200 GRE Vocabulary Words with Meanings and Examples

abateverb

To become less intense or widespread.

“By evening the storm had abated, and the ferries ran again.”

aberrantadjective

Departing from what is normal or expected.

“The lab flagged the aberrant reading and repeated the test.”

abstainverb

To choose not to do something.

“Three council members abstained from the vote.”

acumennoun

Sharp skill in judging and deciding, especially in business.

“Her financial acumen turned the tiny bakery into a chain.”

admonishverb

To warn or scold firmly but gently.

“The librarian admonished the boys for shouting in the reading room.”

aestheticadjective

Relating to beauty or artistic taste.

“The building’s aesthetic appeal mattered as much as its cost.”

alacritynoun

Cheerful readiness or eagerness.

“He accepted the invitation with alacrity.”

ameliorateverb

To make a bad situation better.

“New wells helped ameliorate the village’s water shortage.”

anachronismnoun

Something placed in the wrong historical period.

“A wristwatch on a Roman soldier is an obvious anachronism.”

anomalynoun

Something that deviates from the usual pattern.

“A warm week in January was an anomaly in the records.”

antipathynoun

A strong, settled dislike.

“His antipathy toward long meetings was well known.”

apathynoun

Lack of interest or concern.

“Voter apathy kept turnout below thirty percent.”

appeaseverb

To calm someone by giving them what they want.

“The manager appeased the customer with a refund.”

arcaneadjective

Known or understood by very few people.

“The contract was full of arcane legal phrases.”

arduousadjective

Needing great effort; difficult and tiring.

“The arduous climb took nine hours.”

articulateadjective

Able to express ideas clearly.

“The articulate student explained the proof in two minutes.”

asceticadjective

Avoiding comfort and pleasure, often for spiritual reasons.

“The monk lived an ascetic life with few possessions.”

assuageverb

To ease or soothe a feeling or need.

“A cool drink assuaged her thirst.”

audaciousadjective

Boldly daring, sometimes recklessly.

“It was an audacious plan to sail around the world alone.”

austereadjective

Severe and plain, without decoration or comfort.

“The austere office held only a desk and a chair.”

banaladjective

So ordinary that it is dull.

“The speech was full of banal phrases about “the future.””

believerb

To give a false impression of; to contradict.

“Her calm voice belied her nervousness.”

bolsterverb

To support or strengthen.

“New evidence bolstered the detective’s theory.”

bombasticadjective

Pompous and inflated in language.

“The bombastic ad promised a “revolution in toothpaste.””

burgeonverb

To grow or develop quickly.

“Interest in electric bikes has burgeoned in the city.”

cacophonynoun

A harsh mixture of loud sounds.

“The cacophony of car horns filled the street.”

candornoun

The quality of being open and honest.

“We appreciated the coach’s candor about our mistakes.”

capriciousadjective

Changing mood or behavior suddenly and unpredictably.

“Spring weather here is capricious.”

castigateverb

To criticize or punish severely.

“The editorial castigated the company for the spill.”

catalystnoun

Something that causes or speeds up change.

“The new park became a catalyst for the neighborhood’s revival.”

causticadjective

Bitterly sarcastic; also able to burn by chemical action.

“His caustic remarks silenced the room.”

censurenoun

Strong, formal disapproval.

“The senator faced censure from her own party.”

chicanerynoun

Clever trickery used to deceive.

“The audit uncovered years of financial chicanery.”

coalesceverb

To come together to form one whole.

“Scattered protests coalesced into a national movement.”

cogentadjective

Clear, logical and convincing.

“She made a cogent case for a later start time.”

commensurateadjective

Corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.

“Pay should be commensurate with experience.”

complacentadjective

Uncritically satisfied with oneself, ignoring dangers.

“After three wins, the team grew complacent.”

conciliatoryadjective

Meant to make peace or reduce anger.

“He sent a conciliatory email after the argument.”

conundrumnoun

A confusing and difficult problem.

“Where to seat everyone at the wedding was a real conundrum.”

convolutedadjective

Extremely complex and hard to follow.

“The convoluted instructions confused everyone.”

corroborateverb

To confirm or support with evidence.

“Two witnesses corroborated her account.”

credulousadjective

Too ready to believe things.

“Credulous readers shared the fake story widely.”

culpableadjective

Deserving blame.

“The report found no one culpable for the delay.”

cursoryadjective

Hasty and not thorough.

“A cursory glance missed the error on page two.”

dearthnoun

A scarcity or lack.

“There is a dearth of affordable housing downtown.”

deferencenoun

Polite respect for another’s opinion or authority.

“In deference to the host, we removed our shoes.”

delineateverb

To describe or mark out precisely.

“The map delineates the park’s boundaries.”

denigrateverb

To criticize unfairly; to belittle.

“It is unkind to denigrate a classmate’s work.”

derideverb

To mock or express contempt for.

“Critics derided the film, but audiences loved it.”

desultoryadjective

Lacking a plan or purpose; random.

“They made desultory conversation while waiting.”

diatribenoun

A bitter, angry verbal attack.

“The post turned into a diatribe against the referee.”

didacticadjective

Intended to teach, often in a preachy way.

“The novel was too didactic to enjoy.”

diffidentadjective

Shy and lacking self-confidence.

“The diffident intern rarely spoke in meetings.”

digressverb

To wander from the main topic.

“The professor often digressed into stories about her travels.”

dilatoryadjective

Slow to act; causing delay.

“The dilatory contractor finished months late.”

discernverb

To perceive or recognize, often with difficulty.

“In the fog we could barely discern the shore.”

disparateadjective

Fundamentally different; not comparable.

“The anthology gathers disparate voices from six continents.”

dissembleverb

To hide one’s true feelings or motives.

“He dissembled, pretending he had never seen the letter.”

dogmaticadjective

Insisting one’s opinions are certainly true.

“A dogmatic leader rarely listens to advice.”

dupeverb

To deceive or trick.

“Scammers duped hundreds of buyers with fake tickets.”

ebullientadjective

Cheerful and full of energy.

“The ebullient host greeted every guest by name.”

eclecticadjective

Drawn from many different sources or styles.

“Her eclectic playlist mixed jazz, opera and K-pop.”

efficacynoun

The ability to produce the intended result.

“Trials tested the vaccine’s efficacy.”

effronterynoun

Shameless boldness; nerve.

“He had the effrontery to ask for a raise after missing the deadline.”

elicitverb

To draw out a response or reaction.

“The question elicited a long silence.”

eloquentadjective

Fluent and persuasive in speaking or writing.

“She gave an eloquent tribute to her teacher.”

embellishverb

To add details, sometimes untrue, to make something more interesting.

“Grandpa embellished the fishing story every year.”

empiricaladjective

Based on observation or experiment.

“The claim needs empirical support.”

emulateverb

To imitate someone admired.

“Young players emulate their heroes’ moves.”

enervateverb

To drain of energy or strength.

“The humid heat enervated the hikers.”

ephemeraladjective

Lasting a very short time.

“Fame on social media is often ephemeral.”

equivocaladjective

Ambiguous, often deliberately.

“The spokesperson gave an equivocal answer.”

eruditeadjective

Having or showing great learning.

“The erudite lecture cited sources in four languages.”

esotericadjective

Understood only by a small, specialized group.

“The forum discusses esoteric details of clock repair.”

eulogynoun

A speech praising someone, especially at a funeral.

“Her brother delivered a moving eulogy.”

exacerbateverb

To make a problem worse.

“Skipping sleep exacerbated his headaches.”

exculpateverb

To show or declare someone not guilty.

“DNA evidence exculpated the suspect.”

exigentadjective

Pressing; demanding immediate action.

“Exigent circumstances allowed officers to enter.”

exonerateverb

To clear someone of blame.

“The inquiry exonerated the pilot.”

expedientadjective

Convenient and practical, though possibly not right.

“Cutting the budget was expedient but short-sighted.”

extantadjective

Still in existence.

“Only two copies of the map are extant.”

facetiousadjective

Treating serious matters with inappropriate humor.

“His facetious comment annoyed the panel.”

fastidiousadjective

Very attentive to detail and cleanliness.

“The fastidious chef wiped every plate rim.”

ferventadjective

Having or showing intense feeling.

“She is a fervent supporter of public libraries.”

floutverb

To openly disregard a rule.

“Drivers flouted the new speed limit.”

fomentverb

To stir up trouble or conflict.

“Rumors fomented distrust between the teams.”

frugaladjective

Careful with money; economical.

“A frugal student, he cooked every meal at home.”

futileadjective

Incapable of producing any useful result.

“Shouting at the printer was futile.”

garrulousadjective

Excessively talkative.

“The garrulous passenger talked the whole flight.”

gregariousadjective

Fond of company; sociable.

“Gregarious by nature, she joined five clubs.”

guilenoun

Sly or cunning intelligence.

“The fox in the fable wins by guile, not strength.”

hackneyedadjective

Overused and therefore unoriginal.

““It was a dark and stormy night” is a hackneyed opening.”

haranguenoun

A long, forceful, critical speech.

“The coach’s halftime harangue lasted ten minutes.”

hegemonynoun

Dominance of one group or state over others.

“The empire’s hegemony lasted two centuries.”

iconoclastnoun

A person who attacks cherished beliefs.

“The iconoclast questioned every tradition of the art world.”

idiosyncrasynoun

A distinctive habit or quirk.

“Wearing mismatched socks is her idiosyncrasy.”

impetuousadjective

Acting quickly without thinking.

“An impetuous purchase left him with three guitars.”

implacableadjective

Unable to be calmed or satisfied.

“The implacable critic found fault with everything.”

inchoateadjective

Just begun and not fully formed.

“The plan was still inchoate.”

incongruousadjective

Out of place; not in harmony.

“A tuxedo looked incongruous at the beach party.”

indolentadjective

Wanting to avoid activity or effort; lazy.

“The indolent cat slept through the morning.”

ineffableadjective

Too great to be expressed in words.

“They felt an ineffable joy at the summit.”

inexorableadjective

Impossible to stop or prevent.

“The inexorable rise of the tide covered the rocks.”

ingenuousadjective

Innocent and unsuspecting.

“Her ingenuous question made the room smile.”

innocuousadjective

Harmless; not offensive.

“The joke seemed innocuous but hurt his feelings.”

insipidadjective

Lacking flavor, interest or energy.

“The soup was insipid without salt.”

intransigentadjective

Unwilling to change one’s views.

“Both sides remained intransigent, so talks failed.”

inundateverb

To overwhelm with a great amount.

“Fans inundated the author with letters.”

irascibleadjective

Easily made angry.

“The irascible neighbor shouted at the dog.”

laconicadjective

Using very few words.

“His laconic reply was simply “No.””

laudverb

To praise highly.

“Critics lauded the young pianist.”

lethargicadjective

Sluggish and lacking energy.

“The flu left her lethargic for a week.”

loquaciousadjective

Very talkative.

“The loquacious tour guide never ran out of stories.”

lucidadjective

Clearly expressed and easy to understand.

“The textbook gives a lucid explanation of photosynthesis.”

magnanimousadjective

Generous and forgiving, especially to a rival.

“The champion was magnanimous in victory.”

malleableadjective

Easily shaped or influenced.

“Gold is a malleable metal.”

mavericknoun

An independent thinker who goes their own way.

“The maverick engineer ignored the old design rules.”

mendaciousadjective

Not telling the truth; lying.

“The mendacious ad claimed the cream erased wrinkles overnight.”

meticulousadjective

Showing great attention to detail.

“Her meticulous notes made studying easy.”

misanthropenoun

A person who dislikes humankind.

“The story’s misanthrope learns to love his neighbors.”

mitigateverb

To make less severe.

“Sea walls mitigate flood damage.”

mollifyverb

To calm someone’s anger.

“A sincere apology mollified the customer.”

moroseadjective

Sullen and gloomy.

“He was morose after the loss.”

mundaneadjective

Ordinary and dull.

“Even mundane chores are fun with music.”

nascentadjective

Just beginning to develop.

“The nascent company had only four employees.”

obdurateadjective

Stubbornly refusing to change.

“The obdurate official denied every appeal.”

obsequiousadjective

Too eager to please or obey.

“The obsequious waiter refilled our water every minute.”

obstinateadjective

Stubbornly holding to an opinion or course.

“The obstinate mule would not cross the bridge.”

obviateverb

To remove a need or difficulty.

“Online forms obviate the need to visit the office.”

officiousadjective

Annoyingly eager to give unwanted help or orders.

“An officious guard insisted on checking our bags twice.”

onerousadjective

Involving heavy effort or burden.

“The new rules placed onerous demands on small shops.”

opaqueadjective

Not able to be seen through; hard to understand.

“The tax code is notoriously opaque.”

opprobriumnoun

Harsh public criticism or disgrace.

“The company faced widespread opprobrium after the leak.”

ostentatiousadjective

Showy, designed to impress.

“The ostentatious car was painted gold.”

paragonnoun

A perfect example of a quality.

“She is a paragon of patience.”

parsimoniousadjective

Extremely unwilling to spend money.

“The parsimonious landlord refused to fix the heater.”

pedanticadjective

Overly concerned with minor rules or details.

“His pedantic corrections slowed the meeting.”

penchantnoun

A strong liking or tendency.

“She has a penchant for mystery novels.”

perfunctoryadjective

Done with minimal effort, as a routine.

“He gave a perfunctory wave and kept walking.”

perniciousadjective

Harmful in a gradual or subtle way.

“Misinformation has a pernicious effect on trust.”

perspicaciousadjective

Quick to notice and understand.

“A perspicacious reader spots the clue early.”

placateverb

To make someone less angry.

“The airline placated passengers with meal vouchers.”

plethoranoun

An excessive amount.

“The menu offered a plethora of choices.”

polemicnoun

A strong written or spoken attack on an idea.

“The pamphlet was a polemic against the new tax.”

pragmaticadjective

Dealing with things practically and realistically.

“A pragmatic solution beat the perfect one.”

precipitateadjective

Done suddenly and without careful thought.

“Selling the house was a precipitate decision.”

prevaricateverb

To avoid telling the truth by speaking evasively.

“When asked about the vase, he prevaricated.”

pristineadjective

In original condition; perfectly clean.

“The vintage comic was in pristine condition.”

prodigaladjective

Spending money or resources wastefully.

“The prodigal heir spent his fortune in a year.”

proliferateverb

To increase rapidly in number.

“Food trucks have proliferated downtown.”

propensitynoun

A natural tendency to behave a certain way.

“Toddlers have a propensity to climb.”

prosaicadjective

Dull and lacking imagination.

“The prosaic report put everyone to sleep.”

prudentadjective

Acting with care and thought for the future.

“It is prudent to back up your files.”

quiescentadjective

Inactive or quiet, often temporarily.

“The volcano has been quiescent for a century.”

quixoticadjective

Idealistic in an unrealistic way.

“His quixotic plan was to end traffic with kindness.”

rancornoun

Bitter, long-lasting resentment.

“The rancor between the families lasted decades.”

recalcitrantadjective

Stubbornly uncooperative.

“The recalcitrant toddler refused to put on shoes.”

reconditeadjective

Little known; obscure.

“The scholar studied recondite medieval texts.”

refuteverb

To prove a statement wrong.

“The data refuted the old theory.”

relegateverb

To move to a lower or less important position.

“The team was relegated to the second division.”

reprobatenoun

An unprincipled person.

“In the play, the reprobate finally repents.”

repudiateverb

To reject or refuse to accept.

“The scientist repudiated her earlier findings.”

rescindverb

To cancel officially.

“The school rescinded the new dress code.”

reticentadjective

Not revealing one’s thoughts readily.

“He was reticent about his past.”

reverentadjective

Feeling or showing deep respect.

“Visitors stood in reverent silence at the memorial.”

sagaciousadjective

Wise and shrewd.

“The sagacious elder settled the dispute.”

salientadjective

Most noticeable or important.

“The salient point is that costs have doubled.”

sanctionnoun or verb

Official permission; or a penalty.

“The league sanctioned the match; it also sanctioned the team for misconduct.”

satiateverb

To satisfy fully.

“The feast satiated even the hungriest guests.”

scrupulousadjective

Careful and thorough; morally strict.

“She is scrupulous about citing sources.”

soporificadjective

Tending to cause sleep.

“The soporific lecture emptied the back rows.”

sparseadjective

Thinly scattered.

“Trees are sparse on the windy ridge.”

spuriousadjective

False or fake, though seeming genuine.

“The study found a spurious link between shoe size and reading.”

stoicadjective

Enduring pain or hardship without complaint.

“She remained stoic through the long recovery.”

stridentadjective

Loud and harsh; forceful in expression.

“Strident voices dominated the debate.”

substantiateverb

To provide evidence to support a claim.

“Can you substantiate that statistic?”

superciliousadjective

Behaving as if superior to others.

“The supercilious clerk ignored our questions.”

superfluousadjective

Unnecessary; more than needed.

“Cut the superfluous words from your essay.”

sycophantnoun

A person who flatters to gain advantage.

“The king was surrounded by sycophants.”

tacitadjective

Understood without being stated.

“There was a tacit agreement not to discuss politics.”

tantamountadjective

Equivalent in seriousness to.

“Ignoring the warning was tantamount to approving the risk.”

tenaciousadjective

Holding firmly; persistent.

“The tenacious reporter followed the story for years.”

tenuousadjective

Very weak or slight.

“The link between the two events is tenuous.”

timorousadjective

Showing nervousness or lack of confidence.

“A timorous knock came at the door.”

torpornoun

A state of physical or mental inactivity.

“Hibernating bears enter a deep torpor.”

tractableadjective

Easy to control or influence.

“The problem became tractable once we split it into parts.”

transientadjective

Lasting only a short time.

“The pain was transient and faded by morning.”

truculentadjective

Eager to argue or fight.

“The truculent fan was escorted out.”

ubiquitousadjective

Present everywhere.

“Smartphones are ubiquitous on the train.”

undermineverb

To weaken gradually.

“Constant interruptions undermined her confidence.”

unequivocaladjective

Leaving no doubt; unambiguous.

“The answer was an unequivocal yes.”

vacillateverb

To waver between options.

“He vacillated between law and medicine.”

venerateverb

To regard with great respect.

“The village venerates its oldest tree.”

veracitynoun

Truthfulness; accuracy.

“Reporters checked the veracity of the claim.”

verboseadjective

Using more words than needed.

“The verbose manual ran to 400 pages.”

vexverb

To annoy or worry.

“The missing puzzle piece vexed her all evening.”

vindicateverb

To clear of blame or prove right.

“The results vindicated the researchers’ approach.”

vituperativeadjective

Bitter and abusive in language.

“The vituperative review upset the young author.”

volatileadjective

Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably.

“Fuel prices are volatile.”

zealotnoun

A person who is fanatical about a cause.

“A fitness zealot, he trains twice a day.”

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