GRE Vocabulary

abase

(v.) cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of

abash

(v.) cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self

aberrant

(adj.) markedly different from an accepted norm
(syn.) deviant, deviate, abnormal

abet

(v.) to encourage, assist, aid, support (especially in something wrong or unworthy)

abeyance

(n.) a temporary suspension or cessation; (n.) a temporary suppression
(syn.) suspension

abeyant

(adj.) temporarily inactive, stopped or suspended

abhor

(v.) find repugnant
(syn.) abominate, execrate, loathe, detest

abhorrent

(adj.) offensive to the mind
(syn.) detestable, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, offensive
(v.) abhor

abiding

(adj.) lasting for a long time; unceasing
(syn.) enduring, imperishable, lasting, permanent

abject

(adj.)
a. of the most miserable or contemptible kind
b. showing utter resignation or hopelessness
c. showing humiliation or submissiveness

abjure

(v.) formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
(syn.) forswear, recant, retract

abnegate

(v.) deny, renounce ,or surrender

abolish

(v.)
a. to officially end or stop (something, such as a law)
b. to complete do away with (something)

abominate

(v.) find repugnant
(syn.) detest, abhor, execrate, loathe

abrasive

(adj.) causing abrasion; harsh, sharply disagreeable; rigorous

abreast

(adj.) alongside each other, facing in the same direction

abrogate

(v.) to abolish, usually by authority

abrupt

(adj.) 1. exceedingly sudden and unexpected 2. surprisingly and unceremoniously brusque in manner 3. extremely steep
(syn.) 2. bluff, blunt, curt 3. precipitous, steep

absolve

(v.) grant remission of a sin to; excuse or free from blame
(syn.) exonerate, exculpate, reprieve, vindicate, acquit
(ant.) incriminate, inculpate, indict, requite, retaliate, revenge

absorbing

(adj.) capable of arousing and holding the attention

abstain

(v) hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote

abstemious

(adj.) moderate, sparing (as in eating and drinking); characterized by abstinence and self

abstentious

(adj.) self

abstinent

(adj.) self

abstruse

(adj.) difficult to comprehend
(syn.) occult, profound, recondite, arcane, esoteric, hermetic

absurd

(adj.) ridiculous; unreasonable

abysmal

(adj.) so deep as to be unmeasurable

2. very great; limitless

accede

(v.) to agree to a request or demand; to assume an office or dignity
(syn.) assent, acquiescent

accentuate

(v.) to stress, single out as important
(syn.) accent, emphasize, punctuate, stress

accession

(n.) agreeing with or consenting to
(n.) the act of attaining or gaining access to a new office or position
(syn.) acquiescence

acclaim

(n.) high praise

acclimate

(v.) to adapt to a new climate, environment, or situation

accolade

(n.) high praise, special distinction

accommodate

(v.) 1. make one thing compatible with another

2. be agreeable or acceptable to
3. provide housing for; have room for
4. provide with something desired or need

accord

(n.) concurrence of opinion; sympathetic compatibility; harmony of people's opinions or actions or characters
(v.)1. be harmonious or consistent with

2. allow to have

accost

(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

accountability

(n.) responsibility to someone or for some activity

accrete

(v.) to grow or increase gradually, as by addition

accrue

(v.) grow by addition

accusatory

(adj.) containing or expressing accusation
(syn.) accusative

acerbic

(adj.) harsh or corrosive in tone
(syn.) mordant, astringent, acid, acrid, caustic, virulent, vitriolic

acknowledged

(adj.) recognized or made known or admitted
(syn.) recognized

acolyte

(n.) someone who assists a priest or minister in a liturgical service
(syn.) votary, disciple, adherent, partisan

acquaintance

(n.) a person with whom you are acquainted
(v.) acquaint : cause to come to know

acquiescence

(a.) agreement with a statement or proposal to do something
(syn.) accession

acquisition

(n.) something acquired; the act of contracting or assuming or acquiring possession of something

acquisitive

(adj.) eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas

acquit

(v.) 1. pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

2. behave in a certain manner
   (syn.) exonerate, vindicate, exculpate, assoil
   (ant.) convict

acrid

(adj.) sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor; harsh or corrosive in tone

acrimonious

(adj.) stinging, bitter in temper or tone
(syn.) acerbic, mordant
(n.) acrimony

activism

(n.) a policy of taking direct and militant action to achieve a political or social goal
(ant.) reactionary, conservative

acuity

(n.) a quick and penetrating intelligence

acumen

(n.) keen insight

acute

1. (adj.) sharp, severe
2. (adj.) having keen insight
   (syn.) severe

adamant

(adj.) impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason

adaptability

(n.) the ability to change to fit changed circumstances
(syn.) flexibility

adduce

(v.) advance evidence for

adhere

(v.) to stick to, remain attached; to be devoted or loyal as a follower or supporter

adherence

(n.) 1. the property of sticking together

2. faithful support for a cause or political party or religion

adjourn

(v.) to stop proceedings temporarily, to break from a meeting or gathering; move to another place

adjunct

(n.) 1. something attached to another in a subordinate position

2. a person who is an assistant or subordinate to another
   (syn.) associate

adjure

(v.) command solemnly
(syn.) entreat, conjure, beseech, supplicate

administer

(v.) give or apply
(syn.) give or apply
(v.) work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of
(syn.) administrate

admonish

(v.) to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty

adolescent

(n.) teenager

adroit

(adj.) quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
(syn.) dexterous, nimble, skillful

adulation

(n.) servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
(v.) adulate
(syn.) worship, blandishment, canonize
(ant.) obloquy, opprobrium

adulteration

(n.) the act of adulterating; being mixed with extraneous material; the product of adulterating

adumbrate

(v.) describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of;
to sketch out in a vague way

advent

(n.) arrival that has been awaited

adventitious

(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

adventurous

(adj.) willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises

adversarial

(adj.) involving people arguing with or opposing each other
(syn.) antagonistic

adversary

(n.) someone who offers oppositions

adversity

(n.) a state of misfortune or affliction

advert

(v.) give heed to
(n.) a public promotion of some product or service
(adj.) advertent

advocacy

(n.) active support of an idea or cause etc.

advocate

(n.) a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
(syn.) exponent, proponent, advocator
(v.) speak, plead, or argue in favor of
(syn.) champion

aesthetic

A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art, music, and design. It involves the study of sensory or figurative expressions that evoke emotional responses.

aesthetical

(adj.) concerning or characterizing by an appreciation of beauty or good taste

affable

(adj.) diffusing warmth and friendliness
(syn.) cordial, amiable, genial

affiliation

(n.) the act of becoming formally connected or joined; a social or business relationship
(adj.) affiliated (syn.) kindred

affinity

(n.) a natural attraction or feeling of kinship; an inherent similarity

affirm

(v.) declare solemnly and formally as true
(syn.) assert, aver, avow, corroborate, sustain, substantiate

affluent

(adj.) rich, wealthy

affordability

(n.) the ability to be able to pay for

affront

(n.) a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect
(v.) treat, mention, or speak to rudely
(syn.) insult

afoul

(n.) (adj.) (adv.) in or into trouble or conflict with somebody or something
(phr.) run afoul of something

aggrandize

(v.) add details to

aggravate

(v.) make worse
(syn.) exacerbate

aggregate

(v.) (n.) to collect or gather into a mass or whole
(syn.) coalesce
(ant.) disperse

aghast

(adj.) struck with fear, dead, or consternation

agitate

(v.) cause to be agitated, excited, or rouse
(adj.) agitated

airhead

(n.) a flighty scatterbrained simpleton
(syn.) oaf, simpleton

alacrity

(n.) a quick and cheerful readiness to do something

alibi

1. (law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question
2. excuse

alienation

(n.) the action of causing to become unfriendly; separation resulting from hostility; the feeling of being alienated from other people
(syn.) estrangement, disaffection

alimony

(n.) court

allusive

(adj.) characterized by indirect references
(v.) allude
(n.) allusion

aloft

upward; high up in the air