GRE Vocabulary a-i

aberrant

deviating from what is normal or expected

abeyance

a state of temporary disuse or suspension

abscond

to leave secretly and hide, often to avoid arrest or prosecution

abstain

to choose not to do or have something

admonish

to warn or reprimand someone firmly

adulterate

to make something impure by adding inferior or harmful substances

advocate

to publicly support or recommend a particular cause or policy

aesthetic

relating to beauty or the appreciation of beauty

alleviate

to make something less severe or painful

amalgamate

to combine or blend multiple things into a single entity

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation, unclear or vague

ambivalent

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

anachronism

something out of its proper historical time

analogous

comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared

anomaly

something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected

antipathy

a deep

apathy

lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

appease

to satisfy or calm someone by giving them what they want

arbitrary

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

archaic

very old or old

ardor

enthusiasm or passion

articulate

to express something clearly and coherently

artless

without guile or deception; natural and simple

ascetic

a person who practices severe self

assiduous

showing great care and perseverance

assuage

to make an unpleasant feeling less intense or severe

audacious

showing a willingness to take bold risks

austere

severe or strict in manner or appearance

autonomous

acting independently or having the freedom to do so

aver

to state or assert to be the case

avid

having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something

banal

lacking originality, freshness, or novelty

belie

to fail to give a true impression of something

beneficent

doing good or causing good to be done; kindly; charitable

bolster

to support or strengthen

bombastic

high

boorish

rough and bad

burgeon

to grow or increase rapidly; flourish

cacophony

a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

capricious

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

castigate

to reprimand severely; punish

catalyst

a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change

caustic

sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

champion

to support, advocate, or defend (

chicanery

the use of deception or trickery to achieve one's purposes

coalesce

to come together to form one mass or whole

cogent

clear, logical, and convincing

commensurate

corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

compendium

a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject

complaisant

willing to please others; obliging; agreeable

comprehensive

including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something

conciliatory

intended or likely to placate or pacify

concur

to agree; be in accord

confound

to cause surprise or confusion in someone by acting against their expectations

connoisseur

an expert judge in matters of taste

conscientious

wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

consensus

a general agreement

construe

to interpret or understand a word or action in a particular way

contentious

causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial

contrite

feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt

conundrum

a confusing and difficult problem or question

convoluted

extremely complex and difficult to follow

copious

abundant in supply or quantity

corroborate

to confirm or give support to a statement or theory

cosmopolitan

familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures

covet

to yearn to possess or have (something)

craven

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly

credence

belief in or acceptance of something as true

credulous

having or showing too great a readiness to believe things

criteria

a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided

cryptic

having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure

culpable

deserving blame or censure; guilty

cursory

hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

curtail

to reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on

daunt

to make someone feel intimidated or apprehensive

debilitate

to make someone weak and infirm

debunk

to expose the falseness or exaggeration of (a myth, idea, or belief)

decorous

in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained

deference

humble submission and respect

deft

neatly skillful and quick in one's movements

delineate

to describe or portray (something) precisely

denigrate

to criticize unfairly; disparage

derivative

imitative of the work of another artist, writer, etc., and usually disapproved of for that reason

desiccate

to remove the moisture from (something), typically in order to preserve it

desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

deterrent

a thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something

diatribe

a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something

didactic

intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

diffidence

modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self

diffuse

spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people

digression

a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing

dilatory

slow to act; intended to cause delay

dilettante

a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge

disabuse

to persuade someone that an idea or belief is mistaken

discern

to perceive or recognize something

discordant

disagreeing or incongruous; lacking in harmony

discrepancy

a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts

discrete

individually separate and distinct

discretion

the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information

disdain

the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of consideration or respect; contempt