GRE Vocabulary

abash (verb)

embarrass, rattle

abate (verb)

decrease, diminish

abatement (noun)

lessening, a decrease or reduction

aberrant (adj)

abnormal, atypical

abeyance (noun)

inactivity, suspension, remission

abjure (verb)

to give up, to renounce

abrogate (verb)

to abolish, to formally put an end to

abscond (verb)

to depart secretly, to run away

abstruse (adj)

difficult to understand, perplexing

accolade (noun)

strong praise, recognition of achievement

acerbic (adj)

bitter, sharp, sour, acidulous

acidulous (adj)

bitter, sour, acerbic

acrimonious (adj)

nasty in behavior or speech, bitter

acrimony (noun)

nasty behavior or speech, animosity

adage (noun)

saying, proverb, aphorism, apothegm

adulterate (verb)

alter or debase, often for profit

aggrandize (verb)

make something seem grander, to acclaim

alacrity (noun)

eagerness, enthusiasm, liveliness

ambivalent (adj)

uncertain, conflicting

ambulatory (adj)

moving, able to move under its own power

ameliorate (verb)

alleviate, improve

anachronism (noun)

error in time placement

anathema (noun)

something hated, a pariah

ancillary (adj)

extra, supplementary, additional

annex (verb)

to join or add something, to append

antecede (verb)

to precede, to predate

antedate (verb)

to precede, to predate

anterior (adj)

beginning, prior

antipathy (noun)

strong dislike, disgust, animosity

antithetic/antithetical (adj)

contradictory, opposite (think antithesis)

apace (adv)

quickly, rapidly

aperture (noun)

hole, rupture, fissure

aphorism (noun)

saying, proverb, adage, apothegm

apocryphal (adj)

questionable, fake, unsubstantiated

apogee (noun)

pinnacle, apex, peak

apothegm (noun)

saying, proverb, adage, aphorism

approbation (noun)

praise, admiration

arbitrate (verb)

to mediate, to achieve settlement

arcane (adj)

secret, unknowable

ardent (adj)

very enthusiastic, passionate

ardor (noun)

enthusiasm, passion

arrogate (verb)

to claim something without justification, to seize

ascetic (adj)

self-denying, disciplined

askance (adv)

skeptically, suspiciously

asperity (noun)

harshness, bad temper

aspersion (noun)

slander, verbal display of bad temper

assuage (verb)

to soothe, to relieve, to mitigate

attenuate (verb)

to reduce in force or intensity

auspice (noun)

omen, harbinger, sign

auspicious (adj)

encouraging, favorable, promising

austere (adj)

severe in manner, rigid, somber

avaricious (adj)

greedy, selfish

axiom (noun)

principle, adage, proverb

bacchanalian (adj)

drunkard, alcoholic

baleful (adj)

threatening, injurious, baneful

banal (adj)

commonplace, bland, hackneyed

baneful (adj)

ruinous, injurious, baleful

belabor (verb)

dwell on, rehash

belle (noun)

beauty

bellicose (adj)

antagonistic, combative, threatening

belligerent (adj)

bellicose, aggressive, antagonistic

bemusing (adj)

puzzling, confusing, bewildering

beneficent (adj)

beneficial, benign, helpful

bereave (verb)

to deprive, to dispossess

bilious (adj)

ailing, emaciated, peaked, wan

blithe (adj)

happy, carefree, sprightly

bombastic (adj)

grandiose, pompous

bromide (noun)

cliche, stereotype

burgeoning (adj)

budding, fledgeling

callow (adj)

immature, inexperienced

calumny (noun)

slander, defamation

canard (noun)

lie, hoax

canny (adj)

clever, artful, skillful

cantankerous (adj)

crabby, difficult, grumpy

capitulate (verb)

to give in, to surrender

capricious (adj)

careless, erratic, fickle

carom (verb)

to bounce, to ricochet

carousal (noun)

debauchery

castigate (verb)

to criticize severel

caustic (adj)

corrosive, abrasive, acerbic

cavil (verb)

to quibble, to find fault, to criticize

chauvinist (noun)

person who believes one gender is superior

chicanery (noun)

deception, trickery

churlish (adj)

crude, boorish, uncivilized

circuitous (adj)

indirect, going around, labyrinthine

circumlocution (noun)

indirect speech, wordiness

circumvent (verb)

avoid, bypass

cogent (adj)

effective, compelling, convincing

cognoscente (noun)

expert, specialist, connoisseur

compendious (adj)

abridged, abbreviated

compendium (noun)

abridgement, summary

compunction (noun)

regret, sorrow, remorse

congruent (adj)

agreeable, corresponding, consistent

conjugal (adj)

marital

consanguine (adj)

related, kin

consummate (adj)

perfected, completed, best

contemporaneous (adj)

synchronous, coexisting

countenance (noun)

appearance/demeanor OR self-control/composure

countenance (verb)

to abet, to condone, to support

craven (adj)

weak, timid, mean-spirited