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VOCABULARY LISTS > USER LISTS

GRE High Frequency Words 420 words

October 28, 2007 By Robin B.

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. abate
    become less in amount or intensity
  2. aberrant
    markedly different from an accepted norm
  3. abeyance
    temporary cessation or suspension
  4. abscond
    run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
  5. abstemious
    marked by temperance in indulgence
  6. admonish
    take to task
  7. adulterate
    corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
  8. aesthetic
    concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
  9. aggregate
    a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together
  10. alacrity
    liveliness and eagerness
  11. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  12. amalgamate
    to bring or combine together or with something else
  13. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
  14. ambivalence
    mixed feelings or emotions
  15. ameliorate
    to make better
  16. anachronism
    something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
  17. analogous
    similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar
  18. anarchy
    a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
  19. anomalous
    deviating from the general or common order or type
  20. antipathy
    a feeling of intense dislike
  21. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
  22. appease
    make peace with
  23. appraise
    consider in a comprehensive way
  24. approbation
    official approval
  25. appropriate
    suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc
  26. arduous
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
  27. artless
    simple and natural; without cunning or deceit
  28. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
  29. assiduous
    marked by care and persistent effort
  30. assuage
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  31. attenuate
    become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
  32. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
  33. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
  34. autonomous
    existing as an independent entity
  35. aver
    to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
  36. banal
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  37. belie
    be in contradiction with
  38. beneficent
    doing or producing good
  39. bolster
    support and strengthen
  40. bombastic
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  41. boorish
    ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance
  42. burgeon
    grow and flourish
  43. burnish
    polish and make shiny
  44. buttress
    a support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a building
  45. cacophonous
    having an unpleasant sound
  46. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
  47. castigation
    verbal punishment
  48. catalyst
    (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected
  49. caustic
    of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
  50. chicanery
    the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)
  51. coagulate
    change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
  52. coda
    the closing section of a musical composition
  53. cogent
    powerfully persuasive
  54. commensurate
    corresponding in size or degree or extent
  55. compendium
    a publication containing a variety of works
  56. complaisant
    showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
  57. compliant
    disposed or willing to comply
  58. conciliatory
    making or willing to make concessions
  59. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
  60. confound
    be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
  61. connoisseur
    an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts
  62. contention
    the act of competing as for profit or a prize
  63. contentious
    inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits
  64. contrite
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
  65. conundrum
    a difficult problem
  66. converge
    be adjacent or come together
  67. convoluted
    rolled longitudinally upon itself
  68. craven
    lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
  69. daunt
    cause to lose courage
  70. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
  71. default
    an option that is selected automatically unless an alternative is specified
  72. deference
    courteous regard for people's feelings
  73. delineate
    represented accurately or precisely
  74. denigrate
    charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
  75. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  76. derivative
    a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound
  77. desiccate
    lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless
  78. desultory
    marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another
  79. deterrent
    something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
  80. diatribe
    thunderous verbal attack
  81. dichotomy
    being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
  82. diffidence
    lack of self-confidence
  83. diffuse
    spread out; not concentrated in one place
  84. digression
    a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)
  85. dirge
    a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person
  86. disabuse
    free somebody (from an erroneous belief)
  87. discerning
    having or revealing keen insight and good judgment
  88. discordant
    not in agreement or harmony
  89. discredit
    the state of being held in low esteem
  90. discrepancy
    a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
  91. discrete
    constituting a separate entity or part
  92. disingenuous
    not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
  93. disinterested
    unaffected by self-interest
  94. disjointed
    taken apart at the joints
  95. dismiss
    stop associating with
  96. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
  97. disparate
    fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
  98. dissemble
    behave unnaturally or affectedly
  99. disseminate
    cause to become widely known
  100. dissolution
    separation into component parts
  101. dissonance
    disagreeable sounds
  102. distend
    cause to expand as it by internal pressure
  103. distill
    undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops
  104. diverge
    move or draw apart
  105. divest
    take away possessions from someone
  106. documental
    relating to or consisting of or derived from documents
  107. dogmatic
    of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
  108. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
  109. dupe
    fool or hoax
  110. ebullient
    joyously unrestrained
  111. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
  112. effrontery
    audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
  113. elegy
    a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
  114. elicit
    call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
  115. embellish
    make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
  116. empirical
    derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
  117. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
  118. endemic
    native to or confined to a certain region
  119. enervate
    weaken mentally or morally
  120. engender
    make children
  121. enhance
    increase
  122. ephemeral
    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
  123. equanimity
    steadiness of mind under stress
  124. equivocate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
  125. erudite
    having or showing profound knowledge
  126. esoteric
    confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
  127. eulogy
    a formal expression of praise for someone who has died recently
  128. euphemism
    an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
  129. exacerbate
    make worse
  130. exculpate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  131. exigency
    a pressing or urgent situation
  132. extrapolation
    an inference about the future (or about some hypothetical situation) based on known facts and observations
  133. facetious
    cleverly amusing in tone
  134. facilitate
    make easier
  135. fatuous
    devoid of intelligence
  136. fallacious
    containing or based on a fallacy
  137. fawning
    attempting to win favor by flattery
  138. felicitous
    exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
  139. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
  140. Flag Day
    commemorating the adoption of the United States flag in 1777
  141. flout
    treat with contemptuous disregard
  142. foment
    try to stir up public opinion
  143. forestall
    act in advance of; deal with ahead of time
  144. frugality
    prudence in avoiding waste
  145. futile
    producing no result or effect
  146. gainsay
    take exception to
  147. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  148. goad
    stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick
  149. gouge
    an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
  150. grandiloquent
    lofty in style
  151. gregarious
    instinctively or temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
  152. guileless
    free of deceit
  153. gullible
    naive and easily deceived or tricked
  154. harangue
    a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
  155. homogeneous
    all of the same or similar kind or nature
  156. hyperbole
    extravagant exaggeration
  157. iconoclastic
    characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
  158. idolatry
    the worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God
  159. immutable
    not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature
  160. impair
    make worse or less effective
  161. impassive
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
  162. impede
    be a hindrance or obstacle to
  163. impermeable
    preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through
  164. imperturbable
    not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
  165. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
  166. implacable
    incapable of being placated
  167. implicit
    implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something
  168. implode
    burst inward
  169. inadvertently
    without knowledge or intention
  170. inchoate
    only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
  171. incongruity
    the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
  172. inconsequential
    lacking worth or importance
  173. incorporate
    make into a whole or make part of a whole
  174. indeterminate
    not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
  175. indigence
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
  176. indolent
    disinclined to work or exertion
  177. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
  178. ingenuous
    lacking in sophistication or worldliness
  179. inherent
    existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
  180. innocuous
    not injurious to physical or mental health
  181. insensible
    barely able to be perceived
  182. insinuate
    give to understand
  183. insipid
    lacking interest or significance or impact
  184. insularity
    the state of being isolated or detached
  185. intractable
    not tractable; difficult to manage or mold
  186. intransigence
    the trait of being intransigent; stubbornly refusing to compromise
  187. inundate
    fill or cover completely, usually with water
  188. inured
    made tough by habitual exposure
  189. invective
    abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will
  190. irascible
    quickly aroused to anger
  191. irresolute
    uncertain how to act or proceed
  192. itinerary
    an established line of travel or access
  193. laconic
    brief and to the point; effectively cut short
  194. lassitude
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
  195. latent
    potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
  196. laud
    praise, glorify, or honor
  197. lethargic
    deficient in alertness or activity
  198. on leave
  199. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
  200. log
    a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
  201. loquacious
    full of trivial conversation
  202. lucid
    (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
  203. luminous
    softly bright or radiant
  204. magnanimity
    liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
  205. malleable
    capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
  206. malingerer
    someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity
  207. maverick
    someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action
  208. mendacious
    given to lying
  209. metamorphosis
    a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances
  210. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
  211. misanthrope
    someone who dislikes people in general
  212. mitigate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  213. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  214. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
  215. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
  216. negate
    make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of
  217. neophyte
    any new participant in some activity
  218. obdurate
    stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
  219. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  220. obviate
    do away with
  221. occlude
    block passage through
  222. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
  223. onerous
    not easily borne; wearing
  224. opprobrium
    a state of extreme dishonor
  225. oscillate
    move or swing from side to side regularly
  226. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
  227. paragon
    an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
  228. partisan
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  229. pathological
    of or relating to the practice of pathology
  230. paucity
    an insufficient quantity or number
  231. pedantic
    marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
  232. penchant
    a strong liking
  233. penury
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
  234. perennial
    lasting three seasons or more
  235. perfidious
    tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans
  236. perfunctory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
  237. permeable
    allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
  238. pervasive
    spreading or spread throughout
  239. phlegmatic
    showing little emotion
  240. piety
    righteousness by virtue of being pious
  241. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  242. plasticity
    the property of being physically malleable; the property of something that can be worked or hammered or shaped without breaking
  243. platitude
    a trite or obvious remark
  244. plethora
    extreme excess
  245. plummet
    drop sharply
  246. porous
    full of pores or vessels or holes
  247. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
  248. preamble
    a preliminary introduction to a statute or constitution (usually explaining its purpose)
  249. precarious
    not secure; beset with difficulties
  250. precipitate
    hurl or throw violently
  251. precursor
    something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
  252. presumptuous
    excessively forward
  253. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
  254. no-par stock
    stock with no par value specified in the corporate charter or on the stock certificate
  255. probity
    complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
  256. problematic
    making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
  257. prodigal
    recklessly wasteful
  258. profound
    situated at or extending to great depth; too deep to have been sounded or plumbed
  259. prohibitive
    tending to discourage (especially of prices)
  260. proliferate
    grow rapidly
  261. propensity
    a natural inclination
  262. propitiate
    make peace with
  263. propriety
    correct or appropriate behavior
  264. proscribe
    command against
  265. pungent
    strong and sharp;"the pungent taste of radishes"
  266. qualified
    meeting the proper standards and requirements and training for an office or position or task
  267. quibble
    evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections
  268. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
  269. rarefied
    of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
  270. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  271. recant
    formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
  272. recluse
    one who lives in solitude
  273. recondite
    difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
  274. refractory
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  275. refute
    overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof
  276. relegate
    assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
  277. reproach
    express criticism towards
  278. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
  279. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  280. rescind
    cancel officially
  281. resolution
    finding a solution to a problem
  282. resolve
    find the solution
  283. nurturant
    providing physical and emotional care and nourishment
  284. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
  285. sage
    a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom
  286. salubrious
    promoting health; healthful
  287. sanction
    official permission or approval
  288. satiate
    fill to satisfaction
  289. saturate
    infuse or fill completely
  290. savor
    the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth
  291. secrete
    generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids
  292. shard
    a broken piece of a brittle artifact
  293. skeptic
    someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
  294. solicitous
    full of anxiety and concern
  295. soporific
    sleep inducing
  296. specious
    plausible but false
  297. spectrum
    a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities
  298. sporadic
    recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances
  299. stigma
    a symbol of disgrace or infamy
  300. stint
    supply sparingly and with restricted quantities
  301. stipulate
    specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement
  302. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
  303. striate
    marked with stria or striations
  304. strut
    to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
  305. subpoena
    a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding; disobedience may be punishable as a contempt of court
  306. subside
    sink to a lower level or form a depression
  307. substantiate
    establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
  308. supersede
    take the place or move into the position of
  309. supposition
    the cognitive process of supposing
  310. tacit
    implied by or inferred from actions or statements
  311. tangential
    of superficial relevance if any
  312. tenuous
    very thin in gauge or diameter
  313. tirade
    a speech of violent denunciation
  314. torpor
    a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility
  315. tortuous
    marked by repeated turns and bends
  316. tractable
    easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
  317. transgression
    the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle
  318. truculence
    obstreperous and defiant aggressiveness
  319. vacillate
    be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
  320. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
  321. veracious
    habitually speaking the truth
  322. verbose
    using or containing too many words
  323. viable
    capable of life or normal growth and development
  324. viscous
    having a relatively high resistance to flow
  325. vituperative
    marked by harshly abusive criticism
  326. volatile
    a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor
  327. warranted
  328. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
  329. welter
    a confused multitude of things
  330. whimsical
    determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
  331. Zealot
    a member of an ancient Jewish sect in Judea in the first century who fought to the death against the Romans and who killed or persecuted Jews who collaborated with the Romans
  332. acerbic
    sour or bitter in taste
  333. allude
    make a more or less disguised reference to
  334. allusion
    passing reference or indirect mention
  335. altruism
    the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
  336. amalgam
    a combination or blend of diverse things
  337. apposite
    being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
  338. arcane
    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
  339. archetype
    something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies
  340. arid
    lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  341. articulate
    express or state clearly
  342. aspersion
    a disparaging remark
  343. astringent
    tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
  344. atrophy
    a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
  345. autocracy
    a political theory favoring unlimited authority by a single individual
  346. autocrat
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
  347. baleful
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  348. bilateral
    having two sides or parts
  349. bombast
    pompous or pretentious talk or writing
  350. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
  351. cant
    a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
  352. caprice
    a sudden desire
  353. catharsis
    purging the body by the use of a cathartic to stimulate evacuation of the bowels
  354. girlishness
    being characteristic of a girl
  355. circumlocution
    an indirect way of expressing something
  356. cloture
    a rule for limiting or ending debate in a deliberative body
  357. cloying
    overly sweet
  358. codify
    organize into a code or system, such as a body of law
  359. cogitate
    consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind
  360. cognitive
    of or being or relating to or involving cognition
  361. cognizant
    (sometimes followed by `of') having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
  362. coherent
    marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts
  363. cohesion
    the state of cohering or sticking together
  364. comeliness
    the quality of being good looking and attractive
  365. commodious
    large and roomy (`convenient' is archaic in this sense)
  366. complaisance
    a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
  367. connotative
    having the power of implying or suggesting something in addition to what is explicit
  368. constraint
    the state of being physically constrained
  369. contravene
    go against, as of rules and laws
  370. coterie
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
  371. crass
    (of persons) so unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility
  372. debacle
    a sudden and violent collapse
  373. debilitate
    make weak
  374. decorous
    characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct
  375. deleterious
    harmful to living things
  376. deprecate
    express strong disapproval of; deplore
  377. derision
    the act of deriding or treating with contempt
  378. diffident
    showing modest reserve
  379. disputation
    the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)
  380. dissonant
    characterized by musical dissonance; harmonically unresolved
  381. ebullience
    overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval
  382. ellipsis
    omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
  383. elucidate
    make clear and (more) comprehensible
  384. emollient
    toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin
  385. encomium
    a formal expression of praise
  386. evanescent
    tending to vanish like vapor
  387. exigent
    demanding attention
  388. extemporize
    perform without preparation
  389. extrapolate
    draw from specific cases for more general cases
  390. feign
    make believe with the intent to deceive
  391. iconoclast
    someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
  392. impugn
    attack as false or wrong
  393. incisive
    having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
  394. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
  395. indigenous
    originating where it is found
  396. inept
    generally incompetent and ineffectual
  397. intransigent
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason
  398. intrepid
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  399. macerate
    soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result
  400. maculate
    morally blemished; stained or impure
  401. ossify
    become bony
  402. palpable
    capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt
  403. panegyric
    formally expressing praise
  404. paradigm
    a standard or typical example
  405. paradox
    (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
  406. parsimonious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  407. penurious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  408. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
  409. putrefaction
    (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action
  410. putrefy
    become putrid; decay with an offensive smell
  411. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
  412. sagacious
    acutely insightful and wise
  413. sinuous
    curved or curving in and out
  414. spurious
    plausible but false
  415. squalid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
  416. subjugate
    make subservient; force to submit or subdue
  417. taciturn
    habitually reserved and uncommunicative
  418. truculent
    defiantly aggressive
  419. ubiquitous
    being present everywhere at once
  420. allusive
    characterized by indirect references