Kaplan GRE Vocabulary

Abase

to humble; disgrace

Abate

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

Abdicate

to give up a position, right, or power

Aberrant

deviating from what is normal or expected

Abeyance

temporary suppression or supension

Abjure

to reject; abandon formally

Abscond

to leave secretly

Abstain

to chose not to do something

Abstemious

moderate in appetite

Abyss

an extreely deep hole

Accretion

a growth in size; increase in amount

Acidulous

sour in taste or manner

Acme

highest point; summit; the highest level or degree attainable

Adulterate

to make impure

Advocate

to speak in favor of

Aerie

a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded, dwelling

Aesthetic

concerning the appreciation of beauty

Affected

phony; artificial

Aggrandize

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

Alacrity

speed or quickness

Alleviate

to make more bearable

Amalgamate

to combine; to mix together

Ambiguous

doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways

Ameliorate

to make better; to improve

Amortize

to diminish by installment payments

Amulet

ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

Anachronism

something out of place in time

Analgesia

a lessening of pain without loss of consciousness

Analogous

similar or alike insome way; equivalent to

Anodyne

something that calms or soothes pain

Anomaly

deviation from what is normal

Antagonize

to annoy or provoke to anger

Antipathy

extreme dislike

Apathy

lack of interest or emotion

Apocryphal

of questionable authority or authenticity

Apostate

one who renounces a religious faith

Approbation

approval and praise

Arbitrary

determined by chance or impulse

Arbitrate

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

Archaic

ancient; old-fashioned

Ardor

intense and passionate feeling

Arrogate

to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right

Articulate

able to speak clearly and expressively

Assail

to attack; assault

Assuage

to make something unpleasant less severe

Attenuate

to reduce in force or degree; weaken

Audacious

fearless and daring

Augury

prophecy; prediction of events

August

dignified; grandiose

Austere

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

Axiom

premise; postulate; self-evident truth

Banal

predictable; cliched; boring

Belfry

bell tower; room in which a bell in hung

Bevy

group

Bifurcate

to divide into two parts

Bilk

to cheat; defraud

Blight

to afflict; destroy

Blithe

joyful; cheerful; or without appropriate thought

Bolster

to support; prop up

Bombastic

pompous in speech and manner

Bonhomie

good-natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer

Boor

crude person, one lacking manners or taste

Burgeon

to grow and flourish

Burnish

to polish

Cabal

a secret group seeking to overturn something

Cacophony

harsh, jarring noise

Calumny

a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation

Canard

a lie

Candid

impartial and honest in speech

Capricious

changing one's mind quickly and often

Cartography

science or art of making maps

Castigate

to punish or criticize harshly

Catalyst

something that brings about a change in something else

Catholic

universal broad and comprehensive

Caustic

biting in wit

Chaos

great disorder or confused situation

Chauvinist

someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

Chicanery

deception by means of craft or guile

Circumspect

cautious; aware of potential consequences

Cloying

sickly sweet; excessive

Coalesce

to grow together to form a single whole

Coffer

strongbox; large chest for money

Cogent

convincing and well-reasoned

Collusion

collaboration; complicity; conspiracy

Condone

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

Connoisseur

a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes

Contrite

deeply sorrowful and repentatnt for a wrong

Contumacious

rebellious

Convoluted

intricate and complicated

Corroborate

to support with evidence

Cosset

to pamper; treat with great care

Coterie

an intimate group of persons with a similar purpose

Craven

lacking courage

Credulous

too trusting; gullible

Crescendo

steadily increasing in volume or force

Cupidity

greed; strong desire

Curmudgeon

cranky person, usually old

Debutante

young woman making debut in high society

Declivity

downward slope

Decorous

proper; tasteful; socially correct

Decorum

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

Deface

to mar the appearance of; vandalize

Deference

respect; courtesy

Deleterious

subtly or unexpectedly harmful

Demagogue

a leader or rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice

Demur

to express doubts or objections

Deride

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

Desiccate

to dry out thoroughly

Desultory

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

Diaphanous

allowing light to show through; delicate

Diatribe

an abusive, condemnatory speech

Dictum

authoritative statement

Diffident

lacking self-confidence

Dilate

to make larger; expand

Dilatory

intended to delay

Dilettante

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

Dirge

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

Disabuse

to set right; free from error

Discern

to perceive or recognize

Disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

Dissemble

to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character

Dissonance

a harsh and disagreeable combination, especially of sounds

Distaff

the female branch of a family

Distend

to swell, inflate, or bloat

Dither

to act confusedly or without clear purpose

Diurnal

existing during the day

Divine

to foretell or know by inspiration

Doctrinaire

rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic

Dogma

a firmly held opinion, especially a religious belief

Dogmatic

dictatorial in one's opinions

Droll

amusing in a wry, subtle way

Dupe

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

Dyspeptic

suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable

Ebullient

exhilarated; full of enthusiam and high spirits

Eclectic

selecting from or made up from a variety of soures

Edify

to instruct morally and spiritually

Efficacy

effectiveness

Effigy

stuffed doll; likeness of a person

Effrontery

impudent boldness; audacity

Elegy

a sorrowful poem or speech

Eloquent

persuassive and moving, espcially in speech

Embellish

to add ornamental or fictitious details

Emulate

to copy; to try to equal or excel

Encomium

warm praise

Endemic

belinging to a particular area; inherent

Enervate

to reduce in strength

Engender

to produce, cause, or bring about

Enigma

a puzzle; a mystery

Enumerate

to count, list, or itemize

Ephemeral

lasting a short time

Epicure

person with refined taste in food and wine

Equivocate

to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

Erratic

wandering and unpredictable

Ersatz

fake

Erudite

learned; scholarly; bookish

Eschew

to shun; to avoid (as something wrong or distasteful)

Esoteric

known or understood only by a few

Estimable

admirable

Ethos

beliefs or character of a group

Eulogy

speech in praise of someone

Euphemism

use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

Euphony

pleasant, harmonious sound

Exacerbate

to make worse

Exculpate

to clear from blame; prove innocent

Exigent

urgent; requiring immediate action

Exonerate

to clear of blame

Explicit

clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

Exponent

one who champions or advocates

Exprugate

to censor

Fallow

dormant; unused

Fanatical

acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

Fatuous

stupid; foolishly self-satisfied

Fawn

to grovel

Fecund

fertile; fruitful; productive

Fervid

intensely emotional; feverish

Fetid

foul-smelling; putrid

Flag

to decline in vigor; strength; or interest

Florid

excessively decorated or embellished

Foment

to arouse or incite

Ford

to cross a body of water by wading

Forestall

to prevent or delay; anticipate

Fortuitous

happening by chance; fortunate

Fractious

unruly; rebellious

Frenetic

frantic; frenzied

Frugality

tending to be thrifty or cheap

Furtive

secret; stealthy

Gambol

to dance or skip around playfully

Garner

to gather and store

Garrulous

tending to talk a lot

Gestation

growth process from conception to birth

Glib

fluent in an insincere manner; offhand; casual

Glower

to glare or stare angrily and intensely

Gradation

process occurring by regular degrees or stages; variation in color

Gregarious

outgoing; sociable

Grievous

causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing

Grovel

to humble oneself in a demeaning way

Guile

deceit; trickery

Gullible

easily deceived

Hapless

unfortunate; having bad luck

Hegemony

the domination of one state or group over its allies

Hermetic

tightly sealed

Heterogeneous

composed of unlike parts; different; diverse

Hoary

very old; whitish or gray from age

Homogeneous

of a similar kind

Husband

to manage economically; to use sparingly

Hyperbole

purposeful exaggeration for effect

Iconoclast

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

Idiosyncrasy

peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity

Ignoble

having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean

Imbue

to infuse, dye, wet, or moisten

Impasse

blocked path; dilemma with no solution

Impecunious

poor; having no money

Imperturbable

not capable of being disturbed

Impervious

impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected

Impetuous

quick to act without thinking

Impious

not devout in religion

Implacable

unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

Imprecation

a curse

Impugn

to call into question; to attack verbally

Incarnadine

blood-red in color

Inchoate

no fully formed; disorganized

Inculcate

to teach; impress in the mind

Indolent

habitually lazy or idle

Inexorable

inflexible; unyielding

Ingenuous

showing innocence or childlike simplicity

Ingrate

ungrateful person

Ingratiate

to gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage

Inimical

hostile; unfriendly

Iniquity

sin; evil act

Innocuous

harmless

Inquest

an investigatin; an inquiry

Insipid

lacking interest or flavor

Insurrection

rebellion

Inter

to bury

Interregnum

period between reigns

Intractable

not easily managed or manipulated

Intransigent

uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

Intrepid

fearless; resolutely courageous

Inundate

to overwhelm; to cover with water

Inure

to harden; accustom; become used to

Invective

abusive language

Investiture

ceremony conferring authority

Invidious

envious, obnoxious, or offensive, likely to promote ill-will

Irascible

easily made angry

Itinerant

wandering from place to place; unsettled

Jargon

nonsensical talk; specialized language

Jettison

to discard; to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering

Jingoism

belligerent support of one's country

Jocular

playful; humorous

Judicious

sensible; showing good judgement

Juncture

point of time, especially where two things are joined

Keen

having a sharp edge; intellectually sharp; perceptive

Kindle

to set fire to or ignite; excite or inspire

Kinetic

relating to motion; characterized by movement

Knell

sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure

Kudos

fame, glory, or honor

Lachrymose

tearful

Laconic

using few words

Lament

to express sorrow; to grieve

Lampoon

to ridicule with satire

Languid

lacking energy; indifferent

Lapidary

relating to precious stones or the art of cutting them

Larceny

theft of property

Largess

generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior

Lassitude

a state of diminished energy

Latent

potential that is not readily apparent

Laud

to giv praise; to glorify

Lavish

extremely generous or extravagant; giving unsparingly

Leery

suspicious

Legerdemain

trickery

Lethargic

acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

Levity

an inappropriate lack of seriousness; overly casual

Liberal

tolerant or broad-minded; generous or lavish

Libertine

a free thinker, usually used disparagingly; one without moral restraint

Licentious

immoral; unrestrained by society

Limpid

clear; transparent

Lionize

to treat as a celebrity

Lissome

easily flexed; limber; agile

Listless

lacking energy and enthusiasm

Livid

discolored from a bruise; pale; reddened with anger

Loquacious

talkative

Lucid

clear and esily understood

Lugubrious

sorrowful; mournful; dismal

Lumber

to move slowly and awkwardly

Luminous

btight; brilliant; glowing

Machination

plot or scheme

Maelstrom

whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind

Magnate

powerful or influential person

Malediction

a curse; a wish of evil upon another

Malinger

to evade responibilty by pretending to be ill

Malleable

capable of being shaped

Mannered

artifical or stilted in character

Mar

to damage or deface; spoil

Martinet

strict discipliarian; one who rigidly follows rules

Maudlin

overly sentimental

Mendacious

dishonest

Mendicant

beggar

Mercurial

quick, shrewd, and unpredictable

Meretricious

gaudy; falsely attractive

Metaphor

figure of speech comparing two different things

Meticulous

extremely careful; fastidious; painstaking

Militate

to operate against; work against

Mirth

frivolity; gaiety; laughter

Misanthrope

a person who dislikes others

Missive

a written note or letter

Mitigate

to soften; to lessen

Mollify

to calm or make less severe

Molt

to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically

Monastic

extremly plain or secluded, as in a monastery

Monotony

no variaion; tedioulsly the same

Mores

fixed customs or manners; moral attitudes

Multifarious

diverse

Myopic

lacking foresight; having a narrow view or long-range perspective

Nadir

lowest point

Naive

lacking sophistication or experience

Nascent

starting to develop; coming into existence

Neologism

new word or expression

Neophyte

novice; beginner

Nettle

to irritate

Noisome

stinking; putrid

Nominal

existing in name only; negligble

Nuance

a subltle expression of meaning or quality

Numismatics

coin collecting

Obdurate

hardening in feeling; resistant to persuasion

Oblique

indirect or evasive; misleading or devious

Obsequious

overly submissive and eager to please

Obstinate

stubborn; unyielding

Obviate

to prevent; to make unnecessary

Occlude

to stop up; prevent the passage of

Officious

too helpful; meddlesome

Onerous

troublesome and oppresive; burdensome

Opaque

impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light

Opine

to express an opinion

Opprobrium

public disgrace

Orotund

pompous

Ossify

to change in to bone; to become hardened or set in a rigidly conventional pattern

Ostensible

apparent

Ostentation

excessive showiness

Overwrought

agitated; overdone

Palatial

relating to a palace; magnificent

Palliate

to make less serious; ease

Pallid

lacking color or liveliness

Panache

flamboyance or dash in style and action; verve

Panegyric

elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise

Panoply

impressive array

Paradox

a contradiction or dilemma

Paragon

model of excellence or perfection

Pare

to trim off excess; reduce

Pariah

an outcast

Parley

discussion, usually between enemies

Parry

to ward off or deflect, especially by a quickwitted answer

Pastiche

piece of literature or music imitating other works

Pathogenic

causing disease

Peccadillo

minor sin or offense

Pedant

someone who shows off learning

Pejorative

having bad connotations; disparaging

Penury

an oppressive lack of resources (as money); severe poverty

Peregrinate

to wander fro place to place; to travel; especially on foot

Perfidious

willing to betray one's trust

Perfunctory

done in a routine way; indifferent

Peripatetic

wandering from place to place, especially on foot

Permeate

to penetrate

Perspicacious

shrewd, astute, or keen-witted

Pervade

to be present throughout; to permeate

Phalanx

a compact or close-knit body of people, animals, or things

Philanthropy

charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness

Philistine

a person who is guided by materialism and is disdainful of intellectual or artistic values

Phlegmatic

calm and unemotional in temperament

Pithy

profound or substantial yet concise, succinct and to the point

Placate

to soothe or pacify

Plastic

able to be molded, altered, or bent

Plebeian

crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners

Plethora

excess

Plucky

courageous; spunky

Polemic

controversy; argument; verbal attack

Politic

shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic

Polyglot

a speaker of many languages

Posit

to assume as real or conceded; propose as an explanation

Potentate

a monarch or ruler with great power

Pragmatic

practical, as opposed to idealistic

Prattle

meaningless, foolish talk

Precipitate

to throw violently or bring about abruplty; lacking deliberation

Precis

short summary of facts

Prescient

having foresight

Prevaricate

to lie or deviate from the truth

Pristine

fresh and clean; uncorrupted

Probity

complete honesty and integrity

Proclivity

a natural inclination or predisposition

Prodigal

lavish; wasteful

Profligate

corrupt; degenerate

Proliferate

to increase in number quickly

Propitiate

to conciliate; to appease

Propriety

the quality of behaving in a proper manner; obeying rules and customs

Prudence

wisdom, caution, or restraint

Puerile

childish, immature, or silly

Pugilism

boxing

Pulchritude

beauty

Pungent

sharp and irritating to the senses

Pusillanimous

cowardly; without courage

Querulous

inclined to complain; irritable

Quiescent

motionless

Quixotic

overly idealistic; impractical

Quotidian

occurring daily; commonplace

Raconteur

witty, skillful storyteller

Rarefy

to make thinner or sparser

Redress

relief from wrong or injury

Rejoinder

response

Repast

meal or mealtime

Replete

abundantly supplied, complete

Repose

rexlation; leisure

Repudiate

to reject the validity of

Requite

to return or repay

Restive

impatient, uneasy, or restless

Reticent

silent; reserved

Rhetoric

effective writing or speaking

Ribald

humorous in a vulgar way

Rococo

very highly ornamented; relating to an 18th century artistic style of elaborate ornamentation

Rustic

rural

Sacrosanct

extremely sacred; beyond criticism

Sagacious

shrewd; wise

Salient

prominent; of notable significance

Salubrious

healthful

Sanguine

ruddy; cheerfully optimistic

Sardonic

cynical; scornfully mocking

Satiate

to satisfy fully or overindulge

Scintilla

trace amount

Sedition

behavior that promotes rebellion or civil disorder against the state

Sentient

aware; conscious; able to perceive

Seraphic

angelic; sweet

Sinecure

a well-paying job or office that requires little or no work

Slake

to calm down or moderate

Sobriquet

nickname

Solecism

gtrammatical mistake; blunder in speech

Soporific

causing sleep or lethargy

Spartan

highly self-disciplined; frugal; austere

Specious

deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

Sportive

frolicsome; playful

Stasis

a state of static balance or equilibrium; stagnation

Stentorian

extremely loud

Stigma

a mark of shame or discredit

Stolid

unemotional; lacking sensitivity

Stratagem

trick designed to deceive an enemy

Sublime

lofty or grand

Sully

to tarnish; taint

Supplant

to replace (another) by force; to take the place of

Surfeit

excessive amount

Surly

rude and bad-tempered

Sybarite

a person devoted to pleasure and luxury

Sycophant

a self-serving flatterer; yes-man

Symbiosis

cooperation; mutual helpfulness

Syncopation

temporary irregularity in musical rhythm

Tacit

done without using words

Taciturn

silent; not talkative

Talon

claw of an animal, especially a bird of prey

Tangential

digressing; diverting

Tawdry

gaudy, cheap,or showy

Terrestrial

earthly; down to earth; commonplace

Tirade

long, harsh speech or verbal attack

Toady

one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors

Tome

book, usually large and academic

Torpor

extreme mental and physical sluggishness

Transitory

temporary; lasting a brief time

Trenchant

acute, sharp, or incisive; forecful; effective

Turgid

swollen as from a fluid; bloated

Tyro

beginner; novice

Umbrage

offense; resentment

Unconscionable

unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust

Unequivocal

absolute; certain

Upbraid

to scold sharply

Usury

the practice of lending money at exorbitant rates

Vacillate

to physically sway or to be indecisive

Variegated

varied; marked with different colors

Venerable

respected because of age

Venerate

to respect deeply

Veracity

filled with truth and accuracy

Verbose

wordy

Verdant

green with vegtation; inexperienced

Vernal

related to spring; fresh

Vestige

a trace; remnant

Vex

to annoy; irritate; puzzle; confuse

Vicissitude

a change or variation; ups and downs

Vim

vitality and energy

Viscous

thick and adhesive, like a slow-flowing fluid

Vituperate

to abuse verbally; berate

Volatile

easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive

Voluble

talkative; speaking easily; glib

Wan

sickly pale

Wanton

undisciplined; unrestrained; reckless

Waver

to fluctuate between choices

Whimsical

lightly acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

Wily

clever; deceptive

Winsome

charming; happily engaging

Wizened

shriveled; withered; wrinkled

Wraith

a ghost or specter; a ghost of a living person seen just before his or her death

Xenophobia

a fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers

Yoke

to join together

Zeal

passion; excitement

Zealot

someone passionately devoted to a cause

Zenith

the point of culmination; peak

Zephyr

a gentle breeze; something airy or usubstantial