GRE Vocabulary - Complete Word List
Vocabulary List
Abate
v. To diminish in intensity.
v. To cause to diminish in intensity.
Aberrant
adj. Diverging from the standard type.
Abjure
v. To reject or renounce.
Abscond
v. To leave secretly, evading detection.
Abstain
v. To voluntarily refrain from doing something.
Acumen
n. Keen judgment and perception.
Admonish
v. To scold or to advise firmly.
Adulterate
v. To contaminate or make impure by introducing inferior elements.
Advocate
v. To recommend, support, or advise.
n. One who advocates.
Aesthetic
adj. Concerned with the nature of beauty and art.
Affectation
n. Fake or artificial behavior, often meant to impress or conceal the truth.
Aggrandize
v. Enlarge or increase, esp. wealth, power, reputation.
Alacrity
n. Promptness and eagerness.
Alleviate
v. To relieve a problem or ease a burden.
Amalgamate
v. To combine or mix together.
Ambiguous
adj. Unclear.
adj. Open to multiple interpretations.
Ambivalent
adj. Having mixed or contradictory feelings about someone or something.
Ameliorate
v. To improve or mitigate a situation.
Amenable
adj. Easily convinced or persuaded.
Anachronism
n. Something old-fashioned.
n. Something appearing in a time period where it does not belong.
Analogous
n. Comparable.
n. Appropriate for analogy.
Anoint
v. To choose for a particular office or position.
v. To use oil on a person in a religious ceremony.
Anomaly
n. An exception or unusual case.
Antipathy
n. Strong dislike or hatred.
Antithetical
adj. Contrary to the very nature of.
Apathy
n. State of total disinterest or unenthusiasm.
Appease
v. To placate.
v. To satisfy (an appetite, a need).
Arbitrary
adj. Seemingly chosen or designated without reason or purpose.
Arcane
adj. Secret or known only to a select group.
Archaic
adj. Old-fashioned.
adj. No longer in the common usage.
Arduous
adj. Difficult, taxing, requiring considerable effort.
Articulate
adj. Exhibiting considerable communication skills, well-spoken.
Artless
adj. Without artifice.
adj. Natural, untrained.
Ascetic
adj. Austere or self-denying.
Assuage
v. To provide relief from an unpleasant feeling.
v. To satisfy a need or appetite.
Astonishment
n. Total surprise, shock.
Audacious
adj. Very bold or presumptuous.
Austere
adj. Severe, unadorned.
Avarice
n. Greed.
Aver
v. To assert or allege.
Banal
adj. Boring, cliché.
Belie
v. Give a false impression (intentional or unintentional) in word, appearance, or deed.
Benign
adj. Gentle, harmless.
Biased
adj. Prejudiced, displaying partiality.
Bolster
v. To shore up or support.
Bombastic
adj. Overblown, theatrical.
Brazen
adj. Bold or open to the point of shocking.
adj. Shameless.
Bucolic
adj. Pastoral, rustic, countrified.
Burgeon
v. Flourish, bloom, expand or increase quickly.
Cacophony
n. Loud and chaotic noise.
Calumny
n. Lie or slander.
Candid
adj. Honest, open.
Canon
n. Accepted rules and tenets of a discipline.
n. Sacred works/scripture; in this sense, it is also used to refer to notable literary and artistic works of a culture or discipline.
Capacity
n. The capability to perform a particular action or fulfill a given function.
n. The total amount a container can hold.
n. A particular position or role (i.e., “she served in an advisory capacity”).
Capricious
adj. Mercurial, unpredictable, whimsical.
Castigate
v. To scold or berate strongly.
Catalyst
n. Something that speeds up a process or causes action.
Caustic
adj. Corrosive.
adj. Bitterly sarcastic.
Censure
v. To express intense condemnation.
Chauvinist
n. Someone who believes prejudicially that their own group is the superior one.
Chicanery
n. Trickery or deception.
Chronological
adj. Ordered by time.
Coalesce
v. To come together, esp. from disparate parts.
Cogent
adj. Clearly laid out and persuasive.
Commensurate
adj. In accordance with, proportional.
Compelling
adj. Captivating.
adj. Very persuasive.
Comprehensive
adj. Complete and thorough.
Condone
v. To approve or allow.
Confound
v. To confuse or astonish.
Connoisseur
n. An expert in a particular subject matter area, usually relating to the fine arts or cultural pursuits.
Consequential
adj. As a result of.
adj. Significant or memorable.
Construe
v. To interpret.
Consumption
n. Utilization (esp. of a resource).
Contend
v. Assert or claim.
v. Grapple with.
Contentious
adj. Controversial.
adj. Involving conflict.
Contrite
adj. Remorseful.
Convoluted
adj. Roundabout, not straightforward.
Copious
adj. Plentiful or abundant.
Cosmopolitan
adj. Of or relating to a city or urban area.
adj. Sophisticated.
Covet
v. To desire something that does not belong to you.
Craft
n. Cunning.
n. Skill.
Craven
adj. Cowardly to the point of being shameful.
Credence
n. Belief or trust.
Credulous
adj. Gullible, naïve.
Decorum
n. Appropriate behavior or good manners.
Deference
n. Respect or polite submission.
Deflect
v. Divert or cause to ricochet.
Deftness
adj. Skill, acumen.
adj. Manual dexterity.
Delineate
v. To describe very accurately.
v. To clearly demarcate a boundary.
v. To render an outline.
Demur
v. To object or raise concerns.
Denigrate
v. Say negative things about, particularly in a defamatory way.
Deride
v. To mock or ridicule.
Derivative
adj. Imitates another work in a way that is unoriginal or uninspiring.
Desiccate
v. To dry out completely.
v. To suck out the vitality and passion.
Desultory
adj. Halfhearted.
adj. Inconsistent or random.
Detachment
n. Objectivity or aloofness.
Determinant
n. A strong factor in an outcome.
Diatribe
n. A rant or angry speech denouncing someone or something.
Didactic
adj. Educational or with an instructive purpose; often includes an element of moralizing.
Diffident
adj. Shy, timid, or reserved due to a lack of confidence.
Dilettante
n. Someone with an amateur, nonserious interest in something.
Dirge
n. Funeral or mourning lament.
n. Any sad, slow song.
Disabuse
v. To dispel someone's illusions or false impressions about something.
Discern
v. To perceive.
Discrepancy
n. Inconsistency.
Disinterested
adj. Objective, unbiased.
adj. Not invested in the outcome.
Disparage
v. To belittle.
Disparate
adj. Dissimilar to such a degree that comparison is not possible.
Dispassionate
adj. Impartial or cool.
Disregard
v. To ignore or pay no attention to.
Dissemble
v. To mislead or conceal the truth, esp. with respect to one's motives.
Disseminate
v. To spread widely (esp. information).
Dissonance
n. A clash between two elements that don't blend well.
Diverge
v. To split apart, esp. a road or path.
Dogma
n. The official beliefs or tenets of a particular sect or group.
Dupe
v. To deceive or fool.
Ebullient
adj. Cheerful, enthusiastic, excited.
Eccentric
adj. Quirky or unusual.
Eclectic
adj. Composed of a variety of styles, themes, motifs, etc.
Efficacy
n. Effectiveness.
Elegy
n. Sad poem or song, often in remembrance of someone deceased.
Elicit
v. To provoke a response.
Eloquence
adj. Persuasive and articulate speech.
Eminent
adj. Well-known, respected, distinguished.
Empirical
adj. Based on evidence.
Emulate
v. To imitate or attempt to equal in accomplishment.
Enervate
v. To exhaust or drain of energy.
Engender
v. To cause or give rise to.
Enhance
v. Intensify, increase, augment.
Entitlement
n. Belief that one deserves things one has not earned.
n. The rights one is afforded under the law.
Ephemeral
adj. Short-lived or transient.
Equable
adj. Even-tempered.
adj. Not given to much change or variation.
Equivocate
v. To use ambiguous language in order to mislead or deceive.
Erroneous
adj. Incorrect.
Erudite
adj. Learned.
Eschew
v. Avoid or abstain from.
Esoteric
adj. Obscure, arcane.
Estimable
adj. Deserving respect, esteem, and admiration.
Eulogy
n. Memorial speech for one who has passed, normally given at a funeral.
Exacerbate
v. To make worse.
Exacting
adj. Challenging, demanding, grueling.
Exculpate
v. To exonerate or vindicate.
Exigent
adj. Urgent or pressing.
Exonerate
v. To clear of charges of wrongdoing.
Expatiate
v. To elaborate on something in great detail.
Explicate
v. To explain in detail.
Exposition
n. A thorough explanation.
n. A public show or fair.
Extraneous
adj. Irrelevant or superfluous.
Extrapolate
v. To estimate or conjecture about the future based on presently available information or facts.
Facetious
adj. Glib or flippant.
Facilitate
v. To make something easier or simpler.
Fallacious
adj. Relying on a fallacy and thus incorrect/misinformed.
Fastidious
adj. Meticulous.
adj. Invested in cleanliness.
Fluctuate
v. To shift without apparent pattern.
Foment
v. To foster unrest or discontent.
Forestall
v. To hold off or try to prevent.
Fortuitous
adj. Fortunate and lucky.
Frugal
adj. Economical, thrifty.
Gainsay
v. Deny or oppose.
Galvanize
v. To prod someone into action.
Garrulous
adj. Talkative.
Gauche
adj. Socially inept, inappropriate, or awkward.
Germane
adj. Relevant to the matter at hand.
Glib
adj. Talking volubly, but carelessly or insincerely.
Gregarious
adj. Sociable, genial.
Guile
n. Craftiness and cunning.
Hackneyed
adj. Cliché, trite, banal.
Harangue
n. Diatribe or rant.
Hedonism
n. The pursuit of pleasure.
Hierarchical
adj. Arranged in rank order or hierarchy.
Homogenous
adj. Uniform, identical.
Hyperbole
n. Obvious exaggeration for effect.
Iconoclast
n. A person who attacks traditional religious and cultural institutions.
Ideological
adj. Relating to a particular belief system or theory.
Imminent
adj. About to happen.
Immutable
adj. Unchangeable.
Impair
v. To hinder or weaken someone or something.
Impediment
n. Barrier, hindrance, or obstruction.
Imperturbable
adj. Remaining calm under any circumstance.
Implacable
adj. Unforgiving.
adj. Relentless.
Implicit
adj. Implied or insinuated without being directly stated.
Imprudence
n. Bad judgment.
Impudent
adj. Disrespectful.
Inadvertent
adj. By accident or unintentional.
Inchoate
adj. Rudimentary, in the beginning stages.
Inconclusive
adj. Indeterminate or unresolved.
Indebted
adj. Owing money.
adj. Owing gratitude to someone or something.
Indefatigable
adj. Cannot be made tired.
Indolent
adj. Lazy.
adj. Idle.
Infer
v. To conclude from implicit evidence (as opposed to explicit facts).
Ingenuous
adj. Naïve or innocent.
Inimical
adj. Harmful or hostile.
Innocuous
adj. Harmless.
Inscrutable
adj. Enigmatic, incomprehensible.
Insipid
adj. Bland, uninspired, inane.
Insular
adj. Tight-knit and isolated; uninterested in matters outside one's immediate sphere.
Intensive
adj. Concentrated and in-depth.
Intermediary
n. A go-between.
Intimate
adj. Close (as in a relationship).
adj. Particularly private.
v. To imply.
Intractable
adj. Unmanageable.
adj. Stubborn or obstinate.
Intransigent
adj. Uncompromising, obstinate.
Intrepid
adj. Bold and adventurous.
Inveterate
adj. Ingrained, habitual.
Invulnerable
adj. Indestructible, impervious to harm.
Irascible
adj. Irritable, testy, touchy.
Irresolute
adj. Wishy-washy, hesitant.
Laconic
adj. Taciturn, reserved, succinct.
Laud
v. To praise.
Laudable
adj. Praiseworthy.
Litigation
n. Legal proceedings.
Loquacious
adj. Talkative.
Lucid
adj. Clear and coherent.
Luminous
adj. Full of light.
Magnanimity
n. Generosity and nobility of spirit.
Maladroit
adj. Clumsy, awkward, inept.
Malign
adj. Evil or harmful.
v. To speak negatively about someone or something.
Malleable
adj. Pliant or pliable.
adj. Easily influenced.
Maverick
n. An unorthodox person or rebel.
Mendacity
n. Untruthfulness, dishonesty.
Mercurial
adj. Easily changeable, fickle.
Meticulous
adj. Paying close attention to detail.
Misanthrope
n. Person who hates humanity.
Mitigate
v. To improve a painful, unpleasant, or negative situation.
Modest
adj. Not boastful.
adj. Not overly showy.
Mollify
v. Placate.
Monotony
n. Boredom and repetition.
Mundane
adj. Everyday, boring.
Munificent
adj. Very generous.
Naïve
adj. Inexperienced or gullible.
Nascent
adj. Just beginning or in the early stages.
Neglect
v. To abandon or leave uncared-for.
Nonplussed
adj. Confused and baffled.
Notoriety
n. Fame for doing something negative or criminal.
Nuance
n. Subtle shades of difference.
Obdurate
adj. Stubborn, obstinate.
Obscure
adj. Mysterious or not well-known.
v. To cover something up or make it more difficult to perceive.
Obsequious
adj. Overly fawning and helpful in a way that is disingenuous.
Obstinate
adj. Stubborn, uncompromising.
Obviate
v. To forestall the need for something.
v. To prevent.
Occlude
v. To block or obstruct.
Occult
n. The mystical and supernatural.
Offset
v. To counterbalance or counteract.
Olfactory
adj. Relating to smell or the sense of smell.
Omniscience
n. The quality or state of being all-knowing.
Onerous
adj. Difficult or burdensome.
Opaque
adj. Not see-through; blocking light.
Opportunism
n. The practice of taking advantage of opportunities as they arise without particular concern for morality or ethics.
Opprobrium
n. Criticism or condemnation.
Oscillate
v. To swing back and forth between two points, poles, or positions.
Ostentatious
adj. Overly showy in a way that is gaudy or vulgar.
Outstrip
v. To overtake or outrun.
Overshadow
v. To literally cast a shadow over.
v. To appear more notable than.
Painstaking
adj. Attentive to detail, meticulous.
Partial
adj. Incomplete.
Partisan
n. A devoted supporter of a group, cause, or person.
Patent
adj. Blatant, obvious.
Paucity
n. Scarcity, poverty.
Pedantic
adj. Overly concerned with irrelevant detail, fussy.
Pedestrian
adj. Boring, monotonous, run-of-the-mill.
Perfidy
n. Treachery or deceit.
Perfunctory
adj. Done without much effort, care, or thought.
Peripheral
adj. On the edge or periphery; not centrally important.
Permeate
v. To pervade or penetrate throughout.
Perseverance
n. Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Peruse
v. To read something carefully and closely.
v. To read something informally or quickly(context is critical for this word!).
Pervasive
adj. Found everywhere, widespread; often has a negative connotation.
Phenomena
n. Things that happen.
Phlegmatic
adj. Cool and unruffled.
Pith
n. The essential substance of something.
Placate
v. To calm, esp. an angry or upset person.
Plastic
adj. Easily shaped or molded.
adj. Made of plastic.
Platitude
n. A trite or cliché statement.
Plausible
adj. Believable, reasonable.
Plethora
n. A surplus or overabundance of something.
Plummet
v. To fall quickly and far.
Polarize
v. To cause a sharp division between two groups.
Polemical
adj. Angry, hostile, harshly critical.
Pragmatic
adj. Practical.
Precarious
adj. Uncertain or unstable.
Preceded
adj. Went before.
Precipitate
v. To cause.
adj. Hastily and not well-considered.
n. Particulate matter formed within a solution.
Precursor
n. A forerunner.
Prescient
adj. Knowing things before they happen, prophetic.
Presumptuous
adj. Overly familiar; invades social boundaries.
Prevail
v. To succeed, esp. with respect to vanquishing an opponent.
v. To convince or persuade.
Prevaricate
v. To evade or deceive without outright lying.
Pristine
adj. Untouched, clean, pure.
Probity
n. Integrity and honor.
Prodigal
n. A reckless spender.
Prodigious
adj. Enormous, immense, gigantic.
Profligate
adj. Extravagant and wasteful, esp. in an immoral way.
Proliferate
v. To multiply and spread rapidly.
Propitiate
v. To obtain special favor from someone, esp. a powerful person or deity, by performing a pleasing action.
v. To appease someone who is angry.
Propriety
n. Appropriateness, manners, decorum.
Prospective
adj. Potential or likely.
adj. Applicable to the future.
Qualification
n. Credential.
n. A modifying statement.
Quotidian
adj. Relating to the everyday or mundane.
Rationalize
v. To attempt to justify with reasons that are only superficially valid.
Reconcile
v. To bring into harmony.
v. To repair a relationship.
Recondite
adj. Arcane or obscure.
Refute
v. To rebut or disprove.
Relentless
adj. Never stopping, constant.
Relevant
adj. Relating to the topic or issue at hand.
Reproach
v. To scold or express criticism.
Repudiate
v. To renounce or disown.
Rescind
v. To take back or retract (an offer or statement).
Respectively
adv. In the sequential order previously given.
Reticent
adj. Hesitant to speak.
adj. Introverted or silent.
Reverent
adj. Solemn and respectful.
Rhetoric
n. The art of effective communication (written or verbal).
Salubrious
adj. Health-promoting.
Sanction
v. To give official permission.
v. To impose a penalty for a particular action.
n. Punishments imposed for breaking a regulation.
Satiate
v. To completely satisfy (with respect to hunger or appetite).
Secular
adj. Of or relating to the world or worldly matters (as opposed to religious ones).
Sediment
n. Material that settles at the bottom of a body of water.
Sedulous
adj. Dedicated and careful.
Simultaneous
adj. Occurring at the same moment.
Solicitous
adj. Considerate, attentive.
Soporific
adj. Makes sleepy.
Sparse
adj. Scattered or scarce.
adj. Austere and unadorned.
Specious
adj. Spurious; appearing true but actually false.
Sporadic
adj. Occasional or scattered.
Spurious
adj. Fake or false.
Stolid
adj. Calm and dependable.
Subjective
adj. Open to personal interpretation; not based in objective fact.
Substantiate
v. To corroborate or give evidence of something.
Subversive
adj. Meant to undercut established institutions or norms.
Sufficient
adj. Enough for a given purpose.
Superbly
adv. Excellently.
Supine
adj. Laying back with the face upward (opposite position to prone).
Supplant
v. To overtake or replace.
Sycophant
n. A fawning, insincere admirer.
Synthesize
v. To combine disparate parts into a coherent whole.
Tacit
adj. Unspoken; implicit.
Taciturn
adj. Reticent or reserved; tending towards silence.
Temperance
n. Moderation and restraint, sometimes used to specifically describe abstinence from alcohol.
Tenuous
adj. Weak, flimsy, insubstantial.
Timorous
adj. Meek or timid.
Tirade
n. An angry rant.
Torpor
n. Tiredness, lethargy.
Tortuous
adj. Winding or twisty.
adj. Complicated.
Tractable
adj. Can be easily influenced or managed.
Transient
adj. Passes quickly; short-lived.
Ubiquitous
adj. Ever-present or universal.
Unadorned
adj. Plain; unembellished.
Undermine
v. To weaken or compromise.
Underscore
v. To line underneath for emphasis.
v. To emphasize.
Untenable
adj. Weak or unsupportable, esp. with respect to an opinion or situation.
Vacillate
v. To shift between multiple options or opinions.
Venality
n. The state of being capable of being bribed.
Venerate
v. To give a high degree of respect; may border on worship.
Veracity
n. Truth and factual accuracy.
Verbose
adj. Long-winded; loquacious.
Vexation
n. State of being frustrated, irritated, or concerned.
Volatile
adj. Easily changeable or extreme; unstable.
Whimsical
adj. Fanciful or capricious.
Zeal
n. Passion or fervor.