GMAT Vocabulary A-D

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abandon
    forsake; leave behind
  2. abase
    cause to feel shame
  3. abbreviate
    shorten
  4. abdicate
    give up power, duties, or obligations
  5. aberrant
    markedly different from an accepted norm
  6. abeyance
    temporary cessation or suspension
  7. abhor
    feel hatred or disgust toward
  8. abject
    of the most contemptible kind
  9. abjure
    formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
  10. abnegation
    the denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief
  11. abominate
    find repugnant
  12. abridge
    lessen, diminish, or curtail
  13. abrogate
    revoke formally
  14. abrupt
    exceedingly sudden and unexpected
  15. abscond
    run away, often taking something or somebody along
  16. absolve
    grant remission of a sin to
  17. abstemious
    marked by temperance in indulgence
  18. abstinence
    the trait of refraining from something, especially alcohol
  19. abstruse
    difficult to understand
  20. accede
    yield to another's wish or opinion
  21. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
  22. accolade
    a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
  23. accomplice
    a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan
  24. accretion
    an increase by natural growth or addition
  25. accrue
    grow by addition
  26. acerbic
    sour or bitter in taste
  27. acquiesce
    agree or express agreement
  28. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
  29. acrimony
    a rough and bitter manner
  30. adage
    a condensed but memorable saying embodying an important fact
  31. adamant
    very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
  32. addled
    confused and vague; used especially of thinking
  33. adept
    having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
  34. adjure
    command solemnly
  35. adroit
    quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
  36. adulation
    exaggerated flattery or praise
  37. adulterate
    make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
  38. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
  39. adverse
    in an opposing direction
  40. advocate
    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
  41. aesthetic
    characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
  42. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  43. affiliate
    join in a social or business relationship
  44. affinity
    a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
  45. aggrandize
    embellish; increase the scope, power, or importance of
  46. aghast
    struck with fear, dread, or consternation
  47. agrarian
    relating to rural matters
  48. alacrity
    liveliness and eagerness
  49. alchemist
    one who tried to change ordinary metals into gold
  50. alchemy
    a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
  51. allegory
    a short moral story
  52. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  53. allocate
    distribute according to a plan or set apart for a purpose
  54. allude
    make an indirect reference to
  55. allure
    the power to entice or attract
  56. allusion
    passing reference or indirect mention
  57. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
  58. altercation
    a noisy, angry argument or fight between people
  59. altruism
    the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
  60. altruistic
    showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
  61. amalgam
    a combination or blend of diverse things
  62. amalgamate
    bring or combine together or with something else
  63. amass
    collect or gather
  64. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
  65. ambivalent
    uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
  66. ameliorate
    make better
  67. amendment
    a statement that is added to a proposal or document
  68. amiable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  69. amiss
    in an improper or mistaken manner
  70. amity
    a state of friendship and cordiality
  71. amorphous
    having no definite form or distinct shape
  72. amortize
    pay off a debt by making periodic payments
  73. anachronism
    locating something at a time when it couldn't have existed
  74. analogy
    drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity
  75. anaphylaxis
    hypersensitivity reaction to the ingestion or injection of a substance (a protein or drug) resulting from prior contact with a substance
  76. anarchist
    an advocate of the abolition of governments
  77. Anchorage
    a city in south central Alaska
  78. anecdote
    short account of an incident
  79. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
  80. anoint
    administer an oil or ointment to, often ceremonially
  81. anomaly
    deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
  82. anonymous
    having no known name or identity or known source
  83. antagonism
    an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
  84. antipathy
    a feeling of intense dislike
  85. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
  86. apocalyptic
    of or relating to a catastrophe
  87. Apocryphal
    of or belonging to the Apocrypha
  88. appease
    make peace with
  89. apposite
    being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
  90. apprehensive
    in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
  91. approbatory
    expressing or manifesting praise or approval
  92. arable
    capable of being farmed productively
  93. arbiter
    someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
  94. arbitrary
    based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
  95. arcane
    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
  96. archetype
    something that serves as a model
  97. ardent
    characterized by intense emotion
  98. arduous
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
  99. arid
    lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  100. aromatic
    having a strong pleasant odor
  101. arrogant
    having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance
  102. arrogate
    seize and take control without authority
  103. articulate
    express or state clearly
  104. artifice
    the use of deception or trickery
  105. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
  106. aseptic
    free of pathological microorganisms
  107. askance
    with suspicion or disapproval
  108. asperity
    harshness of manner
  109. aspersion
    a disparaging remark
  110. aspirant
    an ambitious young person
  111. assay
    a test of a substance to determine its components
  112. assess
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
  113. assiduous
    marked by care and persistent effort
  114. assuage
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  115. astringent
    tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
  116. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  117. atrophy
    a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
  118. attenuate
    become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
  119. atypical
    not representative of a group, class, or type
  120. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
  121. augment
    enlarge or increase
  122. August
    the month following July and preceding September
  123. auspicious
    indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
  124. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
  125. authentic
    not counterfeit or copied
  126. authoritarian
    characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule
  127. autocracy
    a theory favoring unlimited authority by an individual
  128. autocrat
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
  129. avarice
    reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth
  130. aver
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
  131. awry
    turned or twisted to one side
  132. azure
    bright blue in color, like a clear sky
  133. baleful
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  134. banal
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  135. baroque
    relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
  136. bastion
    projecting part of a rampart or other fortification
  137. batten
    a strip fixed to something to hold it firm
  138. bauble
    cheap showy jewelry or ornament
  139. beget
    have children
  140. beholden
    under a moral obligation to someone
  141. behoove
    be appropriate or necessary
  142. belittle
    cause to seem lesser or inferior
  143. bellicose
    having or showing a ready disposition to fight
  144. bemuse
    cause to be confused emotionally
  145. benefactor
    a person who helps people or institutions
  146. beneficent
    doing or producing good
  147. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
  148. benign
    kind in disposition or manner
  149. berate
    censure severely or angrily
  150. bereft
    lacking or deprived of something
  151. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
  152. besmirch
    smear so as to make dirty or stained
  153. bestial
    resembling an animal, especially by being vicious or cruel
  154. betroth
    give to in marriage
  155. biased
    favoring one person or side over another
  156. biennial
    occurring every second year
  157. bilateral
    having two sides or parts
  158. blasphemous
    grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
  159. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
  160. blighted
    affected by something that prevents growth or prosperity
  161. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
  162. bode
    indicate by signs
  163. bombast
    pompous or pretentious talk or writing
  164. bombastic
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  165. boor
    a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking refinement
  166. breadth
    the extent of something from side to side
  167. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
  168. brindled
    having a gray or brown streak or a patchy coloring
  169. broach
    bring up a topic for discussion
  170. brusque
    rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
  171. bucolic
    devoted to raising sheep or cattle
  172. bumptious
    offensively self-assertive
  173. bungler
    someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence
  174. burgeon
    grow and flourish
  175. burlesque
    a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor
  176. burly
    muscular and heavily built
  177. burnish
    polish and make shiny
  178. cabal
    a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
  179. cache
    a hidden storage space
  180. cacophonous
    having an unpleasant sound
  181. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
  182. cajole
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
  183. calamity
    an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
  184. caliber
    diameter of a tube or gun barrel
  185. callow
    young and inexperienced
  186. calumny
    a false accusation of an offense
  187. canard
    a deliberately misleading fabrication
  188. candid
    openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness
  189. cant
    a slope in the turn of a road or track
  190. caprice
    a sudden desire
  191. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
  192. captious
    tending to find and call attention to faults
  193. carte blanche
    complete freedom or authority to act
  194. cascade
    a small waterfall or series of small waterfalls
  195. castigate
    inflict severe punishment on
  196. cataclysm
    a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
  197. catalyst
    substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction
  198. catharsis
    purging the body to stimulate evacuation of the bowels
  199. caustic
    capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
  200. cavil
    raise trivial objections
  201. censor
    a person authorized to suppress unacceptable material
  202. censure
    harsh criticism or disapproval
  203. ceremonious
    characterized by pomp and stately display
  204. cessation
    a stopping
  205. chafe
    become or make sore by or as if by rubbing
  206. chafing
    soreness or irritation of the skin caused by friction
  207. chagrin
    strong feelings of embarrassment
  208. charisma
    personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others
  209. charlatan
    a flamboyant deceiver
  210. chary
    characterized by great caution
  211. chaste
    abstaining from unlawful sexual intercourse
  212. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
  213. cherish
    be fond of
  214. chicanery
    the use of tricks to deceive someone
  215. Chimera
    (Greek mythology) fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head and a goat's body and a serpent's tail; daughter of Typhon
  216. choleric
    characterized by anger
  217. chortle
    a soft partly suppressed laugh
  218. girlishness
    being characteristic of a girl
  219. circumlocution
    an indirect way of expressing something
  220. circumlocutory
    roundabout and unnecessarily wordy
  221. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
  222. citadel
    a stronghold for shelter during a battle
  223. clandestine
    conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
  224. clemency
    leniency and compassion shown toward offenders
  225. cloture
    a rule for limiting or ending debate in a deliberative body
  226. cloying
    overly sweet
  227. coagulate
    change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
  228. coalesce
    fuse or cause to come together
  229. coda
    the closing section of a musical composition
  230. coddle
    cook in nearly boiling water
  231. codify
    organize into a system, such as a body of law
  232. coffer
    the funds of a government, institution, or individual
  233. cogent
    powerfully persuasive
  234. cogitate
    consider carefully and deeply
  235. cognate
    related by blood
  236. cognitive
    relating to or involving the mental process of knowing
  237. cognizant
    having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization
  238. coherent
    marked by an orderly and consistent relation of parts
  239. cohesion
    the state of sticking together
  240. cohort
    a band of warriors
  241. collaborate
    work together on a common enterprise or project
  242. colloquial
    characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
  243. collusion
    secret agreement
  244. comeliness
    the quality of being good looking and attractive
  245. commiserate
    feel or express sympathy or compassion
  246. commodious
    large and roomy
  247. communal
    for or by a group rather than individuals
  248. compatible
    able to exist and perform in harmonious combination
  249. complacent
    contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
  250. complaisance
    a tendency to try to please or yield to the will of others
  251. compliant
    disposed to act in accordance with someone's wishes
  252. comport
    behave in a certain manner
  253. comprehensive
    including all or everything
  254. compromise
    an accommodation in which both sides make concessions
  255. concede
    give over
  256. conceit
    the trait of being unduly vain
  257. conciliation
    the act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity
  258. conciliatory
    making or willing to make concessions
  259. concise
    expressing much in few words
  260. conclave
    a confidential or secret meeting
  261. condescend
    behave in a patronizing manner
  262. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
  263. confluence
    a place where things merge or flow together
  264. confound
    be confusing or perplexing to
  265. conglomeration
    a sum total of many varied things taken together
  266. conjoin
    make contact or come together
  267. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
  268. connivance
    agreement on a secret plot
  269. connoisseur
    an expert able to appreciate a field
  270. connotative
    implying or suggesting something extra
  271. consecrate
    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
  272. consequential
    having important effects or results
  273. consort
    keep company with
  274. conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
  275. consternation
    sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
  276. constrain
    hold back
  277. consummation
    the act of bringing to completion or fruition
  278. contemporary
    occurring in the same period of time
  279. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
  280. contentious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  281. contest
    a struggle between rivals
  282. contiguous
    having a common boundary or edge
  283. contravene
    go against, as of rules and laws
  284. contrite
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
  285. contumacious
    willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
  286. contusion
    an injury in which the skin is not broken
  287. conundrum
    a difficult problem
  288. conventional
    following accepted customs and proprieties
  289. converge
    be adjacent or come together
  290. conviviality
    a jovial nature
  291. convoke
    call together
  292. copious
    large in number or quantity
  293. corpulence
    the property of excessive fatness
  294. correlate
    bear a reciprocal or mutual relation
  295. corroborate
    give evidence for
  296. coterie
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
  297. covenant
    an agreement between a god and the people
  298. covetous
    immoderately desirous of acquiring something
  299. cower
    crouch or curl up
  300. coy
    affectedly shy especially in a playful or provocative way
  301. crass
    so unrefined as to be offensive or insensitive
  302. craven
    lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
  303. culpable
    deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious
  304. Curb
    a stock exchange in New York
  305. curmudgeon
    an irascible, cantankerous person full of stubborn ideas
  306. cursory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
  307. Cynic
    a member of a group of ancient Greek philosophers who advocated the doctrine that virtue is the only good and that the essence of virtue is self-control
  308. dais
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
  309. dally
    behave carelessly or indifferently
  310. dank
    unpleasantly cool and humid
  311. dauntless
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  312. dearth
    an insufficient quantity or number
  313. debacle
    a sudden and complete disaster
  314. debase
    make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
  315. debauchery
    a wild gathering
  316. debilitate
    make weak
  317. debonair
    having a sophisticated charm
  318. decadence
    the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
  319. deciduous
    shedding foliage at the end of the growing season
  320. decisiveness
    the trait of resoluteness as evidenced by firmness of character or purpose
  321. decorous
    characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste
  322. decry
    express strong disapproval of
  323. defamation
    an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
  324. deference
    courteous regard for people's feelings
  325. deferential
    showing courteous regard for people's feelings
  326. defunct
    no longer in force or use; inactive
  327. deign
    do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
  328. deleterious
    harmful to living things
  329. deliberate
    carefully thought out in advance
  330. delineate
    represented accurately or precisely
  331. deliquesce
    melt, liquefy, or dissolve, by absorbing moisture from the air
  332. delusion
    a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
  333. demise
    the time when something ends
  334. demur
    politely refuse or take exception to
  335. denigrate
    attack the good name and reputation of someone
  336. denounce
    speak out against
  337. depict
    give a description of
  338. deplete
    use up, as resources or materials
  339. deposition
    the act of putting something somewhere
  340. depravity
    moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles
  341. deprecate
    express strong disapproval of; deplore
  342. depredation
    an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding
  343. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  344. derision
    the act of treating with contempt
  345. derisive
    expressing contempt or ridicule
  346. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
  347. descant
    an additional musical part above the main melody
  348. desecrate
    violate the sacred character of a place or language
  349. desist
    stop performing some action
  350. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
  351. despoil
    plunder or steal goods
  352. despotism
    dominance through threat of punishment and violence
  353. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
  354. desultory
    marked by lack of definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
  355. detached
    no longer connected or joined
  356. deter
    turn away from as by fear or persuasion
  357. determinate
    supplying or being a final or conclusive settlement
  358. devoid
    completely wanting or lacking
  359. dexterous
    skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
  360. diatribe
    thunderous verbal attack
  361. dichotomy
    a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
  362. dictum
    an authoritative declaration
  363. didactic
    instructive, especially excessively
  364. diffidence
    lack of self-assurance
  365. diffident
    showing modest reserve
  366. diffuse
    spread out; not concentrated in one place
  367. digress
    wander from a direct or straight course
  368. dilettante
    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
  369. diligence
    conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task
  370. diminutive
    very small
  371. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
  372. dint
    force or effort
  373. dirge
    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
  374. disapprobation
    an expression of strong disapproval
  375. disarray
    untidiness, especially of clothing and appearance
  376. disavow
    refuse to acknowledge
  377. discerning
    having or revealing keen insight and good judgment
  378. discomfit
    cause to lose one's composure
  379. discord
    lack of agreement or harmony
  380. discourse
    an extended communication dealing with some particular topic
  381. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
  382. discrete
    constituting a separate entity or part
  383. discriminate
    marked by the ability to see or make fine distinctions
  384. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
  385. disentangle
    separate a twisted mass
  386. disheartened
    made less hopeful or enthusiastic
  387. disingenuous
    not straightforward or candid
  388. disinterested
    unaffected by concern for one's own welfare
  389. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
  390. disparate
    fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
  391. disparity
    inequality or difference in some respect
  392. dispassionate
    unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
  393. disperse
    move away from each other
  394. disputatious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  395. dissemble
    behave unnaturally or affectedly
  396. disseminate
    cause to become widely known
  397. dissent
    a difference of opinion
  398. dissonance
    disagreeable sounds
  399. dissonant
    harmonically unresolved
  400. distant
    separated in space or coming from far away
  401. distention
    the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions
  402. dither
    be undecided or uncertain
  403. diverge
    move or draw apart
  404. diverse
    distinctly dissimilar or unlike
  405. divestiture
    the partial or full sale of a company's division or assets
  406. docile
    easily handled or managed
  407. document
    a representation of a person's thinking with symbolic marks
  408. doggerel
    a comic verse of irregular measure
  409. dogma
    a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
  410. dogmatic
    pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
  411. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
  412. doting
    extravagantly or foolishly loving and indulgent
  413. doughty
    possessing courage and determination
  414. Dowdy
    British marshal of the RAF who commanded the British air defense forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (1882-1970)
  415. dubious
    fraught with uncertainty or doubt
  416. duplicity
    the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
  417. duress
    compulsory force or threat
Created on Wed May 14 12:37:09 EDT 2008

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