Word Lists : Vocabulary word lists for SAT, PSAT, GRE and other tests

The Ubiquitous 400 400 M0ST COMMON GRE 400 GRE WORDS WORDS WITH SY WITH SYNONYMS

The GRE tests a surprisingly limited number of words. In the following lists, you will find words that occur frequently on the GRE. Granted, memorizing a list of words is rather dry, but it is probably the most effective way to improve your performance on the verbal section. As you read through the lists, mark any words that you do not know with a check mark. Then when you read through the list again, mark any that you do not remember with two checks. Continue in this manner until you have learned the words. The first list, The Ubiquitous 400, contains words that have appeared frequently on the GRE. Over the years, our second list, Vocabulary 4000, has been an invaluable tool for students who have both the time and the determination to wade through it. It’s chock-full of words that are prime candidates for the GRE. abash humiliate, embarrass

amalgamation mixture

belie misrepresent

abdicate relinquish power or position

ambiguous unclear

belittle disparage

aberrant abnormal

ambivalence conflicting emotions

bellicose warlike

abet aid, encourage (typically of crime)

amenable agreeable

benefactor patron

amorphous shapeless

boisterous noisy

anachronistic out of historical order

boor vulgar person

analogous similar

bourgeois middle class

anarchy absence of government

bucolic rustic

anathema curse

buttress support

animus hate

cachet prestige

anomalous abnormal

cacophony dissonance, harsh noise

antipathy repulsion, hatred

callow inexperienced

antipodal exactly opposite

canon rule

antiquated outdated, obsolete

capacious spacious

apathy indifference

capitulate surrender

appease pacify

castigate criticize

approbation approval

cathartic purgative, purifying

artless naive, simple

catholic universal, worldly

abeyance postponement aboriginal indigenous abridge shorten abstemious moderate acclimate accustom oneself to a climate accost to approach and speak to someone acquiesce agree passively acumen insight adamant insistent admonish warn gently adulterate contaminate, corrupt adversity hardship aegis that which protects

ascetic self-denying

caustic scathing (of speech)

aesthetic pleasing to the senses, beautiful

assiduous hard-working

censure condemn

affable friendly

assimilate absorb

chagrin embarrassment

affinity fondness

audacity boldness

charlatan quack

aggregate total, collect

auspicious favorable

chary cautious

aghast horrified

austere harsh, Spartan

coagulate thicken

alacrity swiftness

autonomous self-governing

alienate estrange, antagonize

avarice greed

alleviate lessen, assuage

axiom self-evident truth

altruism benevolence, generosity

banal trite

coda concluding passage cogent well-put, convincing collusion conspiracy commensurate proportionate commiserate empathize 459

TeamLRN

The Ubiquitous 400

compensatory redeeming

digress ramble

exacerbate worsen

compliant submissive

disabuse correct a misconception

conciliatory reconciling

discerning observant

condone overlook wrong doing

exasperate irritate exhibitionist one who draws attention to himself

discord lack of harmony

conducive helping

discrete separate

connoisseur an expert, gourmet

discretion prudence

consensus general agreement

disingenuous deceptive

contentious argumentative

disparate various

conundrum puzzle, enigma

disseminate distribute

convoluted twisted, complicated

dissent disagree

covenant agreement, pact

dissolution disintegration

covert secret

dissonance discord

credence belief

distend swell

credulous believing

divest strip, deprive

cynical scornful of the motives of others

divulge disclose

dauntless courageous

dogmatic certain, unchanging in opinion

dearth scarcity

dormant asleep

defamation (noun) slander

eclectic from many sources

deference courteously yielding to another

efficacy effectiveness

deleterious harmful delineate draw a line around, describe

effigy likeness, mannequin effloresce to bloom effrontery insolence

demur take exception

elicit provoke

denigrate defame

eloquent well-spoken

deprecate belittle

emancipate liberate

desiccate dehydrate

embellish exaggerate

despot tyrant

endemic peculiar to a particular region

destitute poor desultory without direction in life deterrent hindrance devoid empty devout pious diatribe long denunciation dichotomy a division into two parts didactic instructional diffident shy

460

exonerate free from blame expedite hasten extemporize improvise extol praise highly facetious joking, sarcastic facilitate make easier fallacy false belief fathom understand fervor intensity fickle always changing one’s mind filibuster long speech fledgling just beginning, struggling flout to show disregard for the law or rules foment instigate forsake abandon fortuitous lucky foster encourage frugal thrifty fulminate denounce, menace furtive stealthy gainsay contradict germane relevant glib insincere manner

enervate weaken

gratuitous unwarranted, uncalled for

engender generate

gregarious sociable

ennui boredom

halcyon serene

enumerate count esoteric known by only a few esthetic artistic

hamper obstruct harangue tirade harry harass

euphemism genteel expression

hedonism excessive pursuit of pleasure in life

euphoria elation

hegemony authority, domination

evanescent fleeting, very brief

histrionic overly dramatic

461 GRE Prep Course

homogeneous uniform

intrepid fearless

omnipotent all-powerful

hyperbole exaggeration

inundate flood

onerous burdensome

hypocritical deceiving, two-faced iconoclast one who rails against sacred institutions

inure accustom, habituate, harden

opprobrium disgrace

invective verbal insult

oscillate waver

inveigle lure

paean a song of praise

irascible irritable

paradigm a model

irresolute hesitant, uncertain

paragon standard of excellence

itinerary route

parody imitation, ridicule

judicious prudent

parsimonious stingy

laconic brief, terse

paucity scarcity

lassitude lethargy

pedagogical pertaining to teaching

laudatory commendable

pedantic bookish

levity frivolity

penchant inclination

lucid clearly understood

penury poverty

lurid ghastly

pernicious destructive

inadvertent unintentional

Machiavellian politically crafty, cunning

perpetuity eternity

incendiary inflammatory

magnanimous generous, kindhearted

incipient beginning

magnate a powerful, successful person

idiosyncrasy peculiarity imminent about to happen impecunious indigent imperative vital, pressing imperturbable calm impervious impenetrable impetuous impulsive implicit implied impolitic unwise impulsive to act suddenly impunity exemption from harm

incontrovertible indisputable

perspicacious keen pervade permeate philanthropic charitable

malevolence bad intent, malice

phlegmatic sluggish

malinger shirk

piety devoutness

malleable moldable, tractable

pious devout, holy

misanthrope hater of mankind

piquant tart-tasting, spicy

miscreant evildoer

pithy concise

mitigate lessen the severity

platitude trite remark

mundane ordinary

platonic nonsexual

nadir lowest point

plethora overabundance

narcissism self-love

polemic a controversy

nascent incipient

posthumous after death

neologism newly coined expression

pragmatic practical

nonplus confound

precarious dangerous, risky

insipid flat, dull

noxious toxic

precipitate cause

insufferable unbearable

obfuscate bewilder, muddle

precursor forerunner

insular narrow-minded

obtuse stupid

preponderance predominance

intangible not perceptible by touch

obviate make unnecessary

presumptuous assuming

internecine mutually destructive

odious despicable

pretentious affected, inflated

intractable unmanageable

officious forward, obtrusive

pretext excuse

incorrigible unreformable indifferent unconcerned indigent poor indolent lazy indomitable invincible ineffable inexpressible inert inactive inherent innate, inborn inhibit restrain inimical adverse, hostile insatiable gluttonous insidious treacherous

TeamLRN

The Ubiquitous 400

462

prevaricate lie

reprobate miscreant

synthesis combination

probity integrity

repudiate disavow

tacit understood without being spoken

problematic uncertain

requisite necessary

temerity boldness

prodigal wasteful

rescind revoke

tenuous thin, insubstantial

prodigious marvelous, enormous

resolute determined

terse concise

prodigy a person with extraordinary ability or talent

reticent reserved

torpid lethargic, inactive

retribution reprisal

tractable docile, manageable

reverent respectful

transient fleeting, temporary

rhapsody ecstasy

trenchant incisive, penetrating

rhetoric elocution, grandiloquence

truculent fierce, savage

sanctimonious self-righteous

ubiquitous omnipresent, pervasive

sanction approval

ulterior hidden, covert

sanguinary gory, murderous

untenable cannot be achieved

satiate satisfy fully

untoward perverse

satire ridicule

urbane refined, worldly

schism rift

vacillate waver

secular worldly, nonreligious

venerable revered

sedulous diligent

veracity truthfulness

severance division

verbose wordy

skeptical doubtful

vernacular common speech

solicitous considerate, concerned

vex annoy

solvent financially sound

viable capable of surviving

sophistry specious reasoning

vilify defame

specious false but plausible

virulent deadly, poisonous

spurious false, counterfeit

vitriolic scathing

squander waste

vituperative abusive

stolid impassive

vivacious lively

stupefy deaden, dumfound

volatile unstable

stymie hinder, thwart

voluminous bulky, extensive

sullen sulky, sour

voracious hungry

supercilious arrogant

xenophobia fear of foreigners

superfluous overabundant

zealot fanatic

profligate licentious, prodigal profound deep, knowledgeable profusion overabundance prolific fruitful, productive propensity inclination proportionate commensurate propriety decorum prosaic uninspired, flat proscribe prohibit protuberance bulge pundit politically astute person pungent sharp smell or taste qualms misgivings quash put down, suppress querulous complaining quixotic impractical, romantic raconteur story teller recalcitrant stubborn recant retract redoubtable formidable, steadfast refractory obstinate relegate assign to an inferior position renege break a promise renounce disown reprehensible blameworthy reproach blame

surfeit overabundance