GRE Vocabulary Common Words I

Acrimony

Bitterness and ill will

Harangue

A long pompous speech, a tirade

Demur

To object or show reluctance

Gregarious

To be likely to socialize with others

Prevaricate

To speak in an evasive way

Venerate

To respect deeply

Prodigal

Rashly or wastefully extravagant

Ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation

Calumny

Making of a false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation

Ambivalent

Mixed or conflicting emotions about something

Anomalous

Not normal

Iconoclast

Somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

Galvanize

To excite or inspire (someone) to action

Mercurial

(Of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood

Iaconic

(describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words

Commensurate

To be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount

Restive

Restless

Involved

Complicated, and difficult to comprehend

Auspicious

Favorable, the opposite of sinister

Amorphous

Shapeless

Impertinent

Being disrespectful, improperly forward or bold

Parsimonious

Extremely frugal, miserly

Amalgam

A mixture of multiple things

Vindicate

To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof

Ingenuous

To be naive and innocent

Venality

The condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption

Upbraid

To reproach, to scold

Extant

Still in existence (usually refers to documents)

Artful

Exhibiting artistic skill

Intimate

To suggest something subtly

Chastise

To reprimand harshly

Veracious

Truthful

Aberration

A deviation from what is normal or expected

Censure

To express strong disapproval

Egregious

Standing out in a negative way, shockingly bad

Amenable

Easily persuaded

Maintain

To assert

Enervate

To sap energy from

Belie

To give a false representation to, misrepresent

Undermine

To weaken (usually paired with an abstract term)

Castigate

To reprimand harshly

Frugal

Not spending much money (but spending wisely)

Profligate

Spending resources recklessly or wastefully

Innocuous

Harmless and doesn’t produce any ill effects

Wanting

Lacking

Qualify

To make less severe, to limit (a statement)

Equivocal

Confusing or ambiguous

Parochial

Narrowly restricted in scope or outlook

Disinterested

Unbiased, neutral

Betray

To reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally