GRE Word List-Aabase: lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect abash: embarrass abate: subside or moderate abbreviate: shorten abdicate: renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility) aberrant: abnormal or deviant aberration: deviation from the normal; mental disorder abet: assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage abeyance: suspended action abhor: detest; hate abide: dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; Ex. abide by the rules. Abject: (of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble abjure: renounce upon oath ablution: washing abnegation: renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation abode: dwelling place; home abolish: cancel; put an end to abominable: detestable; extremely unpleasant abominate: loathe; hate aboriginal: being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native; indigenous; N. aborigine abortive: unsuccessful; fruitless abrasive: rubbing away; tending to grind down abridge: condense or shorten abrogate: abolish abscission: cutting off; separation abscond :depart secretly and hide absolute: complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler CF. absolutism absolve: pardon (an offense) abstain: refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one’s vote abstemious: sparing in eating and drinking; temperate abstinence: restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote abstract: theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational abstruse: obscure; profound; difficult to understand abusive: coarsely insulting; physically harmful abut :border upon; adjoin abysmal: bottomless abyss: enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit academic: related to a school; not practical or directly useful accede: agree accelerate: move faster accessible: easy to approach; obtainable accessory: additional object; useful but not essential thing acclaim: applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval Acclimate: adjust to climate or environment; adapt acclivity: sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity accolade: award of merit; strong praise and approval accommodate: oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony accomplice: partner in crime accord: agreement accost: approach and speak first to a person accoutre: equip; N. accoutrement accretion: growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete accrue: come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual acerbity bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone) acetic: vinegary acidulous: slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic acme: peak; pinnacle; highest point acne: skin disease (on the face) acoustics :science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in acquiesce: assent; agree passively; comply without protest acquittal: deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct (oneself) in a specified manner acrid: bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent acrimonious: stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior acrophobia: fear of heights actuarial: calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics actuary: someone who advises insurance companies actuate: motivate; activate; cause to act acuity: sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing) acumen :mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen acute: (of the senses) sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. acute sense of smell/analysis/pain adage: wise saying; proverb adamant: hard; inflexible adapt: make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel. addendum: addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book) addiction: compulsive habitual need addle: make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg) address: direct a speech to; speak to; deal with or discuss; direct one’s efforts or attention to; make with a destination; N: formal speech adept: expert at; very skilled adhere: stick fast; be a devoted follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyalty adherent: supporter; follower adjacent: adjoining; neighboring; close by adjoin be next to adjourn: suspend until a later time; move from one place to another adjunct:something attached to but holding an inferior position adjuration: solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly adjutant: staff officer assisting the commander; assistant admonish: warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove adore: love deeply and respect highly adorn :decorate adroit: skillful (in using mind or hand) adulation: flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved adulterate: make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted(contaminated) substances Advent: arrival adventitious: accidental; casual; happening by chance adversary: opponent; enemy adverse: going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile adversity: great hardship or affliction; misfortune; calamitous event advert: refer advocacy: support; active pleading on behalf of someone or something advocate: speak in favor of; support (an idea or plan); urge; plead for aegis: shield; protection; defense aerie: (aery,eyrie,eyry) nest of a large bird of prey aesthetic: artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics affable: easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly affected: artificial; pretended affidavit: written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law) affiliation: joining; associating with affinity: feeling of kinship; similarity; Ex. strong affinity for her; Ex. many affinities between two languages affirmation: positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath; V. affirm; ADJ. affirmative; CF. affirmative action: positive discrimination affliction: state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on affluence: abundance; wealth affront: insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect; V: insult or hurt the feelings of intentionally afterlife: life after death; later part of one’s life agape :openmouthed agenda: items of business at a meeting agglomeration: collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. agglomerate: jumbled mass; heap aggrandize: make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement aggregate: sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars aghast: filled with great surprise or fear; horrified agility: nimbleness; ability to move quickly agitate: stir up; disturb agnostic: one who is skeptical of the existence or know ability of a god or any ultimate reality agog: highly excited; intensely curious agrarian: pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform airy: of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal alacrity: cheerful promptness without reluctance alchemy: medieval chemistry alcove: nook; recess alias: an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADV. Alias alienate: make unfriendly or hostile; estrange; separate; change the ownership of alimentary: supplying nourishment alimony: payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce allay: calm; pacify allege: state without proof allegiance: loyalty allegory: story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable alleviate: relieve (pain) alliteration: repetition of beginning sound in poetry allocate: assign; set apart for a particular purpose alloy: mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other metals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness allude: refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference allure: entice; attract; tempt alluvial :pertaining to soil deposits left by running water alms: money or goods given to the poor aloft :upward; high up in the air aloof: apart; not open in one’s relationship with other people; reserved; ADV altercation: noisy quarrel altruistic: unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism amalgam: combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth amalgamate: (of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body amass: collect (gradually, in a very large amount) Amazon: female warrior ambidextrous: capable of using either hand with equal ease ambience :environment; atmosphere; Ex. restaurant with a pleasant ambience; ADJ. ambient: completely surrounding; Ex. ambient temperature ambiguous: unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation ambivalence: the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions amble: walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly ambrosia: food of the gods ambulatory: able to walk ambush: act of lying in wait to attack by surprise; sudden attack made from a concealed position; Ex. lie in ambush; ameliorate: improve amenable: obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests amend: correct; change ; generally for the better amenities :convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies amiable: agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly amicable: peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. amicable settlement amiss :wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss amity: friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations amnesia :loss of memory amnesty :pardon (allowed by government to political criminals) amok(amuck) :in a state of rage; Ex. run amok amoral: non-moral; having no understanding of right and wrong amorous: moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances amorphous: formless; lacking shape or definition amphibian :able to live both on land and in water; amphitheater: oval building with tiers of seats; CF. arena ample :enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ample opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample abundance: largeness of space amplify: increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one’s remarks with a graph amputate: cut off part of body; prune (a limb) amulet :charm; talisman; an object worn believed to protect against evil, bad luck anachronism: an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic analgesia: condition of being unable to feel pain analgesic :causing insensitivity to pain analogous :comparable; similar analogy: similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things anarchist: person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority anarchy: absence of governing body; state of disorder anathema: solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize ancestry: family descent; ADJ. ancestral anchor: secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage ancillary: serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary anecdote: short story of an amusing or interesting event anemia: condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic anesthetic: substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia anguish :acute pain; extreme suffering angular: sharp-cornered; having an angle; not rounded (body); bony; lean; gaunt; stiff in manner animadversion: critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval animated: lively; spirited animosity :active enmity animus: hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition annals: records arranged in yearly parts; history anneal: reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass) annex: attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate (territory) into a larger existing political unit (by force); N: building added to a large one annihilate: destroy annotate: comment; make explanatory notes annuity: yearly allowance annul :make void anodyne: drug that relieves pain or trouble; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement anoint: consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony) anomalous: abnormal; irregular anomaly: irregularity anonymity: state of being nameless; anonymousness; ADJ. anonymous antagonism: hostility; active opposition; V. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; N. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in opposition to the protagonist antecede: precede antecedents: preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background antediluvian :antiquated; extremely ancient anthem :song of praise or patriotism; Ex. national anthem anthology: book of literary selections by various authors; CF. omnibus anthropoid: manlike; resembling a human being anthropologist: student of the history and science of humankind anthropomorphic: having human form or characteristics anticlimax: letdown in thought or emotion; something unexciting, ordinary, or disappointing coming after something important or exciting antidote: remedy to counteract a poison or disease; Ex. antidote to the economic troubles antipathy: aversion; dislike or opposition antiquated: obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated antique: made in an earlier period and usu. valuable; N: object that was made in an earlier period and that is rare or valuable antiquity: quality of being very old; ancient times antiseptic: substance that prevents infection in a wound antithesis: contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical antler: bony growth on the head of a deer anvil: iron block used in hammering out metals apathy: lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; Ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; ADJ. apathetic ape: imitate or mimic (a person’s behavior or manner) aperture: opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light apex:tip; summit; climax; highest point aphasia: loss of speech due to injury or illness aphorism: pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic apiarist :person who keeps bees apiary: a place where bees are kept apiculture: bee-keeping aplomb :poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence apocalyptic: prophetic; pertaining to revelations especially of disaster; N. apocalypse apocryphal : (of a story) widely believed but untrue apogee: highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee apolitical :having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs apologist: one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia apoplexy :stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain apostate :one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy apothecary :druggist; pharmacist apothegm(apophthegm) : pithy, compact saying apotheosis: elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something appall: dismay; shock deeply apparent :evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement apparition :ghost; phantom appease: pacify or soothe; Ex. appease a crying baby; N. appeasement appellation: name; title append: attach application :diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself apposite: appropriate; fitting appraise :estimate value of; N. appraisal appreciate: be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of; ADJ. appreciable: enough to be felt appreciable: difference apprehend: arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive; N. apprehension apprehensive: fearful; discerning apprise: inform approbation: approval appropriate: acquire; take possession of for one’s own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. misappropriate appurtenances: subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing apropos: with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation aptitude:fitness; talent aquiline :curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose arable: fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land arbiter: person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachwear arbitrary:unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler arbitrate :act as judge (at the request of both sides) arboreal :of or living in trees arboretum :place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited arcade: a covered passageway usually lined with shops arcane: esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener arch: chief; first; Ex. Archbishop archaeology: study of artifacts and relics of early mankind archaic: antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past archetype: prototype; primitive pattern archipelago: group of closely located islands archives :public records; place where public records are kept ardor: heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent arduous: hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work argot: slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people aria :operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio arid: (of land) dry; barren; unproductive aristocracy: hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat armada: fleet of warships aromatic: fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell arraign: charge in court; indict array: marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array arrears: being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done arrhythmic: lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia arrogance: pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one’s own importance and a lack of respect for other people) arroyo :gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater arsenal: storage place for military equipment artery: blood-vessel; CF. vein artful: exhibiting art or skill; deceitful; cunning; CF. artifice articulate: effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints artifacts: object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced artifice :deception; trickery artisan: a manually skilled worker artless: without guile; open and honest ascendancy: controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant ascertain :find out for certain; make certain ascetic: practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism ascribe :refer; attribute; assign aseptic :preventing infection; having a cleansing effect ashen: ash-colored; deadly pale asinine:stupid; Ex. asinine remarks askance :with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distrust); Ex. look askance at askew: crookedly; slanted; at an angle asperity: sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter aspersion: slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on aspirant :seeker after position or status aspire :seek to attain (position or status); long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership assail :assault assay :analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore) assent :agree; accept; N. assessment assert :state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action)assert one’s independence assiduous :diligent assimilate :absorb; take (food) into the body and digest it; understand (knowledge) completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous (the people of a country or race in the ways of behaving or thinking) assuage :make less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) assumption :something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume assurance: firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in one’s own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assurance asteroid :small planet astigmatism :eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism astral :relating to the stars astringent :binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism astronomical: enormously large or extensive astute :wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one’s advantage asunder: into parts; apart; V. sunder asylum: place of refuge or shelter; protection (religious or political) asymmetric: not identical on both sides of a dividing central line atavism: resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic atheistic: denying the existence of God; N. atheism atone :make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for atrocity: brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious atrophy: wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use) attentive :alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience:; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration attenuate: make thin; weaken attest: testify; bear witness attire: clothe; N: clothing; array; apparel attribute: essential quality; V: ascribe; explain attrition: rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition atypical: not normal; not typical audacious: daring; bold; N. audacity audit: examination of accounts of a business; official examination augment: increase; add to augury :omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future) august: impressive; majestic aureole :sun’s corona; halo; bright circle of light auroral: pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis auspicious :favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices austere: forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk’s life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity authenticate: prove genuine authoritarian: subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another’s will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father authoritative: having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive autocratic: having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy automaton: mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself autonomous: self-governing; N. autonomy autopsy :examination of a dead body; postmortem auxiliary: offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant avalanche :great mass of falling snow and ice avant-garde: group of artists whose work is based on the newest ideas and methods; CF. vanguard avarice : greediness for wealth avenge: take vengeance for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy. aver: state confidently; declare as true averse : reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. averse to cats/doing the house work aversion: firm dislike avert: prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight. aviary: enclosure for birds; large cage avid :greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity avocation: secondary or minor occupation avow: declare openly; N. avowal avuncular: of or like an uncle awe: solemn wonder; feeling of respect mixed with wonder and fear; V: fill with awe; ADJ. awesome awful: terrible; very bad awl :pointed tool used for piercing awry: distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry. Axiom :self-evident truth requiring no proof azure: sky blue From GRE Word List-A to HOME PAGE
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