GRE Common High-frequency Words Flashcards

A comprehensive set of high-frequency GRE vocabulary flashcards covering common terms, meanings, and parts of speech as outlined in the lecture audio transcript.} High-frequency words list.

aberrant

markedly different from an accepted norm

aberration

a deviation from what is normal or expected

abstain

choose not to consume or take part in (particularly something enjoyable)

abstruse

difficult to understand; incomprehensible

accolade

an award or praise granted as a special honor

acerbic

harsh in tone

acrimony

bitterness and ill will

adamant

refusing to change one's mind

admonish

to warn strongly, even to the point of reprimanding

admonitory

serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective

aesthete

one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature

aesthetic (adjective)

concerned with the appreciation of beauty

aesthetic (noun)

a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.

amalgam

a mixture of multiple things

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation

ambivalent

mixed or conflicting emotions about something

ameliorate

make something bad better

amenable

easily persuaded

amorphous

shapeless

anomalous

not normal

anomaly

something that is not normal, standard, or expected

antipathy

an intense feeling of dislike or aversion

antithetical

sharply contrasted in character or purpose

apathetic

marked by a lack of interest

apathy

an absence of emotion or enthusiasm

apocryphal

being of questionable authenticity

appease

pacify by acceding to the demands of

arbitrary

based on a random, groundless decision

arcane

requiring secret or mysterious knowledge

arduous

demanding considerable mental effort and skill; testing powers of endurance

artful (exhibiting skill)

exhibiting artistic skill

artful (cunning)

clever in a cunning way

ascetic (adjective)

practicing self-denial

ascetic (noun)

one who practices great self-denial

askance

with a look of suspicion or disapproval

audacious

willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks

audacity

aggressive boldness in social situations

auspicious

favorable, the opposite of sinister

austere (lifestyle)

practicing self-denial

austere (style)

unadorned in style or appearance

austere (manner)

harsh in manner of temperament

avaricious

excessively greedy

banal

repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

banality

a trite or obvious remark

belie

to give a false representation to; misrepresent

belligerent

characteristic of one eager to fight

betray

to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally

blatant

without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

bolster

support and strengthen

brazen

unrestrained by convention or propriety

bucolic

relating to the pleasant aspects of the country

bumbling

lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands

burgeon

grow and flourish

calumny

making of a false statement meant to injure a person"s reputation

capricious

determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason

castigate

to reprimand harshly

censure

to express strong disapproval

chastise

to reprimand harshly

chortle

to chuckle, laugh merrily

circumscribe

restrict or confine

circumvent

cleverly find a way out of one's duties or obligations

commensurate

to be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount

concede (defeat)

acknowledge defeat

concede (wrongdoing)

admit (to a wrongdoing)

concede (surrender)

give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

confound (perplexing)

be confusing or perplexing to

confound (mistake)

mistake one thing for another

conspicuous

without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

constituent (voter)

a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes

constituent (part)

an abstract part of something

construe

interpreted in a particular way

contingent (noun)

a gathering of persons representative of some larger group

contingent (adjective)

possible but not certain to occur

contrition

the feeling of remorse or guilt that comes from doing something bad

contrive

to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery

copious

in abundant supply

craven

pathetically cowardly

cryptic

mysterious or vague, usually intentionally

culminate

reach the highest or most decisive point

culpability

a state of guilt

decorous

characterized by good taste in manners and conduct

decorum

propriety in manners and conduct

deferential

showing respect

deleterious

harmful to living things

delineate

describe in detail

demur

to object or show reluctance

denigrate

charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

denote

be a sign or indication of; have as a meaning

derivative

(or a creative product, e.g. music, writing, etc.) not original but drawing on the work of another person

derive (connection)

come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example

derive (deduction)

reason by deduction; establish by deduction

dictatorial

expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler

didactic

instructive (especially excessively)

diffident

showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence

dilatory

wasting time

dilettante

an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge

disaffected

discontented as toward authority

discrete

constituting a separate entity or part

disinterested

unbiased; neutral

dispassionate

unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice