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antiquated outdated, obsolete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
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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
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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
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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
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The Ubiquitous 400
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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
