GMAT Vocabulary N-S

K. S.
375 words 18 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. narcissistic
    having an inflated idea of one's own importance
  2. nascent
    being born or beginning
  3. nautical
    relating to ships or navigation
  4. nebulous
    lacking definite form or limits
  5. nefarious
    extremely wicked
  6. nefariousness
    the quality of being wicked
  7. negligence
    failure to act with the prudence of a reasonable person
  8. Nemesis
    the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance
  9. neologism
    a newly invented word or phrase
  10. neophyte
    a participant with no experience with an activity
  11. nettle
    plant having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation
  12. neutral
    having no personal preference
  13. nexus
    the means of connection between things linked in series
  14. noisome
    causing or able to cause nausea
  15. nostalgic
    unhappy about being away and longing for familiar things
  16. nostrum
    patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
  17. notorious
    known widely and usually unfavorably
  18. novel
    an extended fictional work in prose
  19. noxious
    injurious to physical or mental health
  20. nugatory
    of no real value
  21. nullified
    deprived of legal force
  22. obdurate
    stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
  23. obeisance
    bending the head or body in reverence or submission
  24. obfuscate
    make obscure or unclear
  25. objective
    the goal intended to be attained
  26. objurgate
    censure severely
  27. obligatory
    required by compulsion or convention
  28. obliterate
    remove completely from recognition or memory
  29. obloquy
    state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
  30. obscure
    not clearly understood or expressed
  31. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  32. obsolete
    no longer in use
  33. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
  34. obtrude
    push to thrust outward
  35. obtuse
    of an angle, between 90 and 180 degrees
  36. obviate
    do away with
  37. occult
    supernatural forces and events and beings collectively
  38. odious
    extremely repulsive or unpleasant
  39. odium
    hate coupled with disgust
  40. oligarchy
    a political system governed by a few people
  41. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  42. omniscient
    knowing, seeing, or understanding everything
  43. opalescent
    having a play of lustrous rainbow colors
  44. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
  45. opprobrious
    expressing offensive reproach
  46. optimist
    a person disposed to take a favorable view of things
  47. opulence
    wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
  48. ornate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
  49. Orthodox
    of or relating to or characteristic of the Eastern Orthodox Church
  50. oscillate
    move or swing from side to side regularly
  51. ossify
    become bony
  52. ostensible
    appearing as such but not necessarily so
  53. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
  54. ostracize
    expel from a community or group
  55. oust
    remove from a position or office
  56. paean
    a hymn of praise
  57. pagan
    a person following a polytheistic or pre-Christian religion
  58. painstaking
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
  59. palatial
    relating to or being a large and stately residence
  60. palindrome
    a word or phrase that reads the same backward as forward
  61. palliate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  62. pallid
    pale, as of a person's complexion
  63. pallor
    an unnatural lack of color in the skin
  64. palpable
    capable of being perceived
  65. panegyric
    formally expressing praise
  66. paradigm
    a standard or typical example
  67. paradox
    a statement that contradicts itself
  68. parapet
    a low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony
  69. paraphernalia
    equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles
  70. pariah
    a person who is rejected from society or home
  71. parity
    functional equality
  72. parley
    a negotiation between enemies
  73. parochial
    relating to or supported by or located in a parish
  74. parody
    a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style
  75. parry
    impede the movement of
  76. parse
    analyze the sentence structure of
  77. parsimonious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  78. parsimony
    extreme stinginess
  79. partisan
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  80. passive
    lacking in energy or will
  81. paucity
    an insufficient quantity or number
  82. pavilion
    a large and often sumptuous tent
  83. peccadillo
    a petty misdeed
  84. pecuniary
    relating to or involving money
  85. pedagogue
    someone who educates young people
  86. pedantic
    marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning
  87. pedestrian
    a person who travels by foot
  88. pejorative
    expressing disapproval
  89. pellucid
    transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
  90. penchant
    a strong liking or preference
  91. penitent
    feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
  92. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
  93. penurious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  94. perceptive
    of or relating to awareness via the senses
  95. percussion
    the act of exploding a detonator that explodes when struck
  96. perdition
    the place or state in which one suffers eternal punishment
  97. peremptory
    putting an end to all debate or action
  98. perfidious
    tending to betray
  99. perfunctory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
  100. peripheral
    on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary
  101. perjury
    criminal offense of making false statements under oath
  102. permeable
    allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
  103. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
  104. perpetual
    continuing forever or indefinitely
  105. perquisite
    an incidental benefit for certain types of employment
  106. pertinent
    being of striking appropriateness
  107. peruse
    examine or consider with attention and in detail
  108. pervade
    spread or diffuse through
  109. pervasive
    spreading or spread throughout
  110. pessimism
    a general disposition to expect the worst in all things
  111. petty
    small and of little importance
  112. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
  113. phenomenon
    any state or process known through the senses
  114. philanthropy
    the act of donating money or time to promote human welfare
  115. phlegmatic
    showing little emotion
  116. phobia
    an anxiety disorder characterized by irrational fear
  117. pied
    having sections or patches colored differently and brightly
  118. pinioned
    (of birds) especially having the flight feathers
  119. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
  120. pique
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
  121. pithy
    concise and full of meaning
  122. pittance
    an inadequate payment
  123. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined
  124. placid
    calm and free from disturbance
  125. plaintive
    expressing sorrow
  126. Platonic
    of or relating to or characteristic of Plato or his philosophy
  127. plausible
    apparently reasonable, valid, or truthful
  128. plenary
    full in all respects
  129. plethora
    extreme excess
  130. plumb
    exactly vertical
  131. polemic
    a verbal or written attack, especially of a belief or dogma
  132. polemicist
    a writer who argues in opposition to others
  133. pommel
    strike, usually with the fist
  134. ponderous
    having great mass and weight and unwieldiness
  135. portend
    indicate by signs
  136. potable
    suitable for drinking
  137. potent
    having or wielding force or authority
  138. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
  139. prate
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
  140. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
  141. precarious
    not secure; beset with difficulties
  142. precept
    a rule of personal conduct
  143. precipitate
    bring about abruptly
  144. preclude
    make impossible, especially beforehand
  145. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
  146. predecessor
    one who goes before you in time
  147. prefatory
    serving as an introduction or preface
  148. premise
    a statement that is held to be true
  149. preponderate
    weigh more heavily
  150. presage
    a foreboding about what is about to happen
  151. prescience
    the power to foresee the future
  152. prescriptive
    pertaining to giving directives or rules
  153. prevalent
    most frequent or common
  154. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
  155. pristine
    immaculately clean and unused
  156. privy
    informed about something secret or not generally known
  157. probity
    complete and confirmed integrity
  158. problematic
    making great mental demands
  159. prodigal
    recklessly wasteful
  160. prodigious
    great in size, force, extent, or degree
  161. profound
    situated at or extending to great depth
  162. profusion
    the property of being extremely abundant
  163. progeny
    the immediate descendants of a person
  164. program
    a series of steps to be carried out
  165. proliferate
    grow rapidly
  166. prolific
    intellectually productive
  167. promontory
    a natural elevation
  168. propagate
    multiply through reproduction
  169. propensity
    a natural inclination
  170. propinquity
    the property of being close together
  171. propitiate
    make peace with
  172. prosaic
    lacking wit or imagination
  173. proselytize
    convert or try to convert someone to another religion
  174. protocol
    forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by officials
  175. proverbial
    widely known and spoken of
  176. provident
    giving something useful for the future
  177. provincial
    associated with an administrative district of a nation
  178. proviso
    a stipulated condition
  179. provocative
    serving or tending to excite or stimulate
  180. provoke
    provide the needed stimulus for
  181. quaff
    swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
  182. quagmire
    a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
  183. quaint
    attractively old-fashioned
  184. qualified
    meeting the proper standards and requirements for a task
  185. qualm
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
  186. quandary
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
  187. quarantine
    isolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease
  188. quiescence
    a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction
  189. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
  190. quintessence
    the most typical example or representative of a type
  191. quirk
    a strange attitude or habit
  192. quixotic
    not sensible about practical matters
  193. rabid
    marked by excessive enthusiasm for a cause or idea
  194. raconteur
    a person skilled in telling anecdotes
  195. ramification
    a consequence, especially one that causes complications
  196. rampant
    occurring or increasing in an unrestrained way
  197. rampart
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
  198. rancid
    having an offensive smell or taste
  199. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
  200. rant
    talk at length in a noisy, excited, or angry manner
  201. rapacious
    living by preying on other animals
  202. ratify
    approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
  203. rationalize
    employ logic or reason
  204. raucous
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  205. raze
    tear down so as to make flat with the ground
  206. realm
    a domain in which something is dominant
  207. rebuff
    a deliberate discourteous act
  208. rebuttal
    the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary argument
  209. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  210. recession
    the act of returning control
  211. recidivism
    habitual relapse into crime
  212. reciprocal
    concerning each of two or more persons or things
  213. recluse
    one who lives in solitude
  214. recondite
    difficult to understand
  215. rectify
    make right or correct
  216. recumbent
    lying down; in a position of comfort or rest
  217. recusant
    someone who refuses to conform to standards of conduct
  218. redolent
    having a strong pleasant odor
  219. redundant
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  220. refurbish
    improve the appearance or functionality of
  221. refute
    overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof
  222. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
  223. reiterate
    say, state, or perform again
  224. relegate
    assign to a lower position
  225. relevant
    having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
  226. relinquish
    turn away from; give up
  227. remonstrate
    argue in protest or opposition
  228. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
  229. renascence
    a second or new birth
  230. rend
    tear or be torn violently
  231. render
    give or supply
  232. renegade
    someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw
  233. repast
    the food served and eaten at one time
  234. replete
    filled to satisfaction with food or drink
  235. replica
    copy that is not the original
  236. reprehend
    express strong disapproval of
  237. reproach
    express criticism towards
  238. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
  239. reproof
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
  240. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  241. repugnant
    offensive to the mind
  242. resignation
    the act of giving up, as a claim or office or possession
  243. resilient
    recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like
  244. resolution
    a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner
  245. resonant
    characterized by a loud deep sound
  246. respite
    a pause from doing something
  247. resplendent
    having great beauty
  248. resurgent
    rising again as to new life and vigor
  249. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
  250. retract
    formally reject or disavow
  251. retraction
    a disavowal or taking back of a previous assertion
  252. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
  253. reverie
    an abstracted state of absorption
  254. revile
    spread negative information about
  255. rhapsodize
    say with great enthusiasm
  256. rhetorical
    relating to using language effectively
  257. ribald
    humorously vulgar
  258. rigor
    excessive sternness
  259. rivet
    a heavy metal pin used to fasten two pieces of metal
  260. roseate
    of something having a dusty purplish pink color
  261. rout
    an overwhelming defeat
  262. rudimentary
    being in the earliest stages of development
  263. ruffian
    a cruel and brutal fellow
  264. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
  265. rummage
    search haphazardly
  266. rustic
    characteristic of rural life
  267. saga
    a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family
  268. sagacious
    acutely insightful and wise
  269. salient
    conspicuous, prominent, or important
  270. salubrious
    promoting health
  271. salutary
    tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
  272. salvage
    rescuing a ship or its crew from a shipwreck or a fire
  273. sanction
    official permission or approval
  274. sanguine
    confidently optimistic and cheerful
  275. sapid
    full of flavor
  276. sarcasm
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
  277. sardonic
    disdainfully or ironically humorous
  278. satire
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
  279. saturate
    infuse or fill completely
  280. saturnine
    bitter or scornful
  281. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
  282. savant
    a learned person
  283. savor
    a particular taste or smell, especially an appealing one
  284. scanty
    lacking in extent or quantity
  285. schism
    division of a group into opposing factions
  286. scourge
    something causing misery or death
  287. scrupulous
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
  288. scrutinize
    examine carefully for accuracy
  289. scurrilous
    expressing offensive, insulting, or scandalous criticism
  290. sectarian
    of or relating to a subdivision of a larger religious group
  291. sedentary
    requiring sitting or little activity
  292. sedition
    an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority
  293. sedulous
    marked by care and persistent effort
  294. seethe
    foam as if boiling
  295. sequester
    keep away from others
  296. serendipity
    good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
  297. serrated
    notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
  298. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
  299. shady
    sheltered from the sun's rays
  300. shoal
    a stretch of shallow water
  301. shoddy
    of inferior workmanship and materials
  302. sinuous
    curved or curving in and out
  303. skeptic
    someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
  304. skulk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
  305. slander
    words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
  306. sloth
    a disinclination to work or exert yourself
  307. slothful
    disinclined to work or exertion
  308. slovenly
    negligent of neatness especially in dress and person
  309. sodden
    wet through and through; thoroughly wet
  310. sojourn
    a temporary stay
  311. solace
    comfort offered to one who is disappointed or miserable
  312. solemnity
    a trait of dignified seriousness
  313. solicit
    request urgently or persistently
  314. soliloquy
    speech you make to yourself
  315. solubility
    the quality of being easily dissolved in liquid
  316. somber
    serious and gloomy in character
  317. soporific
    inducing sleep
  318. sordid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
  319. sovereign
    a nation's ruler usually by hereditary right
  320. specious
    plausible but false
  321. spelunker
    a person who explores caves
  322. spendthrift
    someone who spends money freely or wastefully
  323. splenetic
    of or relating to the spleen
  324. sporadic
    recurring in scattered or unpredictable instances
  325. spurious
    plausible but false
  326. spurn
    reject with contempt
  327. squalid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
  328. stagnant
    not growing or changing; without force or vitality
  329. staid
    characterized by dignity and propriety
  330. stamina
    enduring strength and energy
  331. stanch
    stop the flow of a liquid
  332. stanza
    a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem
  333. static
    not in physical motion
  334. steadfast
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
  335. stigma
    a symbol of disgrace or infamy
  336. stigmatize
    condemn or openly brand as disgraceful
  337. stipend
    a sum of money allotted on a regular basis
  338. Stoic
    pertaining to Stoicism or its followers
  339. stoke
    (of a fire) stir up or tend
  340. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  341. striate
    marked with stripes
  342. stridency
    having the timbre of a loud high-pitched sound
  343. strident
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  344. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
  345. stymie
    hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
  346. suave
    having a sophisticated charm
  347. subjugate
    make subservient; force to submit or subdue
  348. subliminal
    below the threshold of conscious perception
  349. subsidiary
    functioning in a supporting capacity
  350. substantive
    having a firm basis in reality and therefore important
  351. subsume
    contain or include
  352. subtlety
    the quality of being difficult to detect or analyze
  353. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  354. succor
    assistance in time of difficulty
  355. succumb
    give in, as to overwhelming force, influence, or pressure
  356. suffuse
    cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across
  357. sumptuous
    rich and superior in quality
  358. sunder
    break apart or in two, using violence
  359. sundry
    consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
  360. superficial
    of, affecting, or being on or near the surface
  361. superfluous
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  362. superlative
    highest in quality
  363. supplant
    take the place or move into the position of
  364. suppliant
    humbly entreating
  365. suppress
    put down by force or authority
  366. surfeit
    indulge (one's appetite) to satiety
  367. surmise
    infer from incomplete evidence
  368. surpass
    be or do something to a greater degree
  369. surreptitious
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  370. susceptible
    yielding readily to or capable of undergoing a process
  371. swathe
    wrap in or as if in strips of cloth
  372. sycophant
    a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
  373. syllogism
    reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises
  374. symmetry
    balance among the parts of something
  375. synthetic
    a compound made artificially by chemical reactions
Created on Sat Oct 06 15:32:08 EDT 2007

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