1. The Ubiquitous 400
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 amenable agreeable benefactor patron
crime)
amorphous shapeless boisterous noisy
abeyance postponement
anachronistic out of historical order boor vulgar person
aboriginal indigenous
analogous similar bourgeois middle class
abridge shorten
anarchy absence of government bucolic rustic
abstemious moderate
anathema curse buttress support
acclimate accustom oneself to a
climate animus hate cachet prestige
accost to approach and speak to anomalous abnormal cacophony dissonance, harsh noise
someone
antipathy repulsion, hatred callow inexperienced
acquiesce agree passively
antipodal exactly opposite canon rule
acumen insight
antiquated outdated, obsolete capacious spacious
adamant insistent
apathy indifference capitulate surrender
admonish warn gently
appease pacify castigate criticize
adulterate contaminate, corrupt
approbation approval cathartic purgative, purifying
adversity hardship
artless naive, simple catholic universal, worldly
aegis that which protects
ascetic self-denying caustic scathing (of speech)
aesthetic pleasing to the senses,
beautiful assiduous hard-working censure condemn
assimilate absorb chagrin embarrassment
affable friendly
audacity boldness charlatan quack
affinity fondness
auspicious favorable chary cautious
aggregate total, collect
austere harsh, Spartan coagulate thicken
aghast horrified
coda concluding passage
alacrity swiftness autonomous self-governing
cogent well-put, convincing
alienate estrange, antagonize avarice greed
collusion conspiracy
alleviate lessen, assuage axiom self-evident truth
commensurate proportionate
altruism benevolence, generosity banal trite
commiserate empathize
459
TeamLRN
2. The Ubiquitous 400 460
compensatory redeeming digress ramble exacerbate worsen
compliant submissive disabuse correct a misconception exasperate irritate
conciliatory reconciling discerning observant exhibitionist one who draws
attention to himself
condone overlook wrong doing discord lack of harmony
exonerate free from blame
conducive helping discrete separate
expedite hasten
connoisseur an expert, gourmet discretion prudence
extemporize improvise
consensus general agreement disingenuous deceptive
extol praise highly
contentious argumentative disparate various
facetious joking, sarcastic
conundrum puzzle, enigma disseminate distribute
facilitate make easier
convoluted twisted, complicated dissent disagree
fallacy false belief
covenant agreement, pact dissolution disintegration
fathom understand
covert secret dissonance discord
fervor intensity
credence belief distend swell
fickle always changing one’s mind
credulous believing divest strip, deprive
filibuster long speech
cynical scornful of the motives of divulge disclose
others fledgling just beginning,
dogmatic certain, unchanging in
dauntless courageous opinion struggling
dearth scarcity dormant asleep flout to show disregard for the law
or rules
defamation (noun) slander eclectic from many sources
foment instigate
deference courteously yielding to efficacy effectiveness
another forsake abandon
effigy likeness, mannequin
deleterious harmful fortuitous lucky
effloresce to bloom
delineate draw a line around, foster encourage
describe effrontery insolence
frugal thrifty
demur take exception elicit provoke
fulminate denounce, menace
denigrate defame eloquent well-spoken
furtive stealthy
deprecate belittle emancipate liberate
gainsay contradict
desiccate dehydrate embellish exaggerate
germane relevant
despot tyrant endemic peculiar to a particular
region glib insincere manner
destitute poor
enervate weaken gratuitous unwarranted, uncalled for
desultory without direction in life
engender generate gregarious sociable
deterrent hindrance
ennui boredom halcyon serene
devoid empty hamper obstruct
enumerate count
devout pious harangue tirade
esoteric known by only a few
diatribe long denunciation harry harass
esthetic artistic
dichotomy a division into two parts hedonism excessive pursuit of
euphemism genteel expression pleasure in life
didactic instructional
euphoria elation hegemony authority, domination
diffident shy
evanescent fleeting, very brief histrionic overly dramatic
3. 461 GRE Prep Course
homogeneous uniform intrepid fearless omnipotent all-powerful
hyperbole exaggeration inundate flood onerous burdensome
hypocritical deceiving, two-faced inure accustom, habituate, harden opprobrium disgrace
iconoclast one who rails against invective verbal insult oscillate waver
sacred institutions
inveigle lure paean a song of praise
idiosyncrasy peculiarity
irascible irritable paradigm a model
imminent about to happen
irresolute hesitant, uncertain paragon standard of excellence
impecunious indigent
itinerary route parody imitation, ridicule
imperative vital, pressing
judicious prudent parsimonious stingy
imperturbable calm
laconic brief, terse paucity scarcity
impervious impenetrable
lassitude lethargy pedagogical pertaining to teaching
impetuous impulsive
laudatory commendable pedantic bookish
implicit implied
levity frivolity penchant inclination
impolitic unwise
lucid clearly understood penury poverty
impulsive to act suddenly
lurid ghastly pernicious destructive
impunity exemption from harm
Machiavellian politically crafty, perpetuity eternity
inadvertent unintentional cunning
perspicacious keen
incendiary inflammatory magnanimous generous, kindhearted
pervade permeate
incipient beginning magnate a powerful, successful
person philanthropic charitable
incontrovertible indisputable
malevolence bad intent, malice phlegmatic sluggish
incorrigible unreformable
malinger shirk piety devoutness
indifferent unconcerned
malleable moldable, tractable pious devout, holy
indigent poor
misanthrope hater of mankind piquant tart-tasting, spicy
indolent lazy
miscreant evildoer pithy concise
indomitable invincible
mitigate lessen the severity platitude trite remark
ineffable inexpressible
mundane ordinary platonic nonsexual
inert inactive
nadir lowest point plethora overabundance
inherent innate, inborn
narcissism self-love polemic a controversy
inhibit restrain
nascent incipient posthumous after death
inimical adverse, hostile
neologism newly coined expression pragmatic practical
insatiable gluttonous
nonplus confound precarious dangerous, risky
insidious treacherous
noxious toxic precipitate cause
insipid flat, dull
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
TeamLRN
