GRE High Frequency Word List

GRE HIGH FREQUENCY WORD LIST WORD A abate aberrant abeyance abscond admonish adulterate aesthetic alacrity alleviate aloof altruistic amalgamate ambidextrous ambiguous ambivalence ameliorate anachronism analogous anarchist anarchy animosity anomalous antagonistic antipathy antiquated antithesis apathy appease apprehension apprise approbation appropriate arbitrary arduous artless ascetic assiduous assuage astute atrophy attenuate audacious austere austerity authoritarian autonomous

MEANING

Part of Speech

subside; decrease, lessen verb abnormal or deviant noun suspended action noun depart secretly and hide verb warn; reprove verb make impure by mixing with baser substances verb artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful; adjective cheerful promptness noun relieve verb apart; reserved adjective unselfishly generous, concerned for others adjective combine, unite in one body verb capable of using either hand with equal ease adjective unclear or doubtful in meaning adjective the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes; noun improve verb an error involving time in a story noun comparable adjective person who rebels against the established order noun absence of governing body, state of disorder noun active enmity; hatred noun abnormal; irregular hostile; opposed; actively resisting adjective aversion; dislike old-fashioned; obsolete adjective contrast; direct opposite of or to noun lack of caring; indifference noun pacify; soothe verb fear noun inform verb approval noun acquire; take possession of for one's own use verb unreasonable or capricious; imperious; tyrannical; despotic adjective hard; strenuous adjective without guile; open and honest adjective practicing self denial; austere adjective diligent. adjective ease or lessen(pain);soothe(anger);satisfy(hunger) verb wise; shrewd adjective wasting away noun make thin; weaken verb daring; bold adjective strict; stern adjective sternness; severity; lack of luxuries noun favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic adjective self-governing adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

B banal belie benevolent benign benignity bequeath blasphemy blighted blithe bolster bombastic boorish burgeon burnish buttress

hackneyed; commonplace; trite contradict; give a false impression generous; charitable kindly; favorable; not malignant state of being kind, benign, gracious leave to someone by a will; hand down cursing; irreverence; sacrilege suffering for a disease; destroyed gay; joyous support; prop up pompous; using inflated language rude; clownish grow forth; send out buds make shiny by rubbing; polish support; prop up

adjective verb adj. adj. noun verb noun adj. adj. verb adjective adjective verb verb verb

C cacophony discord cajole coax; wheedle candor frankness capricious unpredictable; fickle; incalculable censorious critical censure blame; criticize chicanery trickery clemency disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather coagulate thicken; congeal; clot coda concluding section of a musical or literary composition coercion use of force to get someone's compliance cogent convincing commensurate equal in extent compendium brief; comprehensive summary complaisant tryng to please; obliging compliant yielding; confirming to requirements conciliatory reconciling; soothing. condone overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse confound confuse; puzzle connoisseur person competent to act as a judge of art; lover of art. contention claim; thesis contend struggle; compete; assert earnestly contentious quarrelsome contrite penitent conundrum riddle convoluted coiled around cordial gracious; heartfelt corroborate confirm craven cowardly credulity belief on slight evidence criterion standard used in judging

noun verb noun adjective adjective verb noun noun verb noun noun adjective adj verb adj adj adj verb verb noun noun verb adjective adjective noun adjective adjective verb adjective noun noun

WORD

MEANING

D daunt debilitate deference delineate denigrate denounce deplore depravity depreciate deride derivative derogatory desiccate despondent despot desultory detached deterrent devious diatribe dichotomy didactic diffidence digression dilemma diligence diminution dirge disabuse discernible discerning discordant discretion discursive disdain disinclination disingenuous disparage disparity dispassionate disputatious disseminate dissent dissolute dissonance distend diverge divergent

intimidate weaken; enfeeble courteous regard for another's wish portray blacken condemn; criticize regret; disapprove of corruption; wickedness express disapproval of; protest against; belittle scoff at unoriginal; derived from another source expressing a low opinion dry up depressed; gloomy tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler aimless; jumping around emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent something that discourages; hindrance going astray; erratic; cunning bitter scolding; invective branching into two parts teaching; instructional shyness wandering away from the subject problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives steadiness of effort; persistent hard work lessening; reduction in size lament with music correct a false impression; undeceive distinguishable; perceivable mentally quick and observant; having insight inharmonious; conflicting prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances digressing; rambling treat with scorn or contempt unwillingness not naive; sophisticated belittle difference; condition of inequality calm; impartial argumentative; fond of argument scatter (like seeds) disagree loose in morals discord expand; swell out vary; go in different directions from the same point differing; deviating

Part of Speech verb verb noun noun verb verb verb noun verb verb adjective adjective verb adjective noun adjective adjective noun adjective noun noun adjective noun noun noun noun noun noun verb adjective adjective adjective noun adjective verb noun adjective verb noun adjective adjective verb verb adjective noun verb verb adjective

WORD

MEANING

divest docket document dogmatic domicile dormant dubious duplicity dupe

strip; deprive program as for trial; book where such entries are made provide written evidence positive; arbitrary home sleeping; lethargic; torpid doubtful double dealing; hypocrisy someone who is easily fooled

Part of Speech verb noun verb adjective noun adjective adjective noun noun

E ebullient showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm adjective eccentric odd; whimsical; irregular adjective ecclesiastic pertaining to the church adjective eclectic selective in choosing from a variety of sources adjective effervescent exuberant; bubbly and excited adjective efficacy power to produce desired effect noun effigy dummy noun effrontery shameless boldness noun elated overjoyed; in high spirits adjective elegiacal like in elegy; mournful adjective elicit draw out by discussion verb eloquence expressiveness; persuasive speech noun elusive evasive; baffling; hard to gasp adjective emaciated thin and wasted adjective embellish adorn verb embryonic undeveloped; rudimentary adjective empirical based on experience adjective emulate rival; imitate verb endemic prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country; adjective endorse approve; support verb enervate weaken verb enfranchise to admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote) verb engender cause; produce verb enhance advance; improve verb enigma puzzle noun enmity ill will; hatred noun enumerate list; mention one by one verb enunciate speak distinctly verb ephemeral short-lived; fleeting adjective epic long heroic poem or similar work of art noun equanimity calmness of temperament noun equilibrium balance noun equivocal doubtful; ambiguous adjective equivocate lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth verb erratic odd; unpredictable adjective erroneous mistaken; wrong adjective erudite learned; scholarly adjective esoteric known only to a chosen few adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

estranged eulogy euphemism exacerbate exculpate execute exemplary exemplify exhaustive exigency exonerate expedite explicit extol extraneous extricate extrinsic exuberance

separated; alienated praise mild expression in place of an unpleasant one worsen; embitter clear from blame put into effect; carry out serving as a model; outstanding serve as an example of; embody thorough; comprehensive urgent situation acquit; exculpate hasten definite; open praise; glorify not essential; external free; disentangle not inherent; foreign abundance; effusiveness; lavishness

adjective noun noun verb verb verb adjective verb adjective noun verb verb adjective verb adjective verb adjective noun

F facetious facile facilitate fallacious fanaticism fastidious fatuous fawning felicitous fervor flagrant fledgling flinch flout foment foresight forestall frugality furtive futile

humorous; jocular easy; expert make less difficult misleading excessive zeal difficult to please; squeamish foolish; inane courting behavior by cringing and flattering apt; suitably expressed; well chosen glowing ardor conspicuously wicked inexperienced hesitate; shrink reject; mock stir up; instigate ability to foresee future happenings; prudence prevent by taking action in advance thrift; economy stealthy; sneaky ineffective; fruitless

adjective adjective verb adjective noun adjective adjective adjective adjective noun adjective adjective verb verb verb noun verb noun adjective adjective

G gainsay garrulity garrulous glutton goad gouge grandiloquent

deny talkativeness loquacious; wordy someone who eats too much urge on tear out pompous; bombastic; using high-sounded language

verb noun adjective noun verb verb adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

gravity gregarious grievance guile guileless gullible gusto gusty

seriousness sociable cause of complaint deceit; duplicity without deceit easily deceived enjoyment; enthusiasm windy

H hackneyed hamper haphazard harangue haughtiness hedonism heresy homogeneous hyperbole hypercritical hypocritical hypothetical

commonplace; trite adjective obstruct verb random; by chance adjective noisy speech noun pride; arrogance noun belief that pleasure is the sole aim of life noun opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion noun of the same kind adjective exaggeration; overstatement noun excessively exacting adjective pertaining to be virtuous; deceiving adjective based on assumptions or hypothesis adjective

I iconoclastic idolatry immaculate immutable impair impassive impede impermeable impertinent imperturbable impetuous impetus implacable implement implication implicit inadvertently inane inaugurate incessant inchoate incidental incisive incite incognito

attacking cherished traditions worship of idols; excessive admiration pure; spotless unchangeable worsen; diminish in value without feeling; not affected by pain hinder; block; delay impervious; not permitting passage through its substance insolent calm; placid violent; hasty; rash moving force incapable of being pacified put into effect; supply with tools that is hinted at or suggested understood but not stated carelessly; unintentionally silly; senseless start; initiate; install at office uninterrupted recently begun; rudimentary; elementary not essential; minor cutting; sharp arouse to action with identity concealed; using an assumed name

noun adjective noun noun adjective adjective noun adjective

adjective noun adjective adjective verb adjective verb adjective adjective adjective adjective noun adjective verb noun adjective adjective adjective verb adjective adjective adjective adjective verb adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

incoherent unintelligible; muddled; illogical incongruous not fitting; absurd inconsequential of trifling significance incontrovertible indisputable incorrigible uncorrectable incredulity tendency to disbelief incredulous withholding belief; skeptical indict charge indifferent unmoved; lacking concern indigenous native indigent poor indiscriminate choosing at random; confused indolent lazy induce persuade; bring about indulgent humoring; yielding; lenient inert inactive; lacking power to move infamous notoriously bad infer deduce; conclude infiltrate pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily ingenious clever ingenious naïve; young; unsophisticated inherent firmly established by nature or habit innate inborn innocuous harmless innovation change; introduction of something new insinuate hint; imply insipid tasteless; dull insolvent bankrupt; lacking money to pay instigate urge; start; provoke insularity narrow-mindedness; isolation intangible not material; not able to be perceived by touch integrity wholeness; purify; uprightness interminable endless intermittent periodic; on and off intractable unruly; refractory intransigent refusing any compromise; stubborn intricate complex; knotty; tangled introspective locking within oneself introvert one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself inundate overflow; flood inured accustomed; hardened invective abuse irascible irritable; easily angered ironic resulting in unexpected and contrary manner irrational illogical; lacking reason; insane irresolute uncertain how to act; weak irreverence lack of proper aspect itinerant wandering; traveling itinerary plan of a trip noun

adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective noun adjective verb adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective verb adjective adjective adjective verb verb adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective noun verb adjective adjective verb noun adjective noun adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective noun verb adjective noun adjective adjective adjective adjective noun adjective

WORD JK judicious kindle L laconic lament languish lassitude laud lavish legacy lethargic levity lexicographer lexicon listless lofty loquacious lucid lucrative

MEANING

Part of Speech

sound in judgment; wise start a fire; inspire

adjective verb

brief and to the point grieve; express sorrow lose animation; lose strength languor; weariness praise liberal; wasteful gift made by a will drowsy; dull lightness compiler of a dictionary dictionary lacking in spirit or energy very high talkative easily understood profitable

adjective verb verb noun verb adjective noun adjective noun noun noun adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective

M magnanimous generous magniloquent boastful; pompous malign speak evil of; defame malingerer one who feigns illness to escape duty malleable capable of being shaped by pounding marred damaged; disfigured maverick rebel; nonconformist mendacious lying; false metamorphosis change of form metaphor implied comparison methodological systematic meticulous excessively careful misconstrue interpret incorrectly; misjudge miserly stingy; mean mitigate appease mollify soothe moribund at the point of death morose ill-humored; sullen mundane worldly as opposed to spiritual N niggle nihilism notoriety novelty nullify nurture

spend too much time on minor points; carp denial of traditional values; absolute skepticism disrepute; ill fame something new; newness to make invalid bring up; feed; educate

adjective adjective verb noun adjective adjective noun adjective noun noun adjective adjective verb adjective verb verb adjective adjective adjective verb noun noun noun noun verb

WORD O obdurate obliterate oblivion obnoxious obscure obsequious obstinate obviate occident occlude officious ominous onerous opportunist circumstances opprobrium optometrist ordinance ostentatious P pacifist paragon parody partisan pathological paucity pedantic penchant penury perennial perfidious perfunctory perturbation pervasive petrify philander phlegmatic piety placate plagiarize platitude plethora plummet poignancy potent pragmatic preamble precarious

MEANING

Part of Speech

stubborn adjective destroy completely verb forgetfulness noun offensive adjective dark; vague; unclear adjective slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic adjective stubborn adjective make unnecessary; get rid of verb the West noun shut; close verb meddlesome; excessively trying to please adjective threatening adjective burdensome adjective individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of the noun infamy; vilification noun one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects noun decree noun showy; pretentious adjective one opposed to force; antimilitarist model of reflection humorous imitation; travesty one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party pertaining to disease scarcity showing off learning; bookish strong inclination; liking extreme poverty something that is continuing or recent basely false superficial; not thorough agitation spread throughout; permeating turn to stone make love lightly; flirt calm; not easily disturbed religious devotion; godliness pacify; conciliate steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own trite remark; commonplace statement excess; overabundance fall sharply quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion powerful; persuasive; greatly influential practical; concerned with practical values introductory statement uncertain; risky

noun noun noun noun adjective noun adjective noun noun noun adjective adjective noun adjective verb verb adjective noun verb verb noun noun verb noun adjective adjective noun adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

precipitate preclude precocious precursor presumptuous prevaricate pristine probity prodigal profound prohibitive proliferate propensity propitiate propriety proscribe protract provoke prudent pungent

headlong; rash make impossible; eliminate advanced in development forerunner arrogant; taking liberties lie characteristic of earlier times, primitive, unspoiled uprightness; incorruptibility wasteful; reckless with money deep; not superficial; complete inclined to prevent or forbid (use, purchase) grow rapidly; spread; multiply natural inclination appease fitness; correct conduct ostracize; banish; outlaw prolong stir to anger; cause retaliation cautious; careful stinging; caustic

adjective verb adjective noun adj verb adj noun adj adj adj verb noun verb noun verb verb verb adjective adjective

Q qualified quandary quibble quiescent

limited; restricted adjective dilemma noun equivocate; play on words; minor objection or complaint verb at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive adjective

R rarefied ratify rebuff rebuttal recalcitrant recant recluse recondite redundant refractory refute relegate relevancy remorse renounce reprimand reproach reprobate reprove repudiate rescind

made less dense (of gas) approve formally; verify snub; beat back refutation; response with contrary evidence obstinately stubborn repudiate; withdraw previous statement hermit; loner abstruse; profound; secret superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious stubborn; unmanageable disprove banish; consign to inferior position pertinence; reference to the case in hand guilt; self-reproach abandon; discontinue; disown; repudiate reprove severely blame; censure person hardened in sin; devoid of a sense of decency censure; rebuke disown; disavow cancel

adj verb verb noun adjective verb noun adjective adjective adjective verb verb noun noun verb verb noun noun verb verb verb

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

reserve resigned resolve reticence retract retrograde retrospective reverent

self-control; formal but distant manner unresisting; patiently submissive determination reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to be silent withdraw; take back go backwards; degenerate, instead of advancing looking back on the past respectful; worshipful

noun adjective noun noun verb verb adjective adjective

S sagacious salubrious sanction satiate satirical saturate savor savory scrupulous scrutinize seclusion secrete sectarian servile shard skeptic supporting solemnity solicit solicitous somber soporific specious spendthrift sporadic squander stagnant stanza static steadfast stigma stint stipulate stoic stolid striated strut strut stupefy

keen; shrewd; having insight adjective healthful adjective approve; ratify verb surfeit; satisfy fully verb mocking adjective soak verb enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, equality verb tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable adjective conscientious; extremely thorough adjective examine closely and critically verb isolation; solitude noun hide away; produce and release a substance into an organism verb relating to a religious fraction or subgroup; narrow-minded; limited adjective slavish; cringing adjective fragment, generally of pottery noun doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence. noun a point of view noun seriousness; gravity noun request earnestly; seek verb worried; concerned adjective gloomy; depressing adjective sleep producer; sleep causing adjective seemingly reasonable but incorrect adjective someone who wastes money noun occurring irregularly adjective waste verb motionless; stale; dull adjective division of a poem noun unchanging; lacking development adjective loyal adjective token of disgrace; brand noun supply; allotted demand; assigned portion of work noun make express conditions; specify verb person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain noun dull; impassive adjective marked with parallel bands; grooved adjective pompous walk noun supporting bar noun make numb; stun; amaze verb

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

submissive subtlety succinct superfluous supersede supposition surpass surreptitious surrogate sustain sycophant

yielding; timid nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy brief; terse; compact excessive; overabundant; unnecessary cause to be set aside; replace hypothesis; the act of supposing exceed secret substitute experience; support; nourish servile flatterer

adjective noun adjective adjective verb noun verb adjective noun verb noun

T tacit taciturn tangential tangible tedious tentative tenuous terse tirade torpid torpor tortuous tractable transgression trepidation trite trivia

understood; not put into words habitually silent; talking little peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing able to be touched; real; palpable boring; tiring provisional; experimental thin; rare; slim concise; abrupt; pithy extended scolding; denunciation dormant; dull; lethargic lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy winding; full of curves docile violation of law; sin fear; trembling agitation hackneyed; commonplace trifles; unimportant matters

adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective adjective noun adjective noun adjective adjective noun noun adjective noun

V Vacillate venerate veracious verbose viable vilify virtuoso virulent vituperative vogue volatile

waver; fluctuate revere truthful wordy practical or workable; capable of maintaining life slander highly skilled artist extremely poisonous abusive; scolding popular fashion evaporating rapidly; lighthearted; mercurial

verb verb

W warrant warranty wary welt

justify; authorize guarantee; assurance by seller very cautious mark from a beating or whipping

verb noun adjective noun

adjective adjective adjective verb noun adjective adjective noun adjective

WORD

MEANING

Part of Speech

whimsical

capricious; fanciful; quaint

adjective

Z zealot

fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal

noun