Having a strong vocabulary is essential to scoring high on the GRE. Our analysis shows that these are some of the most commonly tested vocabulary words on the exam. It’s hard to accurately measure your understanding with simple flashcards, so take our quizzes to ensure you know these for exam day.
Definitions
To make better, to improve; to heal; to solve a problem.
"The rain served to ameliorate the drought the city had been experiencing."
"The city added roundabouts to ameliorate the congested intersections."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language
"The skilled debaters articulated their arguments well."
"He effectively articulated his finding in his dissertation defense."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
To give a false representation or account of.
"Her smile belied her depressed inner feelings."
"His gray hair and beard belied his surprisingly young age."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
Equal in measure or extent; proportionate.
""An eye for an eye" would be a commensurate punishment."
"Five kilometers is roughly commensurate to 3.1 miles."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
To portray to the mind or understanding by words; to set forth; to describe.
"The consultant delineated his recommendation to the CEO using a PowerPoint presentation."
"The graphs effectively delineated the key findings of the study."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
To scruple or object; to take exception, especially on the basis of scruple or modesty.
"The fans demurred when their favorite character was killed off the show."
"He agreed to offer the customers a refund without demur."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
not showing, and not affected by emotion, bias, or prejudice
"The dispassionate fighter never flinched, even when confronted with the most terrifying opponents."
"It was difficult to know if the dispassionate old man had any emotions at all."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
To conceal the real fact, motives, intention, or sentiments, under some pretense; to assume a false appearance; to act the hypocrite.
"The fake jewelry was meant to dissemble any thieves."
"He tried to dissemble his true intentions."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
Selecting; choosing (what is true or excellent in doctrines, opinions, etc.) from various sources or systems.
"There was an eclectic collection of art on display at the museum."
"She had an eclectic collection of books in her bookshelf."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
Fluent, forcible, elegant, and persuasive speech in public; the power of expressing strong emotions in striking and appropriate language either spoken or written, thereby producing conviction or persuasion.
"The professional speaker spoke with great eloquence."
"Her eloquence swept him off his feet."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
Something puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.
"It was an enigma that the fastest runner in practice could not win in an actual competition."
"The ancient mysterious number system was an enigma to scholars."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.
"He took out a loan to forestall getting evicted."
"It is better to forestall a disaster rather than react to a disaster."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Repeated too often.
"The word "literally" has become hackneyed because the young generation uses it so often."
"The hackneyed joke was repeated far too often."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Unable to be changed without exception.
"It is an immutable fact that the sun will rise tomorrow."
"Gravity is an immutable constant."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
to weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
"The man had impaired mobility ever since the accident."
"Playing chess blindfolded will certainly impair most people's playing abilities."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Harmful in effect.
"The new article about his affairs will certainly have an inimical effect on his political career."
"Rotting can have inimical consequences to the structural integrity of a house."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
deficient in alertness or activity
"Panda bears are generally considered lethargic and carefree."
"Rainy days can make one feel lethargic."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
evil or harmful in nature or influence
"While the analysts malign his inconsistent style of play, the fans enjoy his entertaining playstyle."
"While the public maligned his character, the public figure stoically did her job."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
liable to sudden unpredictable change
"The professor had a mercurial mood; sometimes he was loose and easygoing while other times he was strict and exacting."
"The mercurial crowd could boo in one minute and cheer the next."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark.
"His sunglasses obscured his conniving eyes."
"The ice and rain on the windshield obscured the view of the highway."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
Unspoiled; still with its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied
"The campground was in pristine condition because we were the first to use the site this season."
"The pristine car still had that new car smell."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly.
"The student spent in a profligate manner because she was using her parents' credit card."
"Online shopping can easily turn into a profligate activity."
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
"Quantum physics is considered a recondite topic because it is understood by few."
"The physics of the universe is a recondite subject."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
Uneasy; averse to standing still; fidgeting about; -- applied especially to horses.
"The restive puppy could not sit still."
"The excited puppy was too restive to sit in one place."
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
habitually reserved and uncommunicative
"The taciturn student would rarely raise his hand to speak."
"The taciturn child was quiet, but always listening."
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
