or allow unwillingly |
| resilience | the physical property of a material that can return to its original shape or position after deformation that does not exceed its elastic limit; an occurrence of rebounding or springing back |
| resolution | finding a solution to a problem; a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner; analysis into clear cut components; a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote; (music) a dissonant chord is followed by a consonant chord; the subsidence of swelling or other signs of inflammation (especially in a lung); (computer science) the number of pixels per square inch on a computer generated display; the greater the resolution, the better the picture; the trait of being resolute; something settled or resolved; the outcome of decision making; a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem; the ability of a microscope or telescope to measure the angular separation of images that are close together |
| resolve | the trait of being resolute; a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote; verb find the solution; make clearly visible; cause to go into a solution; understand the meaning of; bring to an end; settle conclusively; reach a decision; reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation |
| resonate | be received or understood; sound with resonance |
| restless | worried and uneasy; ceaselessly in motion; unable to relax or be still; not affording rest |
| reticent | reluctant to draw attention to yourself; temperamentally disinclined to talk; cool and formal in manner |
| retrench | make a reduction, as in one's workforce; tighten one's belt; use resources carefully |
| risible | arousing or provoking laughter |
| ritual | of or relating to or employed in social rites or rituals; of or relating to or characteristic of religious rituals; noun stereotyped behavior; any customary observance or practice; the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies |
| rudimentary | being in the earliest stages of development; not fully developed in mature animals; being or involving basic facts or principles |
| sacrosanct | must be kept sacred |
| secondhand | previously used or owned by another; derived from what is primary or original; not firsthand; adv. by indirect means |
| seductive | tending to entice into a desired action or state |
| sedulous | marked by care and persistent effort |
| self-evident | evident without proof or argument |
| self-indulgence | excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence; an inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires |
| self-serving | interested only in yourself |
| sensational | causing intense interest, curiosity, or emotion; relating to or concerned in sensation; commanding attention |
| serve | (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play; verb put the ball into play; do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function; provide (usually but not necessarily food); help to some food; help with food or drink; mate with; deliver a warrant or summons to someone; do military service; work for or be a servant to; devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, |
| institutions, or ideas; contribute or conduce to; promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to; serve a purpose, role, or function; spend time in prison or in a labor camp; be used by; as of a utility; be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity | |
| severe | very bad in degree or extent; unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; severely simple; very strong or vigorous |
| shallowness | the quality of lacking physical depth; lack of depth of knowledge or thought or feeling |
| shortsightedness | a lack of prudence and care by someone in the management of resources; (ophthalmology) eyesight abnormality resulting from the eye's faulty refractive ability; distant objects appear blurred |
| showcase | a setting in which something can be displayed to best effect; a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home |
| showy | displaying brilliance and virtuosity; marked by ostentation but often tasteless; (used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display |
| sift | separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; move as if through a sieve; distinguish and separate out; check and sort carefully |
| simpleminded. | having or showing very little intelligence or judgment. |
| simpleton | a person lacking intelligence or common sense |
| simultaneity | happening or existing or done at the same time |
| singular | being a single and separate person or thing; grammatical number category referring to a single item or unit; composed of one member, set, or kind; the single one of its kind; beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; unusual or striking; noun the form of a word that is used to denote a singleton |
| slavishly | in a slavish manner |
| sloth | apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins); any of several slow moving arboreal mammals of South America and Central America; they hang from branches back downward and feed on leaves and fruits; a disinclination to work or exert yourself |
| sober | not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol); lacking brightness or color; dull; dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises; completely lacking in playfulness; verb cause to become sober; become sober after excessive alcohol consumption; become more realistic |
| sobriety | abstaining from excess; moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs; a manner that is serious and solemn; the state of being sober and not intoxicated by alcohol |
| solicitous | showing hovering attentiveness; full of anxiety and concern |
| sophist | any of a group of Greek philosophers and teachers in the 5th century BC who speculated on a wide range of subjects; someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious |
| soundness | a state or condition free from damage or decay; the muscle tone of healthy tissue; the quality of being prudent and sensible |
| sovereignty | the authority of a state to govern another state; government free from external control; royal authority; the dominion of a monarch |
| speculative | showing curiosity; not based on fact or investigation; not financially safe or secure |
| spurned | rebuffed (by a lover) without warning |
| staid | characterized by dignity and propriety |
| starvation | the act of depriving of food or subjecting to famine; a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period |
| strategic | highly important to or an integral part of a strategy or plan of action especially in war; relating to or concerned with strategy |
| stringent | demanding strict attention to rules and procedures |
| subdued | quieted and brought under control; lacking in light; not bright or harsh; not brilliant or glaring; in a softened tone; restrained in style or quality |
| subjective | taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias; of a mental act performed entirely within the mind |
| subordinate | lower in rank or importance; subject or submissive to authority or the control of another; (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence; inferior in rank or status; noun an assistant subject to the authority or control of another; a word that is more specific than a given word; verb make subordinate, dependent, or subservient; rank or order as less important or consider of less value |
| substantive | defining rights and duties as opposed to giving the rules by which rights and duties are established; having a firm basis in reality and being therefore important, meaningful, or considerable; substantial equivalents; being on topic and prompting thought; noun a noun or a pronoun that is used in place of a noun |
| subsume | consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle; contain or include |
| superficiality | lack of depth of knowledge or thought or feeling; shallowness in terms of affecting only surface layers of something |
| supplant | take the place or move into the position of |
| suppress | to put down by force or authority; put out of one's consciousness; keep under control; keep in check; control and refrain from showing; of emotions; come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority |
| surfeit | the state of being more than full; eating until excessively full; the quality of being so overabundant that prices fall; verb indulge (one's appetite) to satiety; supply or feed to surfeit |
| surpass | be or do something to a greater degree; pass by; go beyond; distinguish oneself |
| sustained | maintained at length without interruption or weakening; (of an electric arc) continuous |
| sway | controlling influence; pitching dangerously to one side; verb move back and forth or sideways; cause to move back and forth; move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner; win approval or support for |
| tailored | severely simple in line or design; of clothing |
| tangent | ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right angled triangle; a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point |
| tantamount | being essentially equal to something |
| temerarious | presumptuously daring |
| temper | a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger; the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking; a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling; a sudden outburst of anger; verb make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate; adjust the pitch (of pianos); harden by reheating and cooling in oil; restrain or temper; toughen (steel or glass) by a process of gradually heating and cooling |
| tempestuous | (of the elements) as if showing violent anger; characterized by violent emotions or behavior |
| tempting | very pleasantly inviting; highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire |
| tenacity | persistent determination |
| tentative | under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon; unsettled in mind or opinion |
| terrific | causing extreme terror; very great or intense; extraordinarily good; used especially as intensifiers |
| testable | able to be tested or tried. |
| testimony | something that serves as evidence; an assertion offering firsthand authentication of a fact; a solemn statement made under oath |
| thoroughgoing | very thorough; exhaustively complete; without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers |
| thrilled | feeling intense pleasurable excitement |
| thrive | gain in wealth; grow stronger |
| thwarted | disappointingly unsuccessful |
| token | insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal); noun a metal or plastic disk that can be used (as a substitute for coins) in slot machines; an individual instance of a type of symbol; something of sentimental value |
| toll | a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance); value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something; the sound of a bell being struck; verb ring slowly; charge a fee for using |
| torpid | slow and apathetic; in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation |
| tortuous | not straightforward; marked by repeated turns and bends; highly complex or intricate |
| tractable | easily managed (controlled or taught or molded); readily reacting to suggestions and influences |
| transparency | the quality of being clear and transparent; permitting the free passage of electromagnetic radiation; picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector |
| triumph | the exultation of victory; a successful ending of a struggle or contest; verb to express great joy; dwell on with satisfaction; prove superior; be ecstatic with joy |
| truculent | defiantly aggressive |
| turgid | abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas; ostentatiously lofty in style |
| tyrannical | characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty; marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior; of or relating to or associated with or resembling a dictatorship |
| unadorned | not decorated with something to increase its beauty or distinction |
| unaffected | undergoing no change when acted upon; free of artificiality; sincere and genuine; emotionally unmoved; unaware of or indifferent to |
| unappealing | not able to attract favorable attention; (of characters in literature or drama) tending to evoke antipathetic feelings |
| unappreciated | having value that is not acknowledged; not likely to be rewarded |
| unattainable | impossible to achieve |
| uncharacteristically | in uncharacteristic manner |
| uncontroversial | not likely to arouse controversy; not offensive |
| uncritical | not critical; not tending to find or call attention to errors; marked by disregard for critical standards or procedures |
| undercut | a cut made underneath to remove material; a notch cut in the trunk of tree in order to determine the direction of its fall; the material removed by a cut made underneath; (sports) a stroke that puts reverse spin on the ball; the tender meat of the loin muscle on each side of the vertebral column; verb cut obliquely into (a tree) below the main cut and on the side toward which the tree will fall; strike (the ball) in golf, tennis, or hockey obliquely downward so as to give a backspin or elevation to the shot; cut away the underpart of; cut away material from the underside of (an object) so as to leave an overhanging portion in relief; sell cheaper than one's competition |
| underlying | located beneath or below; in the nature of something though not readily apparent; being or involving basic facts or principles |
| underreport. | fail to report (something) fully. |
| undertake | promise to do or accomplish; enter upon an activity or enterprise; accept as a charge; accept as a challenge; enter into a contractual arrangement |
| undetectable | not easily seen; barely able to be perceived |
| undiminished | not lessened or diminished |
| undisturbed | peaceful without disturbance; untroubled by interference or disturbance |
| unexampled | having no previous example or precedent or parallel |
| unexceptionable | completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach |
| unexceptional | not special in any way |
| unfathomable | impossible to come to understand; of depth; not capable of being sounded or measured; so deep as to be unmeasurable |
| unformed | not yet fully formed; not formed or organized; not having form or shape; lacking in development |
| unfounded | without a basis in reason or fact |
| uninformed | not informed; lacking in knowledge or information |
| unobjectionable | not objectionable; (of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers; not causing disapproval |
| unorthodox | breaking with convention or tradition; independent in behavior or thought |
| unprincipled | having little or no integrity; lacking principles or moral scruples |
| unquantifiable. | impossible to express or measure in terms of quantity. |
| unravel | become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of; become undone; disentangle |
| unresolved | characterized by musical dissonance; harmonically unresolved; not brought to a conclusion; subject to further thought; not solved |
| unrestrained | not subject to restraint; richly and brilliantly colorful; marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion |
| unsettle | disturb the composure of |
| unverifiable | (of e.g. evidence) not objective or easily verified |
| unwittingly | without knowledge or intention |
| utilitarian | having a useful function; having utility often to the exclusion of values; noun someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility |
| vacuity | total lack of meaning or ideas; a region that is devoid of matter; the absence of matter |
| valedictory | of a speech expressing leave taking; of or relating to an occasion or expression of farewell; noun a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class) |
| valor | the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle) |
| venerable | impressive by reason of age; profoundly honored |
| vexation | the act of troubling or annoying someone; something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness; anger produced by some annoying irritation; the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed |
| vigorous | characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity; strong and active physically or mentally |
| vilify | spread negative information about |
| virtue | the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong; a particular moral excellence; morality with respect to sexual relations; any admirable quality or attribute |
| virtuosity | technical skill or fluency or style exhibited by a virtuoso |
| vocal | full of the sound of voices; having or using the power to produce speech or sound; relating to or designed for or using the singing voice; given to expressing yourself freely or insistently; noun a short musical composition with words; music intended to be performed by one or more singers, usually with instrumental accompaniment |
| volatility | the trait of being unpredictably irresolute; the property of changing readily from a solid or liquid to a vapor; being easily excited |
| waggish | witty or joking |
| waning | (of the moon) pertaining to the period during which the visible surface of the moon decreases; noun a gradual decrease in magnitude or extent |
| warranted | secured by written agreement |
| wearisome | so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness |
| weary | physically and mentally fatigued; verb exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress; get tired of something or somebody |
| whimsical | determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason |
| wistful | showing pensive sadness |
| yield | an amount of a product; production of a certain amount; the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property; the quantity of something (as a commodity) that is created (usually within a given period of time); verb consent reluctantly; cease opposition; stop fighting; bring in; be the cause or source of; give in, as to influence or pressure; end resistance, as under pressure or force; be willing to concede; be flexible under stress of physical force; give or supply; cause to happen or be responsible for; move in order to make room for someone for something; give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another; be fatally overwhelmed |
| zeal | excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end; prompt willingness; a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause) |
To compile these lists, I have used all the official GRE preparation material, including their official questions, practice tests, past papers, and any free/paid material that ETS shares publicly. I have not used, or copied words from other word lists like Manhattan’s, Magoosh’s, Barron’s, etc.
If you can memorize and retain 80% of these words, you should be all good for the exam day. But make sure that 80% of the words are at your fingertips. You should be able to recall them in a split second.
How Is Vocabulary Tested on the GRE?
The GRE underwent a complete overhaul in 2011, and since then, Vocabulary has become a far less important part of the test. For example, when I took my GRE in 2007, I had to learn over 3500 words, but since 2011, GRE has emphasized far fewer words. The new GRE focuses on just 600 or so words.
All GRE words are tested as options in the text completion and sentence equivalence questions. The words sometimes show up as Vocabulary in the reading passages as well. However, the chances of that are low.
Contextual usage of words is equally important as knowing their literal meanings. A lot of times, you would find a literal meaning slightly different than its usage. For example, the word inaccessible means “unable to be reached.” But on the GRE, it is commonly used to denote something that is ‘difficult to understand.’
Another word is insurmountable, which means “too great to overcome.” Again, this word is contextually used to represent something that is ‘hard to grasp/understand.’
This makes vocab particularly hard since you can get stuck if you know the literal meanings of the words but don’t know their usage.
What Do GRE Vocabulary Questions Look Like?
Purely vocabulary-based questions make up 10 out of the 20 questions in the verbal section. Out of those, four questions are sentence equivalence, which asks you to choose two words that are similar in meaning/usage. Another six questions are text completions, which require you to choose one vocabulary word for each blank in a given sentence(s).
For these ten questions, you’ll need to know the literal meanings and the usage of the words given in the options.
Moreover, GRE has this habit of tricking students with completely unknown words that are not covered in the 600-word list or any other word list. GRE does that deliberately since they want you to use the process of elimination to arrive at the correct word.
Should you use these words on the GRE Essay Writing?
There are two essays that you need to write on the GRE. Each essay is around 600-650 words, and many students wonder if it is essential to use these words in the essays.
The answer is: You won’t get any additional points for using these words. Nor will any points be deducted for not using these words.
The GRE essay only focuses on your topic analysis and your knowledge of grammar, transitions, and tense.
How to Properly Learn GRE Words
Now that you’ve got the 600 words that will most likely show up on the exam day, what’s the best way to learn them? Here I will share a few tips to help you memorize these words.
Make your Flashcards and learn 15-20 words per day.
I strongly recommend making your flashcards since students tend to learn a lot of the words while they put effort into creating their flashcards.
Flashcards are a time-tested way to learn anything that involves rote learning. They help you force your mind to recall the meaning of the words without directly looking at the meanings.
Moreover, the best way to use flashcards is to make your own.
Every day you should make 15-20 flashcards of random words and try to learn them.
Once you’ve made your flashcards, divide them into two groups. Group 1 and Group 2.
For the words you know in the first attempt, put them in group 1. For the words you don’t know, put them in group 2.
The next day, you must revise the words from group 2 before creating new flashcards. If you can recall these words, move them to group 1; else, they stay in group 2. After revisions, create your new set of 15-20 flashcards.
Repeat this process of daily picking up words from group 2 and going through each card.
After every week, revise all the words from group 1 as well. If you can’t recall a word from group 1, move it to group 2.
In summary, you must revise all the words in group 2 daily. For the words in group 1, you must revise them once every week.
If you’re a digital nomad, use a flashcard app like Anki. It is free, and you can use it to make your flashcards. Also, the Anki software will automatically create the groups I discussed above; you don’t need to worry about it. It uses a machine learning algorithm that deploys spaced repetition to show you difficult cards more often than you know.
Another helpful tip for learning GRE words is to put your vocabulary knowledge to the test by attempting actual GRE questions. This will allow you to understand the subtle variations in the contextual usage of these words and to see whether you truly know the meanings of the words.
Many students focus too much on learning words and not applying what they have learned. There is an adage: practice makes perfect. This applied to GRE vocabulary as well.
While practicing, if you forgot the meaning of a word, go back over the GRE vocab flashcards you made and put that word in group 2 so that you can practice that word regularly.
Conclusion
Overall, Vocabulary plays a massive role in the GRE. That said, you can still get a good score by focusing on reading comprehension and skipping Vocabulary.
The best way to learn GRE vocabulary is to make flashcards and use the grouping method. This ensures you focus on words you don’t know instead of aimlessly learning words.
Never learn words in alphabetical order – always mix them up. Moreover, make a daily routine of learning no more than 15-20 words daily. You should learn new words five days a week and take a rest for two days. Otherwise, you will soon burn out.
You can either make a paper flashcard or go for digital flashcards. It entirely depends on your preference.
In the end, make sure that you test yourself on what you’ve learned by doing actual GRE vocabulary-based questions. All the 600 words in the list above come from official GRE questions, so you’re guaranteed to see them on the exam day.