GRE Vocabulary

Anomaly

(n.) something that is unusual or unexpected

EX: The student’s poor performance on the latest test was an ____ since she had previously earned excellent grades.

Equivocal

(adj.) not easily understood or explained

EX: Politicians have been known to provide ____ answers to reporters’ questions.

Lucid

(adj.) very clear and easy to understand

EX: The lecture was ____ and straightforward, allowing the students to fully grasp the concepts presented.

Precipitate

(v.) to cause (something) to happen quickly or suddenly

EX: Unforseen costs can ____ a budget crisis.

Assuage

(v.) to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense

EX: A massage can ____ the soreness in your muscles.

Erudite

(adj.) having or showing great knowledge

EX: High school students often struggle with novels that are more ____ than they are used to.

Opaque

(adj.) not able to be seen through

(adj.) not easily understood

EX: The windows were ____ with steam after she took a hot shower.

EX: Medical jargon includes many ____ terms that may be confusing to patients.

Prodigal

(adj.) wastefully extravagant

EX: The ____ prince bought lavish gifts and planned expensive events.

*HINT: Think of the parable of the ____ son in the Bible!

Enigma

(n.) a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand

EX: Scientists continue to research cancer to solve the ____ of its primary cause, which will hopefully lead to a cure.

Fervid

(adj.) intensely enthusiastic or passionate

EX: When Sophia was younger, she showed a ____ fascination for Marvel superheroes, watching their movies over and over for hours.

Placate

(v.) to make someone less angry or hostile

EX: A parent may decide to ____ a crying baby with a pacifier.

Zeal

(n.) a strong feel of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something

EX: The great emperor’s crusading ____ led him to conquer many lands.

Abstain

(v.) to restrain oneself from doing/participating in or enjoying something

EX: Doctors encourage their patients to ____ from smoking cigarettes.

Audacious

1. (adj.) a willingness to take bold risks

2. (adj.) showing a lack of respect

EX 1: The new CEO pursued ____ initiatives to save the company from bankruptcy.

EX 2: The student’s ____ remark to the teacher earned her a seat in afternoon detention.

Desiccate

(v.) remove the moisture from (something)

EX: The heat and energy from the Sun can ____ even the most hearty plants.

Gullible

(adj.) easily persuaded to believe something

EX: The ____ little boy gave his older sister all of his allowance because she convinced him that she’d buy him a pony.

Laudable

(adj.) deserving praise and commendation

EX: Providing affordable healthcare for all people is a ____ goal.

Pedant

(n.) a person who makes an excessive display of learning

(n.) a person who overemphasizes minor details or rules

EX: Professor Blackwell, a well-known ____, required his pre-med students to speak in Latin for the whole semester.

Vacillate

(v.) to waver between different opinions or actions

EX: Undergraduate students often ____ between several majors before deciding which one they want to pursue.

Adulterate

(v.) to make something impure or weaker by adding something else of inferior quality

EX: Many chefs exclusively use fresh produce and refuse to ____ their dishes with canned or frozen fruits and vegetables.

Capricious

(adj.) given to sudden changes of mood or behavior

EX: The ____ boss would hand out raises one day and fire his entire staff the next.

*HINT: Think of Dr. Bussey’s behavior

Engender

(v.) to produce, cause, or give rise to something

EX: Many families set rules not to discuss politics or religion at Thanksgiving so as not to ____ arguments and controversies between family members.

Homogenous

(adj.) of the same or similar kind

EX: There are very few truly ____ cultures since social diversity is increasingly widespread.

Loquacious

(adj.) tending to talk a great deal

EX: The ____ professor was known for lecturing hours past the assigned class time.

Pragmatic

(adj.) dealing with the problems that exist in a reasonable and logical way instead of depending on theoretical possibilities

EX: Instead of getting bogged down in philosophical debates, the politician took a ____ stance, focusing on the most effective solutions for the current situation.

Volatile

(adj.) likely to change rapidly and unpredictably

EX: The United States’ political climate under the Trump Administration is highly ____, especially for those working in the sciences who’ve experienced mass layoffs, grants being rescinded, and their research being censored.

Apathy

(n.) lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

EX: The student's ____ was evident in their blank expression and lack of participation during the class discussion.

Corroborate

(v.) to confirm or make more certain

EX: The scientist was able to ____ her hypothesis with data gathered from multiple sources.

Ephemeral

(adj.) lasting for a very short amount of time

EX: An ____ moment of victory may last mere seconds, but it can remain as a triumphant memory for decades.

Laconic

(adj.) using few words

EX: The student’s ____ response suggested that she did not know very much about the topic the professor was discussing.

Mitigate

(v.) make less severe, serious, or painful

EX: Kaplan wants to ____ students’ GRE stress by offering helpful study tools.

Propriety

(n.) the state or quality of being correct or proper

EX: The students were instructed to behave with the utmost ____ while on their class field trip.

Advocate

(v.) publicly recommend or support

EX: The governor chose to ____ for a higher minimum wage rather than a tax incentive.

Cacophony

(n.) a harsh, unpleasant mixture of sounds

EX: The ____ of the middle school band warming up was nearly unbearable for the audience.

Enervate

(v.) cause (someone or something) to feel drained of energy; weaken

EX: The boxer used a swift left uppercut to ____ his opponent.

Ingenuous

(adj.) innocent and unsuspecting

EX: The scam artist preyed on ____ nursing home residents.

Misanthrope

(n.) a person who dislikes humankind

EX: The neighborhood ____ surrounded his yard with barbed wire to keep people away.

Paradox

(n.) a statement that contradicts itself but might be true

EX: The fact that the retired teacher claimed to hate all pets but adopted seven cats is an intriguing ____.

Venerate

(v.) regard with great respect

EX: To ____ the fire chief’s forty years of service, the department held a special banquet.

Antipathy

(n.) a strong feeling of dislike

EX: The students voiced their ____ for homework very loudly.

Deride

(v.) to express contempt for; ridicule

EX: The unreasonable supervisor was known to ____ his employees on a daily basis.

Eulogy

(n.) a speech that praises someone, typically someone who has recently died

EX: The priest’s ____ at the funeral was both heartfelt and inspiring.

Lethargic

(adj.) lacking energy

EX: It’s not uncommon to feel ____ for weeks or even months after major surgery.

Obdurate

(adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion

EX: The ____ three-year-old refused to eat any vegetables, no matter how they were cooked.

Philanthropic

(adj.) seeking to promote the welfare of others

EX: The students were grateful to receive financial support from ____ organizations that promote education.

Waver

(v.) to go back and forth between choices or opinions

EX: Some citizens vote solely along party lines and never ____ in their political opinions.

Bolster

(v.) to support or strengthen

EX; The prosecutor worked to find evidence that would ____ her case against the defendant.

Dissonance

(n.) a lack of harmony or agreement

EX: The school board’s meeting laster for hours due to the length debate fueled by ____ among opinions.

Garrulous

(adj.) excessively talkative

EX: The ____ hair stylist talked to each customer for hours at a time, even when the loud blowdryer was on.

Malleable

(adj.) easily influenced; pliable

EX: Children’s moods are often ____ since they are greatly affected by their surroundings.

Ostentation

(n.) excessive display of wealth

EX: Owning a mansion doesn’t always imply ____, but traveling exclusively by private jet certainly can.

*HINT: Think “bougie”

Prevaricate

(v.) avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question

EX: During the trial, the lead witness was willing to ____ in order to protect his friend.

Deference

(n.) respect, courtesy

EX: The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost ____.

Bombastic

(adj.) pompous in speech and manner

EX: The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly ____; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact

Obsequious

(adj.) overly submissive and eager to please

EX: The ____ new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor’s tie and agree with him on every issue.

Specious

(adj.) superficially plausible, but actually wrong; misleading in appearance, especially misleadingly attractive

EX: The student’s ____ excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.

Mollify

(v.) to calm or make less severe

EX: Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe that any compromise would ____ them.

Dirge

(n.) a funeral hymn or mournful speech

EX: Bagpipes played a haunting ____ at the funeral for the fallen leader.

Veracity

(n.) truthfulness; accuracy

EX: She had a reputation for ____, so everyone trusted her description of the event.

Disparate

(adj.) fundamentally different; entirely unlike

EX: Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are ____.

*HINT: Think of a more extreme version of “different”

Exigent

(adj.) urgent; requiring immediate action

EX: The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was ____ to stop the source of the bleeding.

Castigate

(v.) to punish or criticize harshly

EX: Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in North Korea ____ the perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.

Iconoclast

(n.) one who opposes established beliefs/customs/institutions

EX: His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ____.

Amalgamate

(v.) to combine; mix together

EX: Estrada Hinojosa & Co. ____(ed) with Texas Regional Bank to form a bigger bank last summer.

Paragon

(n.) model of excellence or perfection

EX: She is a ____ of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.

Chicanery

(n.) deception by means of craft or guile

EX: Dishonest used car salespeople often use ____ to sell their beat-up old cars.

Occlude

(v.) to stop up; to prevent the passage of

EX: A shadow is thrown across the earth’s surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the Sun is ____(ed) by the moon.

Foment

(v.) to arose or incite

EX: The protestors tried to ____ feelings against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.

Quiescent

(adj.) motionless

EX: Many animals are ____ over the winter months when they hibernate and minimize activity to conserve energy.

Intransigent

(adj.) uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

EX: The professor was ____ on the deadline, insiting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

Disabuse

(v.) to set right; to free from error

EX: Galileo’s observations ____(ed) scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.

Stolid

(adj.) unemotional; lacking sensitivity

EX: The prisoners appeared ____ and unaffected by the judge’s harsh sentence.

Opprobrium

(n.) public disgrace

EX: International ____ has been heaped on the country following its attack on its unsuspecting neighbors.

Florid

(adj.) excessively decorated or embellished

EX: The palace had been decorated in a ____ style; every surface had been carved and glided.

Soporific

(adj.) causing sleep or lethargy

EX: The movie proved to be so ____ that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theatre.

Dogmatic

(adj.) dictatorial in one’s opinion

EX: The dictator was ____ in his orders, leaving no room for others’ opinions.

Aggrandize

(v.) to increase in power, influence, and reputation

EX: The supervisor sought to ____ herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.

Perfunctory

(adj.) done in a routine way; indifferent; carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection

EX: The Chick-fil-a worker responded to the customer’s “Thank You” with a ____ “My Pleasure.”

Luminous

(adj.) bright, brilliant, glowing

EX: The park was bathed in ____ sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors.

Malinger

(v.) to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

EX: A common way that kids try to get out of school is by ____(ing) – pretending to have a stomach ache or the flu.

Guile

(n.) deceit or trickery

EX: Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to ____ in an effort to trap his enemy.

Esoteric

(adj.) known or understood by only a few

EX: Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ____ world of black hole physics.

Cogent

(adj.) convincing and well-reasoned

EX: Swayed by the ____ argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

Repudiate

(v.) to reject the validity of

EX: The Jen Affleck’s claim that she is related to Ben Affleck was ____(ed) when DNA tests showed she was of no real relation to him.

Torpor

(n.) extreme mental and physical sluggishness

EX: After surgery, the patient experienced ____ until the anesthesia wore off.

Taciturn

(adj.) silent; not talkative

EX: The clerk’s ____ nature earned him the nickname “Silent Bob.”

Anachronism

(n.) something out of place in time

EX: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow travelled through time to correct ____(s) in the space-time continuum.

Dilettante

(n.) someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

EX: Jerry’s friends were such ____(s) that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.

Propitiate

(v.) to conciliate; to appease

EX: The management ____(ed) the irate (angry) union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.

Insipid

(adj.) lacking interest or flavor

EX: The critic claimed that the painting was ____, containing no interesting qualities at all.

Inchoate

(adj.) not fully formed; disorganized

EX: The newly opened store was ____, since it was not able to fully offer all of its services.

Banal

(adj.) predictable, clichéd, boring

EX: His small talk was so ____ all he talked about was the weather.

Estimable

(adj.) admirable

EX: Most people consider it ____ that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor in India.

Dilate

(v.) to make larger; to expand

EX: When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes ____ to let in more light and help you see better.

Diffident

(adj.) lacking self-confidence

EX: Steve’s ____ manner during the job interview stemmed from him nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

Austere

(adj.) severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

EX: The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem ____ to civilians.

Stigma

(n.) a mark of shame or discredit

EX: In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter “A” on her clothes as a public ____ for her adultery.

Onerous

(adj.) troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

EX: The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ____ to the team in charge of it.

Inimical

(adj.) hostile, unfriendly

EX: Even though the children had grown up together, they were ____ to each other at school: calling each other names, bickering, and picking on each other.

Condone

(v.) to overlook, pardon, or disregard

EX: Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as ____(ing) an air of lawlessness.