Barron’s Guide, 2005, 16th Edition GRE High-Frequency Words Vocabulary List

333 Words Total

Word Definition

abatesubsideor moderate

aberrant abnormalor deviant

abeyance suspendedaction

abscond departsecretly and hide

abstemious sparingin eating and drinking; temperate

admonish warn;reprove

adulterate makeimpure by adding inferior or tainted substances

aesthetic artistic;dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful

aggregate gather;accumulate

alacrity cheerfulpromptness; eagerness

alleviaterelieve

amalgamate combine;unite in one body

ambiguous unclearor doubtful in meaning

ambivalence the stateof having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

ameliorateimprove

anachronism somethingor someone misplaced in time

analogous comparable

anarchy absenceof governing body; state of disorder

anomalous abnormal;irregular

antipathy aversion;dislike

apathy lack ofcaring; indifference

appease pacify orsoothe; relieve

appriseinform

approbationapproval

appropriate v.acquire; take possession of for one’s own use

arduous hard;

strenuous artless without

guile; open and honest ascetic practicing

self-denial; austere assiduous

diligent assuage v. ease

or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) attenuate make

thinner audacious daring;

bold austere forbiddingly

stern; severely simple and unornamented autonomous self-governing;

independent

aver assertconfidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact

banal hackneyed;commonplace; trite; lacking originality

belie contradict;give a false impression

beneficent kindly;doing good

bolster support;reinforce

bombastic pompous;using inflated language

boorish rude;insensitive

burgeon growforth; send out buds

burnish makeshiny by rubbing; polish

buttress v.support; prop up

capricious unpredictable;fickle

castigation punishment;severe criticism

catalyst agentthat increases the pace of a chemical action

caustic burning;sarcastically biting

chicanery trickery;deception

coagulate thicken;congeal; clot

codaconcludingsection of a musical or literary composition; summarizes or concludes

cogent convincing

commensurate adj.corresponding in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate

compendium brief,comprehensive summary

complaisant trying toplease; overly polite; obliging

compliant yielding;conforming to requirements

conciliatory reconciling;soothing

condone overlook;forgive; give tacit approval; excuse

confound confuse;puzzle

connoisseur personcompetent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art

contention claim;thesis

contentious quarrelsome

contrite penitent- Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence

conundrum riddle;difficult problem

converge approach;tend to meet; come together

convoluted coiledaround; involved; intricate

cravencowardly

daunt intimidate;frighten

decorum propriety;orderliness and good taste in manners

default failureto act

deference courteousregard for another’s wishes

delineate portray;depict; sketch

denigrateblacken

deride ridicule;make fun of

derivative unoriginal;obtained from another source

desiccatedry up

desultory aimless;haphazard; digressing at random

deterrent somethingthat discourages; hindrance

diatribe n. bitterscolding; invective

dichotomy split;branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)

diffidenceshyness

diffuse adj.wordy, rambling, spread out (like a gas)

digression wanderingaway from the subject

dirge lamentwith music

disabuse correct a

false impression; undeceive discerning mentally

quick and observant; having insight discordant not

harmonious; conflicting discredit defame;

destroy confidence in; disbelieve discrepancy lack of

consistency; difference discrete adj.

separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct parts disingenuous lacking

genuine candor; insincere disinterested unprejudiced

disjointed lackingcoherence; separated at the joints

dismiss eliminatefrom consideration; reject

disparagebelittle

disparate adj.basically different; unrelated

dissemble v.disguise; pretend

disseminate distribute;spread; scatter (like seeds)

dissolution disintegration;looseness in morals

dissonance discord;opposite of harmony

distendexpand;swell out

distill purify;refine; concentrate

diverge vary; goin different directions from the same point

divest strip;deprive

document providewritten evidence

dogmatic opinionated;arbitrary; doctrinal

dormant sleeping;lethargic; latent

dupe someoneeasily fooled

ebullient showingexcitement; overflowing with enthusiasm

eclectic selective;composed of elements drawn from disparate sources

efficacy power toproduce desired effect

effrontery impudence;shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness

elegy poem orsong expressing lamentation

elicit draw outby discussion

embellish adorn;ornament; enhance, as a story

empirical based onexperience

emulate imitate;rival

endemic prevailingamong a specific group of people or in a specific area or country

enervateweaken

engender cause;produce

enhance increase;improve

ephemeral short-lived;fleeting

equanimity calmnessof temperament; composure

equivocate lie;mislead; attempt to conceal the truth

erudite learned;scholarly

esoteric hard tounderstand; known only to the chosen few

eulogy expressionof praise, often on the occasion of someone’s death

euphemism mild expressionin place of an unpleasant one

exacerbate worsen;embitter

exculpate clearfrom blame

exigency urgentsituation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention

extrapolation projection;conjecture

facetious joking (ofteninappropriately); humorous

facilitate helpbring about; make less difficult

fallacious false;misleading

fatuous brainless;inane; foolish, yet smug

fawning trying toplease by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing

felicitous apt;suitably expressed; well chosen

fervor glowingardor; intensity of feeling

flag droop;grow feeble

fledgling inexperienced

flout reject;mock; show contempt for

foment stir up;instigate

forestall prevent

by taking action in advance frugality thrift;

economy gainsay

deny futile useless;

hopeless; ineffectual garrulous loquacious;

talkative; wordy goad urge on gouge overcharge

grandiloquent

pompous;bombastic; using high-sounding language

gregarioussociable

guileless withoutdeceit

gullible easilydeceived

harangue long,passionate, and vehement speech

homogeneous of thesame kind

hyperbole exaggeration;overstatement

iconoclastic attackingcherished traditions

idolatry worshipof idols; excessive admiration

immutable unchangeable

impair injure;hurt

impassive withoutfeeling; imperturbable; stoical

impede hinder;block

impermeable impervious;not permitting passage through its substance

imperturbable calm;placid

impervious impenetrable;incapable of being damaged or distressed

implacable incapableof being pacified

implicit understoodbut not stated

implode burstinward

inadvertently unintentionally;by oversight; carelessly

inchoate adj.recently begun; rudimentary; elementary

incongruity lack ofharmony; absurdity

inconsequential insignificant;unimportant

incorporate introducesomething into a larger whole; combine; unite

indeterminate uncertain;not clearly fixed; indefinite

indigencepoverty

indolentlazy

inert inactive;lacking power to move

ingenuous naive andtrusting; young; unsophisticated

inherent firmlyestablished by nature or habit

innocuousharmless

insensible unconscious;unresponsive

insinuate hint;imply; creep in

insipid lackingin flavor; dull

insularity narrow-mindedness;isolation

intractable unruly;stubborn; unyielding

intransigence n.refusal of any compromise; stubbornness

inundate overwhelm;flood; submerge

inured adj.accustomed; hardened

invectiven. abuse

irascible irritable;easily angered

irresolute uncertainhow to act; weak

itinerary plan of atrip

laconic brief andto the point

lassitude languor;weariness

latent potentialbut undeveloped; dormant; hidden

laud v. praise

lethargic drowsy;dull

levee stoneembankment to prevent flooding

levity lack ofseriousness or steadiness; frivolity

logrecord ofa voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities

loquacious talkative

lucid easily

understood; clear; intelligible luminous shining;

issuing light magnanimity generosity

malingerer one whofeigns illness to escape duty

malleable capableof being shaped by pounding; impressionable

maverick rebel;nonconformist

mendacious lying;habitually dishonest

metamorphosis change ofform

meticulous excessivelycareful; painstaking; scrupulous

misanthrope one whohates mankind

mitigate appease;moderate

mollifysoothe

morose ill-humored;sullen; melancholy

mundane worldlyas opposed to spiritual; everyday

negate cancelout; nullify; deny

neophyte recentconvert; beginner

obdurate adj.stubborn

obsequious slavishlyattentive; servile; sycophantic

obviate makeunnecessary; get rid of

occlude shut;close

officious meddlesome;excessively pushy in offering one’s services

onerous burdensome

opprobrium infamy;vilification

oscillate vibrate;waver

ostentatious showy;pretentious; trying to attract attention

paragon model ofperfection

partisan one-sided;prejudiced; committed to a party

pathological pertainingto disease

paucityscarcity

pedantic showingoff learning; bookish

penchant stronginclination; liking

penury severepoverty; stinginess

perennial somethinglong-lasting

perfidious treacherous;disloyal

perfunctory superficial;not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm

permeable penetrable;porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through

pervasive spreadthroughout

phlegmatic calm; noteasily disturbed

piety devoutness;reverence for God

placate pacify;conciliate

plasticity abilityto be molded

platitude n. triteremark; commonplace statement

plethora excess;overabundance

plummet fallsharply

porous full ofpores; like a sieve

pragmaticpractical(as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact ofsomething

preamble introductorystatement

precarious uncertain;risky

precipitateadj.rash, premature, hasty, sudden

precursor forerunner

presumptuous arrogant;taking liberties

prevaricatelie

pristine characteristicof earlier times; primitive; unspoiled

probity uprightness;incorruptibility

problematic doubtful;unsettled; questionable; perplexing

prodigal wasteful;reckless with money

profound deep; notsuperficial; complete

prohibitive tendingto prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid

proliferate growrapidly; spread; multiply

propensity naturalinclination

propitiateappease

propriety fitness;correct conduct

proscribe ostracize;banish; outlaw

pungent stinging;sharp in taste or smell; caustic

qualified limited;restricted

quibble minorobjection or complaint

quiescent at rest;dormant; temporarily inactive

rarefied made lessdense (of a gas)

recalcitrant obstinatelystubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly

recant disclaimor disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error

recluse hermit;loner

recondite abstruse;profound; secret

refractory stubborn;unmanageable

refutedisprove

relegate banish toan inferior position; delegate; assign

reproach expressdisapproval or disappointment

reprobate personhardened in sin; devoid of a sense of decency

repudiate disown;disavow

rescindcancel

resolution determination

resolve determination;firmness of purpose

reticent reserved;uncommunicative; inclined to silence

reverent respectful;worshipful

sage personcelebrated for wisdom

salubrious healthful

sanction approve;ratify

satiate satisfyfully

saturate soakthoroughly

savor enjoy;

have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality secrete hide away

or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism

shard fragment,generally of pottery

skepticdoubter;person who suspends judgment until having examined evidence supporting apoint of view

solicitous worried;concerned

soporific sleep-causing;marked by sleepiness

specious seeminglyreasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)

spectrum coloredband produced when a beam of light passes through a prism

sporadic occurringirregularly

stigma token ofdisgrace; brand

stintv. bethrifty; set limits

stipulate makeexpress conditions; specify

stolid dull;impassive

striated markedwith parallel bands; grooved

strut pompouswalk

strut supportingbar

subpoena writsummoning a witness to appear

subside settledown; descend; grow quiet

substantiate establishby evidence; verify; support

supersede cause tobe set aside; replace; make obsolete

supposition hypothesis;surmise

tacit understood;not put into words

tangential peripheral;only slightly connected; digressing

tenuous thin;rare; slim

tirade extendedscolding; denunciation; harangue

torpor lethargy;sluggishness; dormancy

tortuous winding;full of curves

tractable docile;easily managed

transgression violationof a law; sin

truculence aggressiveness;

ferocity vacillate waver;

fluctuate venerate

revere veracious

truthful verbose

wordy viable practical

or workable viscous sticky,

gluey vituperative adj.

abusive; scolding volatile changeable;

explosive; evaporation rapidly warranted justified;

authorized

wary verycautious

welter turmoil;bewildering jumble

whimsical capricious;fanciful

zealot fanatic;person who shows

Kaplan GRE Study Guide: Top GRE Vocabulary Word List

295 Total Words

Word Definition

abateto reducein amount, degree or severity

abdicate to renounceor relinquish a throne

abject utterlyhopeless, humiliating or wretched

abjure torenounce on oath

ablution act ofcleansing

abrogate toabolish by formal means

abscond to leavesecretly

abstention the actof refraining voluntarily

abstruse hard tounderstand; secret, hidden

accretion anincrease by natural growth

acerbic sour orastringent in taste, harsh in temper

acquiesce tocomply, give in

acrid sharp or bitingto the taste or smell

acrimonious caustic,stinging or bitter in nature

adjoin to beclose or in contact with

adjoin to benext to and joined with

adjure to beg orcommand

admonish to counselagainst something; caution

adulterate to makeimpure

adventitious accidental

affable friendly,courteous

aggrandize toincrease in power, influence and reputation

altruist a person unselfishlyconcerned for the welfare of others

amatory of orpertaining to lovers or lovemaking

amityfriendship;peaceful harmony

anachronism somethingour of place in time

anachronism anobsolete or archaic form

androgen anysubstance that promotes masculine characteristics

androgynous beingboth male and female

animus hostilefeeling or attitude

antipathy extremedislike

antipathyaversion

apartheid any systemor caste that separates people according to race

apathy lack ofinterest or emotion

apathy lack ofinterest or emotion

apogee thehighest or most distant point

apostasy a total desertionof one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.

apostasy renunciationof one’s previous loyalty

apotheosis glorification,glorified ideal

approbation praise,consideration

arrogate to claim unwarrantablyor presumptuously

assiduous diligent,persistent, hardworking

assuage to makeless severe

atrophy thewasting away of body tissue

austere severe orstern in appearance; undecorated

autonomy independence,self-governance

aver toaffirm, to declare to be true

avocation somethingone does in addition to a principle occupation

banal predictable;clichéd, boring

belligerent warlike,given to waging war

bemoan to expresspity for

benevolent desiringto do good to others

benign having akindly disposition

bilateral pertainingto or affecting two or both sides

bombastic pompousin speech and manner

capitulate to surrenderunconditionally or on stipulated terms

capricious changing

one’s mind quickly and often castigate to punish

or criticize harshly chicanery deception

by means of craft or guile circuitous roundabout,

indirect circumambulate to walk

about or around circumscribe to draw a

line around circumspect watchful

and discreet cogent convincing

and well reasoned complacent self-satisfied,

unconcerned complaisant inclined or

disposed to please compunction a feeling

of uneasiness for doing wrong concentric having a

common center conciliate to

placate, win over conflagration a large

destructive fire confluence merging

into one congenital existing

or as such from birth contravene to come

into conflict with convalescent recovering

from illness convoke to call

together convoluted intricate

and complicated corroborate to provide

supporting evidence credulity willingness

to believe or trust too easily credulous too

trusting; gullible cursory going

rapidly over something; hasty; superficial decadent decaying;

deteriorating deference respect;

courtesy deferential respectful;

to yield judgment to

deign to thinkfit or in accordance with one’s dignity

delude tomislead the mind of judgment of, deceive

derision to act ofmockery

desiccate to dry outthoroughly

desultory jumpingfrom one thing to another; disconnected

desultoryatrandom, unmethodical

diatribe anabusive, condemnatory speech

dichotomy divisioninto two parts, kinds, etc.

diffident lacking self-confidence

diffuse to pourout and spread

diffuse to spreadwidely or thinly

dilatory intendedto delay

dilatory inclinedto delay or procrastinate

dilettante someone withan amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

disabuse to setright; to free from error

disport to divertor amuse oneself

disquiet a lack ofcalm or peace

dissemble to presenta false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

disseminate toscatter or spread widely

distend to expandby stretching

doctrineaprinciple or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief; dogma

dogma a firmlyheld opinion, often a religious belief

dogmatic dictatorialin one’s opinions

doleful sorrowful,mournful

dour sullen,gloomy

dupe todeceive; a person who is easily deceived

duplicity deceitfulnessin speech or conduct; double-dealing

dystrophy faulty orinadequate nutrition or development

eclectic selectingfrom or made up from a variety of sources

efficacy effectiveness

effigy sculptureor model or person

effluence flowingout of

elegy a

sorrowful poem or speech elocution art of

clear and expressive speaking empathy the

identification with the feelings or thoughts of others enervate to reduce

in strength engender to produce,

cause or bring about enigma a puzzle;

a mystery ephemeral lasting a

short time epigram a witty

or pointed saying tersely expressed epithet a word of

phrase, use invectively as a term of abuse equivocate to use expressions

of double meaning in order to mislead erudite learned,

scholarly, bookish esoteric known or

understood by only a few estimable admirable

eugenics improvementof qualities of race by control of inherited characteristics

eulogy speech inpraise of someone

euphonypleasantnessof sound

exacerbate toincrease bitterness or violence

exculpate to clearfrom blame; prove innocent

execrable abominable

exigent urgent;requiring immediate action

expound to setforth in detail

exult to showor feel triumphant joy

fawn to grovel

fiduciary of atrust; held or given in trust

foment to arouseor incite

forestall toprevent by advance action

fractious irritable,peevish

fusillade continuousdischarge of firearms or outburst of criticism

grandiloquent pompousor inflated in language

guile deceit ortrickery

heterodox differentfrom acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines

heterogeneous of otherorigin; not originating in the body

hypocritical affectingvirtues or qualities one does not have

iconoclast one who opposesestablished beliefs, customs and institutions

impassive showingor feeling no emotion

impervious impossibleto penetrate; incapable of being affected

impetuous quick toact without thinking

impetuous characterizedby sudden rash action or emotion

importune to urgeor press with excessive persistence

impugn tochallenge as false

inamorata a femalelover

inchoate not fullyformed; disorganized

inculpate to chargewith fault

incursion a hostileentrance into a place

indigent deficientin what is requisite

indoctrinate to imbuesomeone with learning

indolence state ofbeing lazy or slothful

indolence showing adisposition to avoid exertion; slothful

induce to moveor lead by influence

ineffable too greatfor description

infusion liquidextract so obtained

ingenuousshowinginnocence or childlike simplicity

inimical hostile, unfriendly

insensate withoutfeeling or sensitivity

insidious intendedto trap or beguile

insipid lackinginterest or flavor

insolent boldlyrude or disrespectful

interloper someonewho intrudes in the domain of others

intransigent uncompromising;refusing to be reconciled

intransigent refusing

to agree or compromise invective of,

relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse irascible easily

made angry laconic using few

words litigate to make

the subject of a lawsuit magnanimous generous

in forgiving an insult or injury magnate a

powerful or influential person maladroit clumsy,

tactless malevolent characterized

by or expressing bad will malfeasance misconduct

or wrongdoing often committed by a public official malign to speak

harmful untruths about, to slander malinger to evade

responsibility by pretending to be ill

maxim anexpression of general truth or principle

minatory menacing,threatening

misanthrope a personwho dislikes others

miscegenation interbreedingof races

mitigate tosoften, to lessen

mollify to calmor make less severe

nascent startingto develop

neophyte a recentconvert

obdurate hardenedin feelings; resistant to persuasion

obfuscate to renderindistinct or dim

oblique having aslanting or sloping direction

obsequious overlysubmissive and eager to please

obsequiousfawning

obsolescent becomingobsolete

obstreperous noisilydefiant, unruly

obtuse notsharp, pointed or acute

obviate toprevent; to make unnecessary

occlude to stopup; to prevent the passage of

omnivorous eating orabsorbing everything

onerous troublesomeand oppressive; burdensome

opprobrium publicdisgrace

opprobrium thedisgrace incurred by shameful conduct

panegyric formal orelaborate praise at an assembly

panoply

awide-ranging and impressive array or display

paragon model ofexcellence or perfection

pathogenic causingdisease

paucity smallnessof quantity; scarcity; scantiness

percipient having perception;discerning; discriminating

perfidious willingto betray one’s trust

perfunctory done in aroutine way; indifferent

perfunctory performedmerely as routine duty

peripatetic walkingor traveling about; itinerant

permutation acomplete change; transformation

perquisite agratuity, tip

perspicacious shrewd,astute

perspicacious havingkeen mental perception and understanding

pertinaciousresolute

pertinacious persistent,stubborn

petulant showingsudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance

philanderer one whocarries on flirtations

philanthropy charity;a desire or effort to promote goodness

philologythe studyof literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning

plethoraexcess

precept acommandment given as a rule of action or conduct

precipitate to throwviolently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

preclude toprevent the presence of

precocious unusually

advanced or mature in mental development or talent predilection preference,

liking prescient having

knowledge of things before they happen presentiment a feeling

of anticipation over a future event prevaricate to lie or

deviate from the truth probity honesty,

high-mindedness prodigal lavish,

wasteful proliferate to

increase in number quickly promulgate to make known

by open declaration propitiate to

conciliate; to appease propound to set

forth for consideration propriety correct

behavior, obedience to rules and customs proscribe to

condemn as harmful or odious proselytize to convert

of attempt to recruit protract to

prolong, draw out, extend provident having or

showing foresight prudence wisdom,

caution or restraint puerile childish,

immature pugnacious to

quarrel or fight readily punctilious strict or

exact in the observance of formalities pusillanimous lacking

courage or resolution querulous full of

complaints quiescence the

condition of being at rest, still, inactive quiescent motionless

recumbent lyingdown; reclining; leaning

refractory stubborn,rebellious

rejoinder to reply,retort

remonstrate to say orplead in protect, objection or reproof

reprehensible deservingrebuke or censure

reprisals retaliationagainst an enemy

reprobate adepraved or wicked person

repudiate to rejectthe validity of

reticent silent,reserved

reticent disposedto be silent or not to speak freely

revile to criticizewith harsh language

salient prominentor conspicuous

sedition incitementof discontent or rebellion against a government

sociopath a personwhose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility

soporific causingsleep or lethargy

specious deceptivelyattractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

stigma a mark ofshame or discredit

stolid unemotional;lacking sensitivity

subjugate toconquer

subterfuge an artificeor expedient used to evade a rule

supercilious arrogant,haughty, condescending

supplicate to makehumble and earnest entreaty

taciturn silent,not talkative

tenable capableof being held, maintained or defended

tenacious holdingfast

tendentious having apredisposition towards a point of view

torpor extrememental and physical sluggishness

tractable easilymanaged or controlled

transcendent goingbeyond ordinary limits

unconscionable unscrupulous

veracious habituallytruthful

veracity filledwith trust and accuracy

verisimilitude theappearance or semblance of truth

verity truthfulness

vicarious performed,exercised, received or suffered in place of another

vilify to

slander, to defame vociferous crying

out noisily volition free

choice, free will; act of choosing voracious having a

great appetite