GRE prep for dummies 2024

vocab list from the book

aberrant

Abnormal; different from the accepted norm

abeyance

State of suspension; temporary inaction

abscond

To sneak away

abstemious

Indicative of self-denial, particularly with food or drink

abstruse

Difficult to comprehend

accessible

Easy to understand, especially by a certain group

acquiescent

Agreeing without protest

acrid

Bitter; harsh

acrimonious

Bitter in temper, manner, and speech

acumen

Keenness; quickness of intellectual insight

admonition

A gentle reproof

affect (noun)

Emotion that influences behavior

affront

To deliberately offend, as with a gesture

aggrandize

To widen in scope or make bigger or greater

aggregate

Amounting to a whole

allay

To reduce the intensity of

amalgamate

To mix or blend together in a homogenous body

ameliorate

To make better or improve

anachronous

Out of place in time

anecdote

A short account of an interesting incident

archipelago

A large group of islands

articulate

Well-spoken, eloquent

artifice

Cleverness or skill

artless

Without deceit or cunning; sincere

ascetic

Representative of severe self-denial

assiduous

Persistent, unceasing

astute

Keen; wise

audacious

Fearless, bold

augment

To increase in measure or intensity

austere

Unadorned; severely simple

avarice

Extreme greed and hoarding

aver

To declare or profess

banal

Trite; commonplace

base

Simple and boring

belie

To present a false front

beset

To surround, as in an attack

blatant

Very obvious, offensively loud, or coarsely conspicuous

bolster

To support; to reinforce

bombastic

Using inflated language; pompous

boon

A timely benefit; a blessing

brevity

Briefness or conciseness

browbeat

To intimidate in an overbearing manner

bumptious

Offensively self-assertive; pushy

bungle

To perform clumsily or inadequately; botch

burgeon

To grow forth; to send out buds

cacophony

A disagreeable, harsh, or discordant sound or tone

callous

Insensitive; indifferent

calumniate

To make false and malicious statements about; to slander

candor

The quality of being open and sincere

cantankerous Bad-tempered and uncooperative

carp

To complain unreasonably

chaos

A state of disorder and confusion

chicanery

Trickery, deception, especially through the use of questionable logic

churl

A rude, boorish, or surly person

coda

Concluding section of a musical or literary piece; something that summarizes

codify

To assemble related laws or principles into a systematic collection

cognizant

Aware; taking notice

cohort

A companion or associate

colloquial

Pertaining to common speech

commensurate Corresponding in amount, quality, or degree

complacency

A feeling of quiet security; satisfaction

conciliatory A state of seeking to reconcile or make peace

concrete

Actual, irrefutable, as in concrete evidence

confidante

One to whom secrets are confided

congruous

Appropriate or fitting

consternation

Unsettling dismay or amazement

consummate

To bring to completion

contentious

Quarrelsome

contrite

Penitent, apologetic

contumacious

Rebellious

cordial

Polite in a pleasant way

corroborate

To make more certain; confirm

countenance

Appearance, especially the look or expression of the face

counter

To go against or attempt to undermine an action

counterpart

A person or thing resembling or complementing another

craven

Cowardly

credulity

Willingness to behave or trust too readily

cronyism

The practice of favoring one’s friends, especially in political appointments

curmudgeon

An ill-tempered person

cursory

Hasty, superficial, as of a review of something

dearth

An inadequate supply; scarcity; lack

debacle

A complete collapse or failure

decorum

Orderliness and good taste in manners

deferent

In a state of giving in out of respect for another person

deleterious

Hurtful, morally or physically

delineate

To represent by sketch or diagram; to describe precisely in words

depravity

The state of being morally bad or evil

deride

To ridicule; to make fun of

derision

Ridicule

derivative

Something obtained or developed from a source

desultory

Aimless; haphazard

diatribe

Bitter or malicious criticism

didactic

For the purpose of teaching

diffidence

Lacking confidence

dilatory

Causing delay

disconcert

To disturb the composure of

discretion

Using one’s own judgment; being discreet

disingenuous

Insincere, phony

disquiet

Lack of calm, peace, or ease

dissemble

To disguise or pretend in order to deceive or mislead