Print › Sungwoo's GRE Vocabulary (Barron's): A

abase: lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make lose self-respect
abash: embarrass
abate: subside or moderate
abbreviate: shorten
abdicate: to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, esp. in a formal manner: The aging founder of the firm decided to ~.
aberrant: abnormal or deviant
aberration: deviation from the normal; mental disorder
abet: assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
abeyance: suspended action
abhor: detest; hate
abject: wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology
abjure: renounce upon oath
ablution: washing
abnegation: 1 : deny, renounce <~ed their God> 2 : surrender, relinquish <~ed her powers>
abolish: cancel; put an end to
abominable: detestable; extremely unpleasant
abominate: loathe; hate
aboriginal: being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native; indigenous; N. aborigine
abortive: unsuccessful; fruitless
abrasive: rubbing away; tending to grind down
abridge: condense or shorten
abrogate: abolish
abscission: cutting off; separation
abscond: depart secretly and hide
absolute: complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler; CF. absolutism
absolve: pardon
abstain: refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one's vote;
abstemious: sparing in eating and drinking; temperate
abstinence: restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote
abstract: theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
abstruse: obscure; profound; difficult to understand
abusive: coarsely insulting; physically harmful
abut: border upon; adjoin
abysmal: bottomless
abyss: enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit
academic: related to a school; not practical or directly useful
accede: agree
accelerate: move faster
accessible: easy to approach; obtainable
accessory: additional object; useful but not essential thing
acclaim: applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval; Ex. The new drug has been acclaimed as the most important discoveries for years; N: strong expression of approval and praise
acclimate: adjust to climate or environment; adapt
acclivity: sharp up slope of a hill; OP. declivity
accolade: award of merit; strong praise and approval
accommodate: oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt; make enough space for; ADJ. accommodative; CF. accomodating: helpful and obliging
accomplice: partner in crime
accord: agreement
accost: approach and speak first to a person
accoutre: equip; N. accoutrement
accretion: growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete
accrue: come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual
acerbity: bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid
acetic: vinegary
acidulous: slightly sour ; sharp; caustic
acknowledge: recognize; admit
acme: peak; pinnacle; highest point
acoustics: science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in
acquiesce: assent; agree passively; comply without protest
acquittal: deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct in a specified manner
acrid: bitter ; sharp; bitterly pungent
acrimonious: stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior
acrophobia: fear of heights
actuarial: calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
actuary: someone who advises insurance companies
actuate: motivate; activate; cause to act
acuity: sharpness
acumen: mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen
acute: sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. ~ sense of smell/analysis/pain
adage: wise saying; proverb
adamant: hard; inflexible
adapt: make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel.
addendum: addition; appendix to book; something that is added
addiction: compulsive habitual need
addle: make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
address: direct a speech to; speak to; deal with or discuss; direct one's efforts or attention to; make with a destination; N: formal speech
adept: expert at; very skilled
adhere: stick fast; be a devoted follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyalty
adherent: supporter; follower
adjacent: adjoining; neighboring; close by
adjunct: something attached to but holding an inferior position
adjuration: solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly
adjutant: staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
admonish: warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove
adorn: decorate
adroit: skillful
adulation: flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved
adulterate: make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted substances
advent: arrival
adventitious: accidental; casual; happening by chance
adversary: opponent; enemy
adverse: going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile
adversity: great hardship or affliction; misfortune; calamitous event
advert: refer
advocacy: support; active pleading on behalf of someone or something
advocate: speak in favor of; support ; urge; plead for
aegis: shield; protection; defense
aerie: nest of a large bird of prey
aesthetic: artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful ; CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics
affable: easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly
affected: artificial; pretended
affidavit: written statement made under oath
affiliation: joining; associating with
affinity: feeling of kinship; similarity; Ex. strong affinity for her; Ex. many affinities between two languages
affirmation: positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath; V. affirm; ADJ. affirmative; CF. affirmative action: positive discrimination
affliction: state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on
affluence: abundance; wealth
affront: insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect; V: insult or hurt the feelings of intentionally
agape: open mouthed
agenda: items of business at a meeting
agglomeration: collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. agglomerate: jumbled mass; heap
aggrandize: make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement
aggregate: sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
aghast: filled with great surprise or fear; horrified
agility: nimbleness; ability to move quickly
agitate: stir up; disturb
agnostic: one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality
agog: highly excited; intensely curious
agrarian: pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform
alacrity: cheerful promptness without reluctance
alchemy: medieval chemistry
alcove: nook; recess
alias: an assumed name esp. by a criminal ; ADV. alias
alienate: make unfriendly or hostile; estrange; separate; change the ownership of
alimentary: supplying nourishment
alimony: payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce
allay: calm; pacify
allege: state without proof
allegiance: loyalty
allegory: story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable
alleviate: relieve
alliteration: repetition of beginning sound in poetry
allocate: assign; set apart for a particular purpose
alloy: mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other metals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness
allude: refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference
allure: entice; attract; tempt
alluvial: pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
aloft: upward; high up in the air
aloof: apart; not open in one's relationship with other people; reserved; ADV.
altercation: noisy quarrel
altruistic: unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism
amalgam: combination of different things; mixture of metals used for filling holes in teeth
amalgamate: combine; unite in one body
amass: collect
amazon: female warrior
ambidextrous: capable of using either hand with equal ease
ambience: environment; atmosphere; Ex. restaurant with a pleasant ambience; ADJ. ambient: completely surrounding; Ex. ambient temperature
ambiguous: unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation
ambivalence: the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
amble: walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly
ambrosia: food of the gods
ambulatory: able to walk
ameliorate: improve
amenable: obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests
amend: correct; change ; generally for the better
amenities: convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies
amiable: agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly
amicable: peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. ~ settlement
amiss: wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss; ADV.
amity: friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations
amnesia: loss of memory
amnesty: pardon
amok: in a state of rage; Ex. run amok
amoral: nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong
amorous: moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
amorphous: formless; lacking shape or definition
amphibian: able to live both on land and in water; N.
amphitheater: oval building with tiers of seats; CF. arena
ample: enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ~ opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample; abundance; largeness of space
amplify: increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one's remarks with a graph
amputate: cut off part of body; prune
amulet: charm; talisman; an object worn believed to protect against evil, bad luck
anachronism: an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic
analgesic: causing insensitivity to pain; N.
analogous: comparable; similar
analogy: similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things
anarchist: person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority
anarchy: absence of governing body; state of disorder
anathema: solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize
ancestry: family descent; ADJ. ancestral
anchor: secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage
ancillary: serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.
anecdote: short story of an amusing or interesting event
anemia: condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic
anesthetic: substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia
anguish: acute pain; extreme suffering
angular: sharp-cornered; having an angle; not rounded ; bony; lean; gaunt; stiff in manner
animadversion: critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
animated: lively; spirited
animosity: active enmity; a feeling of strong dislike, ill will, or enmity that tends to display itself in action: a deep-seated ~ between two sisters; ~ against one's neighbor
animus: hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition
annals: records arranged in yearly parts; history
anneal: reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
annex: attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate into a larger existing political unit ; N: building added to a large one
annihilate: destroy
annotate: comment; make explanatory notes
annuity: yearly allowance
annul: make void
anodyne: drug that relieves pain or trouble; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
anoint: consecrate; put oil on
anomalous: abnormal; irregular
anomaly: irregularity
anonymity: state of being nameless; anonymousness; ADJ. anonymous
antagonism: hostility; active opposition; V. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; N. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in opposition to the protagonist
antecede: precede
antecedents: preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background
antediluvian: antiquated; extremely ancient
anthem: song of praise or patriotism; Ex. national anthem
anthology: book of literary selections by various authors; CF. omnibus
anthropoid: manlike; resembling a human being; N.
anthropologist: student of the history and science of humankind
anthropomorphic: having human form or characteristics
anticlimax: letdown in thought or emotion; something unexciting, ordinary, or disappointing coming after something important or exciting
antidote: remedy to counteract a poison or disease; Ex. antidote to the economic troubles
antipathy: aversion; dislike or opposition
antiquated: obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated
antiseptic: substance that prevents infection in a wound; ADJ.
antithesis: contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
anvil: iron block used in hammering out metals
apathy: lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; Ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; ADJ. apathetic
ape: imitate or mimic
aperture: opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light
apex: tip; summit; climax; highest point
aphasia: loss of speech due to injury or illness
aphorism: pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic
apiary: a place where bees are kept
aplomb: poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence
apocalyptic: prophetic; pertaining to revelations especially of disaster; N. apocalypse
apocryphal: widely believed but untrue
apogee: highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
apolitical: having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs
apologist: one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia
apoplexy: stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
apostate: one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy
apothecary: druggist; pharmacist
apothegm: pithy, compact saying
apotheosis: elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
appall: dismay; shock deeply
apparition: ghost; phantom
appease: pacify or soothe; Ex. appease a crying baby; N. appeasement
appellation: name; title
append: attach
application: diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself
apposite: appropriate; fitting
appraise: estimate value of; N. appraisal
appreciate: be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of; ADJ. appreciable: enough to be felt; Ex. appreciable difference
apprehend: arrest ; dread; perceive; N. apprehension
apprehensive: fearful; discerning
apprise: inform
approbation: approval
appropriate: acquire; take possession of for one's own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. mis~
appurtenances: subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
apropos: with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos the present situation; ADJ. ADV.
aptitude: fitness; talent
aquiline: curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose
arable: fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land
arbiter: person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position to make influential judgments; Ex. supreme ~ of fashion in beachware
arbitrary: unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler
arbitrate: act as judge
arboretum: place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
arcade: a covered passageway usually lined with shops
arcane: esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener
arch-: chief; first; Ex. archbishop
archaeology: study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
archaic: antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N.
archetype: prototype; primitive pattern
archipelago: group of closely located islands
archives: public records; place where public records are kept
ardor: heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent
arduous: hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work
argot: slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
aria: operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio
arid: dry; barren; unproductive
aristocracy: hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat
armada: fleet of warships
aromatic: fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell
arraign: charge in court; indict
array: marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array
arrears: being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done
arrhythmic: lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia
arrogance: pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important
arroyo: gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
arsenal: storage place for military equipment
articulate: effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints
artifacts: object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced
artifice: deception; trickery
artisan: a manually skilled worker
artless: without guile; open and honest
ascendancy: controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
ascertain: find out for certain; make certain
ascetic: practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ~ life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism
ascribe: refer; attribute; assign
aseptic: preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
ashen: ash-colored; deadly pale
asinine: stupid; Ex. asinine remarks
askance: with a sideways or indirect look ; Ex. look askance at
askew: crookedly; slanted; at an angle
asperity: sharpness; roughness; severity ; Ex. asperities of a Russian winter
aspersion: slanderous remark; Ex. cast ~s on
aspirant: seeker after position or status
aspire: seek to attain ; long for; Ex. ~ to become president; Ex. ~ to/after the leadership
assail: assault
assay: analyze ; evaluate
assent: agree; accept; N. assessment
assert: state strongly or positively; demand recognition of ; make a claim to ; Ex. assert one's independence
assiduous: diligent
assimilate: absorb; take (food) into the body and digest it; understand (knowledge) completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous (the people of a country or race in the ways of behaving or thinking)
assuage: make less severe; ease or lessen (pain) ; satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
assumption: something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume
assurance: firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in one's own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assurance in front of his class; V. assure; tell firmly with confidence; ensure; make certain to happen; make feel sure; give confidence to; ADJ. assured: self-assured; confident in one's own ability; showing certainty
asteroid: small planet
astigmatism: eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism
astral: relating to the stars
astringent: binding; causing contraction ; harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. ~ criticism
astronomical: enormously large or extensive
astute: wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage
asunder: into parts; apart; V. sunder
asylum: place of refuge or shelter; protection
asymmetric: not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
atavism: resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
atheistic: denying the existence of God; N. atheism
atone: make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for
atrocity: brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious
atrophy: wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle
attentive: alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration
attenuate: make thin; weaken
attest: testify; bear witness
attribute: essential quality; V: ascribe; explain
attrition: rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of ~
atypical: not normal; not typical
audacious: daring; bold; N. audacity
audit: examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V.
augment: increase; add to
augury: omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of
august: impressive; majestic
aureole: sun"s corona; halo; bright circle of light
auroral: pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis
auspicious: favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices
austere: forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk"s austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity
authenticate: prove genuine
authoritarian: subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another"s will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father
authoritative: having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive
autocratic: having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy
automaton: mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
autonomous: self-governing; N. autonomy
autopsy: examination of a dead body; postmortem; V.
auxiliary: offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant
avalanche: great mass of falling snow and ice
avarice: greediness for wealth
avenge: take vengeance for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy.
aver: state confidently; declare as true
averse: reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. ~ to cats/doing the house work
aversion: firm dislike
avert: prevent; avoid; turn away ; Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.
aviary: enclosure for birds; large cage
avid: greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity
avocation: secondary or minor occupation esp. for pleasure; hobby
avow: declare openly; N. avowal
avuncular: of or like an uncle
awe: solemn wonder; feeling of respect mixed with wonder and fear; V: fill with awe; ADJ. awesome
awl: pointed tool used for piercing
awry: distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry.
axiom: self-evident truth requiring no proof
azure: sky blue