GRE Vocabulary

Preparing for the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Vocabulary test will often conjure up feelings of stress and being overwhelmed. Fortunately for you, the most recently revised edition of the GRE doesn’t have as high of a priority on obscure vocabulary words as the previous version of the GRE did.

However, that doesn’t mean that vocabulary is completely irrelevant on the exam either.

When studying for the GRE Verbal Reasoning section, it’s important to remember that a strong knowledge of vocabulary, including definitions and usages, is something that will factor into your overall GRE scores.

While this can all seem like a cumbersome and time-consuming process, our quick list of common GRE vocabulary words will help make studying that much simpler for you.

111 Common GRE Vocabulary Words

There are thousands of GRE vocabulary words that could be thrown your way during the verbal section of the test–3,500, to be specific. That being said, it would be very time consuming to make flashcards, look online, or otherwise find a way to memorize so many definitions.

So how are you going to learn all these words? What exactly is the best approach to studying so many vocabulary words? These are some of the questions that might be running through your head right this moment.

Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of some high-frequency GRE vocabulary words that you should know. Remembering these words and knowing how to use them correctly in a speech or your day-to-day conversations can improve your chances of getting a high score on the test.

1. Engender verb — To produce, cause, or bring about something.

• Synonyms: create, inspire, incite

2. Neophyte noun — Someone who is a beginner to a subject, skill, or belief/religion.

• Synonyms: novice, newcomer, rookie

3. Gestation noun — Growth process from conception to birth; the development of something over a period of time.

• Synonyms: pregnancy, incubation, evolution

4. Toady noun — A person who flatters someone who is perceived as more important in order to gain favors or status.

• Synonyms: sycophant, brown-noser, flunky

5. Neologism noun — A new word, expression, or phrase.

• Synonyms: new term, coinage, nonce word

6. Supplant verb — To replace another by force.

• Synonyms: supersede, displace, take over

7. Dyspeptic adjective — Suffering from indigestion and subsequent irritability.

• Synonyms: cantankerous, peevish, disagreeable

8. Doctrinaire noun — Someone seeking to impose theories/doctrines without regard or practical considerations.

• Synonyms: dogmatic, rigid, inflexible

9. Vacillate verb — To be indecisive; to physically sway.

• Synonyms: dither, waiver, be ambivalent

10. Itinerant verb — Traveling from place to place.

• Synonyms: peripatetic, wandering, vagabond

11. Sacrosanct adjective — Too important or valuable to be criticized or interfered with.

• Synonyms: sacred, inviolable, untouchable

12. Diurnal adjective — Something that done during the day.

• Synonyms: daily, quotidian, every day

13. Taciturn noun — Someone reserved or not very talkative.

• Synonyms: reticent, unforthcoming, quiet

14. Endemic adjective — A disease or condition native to a particular area.

• Synonyms: aboriginal, domestic, local

15. Eloquent adjective — Persuasive and moving, especially while speaking.

• Synonyms: fluent, articulate, expressive

16. Reticent adjective — Reluctant to reveal one’s thoughts or feelings.

• Synonyms: reserved, withdrawn, introverted

17. Diatribe noun — A verbal attack.

• Synonyms: tirade, polemic, condemnation

18. Assuage verb — To make something unpleasant less severe; to satisfy an appetite or desire.

• Synonyms: mitigate, alleviate, appease

19. Desiccate verb — To thoroughly dry out something.

• Synonyms: dehydrated, powdered, preserved

20. Frenetic adjective — adjective — Wild and uncontrolled.

• Synonyms: frantic, frenzied, hectic

21. Lapidary adjective — The art of cutting or engraving precious stones.

• Synonym: lapidist

22. Zeal noun — The enthusiastic pursuit of an individual objective.

• Synonyms: passion, gusto, avidity

23. Inexorable adjective — Inflexible or unyielding.

• Synonyms: relentless, unyielding, irrevocable

24. Misanthrope noun — Someone who dislikes others.

• Synonyms: recluse, cynic, grouch

25. Pastiche noun — A piece of literature or music that imitates other works; an artistic work that combines elements from other works.

• Synonyms: imitation, parody, medley

26. Ford verb — To wade across a body of water.

• Synonyms: crossing, wading, transverse

27. Malinger verb — Pretending to be sick to evade responsibility.

• Synonyms: feign illness, fake an illness, etc

28. Sully verb — To taint or tarnish.

• Synonyms: defile, soil, tarnish

29. Vernal adjective — Fresh; related to springtime.

• Synonyms: green, youthful, callow

30. Droll adjective — Curious in an amusing and unusual way.

• Synonyms: mirthful, humorous, comical

31. Sportive adjective — Playful and lighthearted; being good at sports.

• Synonyms: frolicsome, spirited, jocund

32. Iniquity adjective — Immoral or sinful behavior.

• Synonyms: impropriety, wickedness, turpitude

33. Orotund adjective — Pompous and pretentious.

• Synonyms: fulsome, grandiose, oratorical

34. Sanguine adjective — Cheerfully optimistic and ruddy.

• Synonyms: positive, bullish, buoyant

35. Florid adjective — Embellished or very intricate decorations.

• Synonyms: ornate, elaborate, extravagant

36. Ephemeral adjective — Lasting a short time.

• Synonyms: transient, fleeting, momentary

37. Sedition verb — To incite rebellion against the state or monarch.

• Synonyms: subversion, anarchy, mutiny

38. Glib adjective — Fluent in speech yet insincere and shallow.

• Synonyms: slick, pat, casual

39. Abdicate verb — To give up a position of power.

• Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, resign

40. Bilk verb — To cheat or defraud.

• Synonyms: swindle, deceive, fool

41. Nominal adjective — Existing in name only.

• Synonyms: negligible, titular, symbolic

42. Blithe adjective — Casual and cheerful indifference that’s typically considered improper.

• Synonyms: heedless, thoughtless, unconcerned

43. Nuance noun — A subtle but meaningful expression.

• Synonyms: find distinction, subtle difference

44. Fawn verb — To grovel or beg.

• Synonyms: beseech, revere, implore

45. Fatuous adjective — Foolishly self-satisfied; silly and pointless.

• Synonyms: stupid, inane, vacuous

46. Replete adjective — Well-supplied with something.

• Synonyms: abundance, well stocked, overflowing

47. Jargon noun — Specialized language for a certain trade.

• Synonyms: idiom, argot, patter

48. Repast noun — Meal or mealtime.

• Synonyms: dinner, feast, banquet

49. Ethos noun — The beliefs or spiritual character or culture, group, or community.

• Synonyms: atmosphere, mode, tenor

50. Multifarious adjective — Having many different parts or types.

• Synonyms: diverse, numerous, assorted

51. Vex verb — To annoy or irritate someone with trivial matters.

• Synonyms: infuriate, exasperate, gall

52. Veracity noun — A statement filled with truth and facts.

• Synonyms: accuracy, correctness, fidelity

53. Scintilla noun — A small trace amount of a substance or feeling.

• Synonyms: particle, jot, grain

54. Arbitrate verb — To judge a dispute or debate between two opposing parties.

• Synonyms: adjudicate, judge, referee

55. Mar verb — To impair the appearance or quality of something.

• Synonyms: spoil, disfigure, blemish

56. Terrestrial adjective — Down-to-earth and commonplace.

• Synonyms: ordinary, unremarkable, prosaic

57. Gregarious adjective — Fond of having company; outgoing and sociable.

• Synonyms: genial, amiable, affable

58. Naive adjective — Lacking sophistication or experience.

• Synonyms: innocent, unworldly, guileless

59. Abstain verb —To choose not to do something.

• Synonyms: forbear, refrain, desist

60. Chauvinist noun — Someone prejudiced in favor of the group to which they belong.

• Synonyms: bigot, misogynist, ethnocentric

61. Jettison verb — To get rid of or disregard something unnecessary.

• Synonyms: dump, discharge, unload

62. Blight verb — To spoil or destroy.

• Synonyms: ruin, disrupt, demolish

63. Specious adjective — Seemingly plausible but fallacious.

• Synonyms: misleading, erroneous, spurious

64. Solecism noun — A grammatical mistake or blunder in speech; incorrect manners or behavior.

• Synonyms: gaffe, error, lapse

65. Frugality noun — The tendency to be cheap or thrifty.

• Synonyms: economical, careful, parsimonious

66. Corroborate verb — To support with facts and evidence.

• Synonyms: confirm, verify, authenticate

67. Parley noun — A discussion or debate between two enemies.

• Synonyms: negotiation, conference, summit

68. Fecund adjective — Capable of producing an abundance of offspring.

• Synonyms: fertile, fruitful, productive

69. Dissemble verb — To disguise one’s real intentions or present a false appearance.

• Synonyms: dissimulate, feign, masquerade

70. Verdant adjective — Green with vegetation.

• Synonyms: inexperienced, leafy, grassy

71. Droll adjective — Amusing in a subtle way.

• Synonyms: mirthful, humorous, comical

72. Grievous adjective — Causing grief or sorrow, severe and distressing.

• Synonyms: severe, critical, dreadful

73. Pathogenic adjective — A microscopic organism that causes disease.

• Synonym: infectious

74. Pedant noun — Someone who is excessively concerned with displaying academic learning.

• Synonyms: purist, literalist, perfectionist

75. Glower verb — To glare or stare angrily at something.

• Synonyms: scowl, frown, dirty look

76. Fetid adjective — A foul and disgusting smell.

• Synonyms: stinking, malodorous, pungent

77. Irascible adjective — The tendency to be easily angered.

• Synonyms: irritable, petulant, dyspeptic

78. Banal adjective — Lacking in originality.

• Synonyms: boring, predictable, platitudinous

79. Belfry noun — Bell tower.

• Synonyms: spire, tower

80. Nascent adjective — Starting to develop, coming into existence.

• Synonyms: budding, fledgling, emergent

81. Sobriquet noun — Nickname.

• Synonyms: alias, by name, moniker

82. Guile noun — Sly or deceitful.

• Synonyms: cunning, craftiness, wiliness

83. Crescendo noun — Steadily increasing in volume or force.

• Synonyms: loud, intensity, swell

84. Luminous adjective — Bright, brilliant, and glowing.

• Synonyms: shining, dazzling, lustrous

85. Austere adjective — Plain or strict in manner, related to attitude, appearance, and way of life.

• Synonyms: dour, modest, unadorned

86. Expurgate verb — To censor.

• Synonyms: bowdlerize, blue-pencil, edit

87. Hegemony noun — Leadership or dominance over a country or group.

• Synonyms: dominion, supremacy, sovereignty

88. Emulate verb — To imitate; to try to equal or excel.

• Synonyms: copy, mirror, follow

89. Stratagem noun — A tactic designed to trick the enemy.

• Synonyms: plan, scheme, ploy

90. Missive noun — A written letter or note.

• Synonyms: memorandum, line, message

91. Pragmatic adjective — Dealing with things in a realistic and sensible way.

• Synonyms: practical, matter-of-fact, businesslike

92. Lachrymose adjective — Tearful or weeping.

• Synonyms: effusive, maudlin, keening

93. Canard noun — A lie or unfounded rumor.

• Synonyms: lie, cheat, hoax

94. Juncture noun — A specific point in time; the point where two things join.

• Synonyms: moment, occasion, period

95. Enumerate verb — To list items one by one; to establish the number of.

• Synonyms: itemize, calculate, compute

96. Pulchritude noun — Physical beauty.

• Synonyms: comeliness, grace, style

97. Contrite adjective — Deeply sorrowful or remorseful for wrongdoing.

• Synonyms: repentant, penitent, ashamed

98. Stentorian adjective — An extremely loud and powerful voice.

• Synonyms: thundering, booming, resonant

99. Malleable adjective — Able to be shaped or molded.

• Synonyms: pliable, ductile, pliant

100. Edify verb — To instruct someone morally, spiritually or intellectually.

• Synonyms: educate, teach, guide.

101. Ostensible adjective — Appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.

• Synonyms: apparent, outward, supposed.

102. Plethora noun — A lot of something; in excess.

• Synonyms: overabundance, surplus, profusion.

103. Dirge noun — A funeral hymn or speech.

• Synonyms: elegy, lament, requiem

104. Opaque adjective — Not transparent or able to be seen through; preventing the passage of light.

• Synonyms: cloudy, filmy, blurred

105. Placate verb — To soothe or pacify.

• Synonyms: appease, mollify, conciliate

106. Ossify verb — To turn into bone; to become stagnant or rigid.

• Synonyms: harden, solidify, fossilize

107. Kindle verb — To ignite or set fire to something; to excite or inspire.

• Synonyms: ignite, arouse, awaken

108. Ebullient adjective — Enthusiastic or exhilarated; full of energy and cheerful.

• Synonyms: exuberant, buoyant, light-hearted

109. Intrepid adjective — Fearless or courageous.

• Synonyms: heroic, spirited, indomitable

110. Garrulous adjective — Tending to talk a lot.

• Synonyms: loquacious, verbose, voluble

111. Zealot noun — Someone passionately devoted to a cause.

• Synonyms: fanatic, enthusiast, radical

Helpful Techniques for Studying and Memorization

1. Flashcards

Almost every student out there is familiar with flashcards. Studying with flashcards is one of the simplest and time-tested strategies for help with memorization. Flashcards are easy to use and inexpensive, and now, you can even download flashcard applications for your mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

2. Hear, echo and associate

The first thing to do when you’re introduced to a new word is to be sure that you understand the correct way to pronounce it. Then you need to repeat the word to yourself to really make sure you know it. Frequent repetition allows your mind to recognize the word faster. The last step is to associate this new term with something that’s familiar to you. It’s much easier to remember a word when it has some personal meaning.

3. Read more

Read often and read whatever you can–newspapers, books, magazines, online articles–anything and everything in written form will help expand your vocabulary. Reading will not only introduce you to many new words, but will also give you the opportunity to see different examples of these words used in context.

4. Form new phrases and sentences with each new GRE vocabulary term

You can do this either by writing these sentences down or by recording them into your phone or computer. Practicing often instead of just memorizing the definition from a dictionary will familiarize you with the words on a deeper level.

Did We Get Everything?

It’s important to note that this is not a 100% complete list of GRE vocabulary words. This list will also be changed and continually updated, so new words will frequently be added.

Regardless, if you have any input, we would love to hear from you! Are there any words that you’ve seen first hand that really stuck out to you? If so, and those GRE vocabulary words are not on this list, please let us know.

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