GRE Word list

abate

to lessen to subside

relationship

abdication

giving up control authority

aggravate

make worse irritate

aberration

straying away from what is

normal

agile

active quick-moving

abet

help/encourage smb (in

doing wrong)

agog

eager/excited

ail

trouble be ill

abeyance

suspended action

alacrity

abhor

to hate to detest

eager and cheerful

readiness

abide

be faithful to endure

alcove

recess/partially enclosed
place

abjure

promise or swear to give

up

ale

abraded

rubbed off worn away by

friction

fermented alcoholic
beverage similar to but
heavier than beer

aleck

abrogate

repeal or annul by
authority

one who considers himself

smarter than others

allegiance

duty support loyalty

abscond

to go away suddenly (to

avoid arrest)

alleviate

make (pain) easier to bear

abstruse

difficult to comprehend
obscure

alloy

to debase by mixing with

something inferior

abut

border on

aloof

reserved indifferent

abysmal

bottomless extreme

amalgamate

acarpous

effete no longer fertile

worn out

mix combine unite

societies

acclaimed

welcomed with shouts and

approval

accolade

praise approval

accretion

the growing of separate

things into one

accrue

accumulate

adamant

kind of stone inflexible

admonitory

containing warning

adorn

ambidextrou able to use the left hand or

s
the right equally well
ambiguous

doubtful uncertain

ambivalent

having both of two

contrary meanings

ambrosial

extremely pleasing to
taste

ameliorate

improve make better

amortize

end (a debt) by setting

aside money

add beauty decorate

anguish

severe suffering

adulteration

making unpure poorer in

quality

animosity

strong dislike

antidote

affable

polite and friendly

medicine used against a

poison or a disease

affinity

close connection

antithetical

direct opposing

GRE Word list

apartheid

brutal racial
discrimination

aspersion

slander

assail

with attack violently

aplomb

self-confidence

assiduous

apostate

one who abandons longheld religious or political

convictions

diligent hard-working
sedulous

assuage

make something (pain

desire) less

apotheosis

deification glorification to
godliness

asterisk

the mark * (e.g.. omitted

letters)

appease

make quiet or calm

astringent

substance that shrinks

apprehensiv
e

grasping understanding
fear unhappy feeling about
future

astute

clever quick at seeing to

get an advantage

apprise

give notice to inform

atonement

repayment death of Jesus

approbation

approval

attenuate

make thin. weaken

enervate

apropos

appropriate to the
situation apt

attune

bring into harmony

apt

well-suited quick-witted

audacious

daring foolishly bold

impudent

arabesque

a complex ornate design

augury

omen sign

arboreal

of connected with trees

august

majestic venerable

ardor

enthusiasm

auspicious

arduous

steep difficult ascent

laborious

favorable successful
prosperous

austere

severely moral and strict

simple and plain

argot

jargon slang

arrant

in the highest degree

auxiliary

helping supporting

arrogance

proud superior manner of

behaviour

aver

affirm assert prove justify

aversion

strong dislike

articulate

speak distinctly connect

by joints

avid

eager greedy

ascend

go or come up

avow

admit. Declare openly

ascertain

get to know

baleful

harmful ominous causing

evil

ascetic

practicing self-denial
austere stark

balk

obstacle purposely to get

on the way of

ascribe

consider to be the origin of

or belonging to

baneful

causing harm or ruin

pernicious destructive

aseptic

surgically clean

barrage

asperity

roughness harshness ill

temper irritability

artificial obstacle built

across a river

GRE Word list

barren

not good enough unable to

have young ones without
value

restraint
bolster

give greatly needed

support

boorish

crude offensive rude

brash

hasty rush cheeky saucy

brass

yellow metal (mixing

copper and zinc)

brazen

made of brass

breach

opening broken place

breaking

brittle

easily broken

broach

bring up announce begin

to talk about

brook

to tolerate endure

benevolence wish or activity in doing

good

buoyant

able to float light-hearted

burgeon

grow forth send out buds

benign

kind and gentle mild

(climate)

burnish

to polish rub to a shine

bequest

arrangement to give
something at death

cabal

a scheme or plot a group

of plotters

berate

scold sharply

cadge

to beg to get by begging

bereft

rob or dispossess of
something (material)

cajole

use flattery or deceit to

persuade

bewilder

puzzle confuse

calipers

bigot

stubborn narrow-minded
person

metal supports attached to

the legs measuring
instrument

calumny

slander aspersion

candid

frank straight-forward

cant

insincere talk/jargon

cantankerou
s

badtempered/quarrelsome

canvass

discuss thoroughly sort of

touting

castigate

to chastise correct by
punishing

castigation

severe punishment

catalyst

substance that causes

speeding up

bask

in enjoy warmth and light

beatify

to bless make happy or

ascribe a virtue to

bedizen

to adorn especially in a
cheap showy manner

belabor

beat hard

bellicose

belligerent pugnacious
warlike

belligerent

(person nation) waging

war

benefactor

bilge

person who has given

help

bulge the protuberance of

a cask

blandishmen flattery coaxing

t
blandness

polite manner comforting

uninteresting

blatant

noisy and rough

blithe

cheerful casual carefree

bogus

sham counterfeit not

genuine

boisterous

loud noisy rough lacking

GRE Word list

caustic

biting sarcastic

coeval

censure

expression of blame or
disapproval a rebuke

of the same period

coexisting

cogent

strong convincing

centurion

leader of a unit of 100

soldiers

cogitate

think deeply mediate

cognizant

being fully aware of

chary

cautious wary

cohort

a group or band of people

chastened

corrected punished

colander

bowl-shaped vessel with

many holes used to drain
off water

chastisement punishment
chauvinist

a blindly devoted patriot

chicanery

legal trickery/false
argument

collusion

secret agreement for a

deceitful purpose

chisel

steel tool for shaping

materials

combustion

process of burning

churl

bad-tempered person

commemorat keep the memory of

e

clamor

shout complain with a lot

of noise

commodious having plenty of space for

what is needed

clientele

customers

commuter

clinch

come to grips/settle
conclusively

person who travels

regularly

cling

to resist separation

complaisanc
e

tending to comply obliging

willingness to please

clot

half-solid lump formed

from liquid

cloture

closing device (in

Parliament) to end a
debate by voting

coagulation
coalescing
coax
coda
coddle
coerce

compunction feeling of regret for one's

action
conceal

hide keep secret

conceit

over-high opinion of too

much pride

change to a thick and solid

state

conciliatory

reconciling soothing
comforting mollifying

coming together and

uniting into one substance

concord

agreement or harmony

concur

get smb to do something

by kindness

agree in opinion happen

together

condense

passage that completes a

piece of music

increase in density
strength make laconic

Conduce

To bring about

condone

forgive

congeal

make or become stiff and

solid

conjoin

to join together

treat with care and

tenderness
compel to force to make
obedient

GRE Word list

connoisseur

a person with good

judgement (e.g.. in art)

countenance to favor or approve of

counterfeit

forgery

connotation

suggestion in addition to

countervail

counterbalance

covert

disguised

covetous

eagerly desirous

cower

crouch shrink back

coy

shy/modest (esp of a girl)

crass

very great (es. stupidity)

cravat

piece of linen worn as a

necktie

consequentia pompous self important

l
console

give comfort or sympathy

to

conspicuous

easily seen remarkable

consternatio surprise and fear dismay

n
constrain

compel

constrict

make tight or smaller

craven

cowardly

consume

get to the end of

crease

line made by crushing

white line on the ground in
cricket

credulity

too great a readiness to

believe things

credulous

ready to believe things

crush

press lose shape subdue

overwhelm

cryptic

secret with a hidden

meaning

consummate perfect/make
perfect/complete
contemn

to scorn or despise

contentious

argumentative pugnacious
combative quarrelsome

contiguous

touching neighboring near

contrite

filled with deep sorrow for

wrongdoing

contumaciou insubordinate rebellious

s

cumbersome burdensome heavy and

awkward to carry

conundrum

a riddle dilemma enigma

curmudgeon

bad-tempered person

conviction

convincing firm belief

curriculum

course of study

convoke

call together summon

cursory

quick hurried

convoluted

complicated coiled
twisted

curtail

make shorter then was

planned

cordial

warm and sincere

dainty

cordon

line (of police acting as a

guard)

pretty/delicate(food)/diffic
ult to please

daunt

intimidate make fearful

cornucopia

abundant supply

dawdler

corporeal

physical of or for the body

person who is slow waste

of time

correlate

have a mutual relation

dearth

shortage

corroboratio
n

additional strengthening
evidence

debacle

a breakup overthrow
sudden disaster

GRE Word list

decorum

propriety properness

desultory

aimless haphazard
digressing at random

decree

order given by authority

decry

disapprove of

deter

discourage hinder

defer

postpone give way (to

show respect)

detraction

slandering verbal attack

aspersion

deferential

showing respect

defiance

open disobedience or
resistance

detumescenc diminishing or lessening of

e
swelling

delineate

to portray depict sketch

out

deluge

great flood heavy rush of

water

demagogue
demur
denigrate

person appealing not to

reasons
to hesitate raise
objections
blacken belittle sully
defame

denouement an outcome or solution the

unraveling of a plot

deviance

being different in moral

standards (from normal)

dexterity

skill (esp. in handling)

diaphanous

transparent gauzy

diatribe

bitter and violent attack in

words

didactic

intended to instruct

diffidence

shyness

dilate

speak comprehensively
become wider large

disallow

refuse to allow or accept

as a correct

discern

see with an effort but

clearly

deplete

use until none remains

deposition

dethronement depositing

discomfit

confuse embarrass

deprave

make morally bad corrupt

disconcert

deprecate

protest against express

disapproval of

upset the self-possession

of

dereliction

deserting and leaving to

fall into ruins

discountenan refuse to approve of

ce
discourse

speech lecture

derision

ridicule mockery deriding

discredit

refuse to believe

derivative

unoriginal obtained from

another source

discreet

careful/prudent

discrete

individually distinct

derogatory

insulting tending to
damage

disdain

look on with contempt

descry

catch sight of see

something in the distance

disheveled

desiccant

substance used to absorb

moisture

disingenuous sophisticated artful trying

to deceive cunning

desuetude

cessation of use disuse

disinter

disencumber free from encumbrance

untidy

dig up from the earth

GRE Word list

dislodge

move force from the place

occupied

dulcet

melodious harmonious

dupe

cheat make a fool of

dismal

sad gloomy miserable

duplicity

deliberate deception

disparate

essentially different

duress

threats to compel smb

disproof

proof to the contrary

dwarf

dissemble

speak or behave so as to
hide something (in mind)

person or smb much below

the usual size

dynamo

a generator something
that produces electric
current

disseminate

distribute (esp. ideas)

dissent

have a different opinion

refuse to assent

earthenware dishes made of baked clay

dissolution

disintegration looseness in
morals

ebullience

exuberance outburst of
feeling

distraught

distracted violently upset

in mind

ebullient

divergence

getting farther apart from

a point

overflowing with
enthusiasm showing
excitement

ecumenical

taking off getting rid of

giving up

representing the whole

Christian world

edacious

voracious devouring

divestiture
divulge

make known something

secret

eddy

circular or spiral
movement (e.g.. of wind)

doggerel

trivial poorly constructed

verse

edible

fit to be eaten/not
poisonous

dogmatic

positive certain arbitrary

without room for
discussion

effete

infertile worn out weak

efficacy

production of a desired
result

dolt

stupid fellow

effluvia

dormant

in a state of inactivity but

awaiting development

outflow in a stream of
particles a noxious odor or
vapor

dote

show much fondness

center one's attention

effrontery

boldness impudence
arrogance

drawl

slow way of speaking

egress

way out exit

droll

jesting

elaborate

drone

male bee person who isn't

self-employed

worked out with much care

in great detail

elegy

a lament a melancholy
composition

drowsiness

feeling sleepy half asleep

dubious

feeling doubt

elicit

draw out

dud

no use person something

that fails

eloquence

fluent speaking skillful use

of language

GRE Word list

emaciate

make thin and weak

entreat

ask earnestly

embellish

make beautiful

enunciate

embezzle

use in a wrong way for

one's own benefit

pronounce (words)/express
a theory

enzyme

catalyst

emote

stir up excite

epicurean

empirical

relying on experiment

devoted to pleasure
(sensuous enjoyment)

encapsulate

enclose in capsule

epistle

letter

encomium

warm or glowing praise

eulogy panegyric

epithet

adjective

epitome

brief summary
representative example a
typical model

encumbrance burden things that get on

the way of
endearing

making dear or liked

equable

steady regular

endemic

epidemic

equanimity

calmness of temperament

epiphany

A Christian feast
celebrating the
manifestation of the divine
nature of Jesus to the
Gentiles as represented by
the Magi.

equilibrium

state of being balanced

equipoise

equal distribution of
weight equilibrium

equivocal

having a double or
doubtful meaning
suspicious

endorse

write one's name on the

back of

equivocate

try to deceive by equivocal

language

enduring

lasting

eradicate

enervate

weaken deprive of
strength attenuate

get rid of pull up by the

roots

erratic

irregular in behaviour or
opinion

engender

cause produce give rise to

engrave

impress deeply

erudite

learned scholarly

engrossing

taken up all the time or

attention writing in large
or formal

eschew

avoid

esoteric

abstruse intended only for

a small circle of

engulf

swallow up

espouse

enigma

something that is puzzling

marry give one's support

to

enmity

hatred being an enemy

eulogy

formal praise panegyric

ensign

flag/badge

euphoria

entangle

put into difficulties

elation state of pleasant

excitement

enthral

please greatly/enslave
(fig)

euthanasia

easy and painless death

evasive

tending to evade

tempt or persuade

evince

to show clearly to indicate

entice

GRE Word list

evoke

call up bring out

extrovert

cheerful person

excoriation

severe criticism

exuberance

exculpate

to clear from a charge of

guilt

state of growing vigorously

being full of life

facetious

humorous funny jocular

exhaustive

complete thorough

facile

easily done

exigency

emergency an urgent
situation

fagged

too tired, exhausted

fallacious

based on error

exoneration

set smb clear free (e.g..

from blame)

falter

waver/move in an
uncertain manner

exorbitant

much too high or great

fatuous

expatiate

to roam wander freely

without sense foolish selfsatisfaction

expedient

likely to be useful for a

purpose

fawn

young deer try to win

smb's favor

expiation

ending expiring

feckless

exploit

brilliant achievement
develop use selfishly

lacking purpose or vitality

ineffective careless

fecund

fertile

argue earnestly to
dissuade correct or
protest

feint

pretend

felicitous

apt suitably expressed well

chosen apropos

expurgate

to remove obscenity purify

censor

felon

person guilty of murder

exscind

to cut out cut away

ferment

substance become
excited

extant

still in existence

ferocity

savage cruelty

extempore

without previous thought

or preparation

ferret

discover by searching
search

extenuate

reduce the strength of

lessen seriousness
partially excuse

fervid

showing earnest feeling

fervor

warmth of feelings
earnestness

fetid

stinking

fetter

to shackle put in chains

expostulate

extinct

no longer active

extinguish

end the existence of/wipe

or put out

extirpate

to destroy exterminate cut

out exscind

feud

bitter quarrel over a long

period of time

extol

praise highly

fidelity

loyalty accuracy

extort

obtain by threats violence

fidget

extralegal

outside the law

move restlessly make

nervous

extricable

that can be freed

figurehead

carved image on the prow

of a ship

GRE Word list

finesse

delicate way of dealing

with a situation

forbear

refrain from be patient

ancestor

finical

too fussy about food

clothing etc.

forbearance

patience willingness to
wait

finicky

finical

ford

fission

splitting or division (esp. of

cells)

shallow place in a river (to

cross)

forestall

prevent by taking action in

advance preempt

forfeit

suffer the loss of

something

forge

workshop for the shaping

of metal to shape metal
lead

forgery

counterfeit

forswear

number of ships quickmoving

renounce disallow
repudiate

foster

nurture care for

flinch

draw move back wince

fracas

noisy quarrel

flop

fail/move/fall clumsily

fragile

florid

very much ornamented

naturally red (e.g.. of
face)

easily injured broken or

destroyed

fragrant

sweet-smelling

frantic

wildly excited with joy pain

anxiety

frenetic

frantic frenzied

fixate

stare at

flak

criticism/anti-aircraft guns

flamboyant

brightly colored florid

flaunting

show off complacently

flax

pale yellow (hair) a plant

fledged

able to fly trained

experienced

fleet

flout

reject mock to go against

(as in going against
tradition)

fluke

lucky stroke

fret

worry irritation wear away

fluster

make nervous or confused

fringe

foible

defect of character (a
person is wrongly proud)

edge ornamental border

part of hair over the
forehead

foil

prevent from carrying out

contrast

froward

intractable not willing to

yield or comply stubborn

foment

put something warm (to

lessen the pain)

frugal

careful economical

fulmination

bitter protest

foolproof

incapable of failure or
error

fulsome

disgusting offensive due to

excessiveness

foppish

like a man who pays too

much attention to his
clothes

gainsay

to deny to oppose

garble

make unfair selection from

facts

forage

food for horses and cattle

GRE Word list

garner

to gather and save to store

up

grovel

crawl humble oneself

guile

deceit cunning

garrulity

talkativeness

gullible

easily gulled

garrulous

too talkative

gush

gaucherie

socially awkward tactless

behavior

burst out suddenly/talk

ardently

gust

germane

relevant pertinent to

outburst of feeling sudden

rain wind fire etc.

gist

the point general sense

hack

cut roughly hired horse

glean

gather facts in small

quantities

halcyon

calm and peaceful

hallow

to make holy consecrate

harangue

a long passionate speech

harbinger

something or smb that

foretells the coming of

glib

ready and smooth but not

sincere

glimmer

weak/unsteady light

gloat

over look at with selfish

delight

harrow

to distress create stress or

torment

glut

supply to much fill to

excess

haughty

arrogant conceited

gnaw

waste away bite steadily

heed

attention/give notice to

goad

something urging a person

to action

heinous

odious (of crime)

heresy

gorge

eat greedily/narrow
opening with a stream

belief contrary to what is

generally accepted

hermetic

sealed by fusion

gossamer

soft light delicate material

gouge

tool for cutting grooves in

wood

heterogeneo made up of different kinds

us

gourmand

a person who is devoted to

eating and drinking to
excess

hew

make by hard work cut (by

striking)

highbrow

(person) with superior

tastes

hirsute

hairy shaggy

hoax

serious requiring
consideration

mischievous trick played

on smb for a joke

hoi

touch or scrape lightly in

passing

polloi the masses the

rabble

hollow

not soled with hole

holster

leather case for a pistol

homiletics

act of preaching

grandiloquen using pompous words

t
grave
graze
gregarious

living in societies liking the

company

grievous

causing grief or pain

serious dire grave

GRE Word list

hone

stone used for sharpening

tools

imperious

hoodwink

trick mislead

impermeable that cannot be permeated

hospitable

liking to give hospitality

hubris

arrogant pride

imperturbabl calm not capable of being

e
excited

hush

make or become silent

impervious

husk

worthless outside part of

anything

not allowing to pass

through (of materials)

hypocrisy

falsely making oneself

appear to be good

imperviousn
ess

haughty arrogant
commanding

impetuous

iconoclast

person who attacks

popular beliefs

having sudden energy

impulsive thrusting ahead
forceful

idiosyncrasy

personal mannerism

impiety

lack of reverence or
dutifulness

idolatry

excessive admiration of

implacable

idyll

a carefree episode or
experience

incapable of being
placated unpleasable

implicate

dishonorable common
undignified

show that smb has a

share

implicit

ignominious

shameful dishonorable
undignified disgraceful

implied though not plainly

expressed

implosion

collapse bursting inward

illicit

unlawful forbidden

importune

imbroglio

complicated and
embarrassing situation

beg urgently solicit (of a

prostitute)

imprecation

immaculate

pure faultless

an invocation of evil a
curse

imminent

likely to come or happen

soon

impromptu

without preparation

impudent

rash indiscreet

immutable

that cannot be changed

impugned

challenged to be doubted

impair

worsen diminish in value

impute

impassive

unmoved feeling no sign of

passion

to attribute to a cause or
source ascribe

inadvertent

not paying proper

attention

ignoble

impecunious having little or no money

commanding haughty
arrogant

impede

hinder get in the way of

inane

silly senseless

impediment

something that hinders

(e.g. stammer)

inasmuch

since because

incense

make angry

impending

imminent being about to

happen expected

incessant

often repeated continual

imperative

urgent essential

inchoate

not yet fully formed

rudimentary elementary

GRE Word list

incipient

beginning

ingenuous

naive young artless frank

honest sincere

incise

engrave make a cut in

incite

stir up rouse

ingest

take in by swallowing

inclined

directing the mind in a

certain direction

inimical

harmful or friendly

inimitable

defying imitation
unmatchable

innocuous

causing no harm

incorrigibility cannot be cured or

corrected

inscrutable

incapable of being
discovered or understood

incredulous

skeptical unwilling to
believe

insensible

unconscious unresponsive
unaffected

inculcate

fix firmly by repetition

insinuate

incumbents

official duties

incursion

a raid a sudden attack

suggest unpleasantly
make a way for something
gently

insipid

without taste or flavor

insouciant

unconcerned carefree

insularity

narrow-mindedness
isolated

insurrection

rising of people to open

resistance to

interdict

prohibit forbid

interim

as an installment

intersperse

place here and there

intransigenc
e

unwillingness to
compromise stubbornness
intractability

intransigent

uncompromising

intrepid

fearless brave undaunted

incongruous

out of place not in

harmony or agreement

indefatigabili not easily exhaustible

ty
tirelessness
indelible

that cannot be rubbed out

indigence

poverty

indigenous

native

indistinct

not easily heard seen

clearly marked

indolence

laziness

indomitable

not easily discouraged or

subdued

indulge

gratify give way to satisfy

allow oneself

indulgent

inclined to indulge

ineffable

to great to be described in
words

ineluctable

certain inevitable

inept

unskillful said or done at

the wrong time

ineptitude

introspection examining one's own

thoughts and feelings
inundate

flood cover by overflowing

inured

accustomed to adapted

quality of being unskillful

invective

abusive language curses

inferno

hell

inveigh

infuriate

fill with fury or rage

to attack verbally
denounce deprecate

infuse

put pour fill

inveterate

deep-rooted. longestablished

GRE Word list

invincible

too strong to be defeated

libertine

immoral person

involute

complex

lien

irascible

irritable easily angered

legal claim until a debt on

it is repaid

irate

angry

limn

paint portray

ire

anger

limp

irksome

tiresome

lacking strength walking

unevenly

irresolute

hesitating undecided

lionize

treat as a famous person

irrevocable

final and unalterable

lithe

bending twisting

itinerate

to travel from place to

place to peregrinate

loll

rest to sit or stand in a

lazy way hang (dog's
tongue)

jabber

talk excitedly utter rapidly

lope

jagged

notched, rough

move along with long

strides

jibe

gibe make fun of

loquacious

talkative garrulous

jocular

meant as a joke

lucubrate

write in scholarly fashion

judicious

sound in judgment wise

luculent

knit

draw together unite firmly

easily understood lucid

clear

labyrinthine

to entangle the state of

affairs

lugubrious

mournful excessively sad

lull

become quiet or less

active

lumber

move in a clumsy/noisy
way

luminary

star light-giving body

lurk

be out of view ready to

attack

lustrous

being bright polished

macabre

gruesome suggesting
death

lachrymose

causing tears tearful

lackluster

(of eyes) dull

lament

show feel great sorrow

lassitude

weariness tiredness

latent

present but not yet active

developed or visible

laudatory

expressing or giving
praise

lavish

giving or producing freely

liberally or generously

macerate

legacy

something handed down

from ancestors

make or become soft by

soaking in water

machination

plot scheme (esp. evil)

levee

formal
reception/embankment

maladroit

tactless clumsy

levity

lack of seriousness

libel

statement that damages

reputation

liberality

free giving generosity

malapropism misuse of a word (for one

that resembles it)
malevolence

wishing to do evil

malign

injurious speak ill of smb

tell lie

GRE Word list

malinger

to fake illness or injury in

order to shirk a duty

misogynist

one who hates

women/females

malleable

yielding easily shaped

moldable adapting

mite

Avery small amount,

portion, or particle

manacle

chains for the hands or

feet

moderation

quality of being limited not

extreme

massacre

cruel killing of a large

number of people

mollify

make calmer or quieter

molt

moult lose hair feathers

before new growing

matriculation be admitted enter a

university as a student

morbid

sentimental in a silly or
tearful way

diseased unhealthy (e.g..

about ideas)

morose

ill-tempered unsocial

maul

hurt by rough handling

muffler

maverick

rebel nonconformist

cloth worn round the

neck/silencer

mellifluous

sweetly flowing

multifarious

mendacity

dishonesty

varied motley greatly

diversified

mendicant

a beggar

mundane

mercurial

quick changeable in
character fleeting

worldly as opposed to
spiritual commonplace
everyday

myriad

very great number

nadir

lowest weakest point

maudlin

meretricious attractive on the surface

but of little value
mesmerize

hypnotize

nascent

meticulous

giving great attention to

details

coming into existence

emerging

nebulous

mettle

quality of endurance or
courage

cloud-like hazy vague

indistinct

negligent

taking too little care

mettlesome

courageous high-spirited

neophyte

middling

fairly good but not very

good

person who has been

converted to a belief

nexus

a connection tie or link

minatory

menacing threatening

nibble

mince

pronounce or speak
affectedly euphemize

show some inclination to

accept (an offer)

noisome

offensive disgusting
(smell)

nonchalant

not having interest

nonplused

greatly surprised

nostrum

a quack remedy an
untested cure

noxious

harmful

misanthrope person who hates

mankind
mischievous

harmful causing mischief

miser

person who loves wealth

and spends little

GRE Word list

nugatory

trifling/worthless

ostracism

obdurate

hardened and unrepenting

stubborn inflexible

shut out from society

refuse to meet talk

overhaul

examine thoroughly to
learn about the condition

obfuscate

to darken make obscure

muddle

overweening presumptuously arrogant

overbearing immoderate
being a jerk

oblivious

unaware having no
memory

obloquy

abusively detractive
language sharp criticism
vituperation

paean

song of praise or triumph

palate

roof of the mouth sense of

taste

too eager to obey or serve

palatial

magnificent

obstreperous noisy loud

palliate

lessen the severity of

obtain

to be established accepted
or customary

palpability

can be felt touched

understood

obtrusive

projecting prominent
undesirably noticeable

palpitate

tremble beat rapidly and

irregularly

obtuse

blunt/stupid

panegyric

formal praise eulogy

obviate

to make unnecessary get

rid of

paradigm

a model example or
pattern

occluded

blocked up

parenthesis

odious

repulsive hateful

sentence within another

one something separated

odium

contempt dislike aversion

pariah

odor

smell favor reputation

an outcast a rejected and

despised person

officious

too eager or ready to help

offer advice

parley

negotiation, discussion
between enemies

ominous

threatening

onerous

needing effort
burdensome

opaqueness

dullness/not allowing light

to pass through

opprobrious

showing scorn or reproach

ossify

to turn to bone to settle

rigidly into an idea

ostensible

seeming appearing as
such professed

ostentation

display to obtain
admiration or envy

obsequious

parsimonious too economical miserly

partisan

one-sided committed to a
party biased or prejudiced

patron

regular customer person

who gives support

paucity

scarcity a lacking of

peccadillo

small sin small weakness

in one's character

pedantic

bookish showing off

learning

pedestrian

commonplace trite
unremarkable

GRE Word list

pellucid

transparent easy to
understand

philistine

a smug ignorant person

one who lacks knowledge

penchant

strong inclination a liking

phlegmatic

penitent

feeling or showing regret

penurious

poor/stingy

calm sluggish
temperament
unemotional

penury

extreme poverty

picaresque

involving clever rogues or

adventurers

peregrinatio
n

traveling about wandering

pied

of mixed colors

peremptory

urgent imperative
unchallengeable ending
debate

pinch

be too tight take between

the thumb and finger

pine

waste away through

sorrow or illness

pious

dutiful to parents devoted

to religion

piquant

agreeably pungent
stimulating

pique

hurt the pride or selfrespect stir (curiosity)

pitfall

covered hole as a trap

unsuspected danger

perfidious

treacherous faithless

perfidy

treachery breaking of
faith

perfunctory

done as a duty without

care

perilous

dangerous

peripatetic

wandering

perish

be destroyed decay

perjury

willful FALSE statement

unlawful act

pith

essential part force soft

liquid substance

permeate

spread into every part of

pivotal

pernicious

harmful injurious

of great importance
(others depend on it)

perpetrate

be guilty commit (a crime)

placate

soothe pacify calm

personable

pleasing in appearance
attractive

plaintive

mournful melancholy
sorrowful

perspicacity

quick judging and

understanding

plaque

flat metal on a wall as a

memorial

pertain

belong as a part have

reference

platitude

a trite or banal statement

unoriginality

pest

destructive thing or a
person who is nuisance

plea

request

plead

taken away power (to

think feel act)

address a court of law as

an advocate

plethora

glut

petrify

to make hard rocklike

pliant

petrous

like a rock hard stony

pliable easily bent shaped

or twisted

petulant

unreasonably impatient

petrified

GRE Word list

plod

continue doing something

without resting

unadulterated
probity

pluck

pull the feathers off pick

(e.g.. flowers)

uprightness incorruptibility
principle

proclivity

inclination

plumb

get to the root of

plummet

fall plunge steeply

plunge

move quickly suddenly

and with force

prodigal

wasteful reckless with

money

poignant

deeply moving keen

prodigious

enormous wonderful

poncho

large piece of cloth

profane

ponderous

heavy bulky dull

worldly having contempt

for God

portent

omen marvelous
threatening

profligacy

shameless immorality

profligate

wasteful prodigal
licentious extravagant

procrastinati keeping on putting off

on

precarious

uncertain risky dangerous

precepts

rules establishing
standards of conduct

profundity

depth

profuse

abundant/lavish

preclude

prevent make impossible

proliferate

precursory

preliminary anticipating

grow reproduce by rapid

multification

predilection

special liking mental

preference

prolix

tiring because too long

prone

prostrate inclined to
(undesirable things)

propagation

increasing the number

spreading extending

propinquity

nearness in time or place

affinity of nature

propitiatory

conciliatory appeasing
mitigating

propitious

auspicious presenting
favorable circumstances

prosaic

everyday mundane
commonplace trite
pedestrian

predominate have more power than

others
preen

tidy/show self-satisfaction

premature

doing or happening
something before the right
time

preponderan greatness in number

ce
strength weight
presage

warning sign

presumption arrogance
preternatural not normal or usual
prevalent

common

proscribe

denounce as dangerous

prevaricate

to equivocate to stray
from the truth

protracted

prolonged

prim

neat formal

provident

frugal looking to the

future

pristine

primitive unspoiled pure as

in earlier times

provisional

of the present time only

GRE Word list

provoke

make angry vax

quirk

habit or action peculiar to

smb or something

prudence

careful forethought

prudish

easily shocked excessively

modest

quixotic

generous unselfish

quotidian

banal everyday

prune

dried plum silly person

rabble

pry

get something inquire too

curiously

mob crowd the lower

classes of populace

raconteur

person who tells

anecdotes

raffish

low vulgar base tawdry

ramify

to be divided or
subdivided to branch out

pucker

wrinkle

pugnacious

fond of in the habit of

fighting

puissance

strength

punctilious

precise paying attention to

trivialities

rancorous

feeling bitterness
spitefulness

pundit

pedant authority on a
subject

rant

use extravagant language

rapacious

greedy (esp for money)

pungency

sharpness stinging quality

rarefy

purvey

provide supply

to make thin to make less

dense to purify or refine

pusillanimou cowardly craven

s

rave

act with excessive

enthusiasm

putrefaction

becoming rotten

reactionary

opposing progress

pyre

large pile of wood for

burning

rebuff

snub

recalcitrant

disobedient

quack

person dishonestly
claiming to something

recant

take back as being FALSE

give up

quaff

drink deeply

recast

cast or fashion anew

quail

lose courage turn

frightened

recidivism

relapse into antisocial or

criminal behavior

qualm

feeling of doubt temporary

feeling of sickness

reciprocity

granting of privileges in
return for similar

quandary

state of doubt or
perplexity

recitals

a number of performance
of music

quell

suppress subdue

recluse

quibble

try to avoid by
sophistication

person who lives alone

and avoids people

recompense

state of being
passive/motionless

make payment to reward

punish

reconcile

settle a quarrel restore

peace

quiescence
quiescent

at rest dormant torpid

GRE Word list

recondite

little known abstruse

recreancy

cowardice a cowardly
giving up

requite

repay give in return

rescind

repeal/annul/cancel

recuperate

become strong after illness

loss exhaustion

resigned

unresisting submissive

redeem

get back by payment

compensate

resilience

quality of quickly
recovering the original
shape

redoubtable

formidable causing fear

resort

to frequently visit

refine

make or become pure

cultural

restive

refusing to move reluctant

to be controlled

refractory

stubborn unmanageable
untractable

resuscitation coming back to

consciousness

refulgent

shining brilliant

retard

check hinder

regale

to delight or entertain to
feast

reticent

reserved untalkative silent

taciturn

regicide

crime of killing a king

retrospective Looking back on past

reiterate

say or do again several

times

revere

have deep respect for

reverent

feeling or showing deep

respect

riddle

puzzling person or thing

rift

split crack dissension

rivet

fix take up secure metal

pin

rejuvenation becoming young in nature

or appearance

disgust

relapse

fall back again

reminiscent

viewing the past

remonstrate

to protest object

render

deliver provide represent

roll

call calling of names

renovate

restore something to
better condition

rotund

rich and deep plump and

round

renowned

celebrated famous

ruffian

violent cruel man

repast

meal

rumple

make rough

repel

refuse to accept/cause
dislike

sagacious

repine

at be discontented with

having sound judgment

perceptive wise like a
sage

reproach

scold upbraid

salacious

obscene

reprobate

person hardened in sin

one devoid of decency

salubrious

healthful

salutary

remedial wholesome
causing improvement

sanctimony

self-righteousness
hypocritical with FALSE

repudiate

disown refuse to accept or

pay

repulsive

causing a feeling of

GRE Word list

sanction

piety

servile

approval (by authority)

penalty

like a slave lacking

independence

sever

break off

sanguine

cheerful confident
optimistic

severance

severing

shallow

little depth not earnest

sanity

health of mind soundness

of judgment

shard

piece of broken
earthenware

sash

long strip worn round the

waist

sheath

cover for the blade of a

weapon or a tool

satiate

satisfy fully

shrewd

saturnine

gloomy dark sullen

morose

astute showing sound

judgement

shrill

sharp piercing

savant

person of great learning

shun

keep away from avoid

savor

taste flavor something

shunt

sawdust

tiny bits of wood

scabbard

sheath for the blade

send from one track to

another lay aside evade
discussion

scent

smell (especially
pleasant)

sidestep

step to one side

simper

(give a) silly/self-conscious
smile

sinuous

winding undulating
serpentine

scorch

become discolored/dry
up/go at high speed

scribble

write hastily

scurvy

mean contemptible

skiff

small boat

secular

material (not spiritual)

living outside monasteries

skit

short piece of humorous

writing

sedulous

persevering

slack

sluggish dull not tight

seminal

like a seed constituting a

source originative

slake

to assuage to satisfy allay

slate

king of blue-grey stone

propose criticize

sluggard

lazy slow-moving person

sententious

short and pithy full of

maxims/proverbs

sequence

succession connected line

of

slur

join sounds/words
(indistinct)

sere

make hard and without

feeling

smolder

burn slowly without flame

snare

trap

sermon

reproving a person for his

faults

snub

treat with contempt

serrated

having a toothed edge

soar

rise fly high

serration

having a toothed edge

sober

self-controlled

GRE Word list

sobriety

quality or condition of
being sober

sodden

soaked saturated

soggy

importance of something
stigma

mark of shame or
disgrace

heavy with water

stigmatize

describe smb scornfully

solvent

of the power of forming a

solution

sting

something sharp

somatic

of the body

stingy

spending using unwillingly

soot

black powder in smoke

stint

to be thrifty to set limits

stipple

paint with dots

stipulate

state or put forward as a

necessary condition

stolid

showing no emotion
impassive

stray

wander lose one's way

streak

long thin move very fast

striated

striped grooved or banded

stride

walk with long steps

weapon with a metal point

on a long shaft

strut

a supporting bar

stygian

hence dark gloomy

specious

illogical of questionable
truth or merit

stymie

to hinder obstruct or block

splenetic

bad-tempered irritable

subdue

overcome bring under

control

splice

join (two ends)

sublime

extreme astounding

sponge

porous rubber for washing

live at once expense

submerge

put under water liquid sink

out of sight

spurious

FALSE counterfeit

suborn

spurn

have nothing to do reject

or refuse

induce by bribery or
something to commit
perjury

squalid

foul filthy

subpoena

squander

spend wastefully

squat

crouch/settle without
permission

written order requiring a

person to appear in a low
court

stanch

to stop the flow of a fluid

steeply

rising or falling sharply

stentorian

extremely loud and

powerful

stickler

person who insists on

sophisticated complex subtle refined

sophistry

fallacious reasoning faulty

logic

sophomoric

self-assured though
immature affected
bombastic overblown

soporific

producing sleep

sordid

wretched comfortless
contemptible

spear

substantiatio giving facts to support

n
(statement)
subsume

include under a rule

succor

assistance relief in time of

distress

suffice

be enough

GRE Word list

suffocate

cause or have difficulty in

breathing

tarnished

lost brightness

tassel

bunch of threads

sullied

to be stained or
discredited

taunt

contemptuous reproach
hurtful remark

summarily

briefly without delay

taut

tightly stretched

sumptuous

magnificent

tautology

a repetition a redundancy

sundry

various miscellaneous
separate

tawdry

cheap gaudy showy tacky

supercilious

disdainful characterized by
haughty scorn

teetotal

oppose to alcohol

telltale

superfluous

more then is needed or

wanted

That gives warning or

information

temerity

boldness brashness
intrepidness

temperance

abstinence from alcohol

self-control moderation

temperate

showing self-control

tenacity

firmness persistency
adhesiveness tending to
hang on

superimpose put something on the top

supersede

take the place of

supine

lying on the back slow to

act passive

suppliant

asking humbly
beseeching

supplicate

make a humble petition to

tenuous

insubstantial flimsy weak

suppress

prevent from being known

put an end to

tepid

lukewarm

surcharge

additional load/charge

terse

brief and to the point

surfeit

satiate feed to fulness or

to excess

testiness

witness/evidence

thrift

care economy thriving

prosperous

thwart

obstruct/frustrate

timid

shy easily frightened

timorous

fearful timid afraid

susceptibility sensitiveness
swerve

change direction suddenly

sycophant

person who flatter to the

rich and powerful

synopsis

summary or outline

toady

obsequious flatterer

taciturn

untalkative silent

tonic

tadpole

form of a frog when it

leaves the egg

something giving strength

or energy

topple

be unsteady and overturn

talon

claw of a bird of prey

torment

severe pain or suffering

tamp

tap or drive down by

repeated light blows

torpid

sleeping sluggish lethargic

dormant

tamper

interfere with

torque

tangential

suddenly changeable

twisting force causing

rotation

GRE Word list

tortuous

devious/not
straightforward

underbid

make a lower bid then smb

else

tout

person who worries others

to buy something to use
his service

undermine

weaken gradually at the

base make something
under

tractable

easily controlled or guided

undulate

transgress

break go beyond (a limit)

to move in wavelike
fashion fluctuate

transient

temporary fleeting

unearth

discover and bring to light

transitory

brief

easy-going trifle

travesty

parody/imitation

unencumber
ed

trenchant

forceful effective vigorous

extremely perceptive
incisive

unfeigned

not pretended sincere

unscathed

unharmed unhurt

untoward

unfortunate inconvenient

upbraid

scold reproach

urbane

elegant refined in
manners

trepidation

alarm excited state of

mind

trickle

flow in drops

trifling

unimportant

vacillation

being uncertain hesitating

trite

not new

vagary

strange act or idea

truce

(agreement) stop of
fighting for a time

vain

without use result

conceited

truculence

aggressiveness ferocity

valiant

brave

trudge

walk heavily

valorous

brave

turbid

muddy having the

sediment stirred up

vanquish

conquer

variegate

turbulence

being uncontrolled violent

To mark with different

shade or colors

turgid

excessively ornate swollen

or bloated

veer

change direction

venal

turmoil

trouble disturbance

ready to do something
dishonest

turpitude

wickedness shamefulness

veneer

turquoise

greenish-blue precious
stone

surface appearance
covering the TRUE nature

veneration

regard with deep respect

tyro

tiro beginner

veracity

truth

ubiquitous

present everywhere

verdant

fresh and green

ulterior

situated beyond

appearing TRUE or real

umbrage

offense resentment

verisimilitud
e

uncouth

rough awkward

veritable

real rightly named

GRE Word list

verve

spirit vigor enthusiasm

vestige

trace or sign

vex

annoy distress trouble

vigilance

something is
welter

turmoil a bewildering
jumble

watchfulness selfappointed group who

maintain order

wend

to go proceed

whimsical

full of odd and fanciful

ideas

vigilant

member of a vigilance
committee

wince

show bodily or mental

pain

vigorous

strong energetic

woo

try to win

vilify

slander say evil things

writ

written order

vindictive

having a desire to
revenge

virago

a loud domineering
woman a scold or nag

xenophile
(zen-uhfahyl)

a person who is attracted

to foreign peoples,
cultures, or customs

yarn

tale story fibers for

knitting

visceral

of the internal organs of

the body

viscous

sticky/semi-fluid

vitiate

lower the quality weaken

the strength

vituperate

curse abuse in words

vivacious

lively high-spirited

volatile

changeable inconstant
fickle unstable explosive

volubility

fluency verbosity easy use

of spoken language

voluble

fluent

waffle

talk vaguely and without

much result

waft

scent waving movement

carry lightly through

wag

merry person

warmonger

person who stirs up war

warrant

authority written order

guarantee

wean

to turn away (from a

habit)

weigh

measure hoe heavy