GRE Verbal — Essential Vocabulary

Question	Answer
existing only in thought or as an idea, not concrete	abstract The concept of justice can seem abstract until you witness injustice firsthand.
enthusiastic public praise or approval	acclaim The novel received widespread acclaim from literary critics around the world.
to adjust or modify oneself to new conditions	adapt Species that cannot adapt to changing environments are more likely to face extinction.
sufficient or satisfactory for a particular purpose	adequate The funding was barely adequate to cover the costs of the research project.
to publicly support or recommend a cause or policy	advocate Many scientists advocate for stronger environmental protections.
concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty	aesthetic The gallery's aesthetic appeal drew visitors from around the globe.
to state positively or assert as true	affirm The court ruling served to affirm the defendant's right to a fair trial.
to make suffering or a problem less severe	alleviate The new policy was designed to alleviate poverty in rural communities.
open to more than one interpretation; unclear	ambiguous The contract's language was deliberately ambiguous, allowing for multiple readings.
having mixed or contradictory feelings about something	ambivalent She felt ambivalent about accepting the job offer in another city.
comparable in certain respects; similar in function	analogous The wings of a bat are analogous to those of a bird, though structurally different.
something that deviates from what is standard or expected	anomaly The sudden temperature spike was an anomaly in an otherwise stable climate record.
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern	apathy Voter apathy led to historically low turnout in the midterm elections.
based on random choice rather than reason or system	arbitrary The deadline seemed entirely arbitrary, with no logical basis for the chosen date.
able to express ideas clearly and fluently	articulate The professor was remarkably articulate when explaining complex theories.
to support, strengthen, or reinforce	bolster New evidence helped bolster the prosecution's case against the defendant.
truthful and straightforward; frank	candid Her candid assessment of the project's flaws was refreshing but uncomfortable.
a person or thing that precipitates a change or event	catalyst The assassination served as the catalyst for a nationwide revolution.
to find a way around an obstacle or restriction	circumvent Hackers constantly seek new methods to circumvent security protocols.
an overused phrase or opinion lacking original thought	cliche Calling the sunset "breathtaking" has become such a cliche that it barely registers.
to come together to form one mass or whole	coalesce The various protest groups began to coalesce into a single unified movement.
smugly self-satisfied and uncritical of oneself	complacent The team grew complacent after their early success and eventually lost the championship.
including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something	comprehensive The report provided a comprehensive analysis of the economic downturn.
to admit that something is true after first resisting it	concede After reviewing the data, the senator had to concede that his policy had failed.
to be of the same opinion; to agree	concur Most experts concur that the economy will recover by the end of the year.
to accept or allow behaviour that is considered wrong	condone The university does not condone plagiarism in any form.
to cause surprise or confusion; to perplex	confound The magician's tricks continued to confound even the most attentive audience members.
a general agreement among a group of people	consensus The committee reached a consensus after hours of deliberation.
the feeling that a person or thing is beneath consideration; scorn	contempt She regarded the corrupt official with utter contempt.
a firmly held belief or opinion	conviction He spoke with such conviction that the audience was completely swayed.
to confirm or give support to a statement or theory	corroborate Witness testimony helped corroborate the evidence found at the scene.
able to be believed; convincing or trustworthy	credible The journalist relied only on credible sources for the investigation.
distrustful of human sincerity or integrity	cynical Years of political scandals had made the electorate deeply cynical.
to expose the falseness of a myth or widely held belief	debunk The scientist set out to debunk the popular myth about vaccine dangers.
settling an issue quickly and with firm determination	decisive The general's decisive action turned the tide of the battle.
boldly resistant to authority or an opposing force	defiant The protesters remained defiant despite the threat of arrest.
done consciously and intentionally; careful and unhurried	deliberate The architect's deliberate choice of materials gave the building a timeless quality.
to use up the supply or resources of something	deplete Overfishing has begun to deplete the ocean's fish populations at alarming rates.
contemptuous ridicule or mockery	derision His proposal was met with derision from colleagues who thought it absurd.
to reduce or take away the worth of something	detract The minor errors did not detract from the overall brilliance of the essay.
to temporarily leave the main subject in speech or writing	digress The lecturer tended to digress into personal anecdotes during every class.
having or showing care and effort in one's work	diligent Her diligent research over many months finally yielded a breakthrough.
to make or become less in size, importance, or value	diminish Nothing could diminish her enthusiasm for the project.
to perceive or recognise something with difficulty	discern It was hard to discern the truth amid all the conflicting reports.
a lack of compatibility or consistency between two things	discrepancy Auditors found a significant discrepancy between the reported and actual figures.
to reject as unworthy of serious consideration	dismiss Critics were quick to dismiss the theory without examining the evidence.
to make a doubt or feeling disappear	dispel The CEO held a press conference to dispel rumours about the company's bankruptcy.
the holding or expression of opinions at variance with the majority	dissent Political dissent was harshly punished under the authoritarian regime.
recognisably different or separate in nature or quality	distinct The two species, though related, have distinct markings that set them apart.
showing a great deal of variety; markedly different	diverse The city is home to a diverse population representing dozens of nationalities.
a belief or set of beliefs held by a group or organisation	doctrine The political party revised its doctrine to appeal to younger voters.
deriving ideas or style from a broad range of sources	eclectic Her eclectic taste in music ranged from jazz to electronic to classical.
involving many carefully arranged parts; detailed and complicated	elaborate The architect unveiled an elaborate design for the new concert hall.
to draw out a response or reaction from someone	elicit The comedian's routine never failed to elicit laughter from the crowd.
difficult to find, catch, or achieve	elusive A cure for the disease has remained elusive despite decades of research.
to accept willingly or enthusiastically	embrace The company was quick to embrace new technologies in order to stay competitive.
based on observation or experience rather than theory	empirical The researchers gathered empirical data through years of fieldwork.
to declare one's public approval or support of	endorse Several prominent economists came forward to endorse the new fiscal plan.
to intensify, increase, or improve the quality of	enhance Adding fresh herbs can greatly enhance the flavour of a simple dish.
a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand	enigma The ancient manuscript remained an enigma that scholars could not decipher.
not even or regular in pattern; unpredictable	erratic The patient's erratic behaviour concerned the medical staff.
to represent beyond normal bounds of truth; to overstate	exaggerate The media tends to exaggerate the severity of minor weather events.
to be a typical instance or illustration of something	exemplify Her career choices exemplify the values of hard work and perseverance.
thorough and complete; leaving nothing out	exhaustive The detective conducted an exhaustive search of the crime scene.
stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion	explicit The contract contained explicit instructions about payment deadlines.
to use a situation or resource selfishly or unethically	exploit The corporation was accused of trying to exploit cheap labour overseas.
to make an action or process easier or more efficient	facilitate The new software was designed to facilitate communication between remote teams.
possible and practical to accomplish easily	feasible Engineers determined that building the bridge was technically feasible.
having or displaying passionate intensity	fervent She made a fervent plea for international aid to the disaster zone.
changing frequently, especially in loyalties or affections	fickle The fickle weather in spring makes it hard to plan outdoor events.
to rise and fall irregularly in number or amount	fluctuate Gas prices tend to fluctuate with changes in global oil supply.
happening by a lucky chance; fortunate	fortuitous Their fortuitous meeting at the conference led to a groundbreaking collaboration.
not having any serious purpose or value; trivially wasteful	frivolous The judge dismissed the frivolous lawsuit as a waste of the court's time.
forming a necessary base or core; of central importance	fundamental Freedom of speech is a fundamental right in any democracy.
incapable of producing any useful result; pointless	futile Attempts to negotiate with the rebels proved utterly futile.
to shock or excite someone into taking action	galvanise The leader's speech helped galvanise the community into demanding reform.
given without good reason; uncalled for or unwarranted	gratuitous The film was criticised for its gratuitous violence that added nothing to the plot.
lacking any obvious principle of organisation; random	haphazard The books were arranged in a haphazard fashion across the shelves.
a system in which members are ranked according to status or authority	hierarchy In the corporate hierarchy, decisions flow from the top down.
of the same kind; uniform in composition throughout	homogeneous The population of the small village was remarkably homogeneous in terms of culture.
unfriendly and antagonistic; showing strong opposition	hostile The crowd grew hostile when the announcement was made about the cancelled concert.
based on or serving as a supposition; not yet proven	hypothetical The professor posed a hypothetical scenario to test the students' reasoning.
peculiar or individual in nature; distinctive to a person	idiosyncratic The author's idiosyncratic writing style made her novels instantly recognisable.
about to happen; looming or impending	imminent Dark clouds signalled that a storm was imminent.
to delay or prevent by obstructing; to hinder	impede Bureaucratic red tape continued to impede the progress of the aid programme.
to put a plan or decision into effect; to carry out	implement The school board voted to implement a new curriculum starting next autumn.
suggested though not directly expressed; understood without being stated	implicit There was an implicit agreement between them that the matter would not be discussed publicly.
not resulting from conscious intention; unintentional	inadvertent The data breach was caused by an inadvertent misconfiguration of the server.
to begin or introduce a system, policy, or period formally	inaugurate The ceremony was held to inaugurate the new research centre on campus.
a natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way	inclination She showed no inclination to compromise on the matter.
having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned	indifferent The bureaucrat seemed entirely indifferent to the plight of the applicants.
done at random or without careful selection or judgement	indiscriminate The indiscriminate logging destroyed habitats for countless species.
certain to happen; unavoidable	inevitable Given the mounting evidence, the CEO's resignation was inevitable.
existing in something as a permanent or essential quality	inherent There are inherent risks in any surgical procedure, no matter how routine.
to hinder, restrain, or prevent an action or process	inhibit Fear of failure can inhibit creativity and risk-taking in the workplace.
featuring new methods or ideas; original and creative	innovative The startup's innovative approach to renewable energy attracted major investors.
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles	integrity The judge was widely respected for her unwavering integrity.
occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady	intermittent The region experienced intermittent power outages throughout the winter.
happening in a way contrary to what is expected, often amusingly so	ironic It was ironic that the fire station burned down due to faulty wiring.
not connected with or pertinent to the matter at hand	irrelevant The witness's testimony was deemed irrelevant to the case and was struck from the record.
to put at risk of being harmed or lost; to endanger	jeopardise Leaking classified information could jeopardise national security.
expressed clearly; easy to understand	lucid The professor's lucid explanation made the complex theory accessible to beginners.
showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise	meticulous The restoration of the painting required meticulous work over several years.
to make less severe, serious, or painful	mitigate Sandbags were placed along the river to mitigate the effects of flooding.
lacking interest or excitement; dull and ordinary	mundane She longed to escape the mundane routine of her nine-to-five office job.
failing to take proper care in doing something; careless	negligent The hospital was found negligent in its handling of patient records.
feeling a sentimental longing for the happiness of a former time	nostalgic The old photographs made him feel nostalgic for his childhood summers by the lake.
new or unusual in an interesting way; original	novel The researcher proposed a novel approach to treating the disease.
not influenced by personal feelings; based on facts	objective A good journalist strives to remain objective when reporting the news.
not clearly expressed or easily understood; hidden from view	obscure The poet's references were so obscure that few readers could follow them.
to block or fill a passage so that movement is difficult	obstruct Fallen trees continued to obstruct the main road for several days after the storm.
hopeful and confident about the future	optimistic Despite the challenges, the team remained optimistic about reaching their goal.
a seemingly contradictory statement that may reveal a truth	paradox It is a paradox that standing is more tiring than walking.
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person; biased	partisan The debate quickly devolved into partisan bickering with no productive outcome.
accepting what happens without active response or resistance	passive A passive approach to conflict often allows problems to escalate unchecked.
relating to the edge or margin; of secondary importance	peripheral The details he mentioned were peripheral to the main argument of the essay.
to make something continue indefinitely or without interruption	perpetuate Spreading unverified claims only serves to perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
relevant or applicable to a particular matter	pertinent The lawyer asked only pertinent questions during the cross-examination.
seeming reasonable or probable; believable	plausible The detective found the suspect's alibi plausible but decided to investigate further.
dealing with things sensibly and realistically; practical	pragmatic The manager took a pragmatic approach, focusing on solutions rather than blame.
an earlier event or action serving as an example or guide	precedent The court ruling set a legal precedent that would influence future cases.
present as the strongest or main element; most influential	predominant Agriculture remains the predominant industry in the region.
widespread in a particular area or at a particular time	prevalent Misinformation is increasingly prevalent on social media platforms.
very great or intense; having deep insight or meaning	profound The discovery had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe.
to formally forbid by law, rule, or authority	prohibit City regulations prohibit smoking in all enclosed public spaces.
to increase rapidly in number; to spread or multiply	proliferate Fast-food chains have continued to proliferate in suburban areas.
important or famous; widely known and esteemed	prominent Several prominent scientists signed the open letter urging climate action.
an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a certain way	propensity He had a propensity for arriving late to every meeting.
causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction deliberately	provocative The artist's provocative installation sparked intense debate among visitors.
acting with or showing care and thought for the future	prudent It would be prudent to save money now in case of unexpected expenses.
relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; extreme	radical The company underwent a radical transformation under its new leadership.
to restore friendly relations between opposing parties	reconcile The mediator helped reconcile the two neighbours after months of disputes.
not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous	redundant The new system made the old manual process completely redundant.
to prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false	refute The lawyer presented compelling evidence to refute the plaintiff's claims.
closely connected or appropriate to what is being discussed	relevant Only submit documents that are directly relevant to the application.
unwilling and hesitant; not eager to do something	reluctant He was reluctant to share his opinion in front of such a large audience.
to refuse to accept or be associated with; to deny the truth of	repudiate The senator moved quickly to repudiate the controversial remarks.
able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions	resilient The community proved remarkably resilient in the aftermath of the earthquake.
admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering	resolute The activist remained resolute in her campaign for equal pay.
the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing	rhetoric The politician's rhetoric was impressive but offered few concrete solutions.
extremely thorough and careful; strictly applied	rigorous The study underwent rigorous peer review before publication.
to fill something completely so that no more can be absorbed	saturate Advertisers have begun to saturate every available media channel with their messages.
to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly	scrutinise Voters should scrutinise every candidate's record before heading to the polls.
not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations	sceptical Scientists remain sceptical of any claim that lacks supporting evidence.
occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places	sporadic Sporadic gunfire could be heard throughout the night in the conflict zone.
to waste something, especially money or time, recklessly	squander The heir managed to squander the family fortune within just a few years.
strict, precise, and exacting in requirements or standards	stringent The new safety regulations imposed stringent requirements on manufacturers.
based on personal feelings or opinions rather than facts	subjective Taste in art is largely subjective and varies greatly from person to person.
lower in rank or position; treated as less important	subordinate Personal interests must be subordinate to the needs of the team.
to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of	substantiate The journalist was unable to substantiate the allegations with solid proof.

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