SKIP TO CONTENT

tricky and confusing GRE WORDS

244 words 36 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Full list of words from this list:

  1. sardonic
    disdainfully or ironically humorous
  2. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  3. arcane
    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
  4. forage
    collect or look around for, as food
  5. vicarious
    experienced at secondhand
  6. vindictive
    disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
  7. obviate
    do away with
  8. querulous
    habitually complaining
  9. verity
    conformity to reality or actuality
  10. adventitious
    associated by chance and not an integral part
  11. obloquy
    state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
  12. discursive
    tending to cover a wide range of subjects
  13. iniquity
    absence of moral or spiritual values
  14. aspersion
    a disparaging remark
  15. strident
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  16. pique
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
  17. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
  18. rescind
    cancel officially
  19. credulous
    showing a lack of judgment or experience
  20. perspicacious
    mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
  21. truculent
    defiantly aggressive
  22. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  23. anathema
    a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication
  24. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  25. turpitude
    a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
  26. esurient
    extremely hungry
  27. wraith
    a ghostly figure, especially one seen shortly before death
  28. obstinacy
    resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires
  29. recondite
    difficult to understand
  30. diffident
    showing modest reserve
  31. visage
    the human face
  32. inimical
    tending to obstruct or cause harm
  33. recreant
    having deserted a cause or principle
  34. encomium
    a formal expression of praise
  35. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
  36. descry
    catch sight of
  37. expiate
    make amends for
  38. invidious
    containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
  39. impecunious
    not having enough money to pay for necessities
  40. licentious
    lacking moral discipline
  41. vicarious
    experienced at secondhand
  42. vindictive
    disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
  43. portentous
    of momentous or ominous significance
  44. obloquy
    state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
  45. iniquity
    absence of moral or spiritual values
  46. pique
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
  47. esurient
    extremely hungry
  48. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
  49. pillory
    a wooden instrument of punishment on a post
  50. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  51. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  52. catechism
    an elementary book summarizing the principles of a religion
  53. minatory
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  54. nonplussed
    filled with bewilderment
  55. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
  56. truant
    one who is absent from school without permission
  57. prerogative
    a right reserved exclusively by a person or group
  58. expedient
    appropriate to a purpose
  59. otiose
    serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
  60. muzzle
    forward projecting part of the head of certain animals
  61. mite
    small arachnid that infests animals, plants, or stored foods
  62. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
  63. jibe
    shift from one side of the ship to the other
  64. sanctimonious
    excessively or hypocritically pious
  65. precipitous
    extremely steep
  66. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
  67. insouciant
    marked by unconcern
  68. preclude
    make impossible, especially beforehand
  69. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  70. maudlin
    very sentimental or emotional
  71. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  72. obtrude
    push to thrust outward
  73. obstreperous
    noisily and stubbornly defiant
  74. capitulate
    surrender under agreed conditions
  75. turpitude
    a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
  76. chimerical
    like a grotesque product of the imagination
  77. latitude
    an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
  78. lassitude
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
  79. nostrum
    patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
  80. froward
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
  81. proclivity
    a natural inclination
  82. obloquy
    state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
  83. precipice
    a very steep cliff
  84. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
  85. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
  86. vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud
  87. limber
    easily bent
  88. tenuous
    lacking substance or significance
  89. limbo
    in Catholicism, the place of unbaptized but innocent souls
  90. legerdemain
    an illusory feat
  91. libel
    a false and malicious publication
  92. labile
    liable to change
  93. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
  94. promenade
    a leisurely walk, usually in some public place
  95. savage
    without civilizing influences
  96. rapacious
    living by preying on other animals
  97. froward
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
  98. preternatural
    existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
  99. tepid
    moderately warm
  100. hyperbole
    extravagant exaggeration
  101. polyglot
    a person who speaks more than one language
  102. pert
    characterized by a lightly saucy or impudent quality
  103. mutable
    capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature
  104. disposition
    your usual mood
  105. litany
    a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation
  106. ineffable
    defying expression or description
  107. proscribe
    command against
  108. plaintiff
    a person who brings an action in a court of law
  109. litany
    a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation
  110. rapacious
    living by preying on other animals
  111. euthanasia
    the act of killing someone painlessly
  112. imprecation
    the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil
  113. unprepossessing
    creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression
  114. staccato
    (music) separating the notes
  115. evince
    give expression to
  116. surmise
    infer from incomplete evidence
  117. waif
    a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
  118. intrepid
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  119. foment
    try to stir up
  120. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  121. furtive
    secret and sly
  122. garble
    distort or make false by mutilation or addition
  123. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
  124. titular
    existing in name only
  125. connivance
    agreement on a secret plot
  126. sibylline
    resembling or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy
  127. extemporaneous
    with little or no preparation or forethought
  128. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
  129. gargantuan
    of great mass; huge and bulky
  130. nihilism
    complete denial of established authority and institutions
  131. perdition
    the place or state in which one suffers eternal punishment
  132. execrate
    curse or declare to be evil or anathema
  133. intrepid
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  134. foment
    try to stir up
  135. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
  136. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  137. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
  138. peremptory
    putting an end to all debate or action
  139. traduce
    speak unfavorably about
  140. sibylline
    resembling or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy
  141. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
  142. traduce
    speak unfavorably about
  143. insolence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
  144. subterfuge
    something intended to misrepresent the nature of an activity
  145. effusive
    uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
  146. surreptitious
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  147. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
  148. pulchritude
    physical beauty, especially of a woman
  149. codicil
    a supplement to a will
  150. sublime
    of high moral or intellectual value
  151. parochial
    relating to or supported by or located in a parish
  152. parry
    impede the movement of
  153. masochist
    someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment
  154. vagrant
    a wanderer with no established residence or means of support
  155. heralded
    publicly announced
  156. heuristic
    a commonsense rule to help solve some problem
  157. repository
    a facility where things can be deposited for safekeeping
  158. puritanical
    of or relating to a certain group of English Protestants
  159. tardy
    after the expected or usual time
  160. delirious
    experiencing hallucinations
  161. foppish
    overly concerned with extreme elegance in dress and manner
  162. sordid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
  163. incumbent
    necessary as a duty or responsibility; morally binding
  164. chagrin
    strong feelings of embarrassment
  165. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
  166. refectory
    a communal dining-hall, usually in a monastery
  167. treatise
    a formal text that treats a particular topic systematically
  168. somber
    serious and gloomy in character
  169. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  170. testy
    easily irritated or annoyed
  171. felicitous
    exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
  172. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
  173. revulsion
    intense aversion
  174. rant
    talk at length in a noisy, excited, or angry manner
  175. prelate
    a senior clergyman and dignitary
  176. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
  177. trappings
    ornaments; embellishments to or characteristic signs of
  178. spry
    moving quickly and lightly
  179. poignant
    keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
  180. reminiscent
    serving to bring to mind
  181. fester
    generate pus
  182. sophist
    someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious
  183. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
  184. sleeper
    a rester who is in slumber
  185. delirious
    experiencing hallucinations
  186. coterie
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
  187. tutelary
    providing protective supervision
  188. titular
    existing in name only
  189. cupidity
    extreme greed for material wealth
  190. insolvent
    unable to meet or discharge financial obligations
  191. proselytize
    convert or try to convert someone to another religion
  192. stentorian
    very loud or booming
  193. bandy
    discuss lightly
  194. bauble
    cheap showy jewelry or ornament
  195. uncouth
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
  196. implore
    beg or request earnestly and urgently
  197. reminiscent
    serving to bring to mind
  198. clout
    (boxing) a blow with the fist
  199. suborn
    incite to commit a crime or an evil deed
  200. retrench
    tighten one's belt; use resources carefully
  201. retinue
    the group following and attending to some important person
  202. consternation
    sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
  203. fiend
    an evil supernatural being
  204. sedulous
    marked by care and persistent effort
  205. fiend
    an evil supernatural being
  206. trappings
    ornaments; embellishments to or characteristic signs of
  207. exasperation
    actions that cause great irritation
  208. coup
    a sudden and decisive change of government by force
  209. simper
    smile in an insincere, unnatural, or coy way
  210. impudent
    improperly forward or bold
  211. ennui
    the feeling of being bored by something tedious
  212. demure
    shy or modest, often in a playful or provocative way
  213. retrench
    tighten one's belt; use resources carefully
  214. reverie
    an abstracted state of absorption
  215. uncouth
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
  216. pugilist
    someone who fights with fists for sport
  217. impale
    pierce with a sharp stake or point
  218. coruscate
    reflect brightly
  219. ungainly
    lacking grace in movement or posture
  220. supercilious
    having or showing arrogant superiority
  221. raiment
    especially fine or decorative clothing
  222. glean
    gather, as of natural products
  223. patina
    a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal
  224. innuendo
    an indirect and usually malicious implication
  225. shindig
    a large and noisy party of people
  226. prorogue
    adjourn by royal prerogative
  227. cachet
    an indication of approved or superior status
  228. internecine
    within a group or organization
  229. shenanigan
    the use of tricks to deceive someone
  230. febrile
    of or relating to or characterized by fever
  231. condign
    fitting or appropriate and deserved
  232. supplicant
    someone who prays to God
  233. figment
    a contrived or fantastic idea
  234. propitiate
    make peace with
  235. insurrection
    organized opposition to authority
  236. recreant
    having deserted a cause or principle
  237. prudish
    exaggeratedly proper
  238. betroth
    give to in marriage
  239. consternation
    sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
  240. numinous
    of or relating to or characteristic of a spirit
  241. inter
    place in a grave or tomb
  242. decant
    pour out
  243. extricate
    release from entanglement or difficulty
  244. littoral
    of or relating to a coastal or shore region
Created on Fri Aug 24 05:19:16 EDT 2012 (updated Tue Oct 09 00:41:45 EDT 2012)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.