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VOCABULARY LISTS > USER LISTS

GRE Words 1 378 words

June 19, 2009 By James S. (Washington, DC)

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. abate
    become less in amount or intensity
  2. abdicate
    give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
  3. aberration
    a state or condition markedly different from the norm
  4. abet
    assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
  5. abide
    dwell
  6. abhor
    find repugnant
  7. abscond
    run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
  8. accede
    yield to another's wish or opinion
  9. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
  10. accolade
    a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
  11. accretion
    an increase by natural growth or addition
  12. acquiesce
    to agree or express agreement
  13. acquit
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  14. acrid
    strong and sharp;"the pungent taste of radishes"
  15. adamant
    very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
  16. addle
    mix up or confuse
  17. adorn
    make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
  18. adulation
    servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
  19. aesthetic
    concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
  20. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  21. affinity
    a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
  22. aggravate
    make worse
  23. agile
    moving quickly and lightly
  24. alchemy
    a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
  25. allege
    report or maintain
  26. allegiance
    the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action
  27. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  28. aloof
    remote in manner
  29. ambidextrous
    equally skillful with each hand
  30. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
  31. ambivalent
    uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
  32. anecdote
    short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
  33. anguish
    extreme distress of body or mind
  34. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
  35. antidote
    a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
  36. apartheid
    a social policy or racial segregation involving political and economic and legal discrimination against people who are not Whites; the former official policy in South Africa
  37. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
  38. apparition
    a ghostly appearing figure
  39. appease
    make peace with
  40. apprehensive
    in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
  41. apt
    being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
  42. ardor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
  43. arduous
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
  44. arid
    lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  45. arrogance
    overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
  46. articulate
    express or state clearly
  47. ascertain
    learn or discover with certainty
  48. astringent
    tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
  49. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  50. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
  51. autocrat
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
  52. auxiliary
    furnishing added support
  53. avarice
    reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)
  54. aversion
    the act of turning yourself (or your gaze) away
  55. avid
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  56. banal
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  57. bask
    be exposed
  58. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
  59. benefactor
    a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)
  60. benevolence
    disposition to do good
  61. benign
    kindness of disposition or manner
  62. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
  63. boisterous
    full of rough and exuberant animal spirits
  64. brash
    offensively bold
  65. brazen
    unrestrained by convention or propriety
  66. brittle
    having little elasticity; hence easily cracked or fractured or snapped
  67. callous
    having calluses; having skin made tough and thick through wear
  68. candid
    openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness
  69. cantankerous
    stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
  70. canvass
    get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
  71. catalyst
    (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected
  72. circuitous
    deviating from a straight course
  73. clamor
    utter or proclaim insistently and noisily
  74. coagulation
    the process of forming semisolid lumps in a liquid
  75. coalesce
    fuse or cause to grow together
  76. coax
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
  77. coddle
    cook in nearly boiling water
  78. coerce
    to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"
  79. colloquial
    characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
  80. commemorate
    call to remembrance; keep alive the memory of someone or something, as in a ceremony
  81. conceit
    the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false pride
  82. concord
    a harmonious state of things in general and of their properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts with one another and with the whole
  83. concur
    happen simultaneously
  84. condense
    cause a gas or vapor to change into a liquid
  85. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
  86. congeal
    become gelatinous
  87. conjoin
    make contact or come together
  88. connoisseur
    an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts
  89. consecrate
    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
  90. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
  91. conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
  92. consummate
    having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
  93. contentious
    inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits
  94. convoluted
    rolled longitudinally upon itself
  95. copious
    large in number or quantity (especially of discourse)
  96. cordial
    politely warm and friendly
  97. counterfeit
    not genuine; imitating something superior
  98. covert
    secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed
  99. covet
    wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person)
  100. copyright
    a document granting exclusive right to publish and sell literary or musical or artistic work
  101. cower
    crouch or curl up
  102. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
  103. cumbersome
    difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight
  104. curt
    brief and to the point; effectively cut short
  105. curtail
    terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent
  106. dainty
    something considered choice to eat
  107. dearth
    an insufficient quantity or number
  108. debacle
    a sudden and violent collapse
  109. decimate
    kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies
  110. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
  111. decree
    a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)
  112. defiance
    a hostile challenge
  113. deluge
    a heavy rain
  114. denigrate
    charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
  115. deplete
    use up (resources or materials)
  116. deposition
    the act of putting something somewhere
  117. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  118. derision
    the act of deriding or treating with contempt
  119. derivative
    a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound
  120. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
  121. despot
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
  122. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
  123. deter
    turn away from by persuasion
  124. detraction
    a petty disparagement
  125. deviant
    a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior
  126. dexterity
    adroitness in using the hands
  127. digress
    wander from a direct or straight course
  128. dilate
    become wider
  129. diligent
    quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness
  130. disallow
    command against
  131. discern
    detect with the senses
  132. discredit
    the state of being held in low esteem
  133. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
  134. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
  135. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
  136. disinterested
    unaffected by self-interest
  137. dismal
    causing dejection
  138. disproof
    the act of determining that something is false
  139. dissent
    a difference of opinion
  140. distraught
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
  141. divulge
    make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
  142. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
  143. drone
    an unchanging intonation
  144. dubious
    fraught with uncertainty or doubt
  145. duress
    compulsory force or threat
  146. elicit
    call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
  147. eloquence
    powerful and effective language
  148. elucidate
    make clear and (more) comprehensible
  149. emaciate
    grow weak and thin or waste away physically
  150. emancipate
    free from slavery or servitude
  151. embellish
    make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
  152. embezzle
    appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
  153. emote
    give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role
  154. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
  155. encapsulate
    enclose in a capsule or other small container
  156. endorse
    be behind; approve of
  157. enduring
    unceasing
  158. engrave
    carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface
  159. engrossing
    capable of arousing and holding the attention
  160. entangle
    twist together or entwine into a confusing mass
  161. entice
    provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
  162. equilibrium
    a stable situation in which forces cancel one another
  163. eradicate
    destroy completely, as if down to the roots
  164. erratic
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
  165. erroneous
    containing or characterized by error
  166. evoke
    call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
  167. exhaustive
    performed comprehensively and completely
  168. exploit
    use or manipulate to one's advantage
  169. extinct
    no longer in existence; lost or especially having died out leaving no living representatives
  170. extinguish
    put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
  171. extol
    praise, glorify, or honor
  172. extort
    obtain by coercion or intimidation
  173. extraneous
    not belonging to that in which it is contained; introduced from an outside source
  174. extrovert
    (psychology) a person concerned more with practical realities than with inner thoughts and feelings
  175. exuberant
    joyously unrestrained
  176. falter
    move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
  177. feign
    make believe with the intent to deceive
  178. felon
    someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
  179. ferocity
    the property of being wild or turbulent
  180. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
  181. fetish
    a form of sexual desire in which gratification depends to an abnormal degree on some object or item of clothing or part of the body
  182. fetter
    a shackle for the ankles or feet
  183. fickle
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
  184. fidelity
    the quality of being faithful
  185. fidget
    move restlessly
  186. figurehead
    a person used as a cover for some questionable activity
  187. finesse
    subtly skillful handling of a situation
  188. finicky
    exacting especially about details
  189. fission
    reproduction of some unicellular organisms by division of the cell into two more or less equal parts
  190. fixate
    pay attention to exclusively and obsessively
  191. flamboyant
    marked by ostentation but often tasteless
  192. flaunt
    display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously
  193. flop
    fall loosely
  194. foil
    hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
  195. foolproof
    not liable to failure
  196. forage
    collect or look around for (food)
  197. forfeit
    lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime
  198. forgery
    criminal falsification by making or altering an instrument with intent to defraud
  199. fragile
    easily broken or damaged or destroyed
  200. fragrant
    pleasant-smelling
  201. frantic
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
  202. frugal
    avoiding waste
  203. gesticulate
    show, express or direct through movement
  204. gist
    the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
  205. glimmer
    a flash of light (especially reflected light)
  206. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
  207. glut
    supply with an excess of
  208. gnaw
    bite or chew on with the teeth
  209. gorge
    a deep ravine (usually with a river running through it)
  210. gouge
    an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
  211. grave
    a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
  212. graze
    feed as in a meadow or pasture
  213. grovel
    show submission or fear
  214. guile
    shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
  215. gullible
    naive and easily deceived or tricked
  216. gush
    gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
  217. gust
    a strong current of air
  218. hack
    cut away
  219. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
  220. heed
    paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
  221. heinous
    extremely wicked, deeply criminal
  222. heresy
    a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
  223. highbrow
    highly cultured or educated
  224. hospitable
    disposed to treat guests and strangers with cordiality and generosity
  225. hovel
    small crude shelter used as a dwelling
  226. idolatry
    the worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God
  227. ignoble
    completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose
  228. illicit
    contrary to accepted morality (especially sexual morality) or convention
  229. illustrious
    widely known and esteemed
  230. imminent
    close in time; about to occur
  231. impair
    make worse or less effective
  232. impede
    be a hindrance or obstacle to
  233. imperative
    requiring attention or action
  234. impermeable
    preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through
  235. imperturbable
    not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
  236. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
  237. implosion
    a sudden inward collapse
  238. impunity
    exemption from punishment or loss
  239. inadvertent
    happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
  240. inane
    devoid of intelligence
  241. incense
    make furious
  242. incessant
    uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
  243. incite
    provoke or stir up
  244. incongruous
    lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
  245. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
  246. increment
    the amount by which something increases
  247. incumbent
    necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility; morally binding
  248. indistinct
    not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand
  249. inept
    generally incompetent and ineffectual
  250. infallible
    incapable of failure or error
  251. inferno
    any place of pain and turmoil
  252. infuse
    fill, as with a certain quality
  253. ingenuous
    lacking in sophistication or worldliness
  254. ingest
    serve oneself to, or consume regularly
  255. interim
    the time between one event, process, or period and another
  256. introspection
    the contemplation of your own thoughts and desires and conduct
  257. inundate
    fill or cover completely, usually with water
  258. invalid
    someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
  259. invincible
    incapable of being overcome or subdued
  260. iota
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
  261. ire
    a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
  262. irksome
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
  263. jabber
    talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
  264. jovial
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
  265. judicious
    marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters
  266. lackluster
    lacking brilliance or vitality
  267. lament
    a cry of sorrow and grief
  268. lavish
    very generous
  269. legacy
    (law) a gift of personal property by will
  270. lethargy
    inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
  271. lucid
    (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
  272. lurk
    lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
  273. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
  274. malcontent
    discontented as toward authority
  275. malevolence
    wishing evil to others
  276. malign
    speak unfavorably about
  277. manacle
    shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist; usually used in pairs
  278. massacre
    the savage and excessive killing of many people
  279. maul
    injure badly by beating
  280. mesmerize
    attract strongly, as if with a magnet
  281. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
  282. mischievous
    naughtily or annoyingly playful
  283. miser
    a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably)
  284. moderation
    quality of being moderate and avoiding extremes
  285. morbid
    suggesting the horror of death and decay
  286. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
  287. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
  288. negligent
    characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern
  289. oblivious
    (followed by `to' or `of') lacking conscious awareness of
  290. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  291. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; impenetrable to sight
  292. palate
    the upper surface of the mouth that separates the oral and nasal cavities
  293. palatial
    relating to or being a palace
  294. pariah
    a person who is rejected (from society or home)
  295. partisan
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  296. patron
    someone who supports or champions something
  297. paucity
    an insufficient quantity or number
  298. pedestrian
    a person who travels by foot
  299. perennial
    lasting three seasons or more
  300. perilous
    fraught with danger
  301. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
  302. perpetrate
    perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
  303. personable
    (of persons) pleasant in appearance and personality
  304. petrify
    change into stone
  305. pine
    a coniferous tree
  306. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
  307. pivotal
    being of crucial importance
  308. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  309. plea
    a humble request for help from someone in authority
  310. plod
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
  311. plummet
    drop sharply
  312. poignant
    keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
  313. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
  314. portent
    a sign of something about to happen
  315. prevalent
    most frequent or common
  316. pristine
    immaculately clean and unused
  317. procrastinate
    postpone doing what one should be doing
  318. propensity
    a natural inclination
  319. provisional
    under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
  320. proximity
    the property of being close together
  321. prudent
    careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment
  322. pry
    be nosey
  323. pungent
    strong and sharp;"the pungent taste of radishes"
  324. quack
    the harsh sound of a duck
  325. quaff
    to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
  326. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  327. queer
    beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
  328. rebuff
    a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
  329. reconcile
    come to terms
  330. regurgitate
    pour or rush back
  331. reiterate
    to say, state, or perform again
  332. rejuvenate
    make younger or more youthful
  333. renowned
    widely known and esteemed
  334. renovate
    restore to a previous or better condition
  335. repel
    force or drive back
  336. requisite
    necessary for relief or supply
  337. resuscitate
    cause to regain consciousness
  338. revere
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
  339. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
  340. sanction
    official permission or approval
  341. scorch
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
  342. secular
    someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person
  343. century
    ten 10s
  344. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
  345. severance
    the act of severing
  346. shard
    a broken piece of a brittle artifact
  347. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  348. shrill
    having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
  349. slur
    utter indistinctly
  350. squalid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
  351. stipulate
    specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement
  352. sublime
    of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
  353. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  354. suffice
    be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
  355. superfluous
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  356. superimpose
    place on top of
  357. suppress
    to put down by force or authority
  358. surcharge
    an additional charge (as for items previously omitted or as a penalty for failure to exercise common caution or common skill)
  359. talon
    a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
  360. tenacious
    stubbornly unyielding
  361. thwart
    hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
  362. transgress
    act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
  363. turbulent
    characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
  364. vacillate
    be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
  365. vain
    characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
  366. vestige
    an indication that something has been present
  367. vex
    cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
  368. vilify
    spread negative information about
  369. virtue
    the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
  370. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
  371. vivify
    give new life or energy to
  372. vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
  373. volatile
    a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor
  374. whimsical
    determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
  375. yelp
    a sharp high-pitched cry (especially by a dog)
  376. yen
    the basic unit of money in Japan; equal to 100 sen
  377. zealous
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  378. zenith
    the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected