Introduction
GRE Vocabulary is a collection of most frequently recurring words in the GRE tests. GRE Vocabulary is a good resource for individuals working towards enhancing their vocabulary and desiring a satisfied GRE & TOEFL score. The GRE vocabulary lists with high-frequency words are always very resourceful in mastering English language and communication skills.
GRE (Graduate Record Exam) aspirants must command a high-level vocabulary to achieve a high GRE score. GRE Verbal section can be mastered only by reading voraciously.
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GRE Vocab
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abate (verb) |
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If something bad or undesirable abates it becomes much less strong or severe Word forms Example: ”Taking pain medicine can cause headaches to abate. | |
| Abscond (verb) |
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To depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution Example: ”Thereupon he absconded by night, and took sanctuary in the abbey of Beaulieu.” | |
| Abstain (verb) |
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To hold oneself back voluntarily, especially from something regarded as improper or unhealthy Example: ”Because of my health, I am going to abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages.” | |
| Abyss (noun) |
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The noun abyss refers to a deep void or chasm either literal or figurative. Making a momentous life decision with great uncertainty, like enrolling in clown college. Example: ”If you’re an alcoholic, the temptation to drink may seem like a huge abyss.” | |
| Adulterate (verb) |
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To make a substance less pure by adding something else to it Example: ”The restaurant was fined for trying to adulterate the beef with cheap meats.” | |
| Advocate (noun) |
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person supporting an idea or cause publicly Example: ”Since Jason is an advocate of living a healthy life, I find it quite surprising he smokes cigarettes.” | |
| Aesthetic (adjective) |
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Aesthetic is a branch of philosophy that explores the nature of art, beauty, and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty. Example: ”Maybe it was time they started paying more attention to the aesthetic value of things. | |
| Aggrandize (verb) |
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make great or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth; increase Example: ”Jack is a philanthropist who only supports causes that aggrandize him in the eyes of the world.” | |
| Alleviate (verb) |
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If you alleviate pain, suffering , or an unpleasant condition, you make it less intense Example: ”To alleviate hunger in our town, each employee of our company donated five cans of food.” | |
| Amalgamate (verb) |
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to unite in or as if in an amalgam; especially to merge into a single body Example: ”The two companies will amalgamate in a mutually beneficial merger next week.” | |
| Ambiguous (adjective) |
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having or expressing more than one possible meaning, sometimes intentionally Example: ”Because his driving directions are ambiguous, I use my reliable map.” | |
| Ambivalent (adj) |
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having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something or someone Example: ”I am ambivalent as to whether or not I want to take the medicine because of the drug’s known side effects.” | |
| Ameliorate (verb) |
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to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve: strategies to ameliorate negative effects on the environment Example: ”In an attempt to ameliorate the situation, Superman flew into action and saved the young woman from the villan.” | |
| Anachronism (noun) |
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error in time placement With the rate of economic growth in the western countries at its lowest rate in nearly a century, the power wielded by the United Nations can seem like an anachronism. Example: ”Since there were not laptop computers during the Civil War, the presence of a portable computer in the history film is a definite anachronism.” | |
| Analogous (adjective) |
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having the same function but different evolutionary origin: the paddle of a whale and the fin of a fish are analogous Compare Example: ”Because my teacher is analogous to my mother, I have accidentally called her, “mom.”” | |
| Anomaly (noun) |
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an anomalous person or thing; one that is abnormal or does not fit in: With his quiet nature Example: ”In order to find the anomaly, scientists had to repeat the experiment over a hundred times.” | |
| Antagonize (verb) |
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To cause (someone) to feel hostile or angry : to irritate or upset (someone) Example: ”The man made a huge mistake when he decided to antagonize the bees in his yard.” | |
| Antipathy (noun) |
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Antipathy is a voluntary or involuntary dislike for something or somebody Example: ”Her antipathy towards her teacher was obvious to everyone in the classroom.” | |
| Apathy (noun) |
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Apathy is a lack of feeling, emotion, interest, and concern Example: ”There was apathy on the part of some members to participate in the meetings. | |
| Arbitrate (verb) |
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to settle an argument between two people or groups after hearing the opinions and ideas of both Example: ”The marriage counselor will more than likely have to arbitrate he heated discussion between the couple.” | |
| Archaic (adjective) |
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old and no longer useful Example: ”Because my archaic computer is no longer useful to me, I am giving it away for free.” | |
| Ardor (noun) |
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a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause) Example: ”While Jane enjoyed spending time with John, she did not return the ardor he felt for her.” | |
| Articulate (adjective) |
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expressing oneself readily, clearly, and effectively; also : expressed in such a manner articulate in a sentence. Example: ”The illness hindered his ability to articulate well.” | |
| Assuage (verb) |
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To provide relief; causing to feel better Example: ”He was able to assuage the bad feelings.” | |
| Attenuate (verb) |
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to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value Example: ”Thus the brain falls off in bulk, and the muscles become attenuated, and in no muscle is this more notable than in the case of the heart.” | |
| Audacious (adjective) |
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Wearing a very low cut dress to a conservative event Example: ”It was only by an audacious surprise that Kollontaj and his associates contrived to carry through the new constitution.” |
| Arduous (adjective) |
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Something that is arduous is difficult and tiring , and involves a lot of effort Example: ”James and Mathew are planning to leave for the states next week for their masters, following months of arduous GRE preparation.” |
| Auspicious (adjective) |
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Something that is auspicious indicates that success is likely Example: ”The rising of the new moon was an auspicious occasion.” |
| Austere (noun/verb) |
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without any decoration strict and serious in manner Example: ”Even though she appeared austere, my teacher was a very kind woman.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banal (adjective) |
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Something that is common in a boring way, to the point of being cliche Example: ”Because the movie’s plot was banal, we knew exactly how the film would end.” |
| Belie (verb) |
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fail to give a true impression of (something), fail to fulfil or justify Example: ”Joe’s cheerful tone belies the grim nature of life in the Indian Countryside and her desperate desire to escape those suffocating circumstances.” | |
| Belligerent (adjective) |
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Some one always ready to fight Example: ”Russia’s public statement has been belligerent, menacing military action against the United States.” |
| Benign (adjective) |
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a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life; especially : not becoming cancerous Example: ”Even though the advertisements claim the energy drink is benign, customers may experience some unwanted side effects after consuming.” |
| Bolster (noun) |
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To make something stronger or bolder Example: ”Free tickets were given away to bolster attendance at the game.” |
| Bombastic (adjective) |
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marked by or given to speech or writing that is given exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means Example: ”Because he is a bit too bombastic for me, I will not be voting for that politician again!” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cacophony (noun) |
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The cacophony surrounding the multi-billion dollar buyout of leading messaging service by a social networking company shook the whole tech industry. Example: ”Because the band had not practiced enough, their arrangement came across as a cacophony instead of entertaining music.” | |
| Candid (adjective) |
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Because the politician made a candid speech, he earned the respect of the voters. Example: ”The owner was candid about the things that went wrong as well as the successes." | |
| Capricious (adjective) |
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The recent recession is yet another example of how making rules without forethought and acting without taking the arbitrary and capricious effects these changes in policies have on our economy Example: ”Because Mario was so capricious his friends felt they could not rely on him” | |
| Castigate (verb) |
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To criticize someone or something severely Example: ”My mother was a cruel woman who never missed an opportunity to castigate my father.” | |
| Catalyst (noun) |
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a person, thing, or event that quickly causes change or action Example: ”Fortunately for battery manufacturers, the ice storm was a catalyst for increased battery sales.” | |
| Caustic (adjective) |
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a substance that burns or destroys organic tissue by chemical action Example: ”Jerry’s caustic tongue often got him into trouble.” | |
| Chaos (noun) |
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a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order. Example: ”The chaos in the cafeteria began when one student threw his lunch at another student.” | |
| Chauvinist (noun) |
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a narrow-minded confidence in the supremacy of one’s own group or gender Example: ”She called him a chauvinist because of his insistence on calling all women 'girls'.” | |
| Chicanery (noun) |
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The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose Example: ”The judge has plenty of reason to suspect chicanery because the lawyer has a reputation of aggressively defending his clients and of getting verdicts of innocence on guilty Policemen” |
| Cogent (adjective) |
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very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe Example: ”Because the child was so young, I worked hard to give her cogent answers to her questions.” | |
| Condone (verb) |
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To accept or allow Example: ”While we condone free speech, we do not condone slander.” | |
| Convoluted (adjective) |
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to form into a twisted, coiled, or rolled shape , extremely complex and difficult to follow Example: ”My head began to hurt as I listened to the professor’s convoluted speech.” | |
| Conspicuous (adjective) |
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Taxes on the corporates encourage investment and growth, instead of conspicuous consumption. The rich will always be wealthy. It’s the middle class that needs help. |
| Copious (adjective) |
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Large in number or quantity Example: ”Mathew insisted that Sophie track all her household expenditures, including every penny spent for hair clips, in copious account books.” | |
| Corroborate (verb) |
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to strengthen or support with other evidence; make more certain Example: ”The police officials said, allegations of misconduct by the officer have been corroborated by video from closed circuit cameras.” |
| Credulous (adjective) |
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ready to believe, especially on slight or uncertain evidence Example: ”The con man was able to easily sell his wonder products to credulous buyers.” | |
| Crescendo (noun) |
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The topmost increase in size or intensity Example: ”As the song neared its end, the orchestra began building up to its crescendo.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decorum (noun) |
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conduct that is appropriate and illustrates a person is well-mannered Example: ”Although Kelly was upset she did not win the contest, she maintained decorum and congratulated the winner” |
| Deference (noun) |
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courteous regard for people's feelings Example: ”Firefighters deserve to be granted with the utmost deference for their loyal service.” | |
| Deride (verb) |
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To subject to bitter ridicule Example: ”The movie critic took every opportunity to deride the A-list actor for making the awful film.” | |
| Desiccate (noun/verb) |
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The professional soccer player became desiccated after being in a car accident that left him in a coma. | |
| Desultory (noun) |
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Not having a plan or purpose Example: ”Because he was not happy with his pay increase, James made only a desultory effort to complete his duties at work.” | |
| Diatribe (noun/verb) |
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Abusive speech or piece of writing Example: ”Upset about his demotion, Ed made an angry diatribe about his employer.” | |
| Diffident (adjective) |
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Lacking confidence in one’s ability or self Example: ”George was a diffident student who never stood up to his bullies.” | |
| Dilate (verb) |
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The doctor will repair the narrowed vessels by inserting a tube to dilate them. |
| Dilatory (adjective) |
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Because I was running late to the meeting, I asked my assistant to behave in a dilatory manner so I would have time to arrive. | |
| Didactic (adjective) |
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Designed or intended to teach Example: ”While the professor’s lectures were designed to be didactic, they only served to confuse the students.” | |
| Dilettante (noun) |
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A person whose interest in an art or in an area of knowledge is not very serious Example: ”When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, my daughter is a dilettante who will practice one day but not the next day.” | |
| Dirge (noun) |
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a sorrowful literary or musical composition that is used to honor a deceased person Example: ”When Kim sang a dirge for her deceased father, she brought everyone to tears” | |
| Disabuse (verb) |
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To make aware of the truth Example: ”Even though I know Jessica is telling her mother a lie, I will not disabuse my friend’s parent.” |
| Discern (verb) |
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To be able to see, recognize, understand, or decide something Example: ”A detective’s job is to discern who is guilty of a particular crime by evaluating the evidence.” |
| Disparate (adjective) |
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very different from each other Example: ”Chief Puritan and songwriter James Rhodes has led his band through six very disparate albums united by their subtle indifference for listener accessibility” | |
| Dispassionate (adjective) |
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Not being affected by or showing feelings Example: ”As a whole, judges are dispassionate individuals who base their decisions solely on fact.” |
| Dissemble (verb) |
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to disguise or conceal behind a false appearance Example: ”The con man did his best to dissemble his real motives from the wealthy widow.” |
| Dissonance (noun) |
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a Lack of agreement generally between what one believes and how one acts Example: ”There is a great deal of dissonance between the conflicting evidences produced by both the parties and hence the judge had to close the case on account of lack of sufficient evidence.” |
| Docile (adjective) |
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Although a trained lion appears docile during the circus acts, it is really a fierce animal when not controlled by a trainer. |
| Dogma (noun) |
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something held as an established opinion Example: ”The young rebels are attacking the government because they no longer view the traditional dogma as relevant today.” | |
| Dogmatic (adjective) |
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to strongly state unsupported opinions or beliefs as if they were absolute facts Example: ”The preacher was a dogmatic individual who was quick to argue with anyone who challenged his opinion” | |
| Dupe (verb) |
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To deliberately mislead someone or the person who is easily used or tricked Example: ”My brother is a schemer who is always trying to dupe people out of their money.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eclectic (adjective) |
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something that is made up of various sources or styles Example: ”The painter’s recent work is an eclectic collection of landscapes she has recently visited.” | |
| Efficacy (noun) |
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the power to produce a desired effect Example: ”Since the traffic reports have not been announced yet, the efficacy of the new drunk driving laws cannot be confirmed.” | |
| Elegy (noun) |
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a poem or song displaying grief or mourning Example: ”The celebrated poet has been chosen to write an elegy for the people who died in the terrorist attacks.” | |
| Eloquent (adjective) |
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having or showing the ability to use language clearly and effectively Example: ”Margie is an eloquent storyteller who can paint a picture with her words.” | |
| Emulate (verb) |
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To imitate and copy strive to equal or excel Example: ”The boy would emulate his father's morning routine, from reading the newspaper to sipping coffee.” |
| Enervate (verb) |
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To deprive of force or strength weaken Example: ” The blazing heat in mid-June caused dehydration and enervated the shipwrecked crew, leaving them almost too weak to hail the passing vessel.” |
| Engender (verb) |
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To cause a feeling or attitude to exist Example: ”The new technology has engendered great hope for the potential development of preventive methods for lethal genetic and severe chronic diseases such as glaucoma and cancer” |
| Enigma (noun) |
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someone or something that is mysterious and difficult to understand Example: ”Bruce Wayne was an enigmatic businessman; no one could ever guess what goes through the master tactician’s mind.” |
| Enumerate (verb) |
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To list or count off individually Example: ”The hundreds of people that contributed to my book are too many to enumerate, so I will thank them collectively.” |
| Ephemeral (adjective) |
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Lasting for a brief period of time Example: ”Sophie always knew the relationship with Haden would be ephemeral; she just didn’t expect they would breakup so soon.” |
| Equivocate (verb) |
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To use unclear language especially to deceive or mislead someone Example: ”When I asked Rachel if the suit looks good on me, she equivocated a response, avoiding the question by saying she needed it to be somewhere else.” |
| Erratic (adjective) |
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When the police officer saw the man driving in an erratic manner, he pulled him over to question him. |
| Erudite (adjective) |
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Having or showing profound knowledge Example: ”Miss. Jane, who grew up in near poverty, became an erudite, self-educated woman and loves sharing her knowledge with others” |
| Esoteric (adjective) |
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known about or understood by very few people Example: ”Only a couple of people I know share your esoteric thoughts on those religious principles.” | |
| Estimable (adjective) |
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Worthy of respect and praise Example: ”Our estimable professor is constantly being recognized for his cancer research.” | |
| Eulogy (noun) |
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a speech given to pay tribute to a deceased individual Example: ”Public officials and her friends joined in a chorus of eulogy and remembrances for many days afterward as Michelle signs on the human rights doctrine.” | |
| Euphemism (noun) |
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a word or expression used to talk about something unpleasant, blunt or offensive without mentioning the thing itself Example: ”While a euphemism may tone down your words, the meaning behind the phrase will remain the same.” | |
| Euphoric (adjective) |
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an excited state of joy, a good feeling, a state of intense happiness Example: ”When she received her acceptance letter to Harvard, she was in a state of euphoric for weeks” | |
| Exacerbate (verb) |
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To increase the severity or worsen Example: ”My headache started to exacerbate when my daughter played her loud music.” | |
| Exculpate (adjective) |
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To clear of or free from guilt Example: ”Marcia spoke up for her friend to exculpate her from blame in shoplifting a cashmere sweater when they were at the mall” |
| Exigent (adjective) |
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Cornered by her parents Jess realized it was exigent that she think up an excuse for coming home so late. |
| Exonerate (verb) |
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To prove that someone is not guilty Of a crime or responsible for a problem, bad situation, etc. Example: ”The job of the defense attorney is to exonerate his clients and keep them out of jail” | |
| Explicit (noun/verb) |
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specific about rules or what is required Example: ”The difficult woman left the maid explicit details about how she wanted her house cleaned.” |
| Extant (adjective) |
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The extant writings of the ancient philosopher are still quite popular with philosophy students. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fanatical (adjective) |
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having an extreme, irrational zeal or enthusiasm for a specific cause Example: ”Richard is fanatical about his beliefs, preaching to anyone that will listen.” |
| Fastidious (adjective) |
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concerned about accuracy and detail; hard to please Example: ”My mother was a fastidious woman who always had a complaint on her lips.” |
| Fawn (noun) |
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To seek favor or approval by giving extra attention or praise Example: ”During the concert, everyone in the audience seemed to fawn over the singer.” | |
| Fervid (adjective) |
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During political debates, the candidates hurl fervid accusations at each other while justifying their positions on national issues | |
| Florid (adjective) |
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To have a red or rosy complexion Example: ”The police officer was florid after being held up by a six-year old boy with a water pistol.” | |
| Foment (verb) |
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To stir up or incite Example: ”Despite popular beliefs, the police are here to keep people calm, not to foment violence.” | |
| Fortuitous (adjective) |
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Happening by accident or chance Example: ”Mark proved to be fortuitous by selecting all six winning lotto numbers.” | |
| Fractious (adjective) |
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Third world powers are hesitant about sending arms to aid the war, partially due to the fractious politics of the hostile political group abroad. | |
| Frivolous (adjective) |
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Ram was passionate and serious about collecting coins but his friends thought it was a frivolous activity. |
| Frugality (noun) |
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Careful in spending money Example: ”Be more frugal with your expenses, and you will not be in debt.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
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| Gainsay (verb) |
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Some of the officers were about to reject the project, but it had come from them, they could not well gainsay it. | |
| Garrulous (adjective) |
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overly talkative and chatty, mostly about unimportant things Example: ” Though not garrulous by nature, Ryan seems to be comfortable with the diverse audiences at the education conference and managed to have conversations with several of them.” | |
| Gregarious (adjective) |
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Fond of the company of others Example: ”Gregarious people are likely to hang out with friends every weekend while reserved people keep to themselves.” |
| Guile (noun) |
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The wealthy man used his money and guile to get into politics. | |
| Gullible (adjective) |
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Easily fooled or cheated Example: ”The gullible woman gave all her money to a fake charity.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
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| Hackneyed (adjective) |
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Repeated too often Example: ”Girls dreaming their way to a wonderland to marry a prince and live happily ever after was already a hackneyed notion by the time Alice in the Wonderland was written” |
| Homogeneous (adjective) |
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A Person or thing of the same kind or nature Example: ”As races have mixed, the world’s population has become more and more homogenous.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
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| Iconoclast (noun) |
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Someone who attacks the beliefs, customs, and opinions that most people in a society accept Example: ”The church leader was deemed an iconoclast when he spoke out against his religion’s views” | |
| Idiosyncrasy (noun) |
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An odd habit or peculiar behavior; behavior or way of thought specific to an individual Example: ”Modern technologies are a lot more expensive than their existing alternatives and each has its own idiosyncrasies that be conquered” | |
| Imminent (adjective) |
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Likely to occur at any moment Example: ”Some people thought it was outrageous when the media predicted the imminent death of the drug-addicted actress.” | |
| Imperturbable (adjective) |
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Not disturbed or excited easily Example: ”The imperturbable actress carried on with her performance even when her costar forgot his lines.” | |
| Impervious (adjective) |
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Not allowing something to enter or pass through Example: ”Since the bank installed an impervious safe, it has not been robbed.” |
| Impetuous (adjective) |
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Michael is methodical, barely the impetuous kind, and he has had ample time to come to a consolidated opinion of the university he wishes to apply for. | |
| Implacable (adjective) |
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The little boy was implacable when his parents left him alone with the babysitter. Example: ”Even after being offered a free gift card, the angry customer remained implacable.” | |
| Inculpate (verb) |
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To incriminate or accuse someone of doing something Example: ”The defense attorney has criticized the investigation, insisting that any findings have failed to inculpate his client” | |
| Inchoate (adjective) |
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Beginning to develop or form Example: ”Because our company just recently opened its doors, we are inchoate and are not offering all of our services yet.” |
| Ingenuous (adjective) |
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No matter how ingenious a thesis or an analysis may be, it will be quickly invalidated if appropriate field experts haven’t been engaged in the process for feedback. | |
| Inimical (adjective) |
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Although I attempt to avoid the school bully, he always goes out of his way to be inimical to me. | |
| Innocuous (adjective) |
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Because the virus was innocuous, the hospital staff had no need to worry about the leak. |
| Insipid (adjective) |
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Too much sugar tends to make this otherwise delightful fruit pie insipid | |
| Intransigent (adjective) |
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Even though the divorce proceedings should be over, they are still dragging on because of the intransigent parties involved. |
| Inundate (verb) |
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Overwhelm with things or people Example: ”My boss is the type of person who likes to inundate others with projects.” | |
| Irascible (adjective) |
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It does not take much to aggravate my irascible neighbor who is annoyed by any little noise. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
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| Laconic (adjective) |
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Brief and concise, using few words Example: ”Jessica is so talkative that her sister thought the situation warranted conciseness, and her being laconic.” |
| Lament (noun) |
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To express sorrow or regret; to mourn aloud Example: ”Football fans Lament with the passing of an iconic sports legend.” | |
| Laud (verb) |
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The company decided to laud Jack’s outstanding contributions to the firm. |
| Lavish (adjective) |
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Because I have lavish tastes, I work hard to earn a salary that allows me to buy fine things. |
| Lethargic (adjective) |
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A dose of chocolate is my favorite remedy when I’m feeling lethargic |
| Lionize (verb) |
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The retired lieutenant is being lionized as a paragon of integrity for standing up against corruption | |
| Loquacious (adjective) |
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A person that talks a lot Example: ”While Jared was shy and reserved, his twin brother Michael was outgoing and loquacious” | |
| Lucid (adjective) |
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Easy to understand or thinking clearly Example: ”Because the medicine made Lisa drowsy, she was not very lucid.” | |
| Luminous (adjective) |
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Producing or seeming to produce light Example: ”In the hands of the hero, the magic sword glowed in a luminous manner.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
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| Magnanimous (adjective |
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Because she was kind and generous, the magnanimous queen was loved by all. |
| Malign (adjective) |
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To say unpleasant things about someone or something, usually unfairly Example: ”Because Jack was angry about losing his job, he tried to malign his former employer to anyone who would listen.” |
| Malinger (verb) |
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To pretend to be sick or injured in order to avoid doing work Example: ”The lazy student tried to malinger when it was time to work on his essay.” | |
| Malleable (adjective) |
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Capable of being easily changed or influenced Example: ”When my uncle drinks a great deal, he is always quite malleable to suggestions.” | |
| Mercurial (noun/verb) |
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Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes Example: ”While my uncle is as predictable as the sunrise, my aunt is very mercurial.” |
| Metaphor (noun/verb) |
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The whole speech was connected to a single metaphor, so the audience was slightly confused. |
| Meticulous (adjective) |
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When it came to getting ready for a role, the actor was quite meticulous in his preparation. | |
| Misanthrope (noun/verb) |
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My aunt is a misanthrope who will not even talk to the members of her own family. | |
| Mitigate (verb) |
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make less severe or painful Example: ”When I was a kid, my mother’s voice used to always mitigate my stomach ache.” | |
| Mollify (noun/verb) |
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To soothe in temper or disposition Example: ”When the baby started to cry, his mother tried to mollify him with a bottle of milk.” | |
| Monotony (noun) |
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Repetition or lack of change that makes something boring Example: ”After several hours of playing the same game, monotony set in and I looked for something else to do.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naive (adjective) |
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Having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge Example: ”Because Jane grew up in a convent, she is very naive about life in the big city.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obdurate (adjective) |
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Unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings Example: ”Because Janice was obdurate, she did not shed a single tear while hearing the tragic story.” |
| Obscure (adjective) |
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Apple maps give such obscure directions that even after roaming around for hours, Derek couldn’t reach the new church that opened in the town. |
| Obsequious (adjective) |
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When he receives obsequious service, Lawrence always leaves a huge tip. |
| Obstinate (adjective) |
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Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or action; very difficult to change or persuade; refusing to obey Example: ”Everyone described my grandfather as the most obstinate man alive!” |
| Obviate (verb) |
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Nowadays, parents are able to obviate the stresses of a long road trip with children by entertaining them with all sorts of technological gadgets. |
| Occlude (noun/verb) |
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The police officers have blocked off the road to occlude the bomb from the public. | |
| Onerous (adjective) |
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Involving great effort and difficulty Example: ”The flight attendant was not prepared to deal with the onerous passenger.” |
| Opaque (adjective) |
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Not able to be seen through Example: ”Because my privacy is important to me, I have opaque blinds on all my windows.” |
| Opprobrium (noun) |
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The disgrace incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful Example: ”When the mayor stole money from the police retirement fund, it was a major opprobrium which reflected poorly upon the government as a whole.” | |
| Orthodox (adjective) |
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Alice describes her childhood in a conservative Orthodox community in Iraq, keeping to traditional religious beliefs. | |
| Ostentation (noun) |
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Intended to attract notice and impress others in an extreme and unnecessary way Example: ”The movie celebrity is not having a good day because he got another ticket for speeding only two over and driving o stentatiously in his new, cherry-red sports car” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradox (noun/verb) |
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A Person, thing, or situation that is strange because they have features or qualities that do not normally exist together Example: ”The idea of being cruel to be kind is a paradox because cruelty is not normally associated with kindness.” | |
| Paragon (noun/verb) |
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The editors of the magazine described the supermodel as a paragon of beauty. | |
| Pedant (noun) |
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Whenever we had a problem or question to solve, our pedant next door would interject his s olution every time. | |
| Perfidious (adjective) |
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Michelle sought revenge on her perfidious friend who stole her lottery ticket. | |
| Perfunctory (adjective) |
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The beauty queen waved so often that her greeting was simply perfunctory. |
| Permeate (verb) |
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When the skunk’s spray began to permeate the car, my sister and I jumped out the vehicle and ran down the road. | |
| Philanthropy (noun) |
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The act of donating time and money to help others Example: ”When the billionaire engages in philanthropy, he changes the lives of people who have no hope.” |
| Pithy (adjective) |
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Using few words in a clever and effective way Example: ”To save time, the professor tried to give pithy answers to all questions.” |
| Placate (verb) |
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The police officer tried to placate the two scared drivers at the scene of the accident. | |
| Plastic (adjective) |
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A synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers Example: ”Every time I fly into New Zealand I get a lump in my throat, but I'm always convinced it's the plastic airline food.” |
| Plausible (adjective) |
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When Jason forgot to do his homework, he tried to come up with a plausible excuse his teacher would believe. | |
| Plethora (noun) |
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He eagerly accepted the job because it came with a plethora of opportunities. | |
| Pragmatic (adjective) |
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After five years of war, both sides have found pragmatic ways to make peace with one another, as the bloodshed has grown viscous and brutal. | |
| Precipitate (verb) |
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To bring about especially abruptly Example: ”Even though Mark is experiencing pain in his ankle, he cannot think of anything he did to precipitate the injury.” | |
| Prevaricate (verb) |
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Speak or act in an evasive way Example: ”In order to get his bill passed, the politician went out of his way to prevaricate about the release of the environmental study.” | |
| Pristine (adjective) |
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The pristine snow covered the city and made the area look like a dazzling movie scene. |
| Prodigal (adjective) |
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Carelessly and foolishly spending money, time Example: ”We should be concerned about our future because of our prodigal youth” |
| Proliferate (verb) |
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With the popularity of the Zumba craze, health clubs that feature this exerciseclass have begun to proliferate in most cities. | |
| Prolific (adjective) |
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Producing abundant results or works Example: ”The company hopes to woo investors with news of its prolific stock returns” |
| Profligate (adjective) |
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The senate is particularly perturbed over our profligate use of natural resources such as forest, oil, water, energy, land and minerals. |
| Profound (adjective) |
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When I heard the minister’s profound sermon, I decided it was time to quit drinking. | |
| Propitiate (noun/verb) |
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To make things right by doing something that is requested Example: ”Only an idiot believes he can propitiate his way into heaven by giving the church all of his money.” |
| Propriety (noun) |
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Following what is socially acceptable in speech and conduct correctness of behaviour Example: ”After Harold wore a clown suit to his cousin’s funeral, we had to question his sense of propriety.” |
| Prosaic (adjective) |
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The project was full of prosaic ideas, such as using sand and stone to raise natural walls around monuments built in honor of the late president | |
| Prudence (noun) |
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This office he filled with great prudence and probity, removing many abuses in the administration of justice in Egypt. |
| Providential (adjective) |
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Sam’s dangerous and providential escape, made her tremble; and so pale did he still look, that she could scarcely believe he was uninjured. |
| Pungent (adjective) |
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Having an intense flavor or odor Example: ”When the pungent smell of rotten eggs filled the house, I held my nose.” |
| Pusillanimous (adjective) |
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During the fight at the basketball game, the pusillanimous man tried to run from his opponent. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quiescent (adjective) |
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Now that school has started back, my neighborhood is pretty quiescent during the day. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recalcitrant (adjective) |
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Despite being offered treats by his parents, the little boy was still recalcitrant about doing his homework. |
| Redundant (adjective) |
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At first, taking a standardized test may seem redundant to existing skill metrics such as GPA, certifications, but the GRE is necessary for the college admissions to sort applicants. | |
| Rarefy (verb) |
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To convert into something less thick Example: ”Because of an increase in residential developments, the forests are continuing to rarefy.” | |
| Repudiate (verb) |
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During his next speech, the president will repudiate blame for the economic situation. | |
| Reticent (adjective) |
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While Barbara likes to discuss her personal life with our co-workers, I am much more reticent. |
| Rhetoric (noun) |
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Persuasive or impressive language which is often insincere Example: ”If someone does not stop the political rhetoric in that country, a civil war is likely to break out soon” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanguine (adjective) |
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Optimistic, hopeful, or confident about the future Example: ”Although the economy is looking better, we should still not be too sanguine about the future.” |
| Satiate (verb) |
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To satisfy fully Example: ”Hopefully this feast I am preparing will satiate your hunger.” | |
| Scrupulous (adjective) |
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Very careful about doing something correctly Example: ”Will is a scrupulous employee who always checks his work for accuracy.” | |
| Soporific (adjective) |
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The professor’s boring speech was soporific and had everyone in the audience yawning. | |
| Specious (adjective) |
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Seems correct or true, but actually wrong or false Example: ”The intruder tried to give the authorities a specious excuse regarding his presence in the building.” |
| Sporadic (adjective) |
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Occurring occasionally Example: ”The doctor decided to hospitalize my mother because of her sporadic heartbeat.” |
| Stigma (noun) |
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The snobbish woman looks upon the members of the lower classes as though they have some sort of social stigma. | |
| Stolid (adjective) |
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Can't be moved to smile or show much sign of life Example: ”He was a stolid man who did not even show his emotions at his mother’s funeral.” |
| Sublime (noun/verb) |
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Something of such excellence, impressive or awe-inspiring Example: ”After the sublime meal, we asked to see the chef so that we could give him our compliments.” | |
| Succinct (adjective) |
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expressed in a clear but brief manner Example: ”Everyone was happy when the politician made a succinct speech that did not take all evening.” | |
| Superfluous (adjective) |
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Because I have already answered your question several times, answering it again would be superfluous. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacit (adjective) |
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Implied but not directly stated Example: ”Although the world leaders have not signed the treaty yet, they have made a tacit pact on nuclear disarmament.” | |
| Taciturn (adjective) |
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Reserved or uncommunicative in speech Example: ”By nature, Sheila is a taciturn woman who keeps her thoughts to herself.” |
| Tirade (noun) |
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A long and angry speech Example: ”Because Carrie is normally a laidback person, she shocked everyone with her tirade.” |
| Torpor (noun) |
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The state of being motionless or inactive Example: ”Hopefully the stock market will rise from its torpor and reach a year-end high.” | |
| Transitory (adjective) |
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Example: ”Raheem is a playboy who has never had more than a transitory affection for any of his girlfriends.” |
| Trite (noun/verb) |
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Unoriginal and lacking in importance Example: ”At parties, I tend to avoid trite conversations because they are dull and do not reveal any new information.” | |
| Trivial (adjective) |
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Although the role seems trivial at first, a good actor can use it to create a huge impact. |
| Tumultuous (adjective) |
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The soldiers returned home to a tumultuous welcome from their friends and family. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacillate (verb) |
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To waver between different opinions or actions Example: ”Sally is beginning to vacillate about whether or not she wants to get married on Christmas Day.” |
| Venerate (verb) |
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To respect or worship someone or something Example: ”The Bible says we should venerate our parents and our elders.” | |
| Veracity (noun) |
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The quality of being truthful Example: ”The police doubted the veracity of the suspect’s alibi.” | |
| Verbose (adjective) |
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Described as using an excessive amount of words Example: ”My niece is a verbose teenager who talks nonstop about clothes and makeup.” | |
| Vex (verb) |
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I get irritated when people go out of their way to vex me with their small problems. | |
| Volatile (adjective) |
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Sending the police inside will only make the hostage situation more volatile. |
| Vociferous (adjective) |
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The protestors were vociferous as they screamed outside of the government building. |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waver (verb) |
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To be uncertain Example: ”Because Mary knew her father would not waver on his decision, she did not bother to ask him again.” | |
| Whimsical (adjective) |
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In an amusing manner Example: ”The whimsical music made me feel like a little kid again.” |
| Word | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms | Usage of Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeal (noun) |
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A lot of energy, effort, and enthusiasm Example: ”Because of Barack’s zeal for politics, he knew he would be president one day.” |