GRE High Frequency Words

abate

become less in amount or intensity

chicanery

the use of tricks to deceive someone

disseminate

cause to become widely known

gainsay

take exception to

latent

potentially existing but not presently evident or realized

aberrant

markedly different from an accepted norm

coagulate

change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state

dissolution

separation into component parts

garrulous

full of trivial conversation

laud

praise, glorify, or honor

abeyance

temporary cessation or suspension

coda

the closing section of a musical composition

dissonance

disagreeable sounds

goad

stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick

lethargic

deficient in alertness or activity

abscond

run away, often taking something or somebody along

cogent

powerfully persuasive

distend

cause to expand as if by internal pressure

gouge

an impression in a surface, as made by a blow

levee

an embankment built to prevent a river from overflowing

abstemious

marked by temperance in indulgence

commensurate

corresponding in size or degree or extent

distill

undergo condensation

grandiloquent

lofty in style

levity

a manner lacking seriousness

admonish

scold or reprimand; take to task

compendium

a publication containing a variety of works

diverge

move or draw apart

gregarious

temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others

log

a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches

adulterate

make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance

complaisant

showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others

divest

take away possessions from someone

guileless

innocent and free of deceit

loquacious

full of trivial conversation

aesthetic

characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste

compliant

disposed to act in accordance with someone's wishes

document

a representation of a person's thinking with symbolic marks

gullible

naive and easily deceived or tricked

lucid

transparently clear; easily understandable

aggregate

a sum total of many heterogeneous things taken together

conciliatory

making or willing to make concessions

dogmatic

pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

harangue

a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion

luminous

softly bright or radiant

alacrity

liveliness and eagerness

condone

excuse, overlook, or make allowances for

dormant

inactive but capable of becoming active

homogeneous

all of the same or similar kind or nature

magnanimity

nobility and generosity of spirit

alleviate

provide physical relief, as from pain

confound

be confusing or perplexing to

dupe

fool or hoax

hyperbole

extravagant exaggeration

malingerer

someone shirking duty by feigning illness or incapacity

amalgamate

bring or combine together or with something else

connoisseur

an expert able to appreciate a field

ebullient

joyously unrestrained

iconoclastic

characterized by attack on established beliefs

malleable

capable of being shaped or bent

ambiguous

having more than one possible meaning

contention

the act of competing as for profit or a prize

eclectic

selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas

idolatry

the worship of idols or images that are not God

maverick

someone who exhibits independence in thought and action

ambivalence

mixed feelings or emotions

contentious

showing an inclination to disagree

efficacy

capacity or power to produce a desired effect

immutable

not subject or susceptible to change or variation

mendacious

given to lying

ameliorate

make better

contrite

feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses

effrontery

audacious behavior that you have no right to

impair

make worse or less effective

metamorphosis

striking change in appearance or character or circumstances

anachronism

something located at a time when it could not have existed

conundrum

a difficult problem

elegy

a mournful poem; a lament for the dead

impassive

having or revealing little emotion or sensibility

meticulous

marked by precise accordance with details

analogous

similar or equivalent in some respects

converge

be adjacent or come together

elicit

call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response

impede

be a hindrance or obstacle to

misanthrope

someone who dislikes people in general

anarchy

a state of lawlessness and disorder

convoluted

highly complex or intricate

embellish

make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color

impermeable

preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through

mitigate

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

anomalous

deviating from the general or common order or type

craven

lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful

empirical

derived from experiment and observation rather than theory

imperturbable

marked by extreme calm and composure

mollify

cause to be more favorably inclined

antipathy

a feeling of intense dislike

daunt

cause to lose courage

emulate

strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

impervious

not admitting of passage or capable of being affected

morose

showing a brooding ill humor

apathy

an absence of emotion or enthusiasm

decorum

propriety in manners and conduct

endemic

native to or confined to a certain region

implacable

incapable of being appeased or pacified

mundane

found in the ordinary course of events

appease

make peace with

default

an option that is selected automatically

enervate

weaken mentally or morally

implicit

suggested though not directly expressed

negate

make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of

apprise

inform somebody of something

deference

courteous regard for people's feelings

engender

call forth

implode

burst inward

neophyte

any new participant in some activity

approbation

official acceptance or agreement

delineate

represented accurately or precisely

enhance

increase

inadvertently

without knowledge or intention

obdurate

stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing

appropriate

suitable for a particular person, place, or situation

denigrate

charge falsely or with malicious intent

ephemeral

anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day

inchoate

only partly in existence; imperfectly formed

obsequious

attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

arduous

characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion

deride

treat or speak of with contempt

equanimity

steadiness of mind under stress

incongruity

the quality of disagreeing

obviate

do away with

artless

simple and natural; without cunning or deceit

derivative

a compound obtained from another compound

equivocate

be deliberately ambiguous or unclear

inconsequential

lacking worth or importance

occlude

block passage through

ascetic

someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline

desiccate

lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless

erudite

having or showing profound knowledge

incorporate

make into a whole or make part of a whole

officious

intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

assiduous

marked by care and persistent effort

desultory

marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose

esoteric

understandable only by an enlightened inner circle

indeterminate

not fixed or known in advance

onerous

not easily borne; wearing

assuage

provide physical relief, as from pain

deterrent

something immaterial that interferes with action or progress

eulogy

a formal expression of praise for someone who has died

indigence

a state of extreme poverty or destitution

opprobrium

a state of extreme dishonor

attenuate

become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude

diatribe

thunderous verbal attack

euphemism

an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one

indolent

disinclined to work or exertion

oscillate

move or swing from side to side regularly

audacious

disposed to venture or take risks

dichotomy

a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses

exacerbate

make worse

inert

unable to move or resist motion

ostentatious

intended to attract notice and impress others

austere

of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor

diffidence

lack of self-assurance

exculpate

pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

pate

liver or meat or fowl finely minced or ground and variously seasoned

ingenuous

lacking in sophistication or worldliness

paragon

a perfect embodiment of a concept

autonomous

existing as an independent entity

diffuse

spread out; not concentrated in one place

exigency

a pressing or urgent situation

inherent

existing as an essential constituent or characteristic

partisan

a fervent and even militant proponent of something

aver

declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

digression

a message that departs from the main subject

extrapolation

an inference about the future based on known facts

innocuous

not injurious to physical or mental health

pathological

relating to the study of diseases

banal

repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

dirge

a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person

facetious

cleverly amusing in tone

insensible

barely able to be perceived

paucity

an insufficient quantity or number

belie

be in contradiction with

disabuse

free somebody from an erroneous belief

facilitate

make easier

insinuate

suggest in an indirect or covert way; give to understand

pedantic

marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning

beneficent

doing or producing good

discerning

having or revealing keen insight and good judgment

fallacious

containing or based on incorrect reasoning

insipid

lacking interest or significance or impact

penchant

a strong liking

bolster

support and strengthen

discordant

not in agreement or harmony

fatuous

devoid of intelligence

insularity

the state of being isolated or detached

penury

a state of extreme poverty or destitution

bombastic

ostentatiously lofty in style

discredit

the state of being held in low esteem

fawning

attempting to win favor by flattery

intractable

difficult to manage or mold

perennial

lasting an indefinitely long time

boorish

ill-mannered and coarse in behavior or appearance

discrepancy

a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions

felicitous

exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style

intransigence

stubborn refusal to compromise or change

perfidious

tending to betray

burgeon

grow and flourish

discrete

constituting a separate entity or part

fervor

feelings of great warmth and intensity

inundate

fill or cover completely, usually with water

perfunctory

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough

burnish

polish and make shiny

disingenuous

not straightforward or candid

flag

a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

inured

made tough by habitual exposure

permeable

allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through

buttress

a support usually of stone or brick

disinterested

unaffected by concern for one's own welfare

fledgling

young bird that has just fledged or become capable of flying

invective

abusive language used to express blame or censure

pervasive

spreading or spread throughout

cacophonous

having an unpleasant sound

disjointed

taken apart at the points of connection

flout

treat with contemptuous disregard

irascible

quickly aroused to anger

phlegmatic

showing little emotion

capricious

determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity

dismiss

stop associating with

foment

try to stir up

irresolute

uncertain how to act or proceed

piety

righteousness by virtue of being religiously devout

castigation

verbal punishment

disparage

express a negative opinion of

forestall

keep from happening or arising; make impossible

itinerary

an established line of travel or access

placate

cause to be more favorably inclined

catalyst

substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction

disparate

fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind

frugality

prudence in avoiding waste

laconic

brief and to the point

plasticity

the property of being physically malleable

caustic

capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action

dissemble

behave unnaturally or affectedly

futile

producing no result or effect

lassitude

a feeling of lack of interest or energy

platitude

a trite or obvious remark

plethora

extreme excess

propitiate

make peace with

rescind

cancel officially

sporadic

recurring in scattered or unpredictable instances

tractable

easily managed

plummet

drop sharply

propriety

correct behavior

resolution

a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner

stigma

a symbol of disgrace or infamy

transgression

the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle

porous

full of holes

proscribe

command against

resolve

find a solution or answer

stint

supply sparingly and with restricted quantities

truculence

obstreperous and defiant aggressiveness

pragmatic

concerned with practical matters

pungent

strong and sharp to the sense of taste

reticent

reluctant to draw attention to yourself

stipulate

make an express demand or provision in an agreement

vacillate

be undecided about something

preamble

a preliminary introduction to a statute or constitution

qualified

meeting the proper standards and requirements for a task

reverent

feeling or showing profound respect or veneration

stolid

having or revealing little emotion or sensibility

venerate

regard with feelings of respect and reverence

precarious

not secure; beset with difficulties

quibble

evade the truth of a point by raising irrelevant objections

sage

a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics

striate

marked with stripes

veracious

habitually speaking the truth

precipitate

bring about abruptly

quiescent

being quiet or still or inactive

salubrious

promoting health

strut

walk with a lofty proud gait

verbose

using or containing too many words

precursor

something indicating the approach of something or someone

rarefied

of high moral or intellectual value

sanction

official permission or approval

subpoena

a writ issued to compel the attendance of a witness

viable

capable of life or normal growth and development

presumptuous

going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous

recalcitrant

stubbornly resistant to authority or control

satiate

fill to satisfaction

subside

wear off or die down

viscous

having a relatively high resistance to flow

prevaricate

be deliberately ambiguous or unclear

recant

formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief

saturate

infuse or fill completely

substantiate

establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

vituperative

marked by harshly abusive criticism

pristine

immaculately clean and unused

recluse

one who lives in solitude

savor

a particular taste or smell, especially an appealing one

supersede

take the place or move into the position of

volatile

liable to lead to sudden change or violence

probity

complete and confirmed integrity

recondite

difficult to penetrate

secrete

generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids

supposition

the cognitive process of conjecturing

unwarranted

incapable of being justified or explained

problematic

making great mental demands

refractory

stubbornly resistant to authority or control

shard

a broken piece of a brittle artifact

tacit

implied by or inferred from actions or statements

wary

marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

prodigal

recklessly wasteful

refute

overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof

skeptic

someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs

tangential

of superficial relevance if any

welter

a confused multitude of things

profound

situated at or extending to great depth

relegate

assign to a lower position

solicitous

full of anxiety and concern

tenuous

very thin in gauge or diameter

whimsical

determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity

prohibitive

tending to discourage, especially of prices

reproach

express criticism towards

soporific

inducing sleep

tirade

a speech of violent denunciation

zealot

a fervent and even militant proponent of something

proliferate

grow rapidly

reprobate

a person without moral scruples

specious

plausible but false

torpor

a state of motor and mental inactivity

propensity

a natural inclination

repudiate

refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid

spectrum

a broad range of related objects or values or qualities

tortuous

marked by repeated turns and bends

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