Barron & Kaplan GRE Words

Word

Definition

* denotes word appeared on both Baron and Kaplan lists

abate*

to
reduce in amount, degree or severity

abdicate

to
renounce or relinquish a throne

aberrant

abnormal
or deviant

abeyance

suspended
action

abject

utterly
hopeless, humiliating or wretched

abjure

to
renounce on oath

ablution

act
of cleansing

abrogate

to
abolish by formal means

abscond*

depart
secretly and hide

abstemious*

sparing
in eating and drinking; temperate

abstruse

hard
to understand; secret, hidden

accretion

an
increase by natural growth

acerbic

sour
or astringent in taste, harsh in temper

acquiesce

to
comply, give in

acrid

sharp
or biting to the taste or smell

acrimonious

caustic,
stinging or bitter in nature

adjoin*

to
be close or in contact with

adjure

to
beg or command

admonish

to
counsel against something; caution; warn; reprove

adulterate*

to
make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances

adventitious

accidental

aesthetic

artistic;
dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful

affable

friendly,
courteous

aggrandize

to
increase in power, influence and reputation

aggregate

gather;
accumulate

alacrity

cheerful
promptness; eagerness

alleviate

relieve

altruist

a
person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others

amalgamate

combine;
unite in one body

amatory

of
or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking

ambiguous

unclear
or doubtful in meaning

ambivalence

the
state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

ameliorate

to
make better; to improve

amity

friendship;
peaceful harmony

anachronism*

something
or someone misplaced in time; an obsolete or archaic form

analogous

comparable

anarchy

absence
of governing body; state of disorder

androgen

any
substance that promotes masculine characteristics

androgynous

being
both male and female

animus

hostile
feeling or attitude

anomalous

abnormal;
irregular

antipathy*

aversion;
dislike

apartheid

any
system or caste that separates people according to race

apathy*

lack
of interest or emotion; uncaring; indifference

apogee

the
highest or most distant point

apostasy*

renunciation
of one’s previous loyalty; a total desertion of one’s religion, principles,
cause, etc.

apotheosis

glorification,
glorified ideal

appease

pacify
or soothe; relieve

apprise

inform

approbation*

approval;
praise, consideration

appropriate

acquire;
take possession of for one’s own use

arduous

hard;
strenuous

arrogate

to
claim unwarrantably or presumptuously

artless

without
guile; open and honest

ascetic

practicing
self-denial; austere

assiduous*

diligent,
persistent, hardworking

assuage

to
make less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)

atrophy

to
waste away; wither or deteriorate; the wasting away of body tissue

attenuate

make
thinner

audacious

daring;
bold

austere*

forbiddingly
stern in appearance; severely simple and unornamented

autonomous*

self-governing;
independent

aver*

assert
confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact

avocation

something
one does in addition to a principle occupation

banal

boring;
commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clichéd; hackneyed

belie

contradict;
give a false impression

belligerent

warlike,
given to waging war

bemoan

to
express pity for

beneficent

kindly;
doing good

benevolent

desiring
to do good to others

benign

having
a kindly disposition

bilateral

pertaining
to or affecting two or both sides

bolster

support;
reinforce

bombastic*

pompous
in speech and manner ; using inflated language

boorish

rude;
insensitive

burgeon

grow
forth; send out buds

burnish

make
shiny by rubbing; polish

buttress

support;
prop up

capitulate

to
surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms

capricious*

unpredictable;
fickle; changing one’s mind quickly and often

castigate*

to
punish or criticize harshly

catalyst

agent
that increases the rate of a chemical action; person or thing that causes
action

caustic

burning;
sarcastically biting

chicanery*

trickery;
deception by means of craft or guile

circuitous

roundabout,
indirect

circumambulate

to
walk about or around

circumscribe

to
draw a line around

circumspect

watchful
and discreet

coagulate

thicken;
congeal; clot

coda

concluding
section of a musical or literary composition; something that summarizes
or concludes

cogent*

convincing
and well reasoned

commensurate

corresponding
in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate

compendium

brief,
comprehensive summary

complacent

self-satisfied,
unconcerned

complaisant*

trying
to please; overly polite; obliging

compliant

yielding;
conforming to requirements

compunction

a
feeling of uneasiness for doing wrong

concentric

having
a common center

conciliate

to
placate, win over

conciliatory

reconciling;
soothing

condone

overlook;
forgive; give tacit approval; excuse

conflagration

a
large destructive fire

confluence

merging
into one

confound

confuse;
puzzle

congenital

existing
or as such from birth

connoisseur

person
competent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art

contention

claim;
thesis

contentious

quarrelsome

contravene

to
come into conflict with

contrite

feeling
regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent

conundrum

riddle;
difficult problem

convalescent

recovering
from illness

converge

approach;
tend to meet; come together

convoke

to
call together

convoluted*

intricate
and complicated

corroborate

to
provide supporting evidence

craven

cowardly

credulous*

too
trusting; gullible

cursory

going
rapidly over something; hasty; superficial

daunt

intimidate;
frighten

decadent

decaying;
deteriorating

decorum

propriety;
orderliness and good taste in manners

default

failure
to act

deference*

respect;
courteous regard for another’s wishes

deferential

respectful;
to yield judgment to

deign

to
think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity

delineate

portray;
depict; sketch

delude

to
mislead the mind of judgment of, deceive

denigrate

blacken

deride

ridicule;
make fun of

derision

contemptuous
or jeering laughter; ridicule.

derivative

unoriginal;
obtained from another source

desiccate*

to
dry out thoroughly

desultory*

aimless;
haphazard; digressing at random

deterrent

something
that discourages; hindrance

diatribe

bitter
scolding; invective

dichotomy*

split;
branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)

diffident*

lacking
or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid.

diffuse*

to
spread widely or thinly

digression

wandering
away from the subject

dilatory*

inclined
to delay or procrastinate

dilettante

someone
with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

dirge

lament
with music

disabuse*

correct
a false impression; to set right; to
free from error

discerning

mentally
quick and observant; having insight

discordant

not
harmonious; conflicting

discredit

defame;
destroy confidence in; disbelieve

discrepancy

lack
of consistency; difference

discrete

separate;
unconnected; consisting of distinct parts

disingenuous

lacking
genuine candor; insincere

disinterested

unprejudiced

disjointed

lacking
coherence; separated at the joints

dismiss

eliminate
from consideration; reject

disparage

belittle

disparate

fundamentally
distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar

disport

to
divert or amuse oneself

disquiet

a
lack of calm or peace

dissemble*

disguise;
pretend; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

disseminate*

distribute;
spread widely; scatter (like seeds)

dissolution

disintegration;
looseness in morals

dissonance

discord;
opposite of harmony

distend

to
expand by stretching; swell out

distill

purify;
refine; concentrate

diverge

vary;
go in different directions from the same point

divest

strip;
deprive

doctrine

a
principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief;
dogma

document

provide
written evidence

dogma

a
firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

dogmatic*

opinionated;
arbitrary; doctrinal

doleful

sorrowful,
mournful

dormant

sleeping;
lethargic; latent

dour

sullen,
gloomy

dupe*

to
deceive; a person who is easily deceived

duplicity

deceitfulness
in speech or conduct; double-dealing

dystrophy

faulty
or inadequate nutrition or development

ebullient

showing
excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm

eclectic*

selective;
composed of elements from a variety of sources

efficacy*

effectiveness
; power to produce desired effect

effigy

a
dummy; a likeness or image, especially of a person.

effluence

flowing
out of

effrontery

impudence;
shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness

elegy*

a
sorrowful poem or speech

elicit

draw
out by discussion

elocution

art
of clear and expressive speaking

embellish

adorn;
ornament; enhance, as a story

empathy

the
identification with the feelings or thoughts of others

empirical

based
on experience

emulate

imitate;
rival

endemic

prevailing
among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country

enervate*

weaken;
to reduce in strength

engender*

to
produce, cause or bring about

enhance

increase;
improve

enigma

a
puzzle; a mystery

ephemeral*

short-lived;
fleeting

epigram

a
witty or pointed saying tersely expressed

epithet

a
word or phrase characteristically used to characterize a person or thing

equanimity

calmness
of temperament; composure

equivocate*

lie;
mislead; attempt to conceal the truth

erudite*

learned,
scholarly, bookish

esoteric*

hard
to understand; known only to the chosen few

estimable

admirable

eugenics

improvement
of qualities of race by control of inherited characteristics

eulogy*

expression
of praise, often on the occasion of someone’s death

euphemism

an
inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered
offensive

euphony

pleasantness
of sound

exacerbate*

worsen;
to increase bitterness or violence

exculpate*

to
clear from blame; prove innocent

execrable

abominable

exigency

urgent
situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention

exigent

urgent;
requiring immediate action

expound

to
set forth in detail

extrapolation

projection;
conjecture

exult

to
show or feel triumphant joy

facetious

joking
(often inappropriately); humorous

facilitate

help
bring about; make less difficult

fallacious

false;
misleading

fatuous

brainless;
inane; foolish, yet smug

fawning*

trying
to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing

felicitous

apt;
suitably expressed; well chosen

fervor

glowing
ardor; intensity of feeling

fiduciary

of
a trust; held or given in trust

flag

droop;
grow feeble; to decline in vigor or strength

fledgling

inexperienced

flout

reject;
mock; show contempt for

foment*

to
arouse or incite

forestall*

prevent
by taking action in advance

fractious

irritable,
peevish

frugality

thrifty;
economy

fusillade

continuous
discharge of firearms or outburst of criticism

futile

useless;
hopeless; ineffectual

gainsay

deny

garrulous

loquacious;
talkative; wordy

goad

urge
on

gouge

overcharge

grandiloquent*

pompous
or inflated in language; bombastic; using high-sounding language

gregarious

sociable

guile

deceit
or trickery

guileless

without
deceit

gullible

easily
deceived

harangue

long,
passionate, and vehement speech

heterodox

different
from acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines

heterogeneous

of
other origin; not originating in the body

homogeneous

of
the same kind

hyperbole

exaggeration;
overstatement

hypocritical

affecting
virtues or qualities one does not have

iconoclast*

one
who opposes established beliefs, customs and institutions

idolatry

worship
of idols; excessive admiration

immutable

unchangeable

impair

injure;
hurt

impassive*

without
feeling; imperturbable; showing or feeling no emotion

impede

hinder;
block

impermeable

impervious;
not permitting passage through its substance

imperturbable

calm;
placid

impervious*

impenetrable;
incapable of being damaged or distressed

impetuous*

quick
to act without thinking

implacable

incapable
of being pacified

implicit

understood
but not stated

implode

burst
inward

importune

to
urge or press with excessive persistence

impugn

to
attack as false or questionable; challenge in argument

inadvertently

unintentionally;
by oversight; carelessly

inamorata

a
female lover

inchoate*

not
fully formed; disorganized; rudimentary; elementary

incongruity

lack
of harmony; absurdity

inconsequential

insignificant;
unimportant

incorporate

introduce
something into a larger whole; combine; unite

inculpate

to
charge with fault

incursion

a
hostile entrance into a place

indeterminate

uncertain;
not clearly fixed; indefinite

indigence

poverty

indigent

experiencing
want or need; impoverished.

indoctrinate

to
imbue someone with learning

indolence*

state
of being lazy or slothful

induce

to
move or lead by influence

ineffable

too
great for description

inert

inactive;
lacking power to move

infusion

liquid
extract so obtained

ingenuous*

naive
and trusting; young; unsophisticated

inherent

firmly
established by nature or habit

inimical

hostile,
unfriendly

innocuous

harmless

insensate

without
feeling or sensitivity

insensible

unconscious;
unresponsive

insidious

intended
to trap or beguile

insinuate

hint;
imply; creep in

insipid*

lacking
in interest or flavor; dull

insolent

boldly
rude or disrespectful

insularity

narrow-mindedness;
isolation

interloper

someone
who intrudes in the domain of others

intractable

unruly;
stubborn; unyielding

intransigence

refusal
of any compromise; stubbornness

intransigent*

refusing
to agree or compromise

inundate

overwhelm;
flood; submerge

inured

accustomed;
hardened

invective*

of,
relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse

irascible*

irritable;
easily angered

irresolute

uncertain
how to act; weak

itinerary

plan
of a trip

laconic

brief
and to the point; using few words

lassitude

languor;
weariness

latent

potential
but undeveloped; dormant; hidden

laud

praise

lethargic

drowsy;
dull

levee

earth
or stone embankment to prevent flooding

levity

lack
of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity

litigate

to
make the subject of a lawsuit

log

record
of a voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities

loquacious

talkative

lucid

easily
understood; clear; intelligible

luminous

shining;
issuing light

magnanimity

generosity

magnanimous

generous
in forgiving an insult or injury

magnate

a
powerful or influential person

maladroit

clumsy,
tactless

malevolent

characterized
by or expressing bad will

malfeasance

misconduct
or wrongdoing often committed by a public official

malign

to
speak harmful untruths about, to slander

malinger

to
evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

malingerer

one
who feigns illness to escape duty

malleable

capable
of being shaped by pounding; impressionable

maverick

rebel;
nonconformist

maxim

an
expression of general truth or principle

mendacious

lying;
habitually dishonest

metamorphosis

change
of form

meticulous

excessively
careful; painstaking; scrupulous

minatory

menacing,
threatening

misanthrope*

one
who hates mankind

miscegenation

interbreeding
of races

mitigate*

to
soften, to lessen

mollify*

to
calm or make less severe; soothe

morose

ill-humored;
sullen; melancholy

mundane

worldly
as opposed to spiritual; everyday

nascent

starting
to develop

negate

cancel
out; nullify; deny

neophyte*

recent
convert; beginner

obdurate

stubborn,
hardened in feelings; resistant to persuasion

obfuscate

to
render indistinct or dim

oblique

having
a slanting or sloping direction

obsequious*

overly
submissive and eager to please; servile; sycophantic

obsolescent

becoming
obsolete

obstreperous

noisily
defiant, unruly

obtuse

not
sharp, pointed or acute

obviate

to
prevent; make unnecessary; get rid of

occlude

to
stop; close; to prevent the passage of

officious

meddlesome;
excessively pushy in offering one’s services

omnivorous

eating
or absorbing everything

onerous*

troublesome
and oppressive; burdensome

opprobrium*

public
disgrace; infamy; vilification

oscillate

vibrate;
waver

ostentatious

showy;
pretentious; trying to attract attention

panegyric

formal
or elaborate praise at an assembly

panoply

a
wide-ranging and impressive array or display

paragon*

model
of excellence or perfection

partisan

one-sided;
prejudiced; committed to a party

pathogenic

causing
disease

pathological

pertaining
to disease

paucity*

smallness
of quantity; scarcity; scantiness

pedantic

showing
off learning; bookish

penchant

strong
inclination; liking

penury

severe
poverty; stinginess

percipient

having
perception; discerning; discriminating

perennial

something
long-lasting

perfidious*

treacherous;
disloyal; willing to betray one’s trust

perfidious

willing
to betray one’s trust

perfunctory*

superficial;
not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; done in a routine
way;

peripatetic

walking
or traveling about; itinerant

permeable

penetrable;
porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through

permutation

a
complete change; transformation

perquisite

a
gratuity, tip

perspicacious

having
keen mental perception and understanding; shrewd; astute

pertinacious

resolute;
persistent, stubborn

pervasive

spread
throughout

petulant

showing
sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance

philanderer

one
who carries on flirtations

philanthropy

charity;
a desire or effort to promote goodness

philology

the
study of literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine
their meaning

phlegmatic

calm;
not easily disturbed

piety

devoutness;
reverence for God

placate

pacify;
conciliate

plasticity

ability
to be molded

platitude

trite
remark; commonplace statement

plethora*

excess;
overabundance

plummet

fall
sharply

porous

full
of pores; like a sieve

pragmatic

practical
(as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact
of something

preamble

introductory
statement

precarious

uncertain;
risky

precept

a
commandment given as a rule of action or conduct

precipitate

n.
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

precipitate

adj.
rash, premature, hasty, sudden

preclude

to
prevent the presence of

precocious

unusually
advanced or mature in mental development or talent

precursor

forerunner

predilection

preference,
liking

prescient

having
knowledge of things before they happen

presentiment

a
feeling of anticipation over a future event

presumptuous

arrogant;
taking liberties

prevaricate*

to
lie or deviate from the truth

pristine

characteristic
of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled

probity*

honesty;
uprightness; incorruptibility

problematic

doubtful;
unsettled; questionable; perplexing

prodigal*

lavish;
wasteful; reckless with money

profound

deep;
not superficial; complete

prohibitive

tending
to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or
forbid

proliferate*

grow
rapidly; spread; multiply

promulgate

to
make known by open declaration

propensity

natural
inclination

propitiate*

to
conciliate; to appease

propound

to
set forth for consideration

propriety*

correct
behavior or conduct, obedience to rules and customs

proscribe*

to
condemn as harmful or odious; ostracize; banish; outlaw

proselytize

to
convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another

protract

to
prolong, draw out, extend

provident

having
or showing foresight

prudence

wisdom,
caution or restraint

puerile

childish,
immature

pugnacious

to
quarrel or fight readily

punctilious

strict
or exact in the observance of formalities

pungent

stinging;
sharp in taste or smell; caustic

pusillanimous

lacking
courage or resolution

qualified

limited;
restricted

querulous

full
of complaints

quibble

minor
objection or complaint

quiescence

n.
the condition of being at rest, still, inactive

quiescent*

adj.
at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive; motionless

rarefied

made
less dense (of a gas)

recalcitrant

obstinately
stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly

recant

disclaim
or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error

recluse

hermit;
loner

recondite

abstruse;
profound; secret

recumbent

lying
down; reclining; leaning

refractory*

stubborn;
unmanageable; rebellious

refute

disprove

rejoinder

to
reply, retort

relegate

banish
to an inferior position; delegate; assign

remonstrate

to
say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof

reprehensible

deserving
rebuke or censure; blameworthy.

reprisals

retaliation
against an enemy

reproach

express
disapproval or disappointment

reprobate*

person
hardened in sin; wicked person; devoid of a sense of decency

repudiate*

disown;
disavow; to reject the validity of

rescind

cancel

resolution

n.
determination

resolve

v.
to make a firm decision about.

reticent*

silent;
reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence

reverent

respectful;
worshipful

revile

to
criticize with harsh language

sage

person
celebrated for wisdom

salient

prominent
or conspicuous

salubrious

conducive
or favorable to health or well-being

sanction

approve;
ratify

satiate

satisfy
fully

saturate

soak
thoroughly

savor

enjoy;
have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality

secrete

hide
away or cache; produce and release a substance

sedition

incitement
of discontent or rebellion against a government

shard

a
piece of broken pottery, especially one found in an archaeological dig;
a potsherd.

skeptic

doubter;
person who suspends judgment until having examined evidence supporting
a point of view

sociopath

a
person whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility

solicitous

worried;
concerned

soporific*

sleep-causing;
lethargy; marked by sleepiness

specious*

having
the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious)

spectrum

colored
band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism

sporadic

occurring
irregularly

stigma*

a
mark of shame or discredit

stint

to
restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with

stipulate

to
lay down as a condition of an agreement; require by contract

stolid*

dull;
impassive; unemotional; lacking sensitivity

striated

marked
with parallel bands; grooved

strut

pompous
walk or supporting bar

subjugate

to
conquer

subpoena

a
writ requiring appearance in court to give testimony

subside

settle
down; descend; grow quiet

substantiate

establish
by evidence; verify; support

subterfuge

an
artifice or expedient used to evade a rule

supercilious

arrogant,
haughty, condescending

supersede

cause
to be set aside; replace; make obsolete

supplicate

to
make humble and earnest entreaty

supposition

hypothesis;
surmise

tacit

understood;
not put into words

taciturn

silent,
not talkative

tangential

peripheral;
only slightly connected; digressing

tenable

capable
of being held, maintained or defended

tenacious

holding
fast; holding or tending to hold persistently to something

tendentious

marked
by a strong implicit point of view; partisan

tenuous

thin;
rare; slim

tirade

extended
scolding; denunciation; harangue

torpor*

lethargy;
sluggishness; dormancy

tortuous

winding;
full of curves

tractable*

docile;
easily managed or controlled

transcendent

going
beyond ordinary limits

transgression

violation
of a law; sin

truculence

aggressiveness;
ferocity

unconscionable

not
restrained by conscience; unscrupulous

vacillate

waver;
fluctuate

venerate

revere

veracious*

truthful

veracity

filled
with trust and accuracy

verbose

wordy

verisimilitude

the
appearance or semblance of truth

verity

truthfulness

viable

practical
or workable

vicarious

performed,
exercised, received or suffered in place of another

vilify

to
slander, to defame

viscous

sticky,
gluey

vituperative

adj.
abusive; scolding

vociferous

crying
out noisily

volatile

changeable;
explosive; evaporation rapidly

volition

free
choice, free will; act of choosing

voracious

having
a great appetite

warranted

justified;
authorized

wary

very
cautious

welter

turmoil;
bewildering jumble

whimsical

capricious;
fanciful

zealot

fanatic;
person who shows excessive zeal