TheUbiquitous

400400GREM0STWORDSCOMMON GRE
400
WITH
The GRE tests a surprisingly limited number of words.nthefollowing lists, you will find words that occur frequently on the
GREWITH.Granted,WORDSmemorizingSYalistofwords is rather dry, but it
isSYNONYMSprobablythemosteffectivewaytoimproveyour 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 abdicate amalgamation mixture belie misrepresent

ambiguous unclear belittle disparage
relinquish power or position aberrant
ambivalence conflicting emotions bellicose warlike
abnormal
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 animus hate cachet prestige
climate
anomalous abnormal cacophony dissonance, harsh noise
accost to approach and speak to
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acumen insight antiquated outdated, obsolete capacious spacious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, assiduous hard-working censure condemn
beautiful
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
autonomous self-governing coda concluding passage
alacrity swiftness cogent well-put, convincing
avarice greed
alienate estrange, antagonize collusion conspiracy
axiom self-evident truth
alleviate lessen, assuage commensurate proportionate
altruism benevolence, generosity banal trite
commiserate empathize
459
TeamLRN
 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
condone overlook wrong doing discord lack of harmony attention to himself
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
fledgling
others dogmatic certain, unchanging in just beginning,
dauntless courageous struggling
opinion
dearth scarcity dormant asleep flout to show disregard for the law
defamation (noun) slander eclectic from many sources or rules
foment instigate
deference courteously yielding to efficacy effectiveness
forsake abandon
another effigy likeness, mannequin
deleterious harmful fortuitous lucky
effloresce to bloom
delineate draw a line around, foster encourage
effrontery
describe 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
glib insincere manner
destitute poor region
enervate weaken gratuitous unwarranted, uncalled for
desultory without direction in life
engender generate gregarious sociable
deterrent hindrance
ennui boredom halcyon serene
devoid empty enumerate count hamper obstruct
devout pious esoteric known by only a few harangue tirade
diatribe long denunciation harry harass
esthetic artistic
dichotomy a division into two parts hedonism excessive pursuit of
euphemism genteel expression
didactic instructional pleasure in life
euphoria elation
diffident shy hegemony authority, domination
evanescent fleeting, very brief histrionic overly dramatic
461 GRE Prep Course
homogeneous uniform hyperbole
exaggeration hypocritical
deceiving, two-faced
iconoclast one who rails against
sacred institutions
idiosyncrasy peculiarity
imminent about to happen
impecunious indigent
imperative vital, pressing
imperturbable calm
impervious impenetrable
impetuous impulsive implicit
implied impolitic unwise
impulsive to act suddenly
impunity exemption from harm
inadvertent unintentional
incendiary inflammatory
incipient beginning
incontrovertible indisputable
incorrigible unreformable
indifferent unconcerned
indigent poor
indolent lazy
indomitable invincible
ineffable inexpressible
inert inactive inherent
innate, inborn inhibit
restrain inimical
adverse, hostile
insatiable gluttonous
insidious treacherous
insipid flat, dull
insufferable unbearable
insular narrow-minded
intangible not perceptible by touch
internecine mutually destructive
intractable unmanageable
intrepid fearless
inundate flood
inure accustom, habituate, harden
invective verbal insult inveigle
lure
irascible irritable irresolute
hesitant, uncertain itinerary
route
judicious prudent
laconic brief, terse
lassitude lethargy
laudatory commendable
levity frivolity
lucid clearly understood
lurid ghastly
Machiavellian politically crafty,
cunning
magnanimous generous, kindhearted
magnate a powerful, successful
person
malevolence bad intent, malice
malinger shirk
malleable moldable, tractable
misanthrope hater of mankind
miscreant evildoer mitigate
lessen the severity mundane
ordinary nadir lowest point
narcissism self-love
nascent incipient
neologism newly coined expression
nonplus confound
noxious toxic
obfuscate bewilder, muddle
obtuse stupid
obviate make unnecessary
odious despicable officious
forward, obtrusive
TeamLRN
omnipotent all-powerful
onerous burdensome
opprobrium disgrace
oscillate waver
paean a song of praise
paradigm a model
paragon standard of excellence
parody imitation, ridicule
parsimonious stingy paucity
scarcity
pedagogical pertaining to teaching
pedantic bookish
penchant inclination
penury poverty
pernicious destructive
perpetuity eternity
perspicacious keen
pervade permeate
philanthropic charitable
phlegmatic sluggish
piety devoutness
pious devout, holy
piquant tart-tasting, spicy
pithy concise
platitude trite remark
platonic nonsexual
plethora overabundance
polemic a controversy
posthumous after death
pragmatic practical
precarious dangerous, risky
precipitate cause
precursor forerunner
preponderance predominance
presumptuous assuming
pretentious affected, inflated
pretext excuse
 The Ubiquitous 400 462
prevaricate lie reprobate miscreant synthesis combination

probity integrity repudiate disavow tacit understood without being spoken

problematic uncertain requisite necessary temerity boldness
prodigal wasteful rescind revoke tenuous thin, insubstantial
prodigious marvelous, enormous resolute determined terse concise
prodigy a person with extraordinary reticent reserved torpid lethargic, inactive
ability or talent retribution reprisal tractable docile, manageable
profligate licentious, prodigal
reverent respectful transient fleeting, temporary
profound deep, knowledgeable
rhapsody ecstasy trenchant incisive, penetrating
profusion overabundance
rhetoric elocution, grandiloquence truculent fierce, savage
prolific fruitful, productive
sanctimonious self-righteous ubiquitous omnipresent, pervasive
propensity inclination
sanction approval ulterior hidden, covert
proportionate commensurate
sanguinary gory, murderous untenable cannot be achieved
propriety decorum
satiate satisfy fully untoward perverse
prosaic uninspired, flat
satire ridicule urbane refined, worldly
proscribe prohibit
schism rift vacillate waver
protuberance bulge
secular worldly, nonreligious venerable revered
pundit politically astute person
sedulous diligent veracity truthfulness
pungent sharp smell or taste
severance division verbose wordy
qualms misgivings
skeptical doubtful vernacular common speech
quash put down, suppress
solicitous considerate, concerned vex annoy
querulous complaining
solvent financially sound viable capable of surviving
quixotic impractical, romantic
sophistry specious reasoning vilify defame
raconteur story teller
specious false but plausible virulent deadly, poisonous
recalcitrant stubborn
spurious false, counterfeit vitriolic scathing
recant retract
squander waste vituperative abusive
redoubtable formidable, steadfast
stolid impassive vivacious lively
refractory obstinate
stupefy deaden, dumfound volatile unstable
relegate assign to an inferior position
stymie hinder, thwart voluminous bulky, extensive
renege break a promise
sullen sulky, sour voracious hungry
renounce disown
supercilious arrogant xenophobia fear of foreigners
reprehensible blameworthy
superfluous overabundant zealot fanatic
reproach blame
surfeit overabundance