GRE General Vocabulary Set 1 Flashcards
Studying this set, along with the others I created, got me a 162 on the verbal section and I didn't even have time to learn all of the words. On top of that, there were words that I didn't learn, from these sets, that were on the GRE. Had I learned them, my score would have been higher. I hope these sets help you get a solid score too. This is a list I've compiled using selections from the first 300 words of the Kaplan 900 GREwords list as well as the first ETS Power Prep II practice test and va (321 cards)
0
Q
Repudiate
A
to reject with disapproval.
1
Q
Confound
A
to perplex or amaze, especially by a sudden disturbance or surprise.
2
Q
Recapitulate
A
to review by a brief summary.
3
Q
Polarize
A
to divide into sharply opposing factions.
4
Q
Facetious
A
lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, frivolous, or amusing.
5
Q
Frivolous
A
characterized by lack of seriousness or sense; self-indulgently carefree; unconcerned about or lacking any serious purpose; of little or no weight, worth, or importance; not worthy of serious notice.
6
Q
Painstaking
A
taking, or characterized by taking, pains or trouble; expending or showing diligent care and effort; careful.
7
Q
Arcane
A
known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric.
8
Q
Duplicity
A
deceitfulness in speech or conduct, as by speaking or acting in two different ways to different people concerning the same matter.
9
Q
Discrepancy
A
an instance of difference or inconsistency.
10
Q
Mendacity
A
an instance of lying; a tendency to lie.
11
Q
Prevarication
A
a false or deliberate misstatement; lie.
12
Q
Base
A
of little or no value; worthless; morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; inferior.
13
Q
Inculcate
A
teach persistently and earnestly.
14
Q
Avarice
A
insatiable greed for riches.
15
Q
Garrulous
A
excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.
16
Q
Solicitous
A
anxiously desirous; careful or particular.
17
Q
Munificent
A
extremely liberal in giving; very generous.
18
Q
Laconic
A
brief in speech; using few words; concise.
19
Q
Fastidious
A
excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please. Also- requiring or characterized by excessive care or delicacy; painstaking.
20
Q
Tacit
A
understood without being openly expressed; implied; silent; saying nothing; unvoiced or unspoken.
21
Q
Taciturn
A
inclined to silence; reserved in speech (can also mean stern and silent).
22
Q
Laudable
A
deserving praise; commendable.
23
Q
Anoint
A
to rub or sprinkle on with any liquid. Also- to dedicate to the service of God.
24
Apposite
suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant; apt.
25
Pertinent
Pertaining or relating directly and significantly to the matter at hand.
26
Ahistorical
without concern for history or historical development.
27
Anachronism
something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.
28
Germane
closely or significantly related; pertinent; relevant.
29
Irascible
easily provoked to anger; very irritable. Also- characterized or provoked by anger.
30
Pugnacious
inclined to quarrel or fight readily; quarrelsome; belligerent; combative.
31
Fitful
coming, appearing, acting, etc., in fits or in spells; recurring irregularly.
32
Doctrinaire
noun- an impractical theorist.
Adj.- dogmatic about others' acceptance of one's ideas; fanatical. Also- merely theoretical; impractical.
33
Eclectic
selecting or choosing from various sources.
34
Indefatigable
incapable of being tired out.
35
Jettison
to throw off (something) as an obstacle or burden; discard.
36
Collusion
a secret agreement, especially for fraudulent or treacherous purposes; conspiracy.
37
Propagate
to reproduce (itself, its kind, etc.), as an organism does.
to spread (a report, doctrine, practice, etc.) from person to person; disseminate.
38
Disseminate
to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; broadcast; disperse.
39
Promulgate
to make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation (a law, decree of a court, etc.).
40
Ubiquitous
existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent.
41
Blight
any cause of impairment, destruction, ruin, or frustration.
42
Inscrutable
not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomable; impenetrable.
43
Ersatz
serving as a substitute; synthetic; artificial.
44
Collude
to act together through a secret understanding, especially with evil or harmful intent.
45
Cupidity
eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something; greed; avarice.
46
Alacrity
cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness.
47
Abdicate
to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, duty, etc.
48
Inchoate
not yet completed or fully developed.
not organized.
49
Investiture
the formal bestowal, confirmation, or presentation of rank, office, or a possessory or prescriptive right.
50
Unconscionable
not guided by conscious; unscrupulous.
51
Unscrupulous
conscienceless; unprincipled.
52
Nominal
being such in name only.
53
Jocular
given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; facetious.
54
Dirge
a funeral song or tune, or one expressing mourning in commemoration for the dead.
55
Arrogate
to claim unwarrantably or presumptuously or to attribute to another.
56
Fetid
having an offensive odor; stinking.
57
Tumid
seeming to swell; bulging; turgid.
58
Turgid
swollen; inflated; overblown; tumid; or pompous.
59
Pomp
stately or splendid display; splendor; magnificence; ostentatious or vain display, especially of dignity or importance.
60
Stately
majestic; imposing in magnificence, elegance, etc.; dignified.
61
Ostentatious
characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others; intended to attract notice.
62
Fervid
heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc..
burning; glowing; intensely hot.
63
Potentate
a person who possesses great power as a sovereign, monarch, or ruler.
64
Imprecation
a curse; malediction.
65
Malediction
a curse; imprecation.
66
Laud
to praise; extol.
67
Extol
to praise highly; laud; eulogize.
68
Eulogy
a high praise or commendation commonly but not necessarily for a deceased person.
69
Estimable
Worthy of esteem; deserving respect or admonition; laudable.
70
Abridge
To shorten, condense, or lessen in length.
71
Abyssmal
Extremely wretched; bottomless.
72
Acquiesce
To comply passively; to give in.
73
Affinity
sympathy; attraction; kinship.
74
Aggrandize
to make great
75
Allusion
an indirect reference.
76
Altruistic
unselfish concern with the welfare of others.
77
Amnesty
an official pardon for a group of people who violate the law.
78
Anomalous
irregular; abnormal; unusual.
79
Augment
to increase or enlarge.
80
Austere
stern in manner or appearance; strict in morals.
81
Aversion
strong or fixed dislike; a feeling of repugnance.
82
Repugnant
distasteful; objectionable; offensive; averse.
83
Averse
having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, repugnance, etc.; opposed.
84
Antipathy
a natural, basic, or habitual repugnance; aversion; an object of natural aversion or habitual dislike.
85
Banal
commonplace; trite; unoriginal.
86
Trite
lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition.
87
Esoteric
understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite.
88
Recondite
dealing with abstruse or profound subjects; esoteric.
89
Abstruse
hard to understand; recondite; esoteric.
90
Begrudge
to envy another's possessions; to concede reluctantly.
91
Concede
to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admit.
92
Benediction
a blessing; a good wish.
93
Benign
gentle; not harmful; kind.
94
Blanch
to turn pale.
95
Blithe
happily; lighthearted; joyful.
96
Botch
to spoil by poor work; bungle.
97
Bungle
to do clumsily, awkwardly, or inadequately; botch.
98
Bracing
invigorating; to prepare.
99
Vigor
active strength or force; healthy physical or mental energy or power; vitality; energetic activity; energy; intensity; force of healthy growth in any living matter or organism.
100
Vitality
exuberant physical strength or mental vigor; capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence; power to live or grow.
101
Broach
to open up a subject for discussion.
102
Bulwark
something used as a defense; a strong protection.
103
Cache
a hiding place; something hidden in a secret place.
104
Callous
unfeeling and insensitive.
105
Candor
truthfulness; great honesty; frankness.
106
Capitulate
to surrender; to stop resisting.
107
Catharsis
an emotional purification; an emotional release.
108
Caustic
severely critical or sarcastic; capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.
109
Censure
the act of blaming or condemning.
110
Circumspect
careful; thought through.
111
Clemency
disposition toward mercy; mildness.
112
Coalesce
to come together as one; to fuse or unite.
113
Colloquial
conversational; used in informal speech.
114
Convey
to transport; to conduct; to communicate.
115
Copious
abundant; lavish.
116
Corroborate
to support with evidence.
117
Craven
cowardly.
118
Cursory
brief; without much attention to detail.
119
Dearth
a shortage.
120
Deference
respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another; respectful or courteous regard.
121
Deft
dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever.
122
Delineate
to describe or picture in words; to detail.
123
Deprave
to make morally bad or evil; vitiate; corrupt.
124
Desecrate
to treat with disrespect.
125
Diatribe
a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism.
126
Didactic
instructive; intended to educate.
127
Diffuse
wordy; not concentrated; to spread widely.
128
Digress
to stray from the main subject.
129
Discount
to deduct; to disregard.
130
Docile
easily taught; submissive.
131
Dogmatic
arrogantly assertive; positive about unproven ideas.
132
Ebb
to decline; to recede.
133
Eccentric
not conventional; a little kooky.
134
Efface
to erase; to rub away the features; obscure.
135
Egregious
extremely bad; flagrant.
136
Embellish
to add to; to exaggerate; garnish; ornament
137
Garnish
to provide or supply with something ornamental; adorn; decorate.
138
Emigrate
to move to a new century; to move to a new place.
139
Emissary
a messenger or representative; an agent.
140
Emulate
to imitate; to strive to equal.
141
Enigma
a puzzle; a baffling situation; something obscure.
142
Enshroud
to cover; to enclose with a dark cover.
143
Exacting
greatly demanding; requiring close attention.
144
Exorbitant
extravagant; exceeding what is usual.
145
Extravagant
spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful; exceeding the bounds of reason, as actions, demands, opinions, or passions.
146
Expunge
to erase; to strike out.
147
Facade
the principal front of a building; a false appearance.
148
Faction
a group, or part of a large group, united on an issue.
149
Fidelity
a state of being faithful; loyal.
150
Fodder
raw material for a given end.
151
Foray
an initial venture; to raid in search of plunder.
152
Furtive
secret, done by stealth; sly.
153
Galvanize
to arouse suddenly; to stimulate; spur to action.
154
Gamut
the full range of something.
155
Garner
to gather and store away; to acquire by effort.
156
Genteel
refined; polite; aristocratic.
157
Gratuitous
given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; being without apparent reason, cause, or justification.
158
Grimace
to make an ugly disapproving facial expression.
159
Grovel
to beg persistently; to degrade oneself.
160
Guile
cunning duplicity; purposeful deceit.
161
Harbinger
a precursor; an indication; one that foreshadows what is coming.
162
Herald
to give notice of; hail or greet.
163
Heresy
any belief that is strongly opposed to established belief or practice.
164
Homage
reverence; respect; an expression of high regard.
165
Hubris
excessive pride; arrogance; exaggerated self confidence.
166
Hyperbole
extravagant exaggeration used as a figure of speech.
167
Immaterial
insignificant; unimportant.
not material; incorporeal; spiritual.
168
Immutable
something that is unchangeable; permanent.
169
Imperious
commanding; lordly; arrogant.
170
Impotent
lacking power; helpless; unable to perform sexual intercourse.
171
Incipient
beginning to be; in an earlier stage.
172
Incontrovertible
not disputable; not open to question
173
Indigenous
native; produced or living in a particular area.
174
Indigent
poverty stricken; needy.
175
Infamy
a reputation for evil/criminal deeds.
176
Insidious
sly; treacherous; having a gradual effect.
177
Insipid
lacking taste; dull; bland.
178
Intrepid
fearless; having fortitude and endurance.
179
Irreverent
disrespectful; gently or humorously mocking.
180
Jargon
a specialized vocabulary of a group; an obscure language.
181
Jaunt
a short pleasure trip.
182
Juxtapose
to place close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
183
Legacy
something handed down from the past; a bequest.
184
Bequest
a disposition in a will; a legacy.
185
Levity
lack of seriousness; frivolity.
186
Listless
a lack of spirit; spiritless.
187
Magnanimous
noble in spirit; generous; giving.
188
Malaise
a feeling of depression, uneasiness, of being unwell.
189
Marshal
(when used with objects) to gather together something for a purpose; to arrange in order.
190
Maverick
a person who breaks away from the crowd; a non conformist.
191
Meander
to wander aimlessly.
192
Mercenary
working or acting merely for money or other reward; venal.
193
Venal
willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; mercenary.
194
Moot
of no matter or consequence; not important.
195
Myriad
an immense, possibly indefinite, number of things; multitude.
196
Nemesis
a powerful rival; usually an unconquerable opponent.
197
Nomadic
without a permanent home; constantly wandering.
198
Obviate
to make unnecessary; to avert; to preclude.
199
Preclude
to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of.
200
Odious
hateful; evil; vile.
201
Vile
highly unpleasant, offensive, or objectionable.
202
Odyssey
a long difficult journey marked by changes in fortune.
203
Ogle
to stare at in a disrespectful way.
204
Oligarchy
a government in which the power is in the hands of only a few.
205
Opportunist
a person who takes advantage of opportunity with no regard for principle.
206
Osmosis
gradual or subtle absorption; an unconscious process of absorption.
207
Oust
to eject; to banish; to expel.
208
Overture
an opening move; a preliminary offer.
209
Palatable
pleasant in taste; agreeable in feeling.
210
Paltry
a tiny or insignificant amount; meager; scant.
211
Scant
barely sufficient in amount or quantity.
212
Meager
deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness; scanty; inadequate; having little flesh; lean; thin; maigre.
213
Maigre
containing neither flesh nor its juices, as food permissible on days of religious abstinence.
214
Pariah
an outcast
215
Paucity
scarcity; smallness in number or amount.
216
Pedantic
boringly; scholarly; academic in mode.
217
Penchant
a strong liking for something; a predilection.
218
Predilection
a tendency to think favorably of something in particular; partiality; preference.
219
Peruse
to study; to read over leisurely.
220
Pique
to hurt or rile the feelings of someone; irritate.
To arouse an emotion; excite.
221
Poignant
emotionally moving.
222
Polemic
a powerful argument to defend a thesis.
223
Precept
a rule or principle to guide conduct.
224
Pretentious
showy; self-important; make unjustifiable claims to excellence.
225
Prolific
producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive.
226
Prosaic
dull; unimaginative; lacking excitement.
227
Provincial
limited in outlook; narrow in ideas.
228
Prudent
careful; cautious.
229
Quaint
pleasantly old fashioned; picturesque.
230
Quintessential
the most perfect example of.
231
Quixotic
foolishly impractical and idealistic.
232
Raucous
boisterous; harsh sounding; noisy and disorderly.
233
Rebuff
to snuff; to refuse in a blunt or rude way.
234
Rebuke
to criticize or reprimand sharply.
235
Relegate
to dismiss to a less prominent position; banish.
236
Reprehensible
deserving of blame.
237
Reprove
to gently criticize.
238
Rescind
to cancel; to repeal.
239
Resplendent
brilliant; gloriously bright.
240
Rustic
primitive; rural; lacking city comforts.
241
Abate
to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.
242
Saccharine
excessively sweet.
243
Sardonic
disdainful; scornfully mocking.
244
Scintillate
to sparkle; to gleam; to be animated or brilliant.
245
Servile
submissive; behaving like a slave.
246
Indolent
having or showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful.
247
Spurious
false; fake; not genuine.
248
Steadfast
loyal; faithful; firmly fixed in place, position, or direction.
249
Stoic
showing indifference to pain; apathetic.
250
Strident
loud; harsh; grating.
251
Grating
a fixed frame of bars covering an opening; harsh; discordant; rasping.
252
Vitiate
to impair the quality of; to debase; corrupt; pervert.
253
Debase
to reduce in quality or value; adulterate.
254
Incorporeal
not corporeal or material; insubstantial.
255
Corporeal
of the nature of the human body; material; tangible.
256
Stymie
to get in the way of; to hinder; to block.
257
Succint
concise; clearly expressed with a few words.
258
Surfeit
abundance; an excessive amount.
259
Surmise
to think or infer with certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.
260
Table
to lay aside for future discussion, sometimes indefinitely.
261
Inundate
to flood; cover or overspread with water; to overwhelm.
262
Teem
to swarm; to be prolific or fertile.
263
Tenet
a principle, belief, or doctrine so as held by a group.
264
Tenuous
thin in consistency; of slight importance or significance; unsubstantial.
265
Tepid
lukewarm; halfhearted; unenthusiastic.
266
Terse
concise; brief; free of extra word.
267
Tirade
a long, angry speech.
268
Tortuous
full of twists, turns and bends; devious.
269
Tout
to brag publicly; to praise highly.
270
Travesty
any grotesque or debased likeness or imitation.
Can also be a parody.
271
Tryst
an appointment to meet, especially one made secretly by lovers.
272
Tumult
noisy commotion; uproar.
273
Turpitude
shameful wickedness; evil; depravity.
274
Unilateral
on one side alone.
275
Urbane
suave; sophisticated; polished.
276
Usurp
to seize and hold by force or without legal right; to employ wrongfully.
277
Vapid
lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat.
278
Vehement
intense; forceful; marked by strong spirit; violent.
279
Verbose
characterized by the use of many or too many words.
280
Vestige
the trace or remains of something, which may no longer exist.
281
Viable
workable; capable of living and growing; able to succeed.
282
Vie
to compete; to contest.
283
Vilify
to defame; to slander; to blacken the character of.
284
Virulent
extremely poisonous; malignant; full of hate.
285
Malignant
disposed to cause harm, suffering, or death deliberately; very dangerous or harmful in influence or effect,
286
Vivacious
lively; spirited.
287
Volatile
evaporating rapidly; tending or threatening to break out into open violence; explosive; changeable; tending to fluctuate; fleeting; transient.
288
Wanton
immoral; lewd; deliberate maliciousness; having no regards for others.
289
Lewd
inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; obscene or indecent.
290
Lechery
unrestrained or excessive indulgence of sexual desire.
291
Waver
to be indecisive or inconstant; to fluctuate in opinion.
292
Winsome
sweetly or innocently charming; winning; engaging.
293
Wistful
yearning; sad longing; a gentle desire.
294
Zeal
fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; ardor.
295
Ardor
fervor; passion; intense devotion, eagerness, or enthusiasm; zeal.
296
Zealot
an excessively zealous; fanatic.
297
Zenith
the highest point.
298
Renounce
to give up voluntarily or by formal declaration; to repudiate.
299
Aristocracy
a class of persons holding exceptional rank and privileges, especially the hereditary nobility; a governing body composed of those considered to be the best or most able people in the state; any class or group considered to be superior, as through education, ability, wealth, or social prestige.
300
Pungent
sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell; biting; acrid; acutely distressing to the feelings or mind; poignant; mentally stimulating or appealing.
301
Biting
nipping; smarting; keen; cutting; sarcastic.
302
Acrid
sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.; extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic.
303
Baroque
extravagantly ornate; flamboyant; characterized by bold ornamentation.
304
Bold
not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring; not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent; beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative.
305
Propriety
conformity to established standards of good or proper behavior or manners; appropriateness to the purpose or circumstances; suitability; rightness or justice.
306
Impudent
of, pertaining to, or characterized by impertinence or effrontery; mischievous or disrespectful.
307
Impertinent
intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil; irrelevant.
308
Insolent
boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting.
309
Presumptuous
unwarrantedly or impertinently bold; forward.
310
Effrontery
shameless or impudent boldness; barefaced audacity.
311
Discerning
keenly perceptive; shrewd.
312
Shrewd
astute or sharp in practical matters; keen; piercing; artful and crafty.
313
Astute
of keen penetration or discernment; sagacious; clever; cunning; ingenious; shrewd
314
Artful
slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky; skillful or clever in adapting means to ends; ingenious; done with or characterized by art or skill.
315
Ingenious
characterized by cleverness or originality of invention or construction; cleverly inventive or resourceful.
316
Artless
free from deceit, cunning, or craftiness; ingenuous; natural; simple; lacking art, knowledge, or skill; poorly made; inartistic; clumsy; crude.
317
Artifice
a clever trick or stratagem; a cunning, crafty device or expedient; guile; skill; cleverness; artful.
318
Ingenuous
free from reserve, restraint, or dissimulation; candid; sincere; artless; innocent; naive.
319
Dissemble
to disguise or conceal under a false appearance; feign.
320
Feign
to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of; to imitate deceptively; pretend.
