GRE Worda
Terms
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- abase
- lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect
- abash
- embarrass
- abate
- to lessen; to subside
- aberrant
- deviating from normal or correct.
- abet
- assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
- abeyance
- suspended action
- abject
- (of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology
- abjure
- promise or swear to give up
- ablution
- washing
- abominable
- detestable; extremely unpleasant
- abortive
- unsuccessful; fruitless
- abrogate
- repeal or annul by authority
- abscission
- cutting off; separation
- abscond
- to leave secretly and hide, often to avoid the law.
- abstemious
- restraint, especially of food and alcohol
- abstruse
- difficult to comprehend; obscure
- abusive
- coarsely insulting; physically harmful
- abut
- border upon; adjoin
- acarpous
- effete; no longer fertile; worn out
- accede
- agree
- acclivity
- sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity
- 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
- 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
- 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
- addle
- make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)
- adduce
- to offer as example, reason or proof
- adjunct
- something attached to but holding an inferior position
- adjuration
- solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly
- adjure
- to beg
- adjutant
- staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
- admonitory
- containing warning
- 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
- adumbrate
- to suggest or hint; overshadow
- adventitious
- accidental; casual; happening by chance
- advert
- refer
- aegis
- shield; protection; defense
- aerie(aery,eyrie,eyry)
- nest of a large bird of prey
- agglomeration
- collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: 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
- 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
- alimentary
- supplying nourishment
- allay
- calm; pacify
- allure
- entice; attract; tempt
- alluvial
- pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
- altruistic
- unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: 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
- ambivalence
- the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
- ameliorate
- improve; make better
- amiable
- agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly
- amity
- friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations
- amoral
- nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong
- amorous
- moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
- amortize
- end (a debt) by setting aside money
- 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; N.
- analogous
- comparable; similar
- anathema
- solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize
- ancillary
- serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.
- anemia
- condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic
- anesthetic
- substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia
- animadversion
- critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
- animus
- hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition
- anneal
- reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)
- anodyne
- drug that relieves pain or trouble; ¡¯≈Ρ¶; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
- anomalous
- peculiar; unique, contrary to the norm (n: anomaly)
- antebellum
- existing before a war
- antecedents
- preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background
- antediluvian
- ancient; outmoded; (literally,before the flood); made a long time ago
- anthropoid
- manlike; resembling a human being; N.
- anthropologist
- student of the history and science of humankind
- anthropomorphic
- having human form or characteristics
- antipathy
- hostility toward, objection, or aversion to
- antithesis
- contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
- antithetical
- direct opposing
- aphasia
- loss of the power to use or comprehend words
- 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
- apocryphal
- (of a story) widely believed but untrue
- apogee
- highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
- apoplexy
- stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
- apothegm(apophthegm)
- pithy, compact saying
- apotheosis
- deification; glorification to godliness
- apparition
- ghost; phantom
- appellation
- identifying name or title
- apposite
- appropriate; fitting
- approbation
- approval
- appurtenances
- subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
- apropos
- with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.
- aquiline
- curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose
- arabesque
- a complex ornate design
- arable
- fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land
- arboreal
- of or living in trees
- 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
- archetype
- prototype; primitive pattern
- archipelago
- group of closely located islands
- ardor
- heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent
- arduous
- steep; difficult; ascent; laborious
- argot
- slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
- arraign
- charge in court; indict
- arrant
- in the highest degree
- arrears
- being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done
- arroyo
- gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
- artifice
- deception; trickery
- artless
- without guile; open and honest
- ascendancy
- controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
- ascetic
- practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism
- aseptic
- surgically clean
- asperity
- sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter
- aspersion
- slander
- aspirant
- seeker after position or status
- assay
- analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)
- assent
- agree; accept; N. assessment
- assuage
- to make less severe; to appease or satisfy
- astigmatism
- eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism
- astringent
- binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
- atavism
- resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
- atelier
- artist's workroom
- atrocity
- brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious
- attenuate
- make thin; weaken; enervate
- 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
- favorable; successful; prosperous
- austere
- forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity
- automaton
- mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
- avarice
- greediness for wealth
- aver
- affirm; assert; prove; justify; declair
- 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.
- avocation
- secondary or minor occupation
- avuncular
- of or like an uncle
- axiom
- self-evident truth requiring no proof
- bacchanal
- noisy party with a lot of drinking
- Bacchanalia
- the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
- bacchanalian
- drunken, orgy
- badinage
- teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
- baleful
- evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
- balk
- stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
- banal
- hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed
- bandy
- discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
- bank
- heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
- bantering
- joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
- barrister
- counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
- base
- contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron
- bastion
- stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
- bate
- let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
- bawdy
- indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
- bearing
- deportment; connection
- beatific
- giving or showing bliss; blissful
- beatitude
- blessedness; state of great happiness
- bedizen
- to adorn, especially in a cheap showy manner
- bedraggle
- wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
- beholden
- obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
- belabor
- harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
- beleaguer
- besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset
- belie
- contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
- bellicose
- belligerent; pugnacious; warlike
- benison
- blessing
- bequest
- arrangement to give smth at death
- bereaved
- deprived of (someone beloved through death)
- bereft
- deprived of (something valuable); lacking
- beset
- harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
- besmirch
- soil; defile; make dirty
- bestial
- beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
- betoken
- signify; indicate; be a sign of
- bicameral
- two-chambered as a legislative body
- bifurcated
- divided into two branches; forked
- bilge
- bulge the protuberance of a cask
- bilious
- suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
- bilk
- swindle; cheat
- billow
- large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows
- bivouac
- temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.
- blanch
- bleach; whiten; make white or pale
- blandishment
- speech or action intended to coax someone into doing something
- blas\'e
- bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored
- blight
- plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy
- blighted
- suffering from a disease; destroyed
- blithe
- cheerful; casual; carefree
- blithe(blithesome)
- gay; joyous
- boon
- blessing; benefit; something very helpful
- bovine
- cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm
- bowdlerize
- expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler
- brackish
- somewhat saline
- braggadocio
- boasting
- brindled
- tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
- brocade
- rich, figured(patterned) fabric
- bromide
- platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement
- brooch
- ornamental clasp; pin
- brook
- to tolerate, endure
- brusque
- blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice
- bucolic
- rustic; pastoral
- bugaboo
- bugbear; object of baseless terror
- bulwark
- strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
- burgeon
- to grow or flourish; a bud or new growth (adj: burgeoning )
- burnish
- make shiny by rubbing; polish
- buttress
- support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress
- buxom
- full-bosomed; plump; jolly
- cabal
- small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
- cache
- hiding place; V.
- cacophonous
- discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
- cacophony
- harsh sound
- cadge
- to get something by taking advantage of someone; to beg; to get by begging
- callow
- youthful; immature; inexperienced
- calorific
- heat-producing; N. calorie
- calumny
- malicious misrepresentation; slander
- canard
- unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
- canker
- any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer
- canny
- shrewd in money matters; thrifty
- cant
- insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
- canter
- slow gallop; V. CF. trot
- canto
- division of a long poem
- capacious
- spacious
- capitulate
- surrender; give up all resistance
- caprice
- whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
- capricious
- unpredictable; fickle