"This ebook is helpful whether you're a

trying for the first time or

appearing the second time."
- Team PFG

GRE
Words
With
Mnemonics

1000 MOST RECURRING

WORDS FOR GRE
Vol 1

Preparing for GRE

 profusion
 (noun) the property of being
extremely abundant

When Maria reported that she had been visited by

Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters
and journalists descended on the town

Mnemonic: "profit-fusion" - When you put small

profits together (like a fusion), then you get a 'large
number', which will make you feel happy as well as
help you remember this word!
 conundrum
(noun) a difficult problem

Ex: Computers have helped solve some of the

mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man
for many centuries.

Mnemonic: "co-nun-drum" - If nuns are asked to play

drums, then it will be a 'problematic situation' (or
conundrum) for them as they have soft and gentle
nature.
 humdrum
(adj) dull and lacking excitement

Ex: Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob

relished life in New York City after moving.

Mnemonic: "humming" - Humming of bees has a

'dull' sound, without any highs or lows, and now
that humming will help you remember this word!
 redress
(noun) an act of making something
right

Ex: Barry's redress for forgetting his wife's birthday

two years in a row was surprising her with a trip to
Tahiti.

Mnemonic: "re-dress" - When you are not dressed up

properly for some occasion, then you have to dress
up again 'to make it look right' for that occasion.
 cohesive
(adj) well integrated, forming a
united whole

Ex: A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic

at all times, never losing sight of the main argument.

Mnemonic: "co-adhesive" - If you associate this word

with 'adhesive', a substance which is used to stick
objects together, then you will never forget this
word!
 irascible
(adj) quickly aroused to anger

Ex: If Arthur's dog is not fed adequately, he becomes

highly irascible, even growling at his own shadow.

Mnemonic: "Irritable-rascal" - As an irritable rascal

'makes you feel angry', so now that rascal will help
you remember this word as well!
 belittle
(verb) lessen the importance,
dignity, or reputation of

Ex: A good teacher will never belittle his students,

but will instead empower them.

Mnemonic: "be-little or be-small" - You feel small or

low when someone 'belittles' you (i.e. lessens your
dignity).
 docile
(adj) easily handled or managed;
willing to be taught or led or
supervised or directed

Ex: Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than

the wild animals.

Mnemonic: "do-sile(ntly)" - People who work silently are

generally 'easy to manage' as compared to those who just
brag, and now those kind of people will help you
remember this word!
 uncanny
(adj) suggesting the operation of
supernatural influences; surpassing
the ordinary or normal

Ex: Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with

animals: feral cats will readily approach him, and
sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.

Mnemonic: "un-can-doable" - Anything that is natural and

can be done could be called "can-doable", so "un-can-
doable" can be related to something that is not natural or
normal.
 insipid
(adj) dull and uninteresting

Ex: The movie director was known for hiring

beautiful actors in order to deflect attention away
from the insipid scripts he would typically use.

Mnemonic: "In-stupid-movie" - In some stupid

movies, only 'dull and uninteresting' dialogues are
there, and now those dialogues will help you
remember this word!
 rile
(verb) cause annoyance in; disturb,
especially by minor irritations

Ex: Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes

only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.

Mnemonic: "rally" - A rally usually blocks the road

and 'annoys' the people traveling that time, and now
that rally won't let you forget this word!
 cerebral
(adj) involving intelligence rather
than emotions or instinct

Ex: A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to

be simple and childish, but that ignores the point--
the music's effect on the listener.

Mnemonic: "siri-bral" - Siri, a personal assistant by

Apple, has lots of artificial 'intelligence' but 'no
emotions', which will now help you remember this
word!
 decimation
(noun) destroying or killing a large
part of the population

Ex: The decimation after atomic bombs were

dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is
incomprehensible.

Mnemonic: "cremation" - Associate it with cremation

as cremation is about disposing off the dead, and
'decimation' is about 'making people dead'.
 miscreant
(noun) a person who breaks the law

Ex: "Come back you miscreant!" yelled the woman

who just had her purse stolen.

Mnemonic: "mistake-creator" - The person who

intentionally 'creates mistakes' is kind of miscreant.
 enumerate
verb: determine the number or
amount of

Ex: The survey enumerates the number of happy

workers and the number of unhappy workers.

Mnemonic: "Number-rate" - When we list something

down, we take one at a time and number/rate them,
which also how "enumeration" is done.
 enumerate
verb: specify individually, one by
one

Ex: I sat and listened as she enumerated all of the

things she did not like about the past three months.

Mnemonic: "Number-rate" - When we list something

down, we take one at a time and number/rate them,
which also how "enumeration" is done.
 inkling
(noun) a slight suggestion or vague
understanding

Ex: Lynne speaks four Romance languages, but she

doesn't have an inkling about how East Asian languages
are structured.

Mnemonic: "ink-leak" - When someone writes with a pen

whose ink is leaking, then we "can't understand properly"
what has been written, and now that leaking pen won't let
you forget this word!
 cosmopolitan
(adj) comprising many cultures;
global in reach and outlook

Ex: There are few cities in the world as diverse and

cosmopolitan as New York.

Mnemonic: "metropolitan" - Associate it with

'metropolitan' cities as people from 'all around the
globe' can be found there and now these
metropolitan cities will always remind you of this
word!
 sordid
(adj) involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing
moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and
repulsive

Ex: The nightly news simply announced that the

senator had had an affair, but the tabloid published
all the sordid details of the interaction.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "sour-deed" i.e.

sour (bad) deed or actions.
 boorish
(adj) ill-mannered and coarse or contemptible
in behavior or appearance

Ex: Bukowski was known for being a boorish drunk

and alienating close friends and family.

Mnemonic: "boo-artist" - Some people in an

audience are 'ill-mannered' and they 'boo' the artist
if they don't like the performance, and now those
kind of people won't let you forget this word!
 hamper
(verb) prevent the progress or free
movement of

Ex: As the rain water began to collect in pools on the

highway, it began to hamper the flow of traffic.

Mnemonic: "bumper" - Bumps in the road 'prevent

speeding' of vehicles, and now those bumps will
help you remember this word!
 debunk
(verb) expose as false ideas and
claims, especially while ridiculing

Ex: Richard Dawkins tries to debunk religious belief,

but his ridicule tends to push people away from his
points rather than convince them.

Mnemonic: "Debug-junk" - When we debug (or

analyze) some junk or superstitious beliefs, we
'expose the false stories' behind them.
 futile
(adj) producing no result or effect;
unproductive of success

Ex: I thought I could repair the car myself, but after two
days of work with no success, I have to admit that my
efforts were futile.

Mnemonic: "fruit + sterile" - Any land that is sterile will

not produce any fruits and will remain 'unproductive',
and now that land won't let you forget this word!
misogynist
(noun) a person who dislikes women
in particular

Ex: Many have accused Hemingway of being a quiet

misogynist, but recently unearthed letters argue
against this belief.

Mnemonic: "Miss-" - This word kind of starts with

'Miss', so you can remember that it has something to
do with 'women'!
inarticulate
(adj) without or deprived of the use
of speech or words

Ex: Although a brilliant economist, Professor Black

was completely inarticulate, a terrible lecturer.

Mnemonic: "in-articulate" - It's opposite of

articulate.
antiquated
(adj) old-fashioned; belonging to an
earlier period in time

Ex: Aunt Betty had antiquated notions about

marriage, believing that a man should court a
woman for at least a year before receiving a kiss.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "antique and

outdated"!
 amply
(adv) more than is adequate

Ex: The boat was amply supplied for its year at

seano man would go hungry or thirsty.

Mnemonic: It can be easily remembered by

associating it with word "ample" which means the
same!
perquisite
(noun) a right reserved exclusively by a
particular person or group (especially a
hereditary or official right)

Ex: Even as the dishwasher at the French restaurant, Josh

quickly learned that he had the perquisite of being able to
eat terrific food for half the price diners would pay.

Mnemonic: "perks-exquisite" - You have the 'right' to get

'exquisite perks (or benefits)' from the company you work
for, and now those perks won't let you forget this word!
 malodorous
(adj) having an unpleasant smell

Ex: Some thermally active fountains spew sulfur

fumes--the air around them is sometimes so
malodorous that many have to plug their noses.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "mal-odour-ous"!

 stymie
(verb) hinder or prevent the
progress or accomplishment of

Ex: The engineers found their plans stymied at every

turn and were ultimately able to make almost no
progress on the project.

Mnemonic: "tie-me" - If you tie me with the rope,

then it will 'prevent me from doing anything' and
now that tied-up situation will help me and you
remember this word!
 morph
(verb) To undergo dramatic change in a
seamless and barely noticeable fashion.

Ex: The earnestness of the daytime talk shows of the

1970's has morphed into something far more sensational
and vulgar: today guests actually stand up and threaten
to take swings at one another.

Mnemonic: "orphan" - After losing his parents, he went

through 'radical changes' and became more serious, and
now that boy will always remind you of this word.
lascivious
(adj) lecherous; sexually perverted

Ex: Lolita is a challenging novel for many, not

necessarily because of the elevated prose style but
because of the depravity of the main character,
Humbert Humbert, who, as an old, lascivious man,
lusts after a girl.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "lust-vious".

 alacrity
(noun) an eager willingness to do
something

Ex: The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with
such alacrity that upper management knew it would be
giving him a promotion.

Mnemonic: "à la carte" - When you order 'à la carte' in a

restaurant, you 'eagerly' wait for the order, and now that
delicious order that you placed won't let you forget this
word!
 pariah
(noun) an outcast

Ex: The once eminent scientist, upon being found

guilty of faking his data, has become a pariah in the
research community.

Mnemonic: "paraya" - 'Paraya' is a word used in

India for someone who is a stranger or an outsider
and is considered an 'outcast', and now that non-
English Indian word will help you remember this
English word!
 jingoist
(noun) a person who thinks their country is always
right and who is in favor of aggressive acts against
other countries

Ex: In the days leading up to war, a nation typically

breaks up into the two opposing camps: doves, who do
their best to avoid war, and jingoists, who are only too
eager to wave national flags from their vehicles and
vehemently denounce those who do not do the same.

Mnemonic: "Jong-un-ist" - Kim Jong-un, the ruler of North

Korea, has been known for 'aggression' towards other
countries esp. USA, and now this aggressive ruler won't
let you forget this word!
 hector
(verb) to bully or intimidate

Ex: The bosss hectoring manner put off many

employees, some of whom quit as soon as they
found new jobs.

Mnemonic: "hitter" - It sounds like 'hitter' who

'bullies' and harasses people by hitting them, and
now that hitter will help you remember this word!
 defray
verb) to help pay the cost of, either
in part or full

Ex: In order for Sean to attend the prestigious

college, his generous uncle helped defray the
excessive tuition with a monthly donation.

Mnemonic: "defer-pay" - It's like your friend paid

your bill (i.e. defrayed), so he kind of 'deferred' (or
postponed) the need for you to pay right away, and
now that friend will always remind you of this word!
 apogee
(noun) the highest point

Ex: The apogee of the Viennese style of music,

Mozarts music continues to mesmerize audiences
well into the 21st century.

Mnemonic: "up-o-gee" - Its pronunciation starts with

'up' which can be associated with 'the highest
point'.
 diatribe
(noun) a strong verbal attack against a
person or institution

Ex: Steves mom launched into a diatribe during the PTA

meeting, contending that the school was little more than
a daycare in which students stare at the wall and teachers
stare at the chalkboard.

Mnemonic: "di-tribe" - People belonging to different

'tribes' sometimes 'verbally attack' and abuse each other,
and now those verbal fights won't let you forget this
word!
ponderous
(adj) weighed-down; moving slowly

Ex: Laden with 20 kilograms of college text books,

the freshman moved ponderously across the
campus.

Mnemonic: "pound-erous" - That truck is full of

'pounds' which is causing it to 'move slowly', and
now that truck won't let you forget this word!
 perfunctory
(adj) done routinely and with little
interest or care

Ex: The short film examines modern perfunctory

cleaning rituals such as washing dishes, doing
laundry and tooth-brushing.

Mnemonic: "perform-function-hurry" - We do some

'routine boring work' generally in a hurry (without
taking much care) so as to finish it quickly, and now
that kind of work won't let us forget this word!
 overweening
(adj) arrogant; presumptuous

Ex: Mark was so convinced of his basketball skills that in

his overweening pride he could not fathom that his name
was not on the varsity list; he walked up to the basketball
coach and told her she had forgotten to add his name.

Mnemonic: "over-winning" - A person who wins over and

over again generally becomes 'arrogant' and
overconfident, and now that person will help you
remember this word!
 choleric
(adj) prone to outbursts of temper;
easily angered

Ex: While a brilliant lecturer, Mr. Dawson came

across as choleric and unapproachablevery rarely
did students come to his office hours.

Mnemonic: "cholera-sick" - When you are sick, you

easily get irritated and angry, and now that anger
will help you remember this word!
 kowtow
(verb) to bow or act in a subservient
manner

Ex: Paul kowtowed to his boss so often the boss

herself became nauseated by his sycophancy.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "bow-low"!

penurious
adjective: lacking money; poor

Ex: Truly penurious, Mary had nothing more than a

jar full of pennies.

Mnemonic: "penny-furious" - We get somewhat

'furious' or 'angry' when we are less on 'pennies'.
 penurious
adjective: miserly

Ex: Warren Buffett, famous multi-billionaire, still

drives a cheap sedan, not because he is penurious,
but because luxury cars are gaudy and impractical.

Mnemonic: "penny-furious" - We get somewhat

'furious' or 'angry' when we are less on 'pennies'.
 expunge
(verb) to eliminate completely

Ex: When I turned 18, all of the shoplifting and

jaywalking charges were expunged from my criminal
record.

Mnemonic: "sponge" - Sponge is used to clean

surfaces i.e. 'remove' dirt from them. So now sponge
is a multi-purpose item for me,... it helps keep my
house clean and also helps me remember this word!
 arrant
(adj) complete and wholly (usually
modifying a noun with negative
connotation)

Ex: An arrant fool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he

lost all his money in a pyramid scheme that was every bit
as transparent as it was corrupt.

Mnemonic: "a-rant" - When a person rants about a topic

then he looks like an 'arrant' fool, and now that kind of
person won't let you forget this word!
 churlish
(adj) lacking manners or refinement

Ex: The manager was unnecessarily churlish to his

subordinates, rarely deigning to say hello, but
always quick with a sartorial jab if someone
happened to be wearing anything even slightly
mismatching.

Mnemonic: It somewhat feels and means like

"childish" or say ill-mannered.
 supercilious
adj) haughty and disdainful; looking
down on others

Ex: Nelly felt the Quiz Bowl director acted superciliously

towards the underclassmen; really, she fumed, must he
act so preternaturally omniscient each time he intones
some obscure factas though everybody knows that Mt.
Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America.

Mnemonic: "super-feel-us" - When we feel ourselves to be

superior to others, we are 'supercilious', and now that
superiority complex will help us remember this word!
 sartorial
(adj) related to fashion or clothes

Ex: Monte was astute at navigating the world of

finance; sartorially, however, he was found
wantinghe typically would attempt to complement
his beige tie with a gray suit and white pants.

Mnemonic: "sari-wore-ial" - It's a fashion to wear

'sari' (traditional dress) in India, and now that
fashion won't let you forget this word!
factitious
(adj) artificial; not natural

Ex: The defendants story was largely factitious and

did not accord with eyewitness testimonies

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "fictitious"

(related to fiction).
propitiate
(verb) to placate or appease

Ex: The two sons, plying their angry father with cheesy
neckties for Christmas, were hardly able to propitiate him
 the father already had a drawer full of ones he had never
worn before or ever planned to
.
Mnemonic: "property-differentiate" - Wealthy parents
'differentiate' or 'distribute' their property evenly among
their children to 'appease' them, and now those wealthy
parents won't let you forget this word!
 bilious
(adj) irritable; always angry

Ex: Rex was bilious all morning, and his face would
only take on a look of contentedness when hed had
his morning cup of coffee.

Mnemonic: "bill-i" - When I ended up paying 'bill' for

everyone, then I felt 'irritated and angry', and now
that moment can help you and me remember this
word!
 invective
(noun) abusive or denunciatory
language

Ex: The Internet has unleashed the invectives in many of

us; many people post stinging criticism on the comments
section underneath newspaper articles or YouTube
videos.

Mnemonic: "insulting-adjective" - People use all kind of

'adjectives' to insult or verbally 'abuse' someone, and
now those 'adjectives' won't let you forget this word!
 palimpsest
(noun) something that has been changed numerous times
but on which traces of former iterations can still be
seen

Ex: The downtown was a palimpsest of the citys

checkered past: a new Starbucks had opened up next to
an abandoned, shuttered building, and a freshly
asphalted road was inches away from a pothole large
enough to swallow a small dog.

Mnemonic: "palm-ink-test" - If you write something with

ink pen on your palm and then rub it and write again, you
can still see some 'old traces', and now those old traces
won't let you forget this word!
 martinet
(noun) a strict disciplinarian

Ex: The job seemed perfect to Rebecca, until she found

out that her boss was a total martinet; after each project
the boss would come by to scrutinizeand inevitably
criticizeevery little detail of the work Rebecca had done.

Mnemonic: "martial arts" - Learning 'martial arts'

requires you to lead a 'strict, disciplined' lifestyle, and
now that lifestyle will help you remember this word!
 juggernaut
(noun) a force that cannot be stopped

Ex: Napoleon was considered a juggernaut until he

decided to invade Russia in winter; after which, his once
indomitable army was decimated by cold and famine.

Mnemonic: "Lord Jagannath" - The way people flock

towards 'Lord Jagannath' temple, it seems like there is
some 'unstoppable force' which is pulling them, and now
this temple will always remind you of this word!
 phantasmagorical
(adj) illusive; unreal

Ex: Those suffering from malaria fall into a feverish

sleep, their world a whirligig of phantasmagoria; if
they recover, they are unsure of what actually took
place and what was simply a product of their febrile
imaginations.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "phantom-

magical"!
mettlesome
(adj) filled with courage or valor

Ex: For its raid on the Bin Ladens compound in

Abbottabad, Seal Team Six has become, for many
Americans, the embodiment of mettle.

Mnemonic: "medals-some" - He won some medals

for being 'mettlesome'!
 cupidity
(noun) greed for money

Ex: Some people believe that amassing as much wealth as

possible is the meaning to lifeyet they often realize that
cupidity brings anything but happiness.

Mnemonic: "cupid-ity" - Gift and card making companies

have commoditized 'Cupid' (or love) to sell products in
order to fulfill their 'greed for money', and now those
companies won't let you forget this word!
 mulct
(verb) to defraud or swindle

Ex: The so-called magical diet cure simply ended up

mulcting Maria out of hundreds of dollars, but did
nothing for her weight.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "mal-act" or

'dirty' act like a fraud.
 sybarite
(noun) a person who indulges in
luxury

Ex: Despite the fact that hed maxed out fifteen

credit cards, Max was still a sybarite at heart: when
the police found him, he was at a $1,000 an hour spa
in Manhattan, getting a facial treatment.

Mnemonic: "cyber-IT" - People working in the cyber

IT industry are usually fond of 'luxuries', and now
those people will help you remember this word!
 remonstrate
(verb) to make objections while
pleading

Ex: The mothers of the kidnapped victims remonstrated to

the rogue government to release their children, claiming
that the detention violated human rights.

Mnemonic: "Demonstrations" are carried out during

protests when people 'remonstrate' for some cause, and
now those demonstrations will always remind you of this
word!
 duplicity
(noun) deceitfulness, pretending to want one
thing but interested in something else

Ex: A life of espionage is one of duplicity: an agent

must pretend to be a totally different person than
who she or he actually is.

Mnemonic: "duplicate-city" - Imagine a city which is

full of duplicate or '2 faces' people, and now that
city won't let you forget this word!
 umbrage
(noun) a feeling of anger caused by
being offended

Ex: Since he was so in love with her, he took umbrage at

her comments, even though she had only meant to gently
tease him.

Mnemonic: "Umbrella-rage" - I felt angry when I offered

an umbrella to a girl during rain but she denied which
kind of 'offended' me and will always remind me of this
word.
 probity
 (noun) integrity, strong moral
principles

Ex: The ideal politician would have the probity to

lead, but reality gravely falls short of the ideal of
morally upright leaders.

Mnemonic: "probe" - It's like 'probe' is carried out to

check 'probity' or 'integrity' of politicians, and now
that probe won't let you forget this word!
 anemic
(adj) lacking energy and vigor

Ex: After three straight shows, the lead actress gave

an anemic performance the fourth night, barely
speaking loudly enough for those in the back rows to
hear.

Mnemonic: "anemia" - A person suffering from

anemia (deficiency of red blood cells) usually feels
'weak' and 'lacks energy'.
 sinecure
(noun) an office that involves
minimal duties

Ex: The position of Research Director is a sinecure: the job

entails almost no responsibilities, nor does the person in
that position have to answer to anyone.

Mnemonic: "sign-secure" - Imagine a boss who just signs

on papers while sitting in his office and yet his job is
secure whereas people working under him do all the hard
work but still their job is insecure, and now that boss will
always remind you of this word!
 grandiloquent
(adj) puffed up with vanity

Ex: The dictator was known for his grandiloquent

speeches, puffing his chest out and using big,
important-sounding words.

Mnemonic: "grand-eloquent" - An 'eloquent' speaker

can give pompous speeches to make even a tiny
event appear grand, and now that kind of speaker
will always remind you of this word!
 artlessness
(noun) the quality of innocence

Ex: I, personally, found the artlessness of her speech

charming.

Mnemonic: "art-less-ness" - People without any art

of deception are 'innocent', and now those kind of
people won't let you forget this word!
 solecism
(noun) a socially awkward or
tactless act

Ex: Mother Anna was always on guard against any

solecism from her children and scolded them
immediately if any of them talked out of place in
public.

Mnemonic: "sole-cism" - When someone live 'sole'ly

or alone, away from the society, then that is
considered 'socially awkward'.
 provident
(adj) careful in regard to your own interests;
providing carefully for the future

Ex: In a move that hardly could be described as provident,

Bert spent his entire savings on a luxurious cruise,
knowing that other bills would come due a couple months
later.

Mnemonic: "Provident fund" - Provident fund in India is

like USA's social security program which "takes care of
people's future" and now that provident fund won't let
you forget this word!
dispensation
(noun) an exemption from a rule or
obligation

Ex: Since her father is a billionaire, she is given

dispensation from many of the school's policies.

Mnemonic: "this-painful-session" - Imagine if you

got 'exemption' from attending some painful
session, then you will be happy and will never forget
this word!
 incontrovertible
(adj) necessarily or demonstrably
true; impossible to deny or disprove

Ex: Unless you can provide incontrovertible

evidence, I will remain skeptical.

Mnemonic: "in-controversy" - If you get trapped in

some controversy then it might become 'impossible
to deny' the allegation as well as to forget this word!
 irrefutable
adj) impossible to deny or disprove

Ex: Scientists are searching for irrefutable evidence

that some form of life existed on mars at some point
in its history.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "ir-refusable" i.e.

not refusable or impossible to deny!
 impetuous
(adj) characterized by undue haste
and lack of thought or deliberation

Ex: Herbert is rarely impetuous, but on the spur of

the moment, he spent thousands of dollars on a
motorcycle today.

Mnemonic: "impatient-us" - If we become impatient,

then it will lead to 'lack of thoughts in doing
something' and will help us remember this word as
well!
 nonchalant
(adj) coming across as uninterested
or unconcerned; overly casual

Ex: The twenty-somethings at the coffee shop always

irked Sheldon, especially the way in which they acted
nonchalantly towards everything, not even caring when
Sheldon once spilled his mocha on them.

Mnemonic: "non-challenge" - If you have habit of always

taking non-challenging tasks, it means you are kind of
'casual' and now this habit will help you remember this
word!
 ribald
(adj) humorously vulgar

Ex: The speaker was famous for his ribald humor,

but the high school principal asked him to keep the
talk G-rated when he spoke to the student body.

Mnemonic: "re-bald" - It was 'humorously vulgar'

when he asked his friend to get bald again.
 decry
verb) express strong disapproval of

Ex: The entire audience erupted in shouts and

curses, decrying the penalty card issued by the
referee.

Mnemonic: "deep-cry" - Deep cry of the kid

expressed his 'disapproval' to stay in the hostel, and
now that cry won't let you forget this word!
 lacerate
(verb) deeply hurt the feelings of;
distress

Ex: The teacher was fired for lacerating a student

who wrote a poor essay.

Mnemonic: "less-rate" - Imagine that your boss rates

you less in front of others, then your 'feelings will be
hurt' for sure, and now that boss won't let you
forget this word!
 cosset
(verb) treat with excessive
indulgence

Ex: The king and queen cosseted the young prince,

giving him a prized miniature pony for his fifth
birthday.

Mnemonic: "costly-set" - Her husband gave her a

very "costly necklace set" on their anniversary
showing his excessive indulgence for her, and now
that costly set will help you remember this word!
 crestfallen
(adj) brought low in spirit

Ex: I asked Maria on a date and she refused without

a moment's thought; I was crestfallen.

Mnemonic: "chest-fallen" - It feels and means like

"chest fallen" i.e. heart broken as heart is inside the
chest!
 peripatetic
(adj) traveling by foot

Ex: Jim always preferred a peripatetic approach to

discovering a city: he felt that he could see so many
more details while walking.

Mnemonic: "Pair-patetic" - 'Pair' is an Indian word

which means 'legs' and now this non-English word
will help you remember this English word!
 puerile
 (adj) of or characteristic of a child;
displaying or suggesting a lack of
maturity

Ex: Helen enjoyed blowing soap bubbles, but Jim

regarded this as puerile, totally unworthy of a
woman with a Ph.D.

Mnemonic: "Pure" - It can be easily associated with

child as their hearts are very "pure".
 intimation
(noun) an indirect suggestion

Ex: At first the hostess tried intimation, praising the

benefits of cutlery; when Cecil continued eating with his
hands, the hostess told him to use a fork at dinner.

Mnemonic: On her birthday, I gifted her a customized

playing cards deck with her different pic on every card for
"intimating" about how much I like her,... and now those
playing cards will never let me forget this word
 surreptitious
(adj) stealthy, taking pains not to be
caught or detected

Ex: Since his mom was a light sleeper, Timmy had to

tiptoe surreptitiously through the entire house, careful to
not make the floors creak, until he at last was able to
enjoy his plunder: a box of chocolate chip cookies.

Mnemonic: "suspicious" - Suspicious people are usually

very 'stealthy', and now those suspicious people won't let
you forget this word!
 equitable
adj) fair to all parties as dictated
by reason and conscience

Ex: The equitable distribution of ice cream to a group of 5

year olds will ensure little to no fightingat least until the
ice cream is gone.

Mnemonic: "equal-table" - On the dinner 'table', your

mom should be giving sweets 'equally' to everyone, and
now your mom won't let you forget this word!
inimitable
(adj) defying imitation; matchless

Ex: Mozart's music follows a clear pattern that,

anyone could imitate, but his music gives an overall
sense of effortlessness that is inimitable.

Mnemonic: "in-imitable" - It's opposite of imitable

which means capable of being imitated or copied.
 presentiment
(noun) a feeling of evil to come

Ex: On the night that Lincoln would be fatally shot,

his wife had a presentiment about going to Ford's
Theater, but Lincoln persuaded her that everything
would be fine.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "pre-sentiment"

i.e. feeling beforehand.
 apposite
(adj) remarkably appropriate

Ex: For a writer with such quick wit, Jonathan Swift

has a rather apposite name.

Mnemonic: It can be remembered as "opposite of

opposite" i.e. appropriate.
 celerity:
(noun) speed, rapidity

Ex: We aim to respond to customers' questions with

celerity and accuracy, with no longer than a 24 hour wait
time.

Mnemonic: "celebrity" - Robert Pattinson is one of the

celebrities who became famous very "speedily" because
of the movie Twilight,... and now he won't let you forget
this word! 
obstreperous
(adj) noisily and stubbornly defiant;
willfully difficult to control

Ex: When the teacher asked the obstreperous

student simply to bus his tray, the student threw the
entire tray on the floor, shouted an epithet, and
walked out.

Mnemonic: "obvious-stress" - Noisy and

uncontrollable kid gives obvious stress,... and now
that kid will help you remember this word!
 imperious
(adj) having or showing arrogant superiority
to and disdain of those one views as unworthy

Ex: Children are imperious with each other before

they learn that earning someone's respect is better
than demanding.

Mnemonic: "I-am-precious" - One of my friends is

very 'arrogant' and he thinks that he is very
'precious', and now that friend of mine will help you
remember this word!
 puissant
(adj) powerful

Ex: Over the years of service, and quite to his

surprise, he became a puissant advisor to the
community.

Mnemonic: It's pronunciation is somewhat like "few-

saint" and you must be knowing few saints who are
very 'powerful', and now those saints won't let you
forget this word!
 immure
(verb) to enclose, usually in walls

Ex: The modern supermarket experience makes

many feel claustrophobic, as they are immured in
walls upon walls of products.

Mnemonic: "i-am-yours" - You might have felt and

said this to someone - "I am yours... please enclose
me within walls of your heart" 
 hubris
(noun) overbearing pride or
presumption

Ex: Bill Clinton was criticized for his hubris, since he

believed he could get away with anything once in
the White House.

Mnemonic: "hubby-rich" - Since her hubby is very

rich, she has got 'excessive pride' and now she won't
let you forget this word!
 denouement
(noun) the final resolution of the many
strands of a literary or dramatic work; the
outcome of a complex sequence of events

Ex: At the denouement of the movie, all questions

were answered, and the true identity of the robber
was revealed.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "announcement"

(with some missing letters)!
 encumber
(verb) hold back

Ex: The costume encumbered all my movements and

caused me to sweat profusely.

Mnemonic: "en-cumbersome" - Cumbersome system

in your company will always 'hold you back',... and
now that system won't let you forget this word!
 untenable
(adj) (of theories etc) incapable of
being defended or justified

Ex: With the combination of Kepler's brilliant theories and

Galileo's telescopic observations, the old geocentric
theory became untenable to most of the educated people
in Europe.

Mnemonic: "under-ten-able" - Kids under ten are

generally 'not able to defend themselves' for their act,...
so those kids can help you remember this word!
subterfuge
(noun) something intended to misrepresent the
true nature of an activity

Ex: Finally deciding to abandon all subterfuge,

Arthur revealed to Cindy everything about his secret
affair over the past two years.

Mnemonic: "Some-terribly-confuse" - Some people

terribly confuse others to 'misrepresent the truth'
and now those kind of people won't let you forget
this word!
 magisterial
(adj) offensively self-assured or
given to exercising unwarranted
power

Ex: Though she was only a third grade teacher, Ms.

Martinet was magisterial in dealing with her class,
lording over them like a queen.

Mnemonic: If you associate this word with some

powerful and cruel "magistrate", then you will never
forget this word!
 unflappable
(adj) not easily perturbed or excited or upset;
marked by extreme calm and composure

Ex: The house shook and the ground quaked, but my

dad was unflappable and comforted the family.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "un-flap-able" i.e.

not flapping wings up and down or in other words
'being calm'.
 firebrand
(noun) someone who deliberately
creates trouble

Ex: Freddie is a firebrand: every time he walks into

the office, he winds up at the center of heated
argument.

Mnemonic: "fire-on-brand" - Some people creates

'trouble' by putting fire on branded cars, and now
those kind of people won't let you forget this word!
nettlesome
(adj) causing irritation or
annoyance

Ex: Maria found her coworker's cell phone

nettlesome, because every few minutes it would
buzz to life with another text message.

Mnemonic: "neat-less-some" - You must be getting

'annoyed' or 'irritated' by some dirty people around
you and now those people won't let you forget this
word!
phlegmatic
(adj) showing little emotion

Ex: Arnold is truly noble, remaining reserved until an

issue of significance arises, but Walter is simply
phlegmatic: he doesn't have the energy or inclination to
care about anything.

Mnemonic: It sounds like "pragmatic" which means

practical and as we know that practical people are more
logical than emotional,... so those practical people will
help you remember this word!
 paragon
noun: model of excellence or perfection of a
kind; one having no equal

Ex: Even with the rise of Kobe Bryant, many still believe
that Michael Jordon is the paragon for basketball players.

Mnemonic: "Paragon" - Paragon is a slippers brand which

is 'ideal' for comfort and now whenever you wear slippers
of this brand it will remind you of this word!
 paragon
noun: an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment
of a concept

Ex: Some say that Athens was the paragon of democracy,

but these people often forget that slaves and women were
still not allowed to vote.

Mnemonic: "Paragon" - Paragon is a slippers brand which

is 'ideal' for comfort and now whenever you wear slippers
of this brand it will remind you of this word!
 reprisal
(noun) a retaliatory action against an enemy
in wartime

Ex: The Old Testament doctrine of "an eye for an eye"

would seem to justify an immediate physical reprisal for
any injury, but that interpretation neglects the many
passages that value mercy and loving-kindness over
revenge.

Mnemonic: Reprisal against non-appraisal is somewhat

common in software companies and will help you
remember this word!
 atavism
(noun) a reappearance of an earlier
characteristic; throwback

Ex: Much of the modern art movement was an

atavism to a style of art found only in small villages
through Africa and South America.

Mnemonic: It somewhat feels and means like

"avatar" i.e. incarnation (of ancestor) in human
form.
 epigram
(noun) a witty saying

Ex: My favorite epigram from Mark Twain is "A man

who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can
learn no other way."

Mnemonic: "Epic" - In epic movies like 'The Dark

Knight', you can find a lot of 'witty remarks' and
now those epic movies won't let you forget this
word!
 ineffable
(adj) too sacred to be uttered;
defying expression or description

Ex: While art critics can occasionally pinpoint a

work's greatness, much of why a piece captures our
imaginations is completely ineffable.

Mnemonic: "in-ef-fable" - Fable (i.e. story) can be

told and hence 'in-effable' can be remembered as
something that can't be told or uttered.
 chimera
(noun) something desired or wished for but is
only an illusion and impossible to achieve

Ex: Many believe that a world free of war is a

chimeraa dream that ignores humanity's violent
tendencies.

Mnemonic: "chameleon" - As you know that

chameleon causes 'illusion' by changing colors and
now the chameleon won't let you forget this word!
 empiricism
(noun) any method that derives knowledge from
experience, used in experimental science as a
way to gain insight and knowledge

Ex: Empiricism does not always lead to knowledge;

an experience or experiment may raise more
questions than it answers.

Mnemonic: "emperors-precision" - The precision

with which emperors rule the kingdom comes from
their 'past experience' and those emperors won't let
you forget this word!
 artifice
(noun) cunning tricks used to
deceive others

Ex: The mayoral candidates both spent much of the

campaign accusing each other of artifices designed
to mislead the voting public.

Mnemonic: "artificial-fish" - As an artificial fish in

aquarium is used to deceive others,... so now that
fish won't let you forget this word!
 effervescent
(adj) marked by high spirits or
excitement

Ex: After the sales result, the manager was in an

effervescent mood, letting several employees leave work
early that day.

Mnemonic: As effervescence also means bubbles in a

liquid or 'fizz', hence it can be associated with soft drink
'Sprite' which in turn can be associated with 'high spirits'
and hence the way to remember this word!
 languish
(verb) become feeble

Ex: Stranded in the wilderness for four days, the

hiker languished, eating protein bars and nuts.

Mnemonic: "lacking-wish" - After his mom's death he

lacked the wish to live and became languish.
rapprochement:
(noun) the reestablishing of cordial
relations

Ex: Although Ann hoped that her mother and her aunt
would have a rapprochement, each one's bitter
accusations against the other made any reconciliation
unlikely.

Mnemonic: "re-approach" - In your life, you must have

tried to re-approach someone in order to 'reestablish the
bond', and now that someone will help you remember this
word!
 hoary
(adj) ancient

Ex: Most workout gurus are young, fit people,

whereas most yoga gurus are hoary men with long
white beards.

Mnemonic: "hairy" - Associate this word with 'hairy'

saints as they look like to be from 'ancient' origin,
and now those saints won't let you forget this word!
 arrogate
(verb) seize and control without
authority

Ex: Arriving at the small town, the outlaw arrogated the

privileges of a lord, asking the frightened citizens to
provide food, drink, and entertainment.

Mnemonic: "arrogant" - Many arrogant people try to

'control things without any authority', and now those
kind of people will help you remember this word!
entrenched
 (adj) fixed firmly or securely

Ex: By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our

habits are so entrenched that it is difficult for us to
change.

Mnemonic: "easily stretched" - A rubber band can

get stretched easily and so it holds the box 'firmly'
and helps remember this word!
 reticent:
(adj) disinclined to talk, not
revealing one's thoughts

Ex: When asked about her father, Helen lost her

outward enthusiasm and became rather reticent.

Mnemonic: "rotten scent" - I was 'disinclined to talk'

to her since she had applied 'rotten scent' on her
body that day.
 culminate
(verb) reach the highest or most
decisive point

Ex: Beethoven's musical genius culminated in the

9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest
work.

Mnemonic: "call-me-great" - You can 'call me great'

for reaching the 'highest point' of Mount Everest!
meticulous
(adj) marked by extreme care in
treatment of details

Ex: The Japanese noodle maker was meticulous in

making his noodles and would never let another
person take over the task.

Mnemonic: "Mental calculus" in meticulous minds!

 obscure
verb: make unclear

Ex: On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon,

Mr. Smith's big head obscured much of Mrs.
Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary
patches of red rock.

Mnemonic: "obesity-cure" - 'Very few people know'

about the cure of obesity.
 obscure
djective: known by only a few

Ex: Many of the biggest movie stars were once

obscure actors who got only bit roles in long-
forgotten films.

Mnemonic: "obesity-cure" - 'Very few people know'

about the cure of obesity.
 didactic
(adj) instructive (especially
excessively)

Ex: Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a didactic

novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good
life.

Mnemonic: Somewhat feels and means like

"dictative"!... as when we dictate we also instruct.
 eschew
(verb) avoid and stay away from
deliberately; stay clear of

Ex: Politicians are the masters of eschewing morals;

academics are the masters of eschewing clarity.

Mnemonic: "excuse" - I made an excuse to 'stay away

from' the party. That excuse will always remind me
of this word!
 dogmatic
(adj) highly opinionated, not
accepting that your belief may not
be correct

Ex: Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat,

claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are
computer generated.

Mnemonic: Reverse of dogmatic is like "I-am-god" - If I

start thinking that I am like a God, then I will stop
accepting that I might also be wrong.
 preclude
 (verb) keep from happening or
arising; make impossible

Ex: The manager specified that all other gates be

locked, to preclude the possibility of persons
without tickets entering the arena undetected.

Mnemonic: "perfectly-glued" - I perfectly glued the

envelope to 'make it impossible' for others to read
it.
 abstain
(verb) choose not to consume or take
part in (particularly something
enjoyable)

Ex: Considered a health nut, Jessica abstained from

anything containing sugar--even chocolate.

Mnemonic: "abs-pain" - Because of my abs pain, I

'chose not to' go to the gym today.
 languid
(adj) not inclined towards physical
exertion or effort; slow and relaxed

Ex: As the sun beat down and the temperature

climbed higher, we spent a languid week lying
around the house.

Mnemonic: "lazy-kid" - That kid is very lazy, he

doesn't want to do any hard work.
incongruous
(adj) lacking in harmony or
compatibility or appropriateness

Ex: The vast economic inequality of modern society

is incongruous with America's ideals.

Mnemonic: "In-congress" - In congress, harmony

lacked after they lost the election.
 treacherous
adjective: tending to betray

Ex: Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his

killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more for his
treacherous actions than for eliminating a criminal
and murderer.

Mnemonic: "terrorize-us" - Terrorist attacks are very

'dangerous' and 'unpredictable'.
 treacherous
adjective: dangerously unstable and
unpredictable

Ex: The bridge built from twine and vine is

treacherous to walk across, and so I think I will stay
put right here.

Mnemonic: "terrorize-us" - Terrorist attacks are very

'dangerous' and 'unpredictable'.
ameliorate
(verb) make something bad better

Ex: "Three Cups of Tea" tells the story of western

man who hopes to ameliorate poverty and the lack
of education in Afghanistan.

Mnemonic: "Amul-rate" - Amul is milk brand which

recently stashed their rates to help the people
affected from drought and it helped a lot in 'making
the situation better'.
 circumvent
(verb) cleverly find a way out of
one's duties or obligations

Ex: One way of circumventing the GRE is to apply to

a grad school that does not require GRE scores.

Mnemonic: "Sir-came-and-went" - Our sir just came

and went during the exams to 'cleverly' show his
presence while 'avoiding his duties'.
 haughty
adj) having or showing arrogant
superiority to and disdain of those
one views as unworthy

Ex: The haughty manager didn't believe that any of

his subordinates could ever have an insight as
brilliant as his own.

Mnemonic: "hot-teen" - Hot teens usually consider

themselves much 'superior' to others.
 forlorn
(adj) marked by or showing
hopelessness

Ex: After her third pet dog died, Marcia was simply
forlorn: this time even the possibility of buying a
new dog no longer held any joy.

Mnemonic: "forever-alone" - One of my friends was

simply 'forlorn' or 'hopeless' after his girl-friend left
him alone forever.
 ephemeral
(adj) lasting a very short time

Ex: The lifespan of a mayfly is ephemeral, lasting

from a few hours to a couple of days.

Mnemonic: "elephant-malaria" - That elephant 'did

not last long' after he got malaria.
 insidious
(adj) working in a subtle but
destructive way

Ex: Plaque is insidious: we cannot see it, but each

day it eats away at our enamel, causing cavities and
other dental problems.

Mnemonic: "inside-us" - If we retain something bad

'inside us' then it will slowly hamper us in a
'destructive way'.
tantamount
 (adj) being essentially equal to
something

Ex: In many situations, remaining silent is

tantamount to admitting guilt, so speak to prove
your innocence.

Mnemonic: "tentative-amount" - In most of the

cases, tentative amount 'is equal to' the final
amount.
 eclectic
(adj) comprised of a variety of styles

Ex: Joey was known for his eclectic tastes in music,

one moment dancing to disco the next "air
conducting" along to Beethoven's 9th symphony.

Mnemonic: "electric cars" - These days so 'many

variety' of electric cars have come in the market.
derivative
(adj) not original but drawing strongly on something
already in existence, especially in reference to a
creative product (e.g. music, writing, poetry etc.).

Ex: Because the movies were utterly derivative of

other popular movies, they did well at the box
office.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "derive from it"!

 juxtapose
 (verb) place side by side for
contrast

Ex: The appeal of her paintings comes from a

classical style which is juxtaposed with modern
themes.

Mnemonic: "just-a-pose" - Strikingly different

models were made to stand 'side by side' for just a
pose.
 contrive
(verb) to pull off a plan or scheme,
usually through skill or trickery

Ex: Despite a low GPA, he contrived to get into

college, going so far as to write his own glowing
letters of recommendation.

Mnemonic: "can't drive" - He cleverly managed to

'cancel his trip' to nearby city by making an excuse
that he can't drive.
 jubilant
adj) full of high-spirited delight
because of triumph or success

Ex: My hard work paid off, and I was jubilant to

receive a perfect score on the GRE.

Mnemonic: "juvenile-ant" - Juvenile ants (baby ants)

generally move very fast and it looks like they are
full of energy or say 'high-spirited'.
negligible
(adj) so small as to be meaningless;
insignificant

Ex: The GRE tests cumulative knowledge, so if you

cram the night before it is, at best, likely to only
have a negligible impact on your score.

Mnemonic: "not-eligible" - You are 'not eligible' for

this post because you have 'negligible' qualities.
 petulant
(adj) easily irritated or annoyed

Ex: Although the three year old was often described

as mature for his age, he was petulant and whiny
whenever his father forgot to remove the crust from
his sandwiches.

Mnemonic: "patience-less-aunt" - My aunt who has

very less patience gets 'irritated' over small-small
things, and now that aunt will always remind me of
this word!
 laudable
adj) worthy of high praise

Ex: To say that Gandhi's actions were laudable is the

greatest understatement; he overthrew an empire
without violence.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "applaud-able"!

ostentatious
(adj) intended to attract notice and
impress others; tawdry or vulgar

Ex: Matt wanted to buy stone lions for front of the

house, but Cynthia convinced him that such a
display would be too ostentatious for a modest
house in an unassuming neighborhood.

Mnemonic: "ass-tempts-us" - It's kind of 'vulgar'

when someone says - 'that ass is tempting'.
 largess
(noun) extreme generosity and
giving

Ex: Uncle Frank was known for his largess, so his

nephew was sad when he did not receive a present
for his birthday.

Mnemonic: "large-ness" - Someone with large heart

is 'very generous and giving'.
 exalt
(verb) praise or glorify

Ex: The teenagers exalted the rock star, covering

their bedrooms with posters of him.

Mnemonic: "extra-salt" - I once 'praised' my friend

for putting some extra salt in my food!
 blatant
(adj) without any attempt at
concealment; completely obvious

Ex: Allen was often punished in school for blatantly

disrespecting teachers.

Mnemonic: "blunt-aunt" - That blunt aunt 'blatantly'

scolded me for parking my car in front of her house.
 reconcile
verb) make (one thing) compatible
with (anothe

Ex: Peggy was unable to reconcile her kind friend

Jane with the cruel and merciless character Jane
played on television.

Mnemonic: "re-counsel" - I had to re (again) counsel

the couple in order to make them feel they both are
'compatible' with each other.
 adamant
 (adj) refusing to change one's mind

Ex: Civil rights icon Rosa Parks will forever be

remembered for adamantly refusing to give up her
seat on a public bus--even after the bus driver
insisted, she remained rooted in place.

Mnemonic: "a-dumb-man" - He is a dumb man who is

'refusing to accept' the fact that earth is round.
 exonerate
(verb) pronounce not guilty of
criminal charges

Ex: The document clearly indicated that Nick was

out of the state at the time of the crime, and so
served to exonerate him of any charges.

Mnemonic: "ex-won't-rape" - That claim about her ex

raping her was just made with the mindset of taking
revenge for some personal issues and hence her ex
was 'freed from that criminal charge' (exonerated).
 expound
 (verb) add details or explanation;
clarify the meaning; state in depth

Ex: The CEO refused to expound on the decision to

merge our department with another one, and so I
quit.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "explain" and

"expand".
 idiosyncrasy
(noun) a behavioral attribute that is
distinctive and peculiar to an
individual

Ex: Peggy's numerous idiosyncrasies include wearing

mismatched shoes, laughing loudly to herself, and
owning a pet aardvark.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "idiot-psycho-

crazy".
 burgeon
(verb) grow and flourish

Ex: China's housing market is burgeoning, but some

predict that the growth is merely a bubble and will
burst much like the U.S. real estate bubble of 2008.

Mnemonic: "Bear-grows" - In movie 'The Jungle

Book', bear 'grows' with the kid Mowgli, and now
this movie won't let me forget this word!
 repudiate
(verb) reject as untrue or unfounded

Ex: Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO

crash outside town, so the chief of police did
everything he could to repudiate the rumors.

Mnemonic: "refuse that I ate" - I 'refused to accept'

his allegation that I ate his burger.
 scrupulous
adjective: characterized by extreme
care and great effort

Ex: Because of his scrupulous nature, Mary put him

in charge of numbering and cataloging the entire
collection of rare stamps.

Mnemonic: "score-plus" - I got a plus score in

'Multiple Choice Questions' exam because I had the
sense of which answer is right and which is wrong,
and now that exam won't let me forget this word!
 scrupulous
adjective: having a sense of right
and wrong; principled

Ex: Everyone trusted what he said and followed his

example because he was scrupulous and honest.

Mnemonic: "score-plus" - I got a plus score in

'Multiple Choice Questions' exam because I had the
sense of which answer is right and which is wrong,
and now that exam won't let me forget this word!
 sanction
verb: give authority or permission
to

Ex: The authorities have sanctioned the use of the

wilderness reserve for public use; many expect to
see hikers and campers enjoying the park in the
coming months.

Mnemonic: "sang-song" - I sang a song after 'getting

permission' from my neighbors, and now those
neighbors will always remind me of this word!
 sanction
noun: a legal penalty for a
forbidden action

Ex: International sanctions have been placed on

certain shipping lanes that were thought to be
involved in human trafficking.

Mnemonic: "sang-song" - I sang a song after 'getting

permission' from my neighbors, and now those
neighbors will always remind me of this word!
 lionize
(verb) assign great social
importance to

Ex: Students in the U.S. learn to lionize Jefferson,

Franklin, and Washington because they are the
founding fathers of the nation.

Mnemonic: "lion-size" - Lion sized people are given

'great social importance' in some countries.
 inscrutable
(adj) not easily understood;
unfathomable

Ex: His speech was so dense and confusing that

many in the audience found it inscrutable.

Mnemonic: "in-scrutiny-able" - Scrutiny means

'critical examination of something' and hence
'inscrutable' can be remembered as something that
can't be scrutinised or examined because it's
'difficult to understand'.
 circumscribe
(verb) restrict or confine

Ex: Their tour of South America was circumscribed

so that they saw only popular destinations and
avoided the dangerous parts of cities.

Mnemonic: "circumference" - The circumference of

the circle 'confines' the inside area of the circle.
obsequious
(adj) attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner;
attempting to win favor from influential people by
flattery

Ex: The obsequious waiter did not give the couple a

moment's peace all through the meal, constantly
returning to their table to refill their water glasses
and to tell them what a handsome pair they made.

Mnemonic: "obsessed-kiss" - She gave an obsessed

kiss to her boss in order to 'win his favor'.
 reverent
(adj) feeling or showing profound
respect or veneration

Ex: The professor could speak objectively about the

other composers, but he always lectured about
Brahms with a particularly reverent air, unable to
offer a single criticism of his compositions.

Mnemonic: "real-rent" - That landlord takes only the

'real rent' of the house so everyone 'respects' him.
 intrepid
(adj) fearless

Ex: Captain Ahab was an intrepid captain whose

reckless and fearless style ultimately lead to his
downfall.

Mnemonic: "interrupt-sid" - He interrupted his boss

Sid 'without any fear' of getting scolded.
 prolific
(adj) intellectually productive

Ex: Schubert was the most prolific composer,

producing hundreds of hours of music before he died
at the age of 31.

Mnemonic: "productive-life" - He is very

'intellectual' and hence living a 'productive' life.
 ostracize
(verb) exclude from a community or
group

Ex: Later in his life, Leo Tolstoy was ostracized from

the Russian Orthodox Church for his writings that
contradicted church doctrine.

Mnemonic: "extra-size" - Because of his extra size he

was 'excluded from the community' of slim people.
 haphazard
(adj) marked by great carelessness; dependent
upon or characterized by chance

Ex: Many golf courses are designed with great care,

but the greens on the county golf course seem
entirely haphazard.

Mnemonic: "happened-hazard" - That hazard

happened because of the great 'carelessness' of the
people.
 ravenous
(adj) extremely hungry; devouring or
craving food in great quantities

Ex: John didn't eat much at all during the week he

had the flu, so now that he is regaining his health,
it's not surprising that he has a ravenous appetite.

Mnemonic: "Ravan" - Ravan was a king of Lanka (in

ancient epic Ramayana) who was 'extremely hungry'
for power, and now Ravan will help you remember
this word!
 myriad
(noun) a large indefinite number

Ex: There are a myriad of internet sites hawking pills

that claim to boost energy for hours on end.

Mnemonic: "Pyramid" - Pyramids have 'indefinite

number' of steps, and now those steps won't let you
forget this word!
 hegemony
(noun) dominance over a certain area

Ex: Until the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1587,

Spain had hegemony over the seas, controlling
waters stretching as far as the Americas.

Mnemonic: "huge-money" - Huge amount of money

always leads to 'dominance' over something.
 inimical
(adj) hostile (usually describes
conditions or environments)

Ex: Venus, with a surface temperature that would

turn rubber to liquid, is inimical to any form of life.

Mnemonic: "enemy-call" - When an enemy calls it

creates a 'hostile environment', and now your
enemies will always remind of this word!
 austere
adjective: practicing self-denial

Ex: His lifestyle of revelry and luxurious excess could

hardly be called austere.

Mnemonic: "Aus-there" - 'Aussies' or 'Australians'

are very 'harsh' there in cricket ground esp. with
their bowling.
 austere
adjective: harsh in manner of
temperament

Ex: The principal of my elementary school was a

cold, austere woman; I could never understand why
she chose to work with children.

Mnemonic: "Aus-there" - 'Aussies' or 'Australians'

are very 'harsh' there in cricket ground esp. with
their bowling.
 admonish
(verb) to warn strongly, even to the
point of reprimanding

Ex: Before the concert began, security personnel

admonished the crowd not to come up on stage
during the performance.

Mnemonic: "admin-ish" - Admins of various forums

generally 'warns' people about misuse of the
respective forums.
 rescind
 (verb) cancel officially

Ex: The man's driver's license was rescinded after

his tenth car accident, which meant he would never
be allowed to legally drive again.

Mnemonic: "resign" - It's like when I resigned, my

job got 'cancelled officially', and now this
resignation will help you remember this word!
 tractable
(adj) readily reacting to suggestions and
influences; easily managed (controlled or
taught or molded)

Ex: Compared to middle school students, who have

an untamed wildness about them, high school
students are somewhat more tractable.

Mnemonic: "track-table" - I was 'tracking' all the

suggestions that were being provided on that round
'table' conference and 'reacting actively' on them.
 sycophant
(noun) a person who tries to please someone in
order to gain a personal advantage

Ex: The CEO was unaware of the damaging

consequences of his choices, largely because he
surrounded himself with sycophants who would
never dare criticize him.

Mnemonic: "psycho-fan" - A psycho fan 'tries to

please' his favorite star in order to get close it him,
and now that psycho fan will help you remember this
word!
 perturb
(verb) disturb in mind or cause to be
worried or alarmed

Ex: Now that Henry is recovering from a major

illness, he no longer lets the little trivialities, such
as late mail, perturb him.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "disturb"!

 brusquely
(adv) in a blunt, direct manner

Ex: Not one for social pleasantries, the Chief of Staff

would brusquely ask his subordinates anything he
wanted, even coffee.

Mnemonic: "bruises" - Associate it with some

'bruises' that you might have got from 'blunt'
surfaces, so that those bruises don't let you forget
this word!
 travail
 (noun) use of physical or mental
energy; hard work; agony or anguish

Ex: While they experienced nothing but travails in

refinishing the kitchen, they completed the master
bedroom in less than a weekend.

Mnemonic: "travel - all" - You will have to 'use a lot

of physical energy', in case you decide to travel the
whole world, and now this world trip won't let you
forget this word!
 credulity
(noun) tendency to believe readily

Ex: Virginia's wide-eyed credulity as a five-year old

was replaced by suspicion after she learned that
Santa Claus didn't really exist.

Mnemonic: "credibility" - You 'tend to believe'

someone easily who has good 'credibility', and now
those credible people won't let you forget this word!
impending
(adj) close in time; about to occur

Ex: The impending doom of our world has been

discussed and debated for 2000 years maybe even
longer.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "i'm pending"!

 pastoral
(adj) relating to the countryside in a
pleasant sense

Ex: Those who imagine America's countryside as a

pastoral region are often disappointed to learn that much
of rural U.S. is filled with cornfields extending as far as
the eye can see.

Mnemonic: "pastures" - Associate it with lovely green

'pastures' (land covered with grass) which gives a
'pleasant' feeling, so that you can easily remember this
word!
 quip
verb: to make a witty remark, to say
in jest

Ex: When an old English teacher criticized Churchill

for ending a sentence with a preposition, he
quipped, "This is the kind of criticism up with which
we will not put!"

Mnemonic: "quick-wit" - It's like you 'quip' when you

make a 'quick witty' remark, and now that witty
remark will help you remember this word!
 quip
noun: a witty saying or remark

Ex: In one of the most famous quips about classical

music, Mark Twain said: "Wagner's music is better
than it sounds."

Mnemonic: "quick-wit" - It's like you 'quip' when you

make a 'quick witty' remark, and now that witty
remark will help you remember this word!
 steadfast
(adj) marked by firm determination
or resolution; not shakable

Ex: A good captain needs to be steadfast, continuing

to hold the wheel and stay the course even during
the most violent storm.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "steady and fast"

i.e. not shakable and determined to achieve
something quickly!
 tarnish
(verb) make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to
air; also used metaphorically

Ex: Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players of

his generation, but his involvement with gambling
on baseball games has tarnished his image in the
eyes of many.

Mnemonic: "tar-nish" - Tar is a rough and dirty

substance, so 'tarnish' can be remembered as
'making something dirty'.
 discord
(noun) lack of agreement or harmony

Ex: Despite all their talented players, the team was

filled with discord--some players refused to talk to
others--and lost most of their games.

Mnemonic: "dis-cord" - Absence of a 'cord' (i.e.

connecting line or connection that ensures
harmony) can lead to confusion and disconnect, and
now that cord will help you remember this word!
 ploy
(noun) a clever plan to turn a
situation to one's advantage

Ex: Dennis arranged an elaborate ploy, involving 14

different people lying for him in different situations,
so that it could appear that he was meeting Mary
completely by chance at the wedding reception.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "plot".

 goad
(verb) urge on with unpleasant
comments

Ex: Doug did not want to enter the race, but Jim,
through a steady stream of taunts, goaded him into
signing up for it.

Mnemonic: "GO and Do (it)" - If you imagine a scene

in which someone is telling you 'Go and Do it'
unpleasantly, then you will never forget this word!
 irk
(verb) irritate or vex

Ex: My little sister has a way of irking and annoying

me like no other person.

Mnemonic: "jerk" - You must have called someone

'jerk' who 'irritated' or troubled you, and now that
jerk won't let you forget this word!
 retract
(verb) pull inward or towards a center;
formally reject or disavow a formerly held
belief, usually under pressure

Ex: Email is wonderfully efficient, but once

something awkward or damaging has been sent,
there is no way to retract it.

Mnemonic: "re-track" - If you 'track back' your steps

and move back the path that you had earlier taken,
then you will never forget this word!
 malevolent
(adj) wishing or appearing to wish evil to
others; arising from intense ill will or
hatred

Ex: Villains are known for their malevolent nature,

oftentimes inflicting cruelty on others just for enjoyment.

Mnemonic: "male-violent" - Some people are very violent

and evil who always 'think of harming others', and now
those kind of people won't let you forget this word!
 unprecedented
(adj) having never been done or known before;
novel

Ex: When America first created its national parks, the idea
of setting aside the most beautiful land in a country was
unprecedented in the history of mankind.

Mnemonic: "un-presidented" - Imagine that the president

of America gets 'un-presidented' i.e. removed, then it
would be something that was 'never done before' and
hence will help you remember this word!
 exemplify
verb: be characteristic of

Ex: Lincoln exemplified the best of not only America,

but also the potential greatness that exists within
each person.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "example-clarify"!

 exemplify
verb: clarify by giving an example
of

Ex: Please present some case studies that exemplify

the results that you claim in your paper.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "example-clarify"!

 taxing
(adj) use to the limit; exhaust

Ex: The hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney was so

taxing that I could barely speak or stand up.

Mnemonic: "Taxes" are just "exhausting" my pocket,

so till I am paying my taxes I just can't forget this
word!
 embellish
(verb) make more attractive by adding
ornament, colour, etc.; make more beautiful

Ex: McCartney would write relatively straightforward

lyrics, and Lennon would embellish them with puns
and poetic images.

Mnemonic: "emblem-ish" - Emblems are intricately

beautiful designs or badges that symbolize
something, so its like you 'embellish' something by
adding a beautiful emblem.
 peevish
(adj) easily irritated or annoyed

Ex: Our office manager is peevish, so the rest of us

tip-toe around him, hoping not to set off another
one of his fits.

Mnemonic: "pee-wish" - When I feel like peeing and I

don't find a washroom nearby, then I start getting
'irritated' and 'annonyed'.
 diligent
(adj) characterized by care and
perseverance in carrying out tasks

Ex: Michael was a diligent gardener, never leaving a

leaf on the ground and regularly watering each
plant.

Mnemonic: "daily-intelligent" - If you start using

'intelligence' for your daily 'tasks', then you will
never forget this word!
 enmity
(noun) a state of deep-seated ill-will

Ex: The rude remark Charles made toward Sarah

yesterday was due to his illness, not due to any real
enmity toward Sarah.

Mnemonic: "enemy" - We always have 'enmity' or

'ill-will' towards our 'enemy'.
 connive
(verb) taking part in immoral and unethical
plots

Ex: With the help of the prince, the queen connived

to overthrow the king.

Mnemonic: "con-knife" - If you see a con (or convict)

with a knife in his hands then you know that he is up
to some crime or unethical activity, and now that
con will not let you forget this word!
 devolve
verb: pass on or delegate to another

Ex: The company was full of managers known for

devolving tasks to lower management, but never
doing much work themselves.

Mnemonic: It's kind of opposite of "evolve" which

means to get better.
 anomalous
 (adj) not normal

Ex: According to those who do not believe in climate

change, the extreme weather over the last five years
is simply anomalous daily temperatures should
return to their old averages, they believe.

Mnemonic: It's like pronouncing "ab-normal" with b

silent!
 parochial
(adj) narrowly restricted in scope or
outlook

Ex: Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling

relationship with Jacob did not work out because his
culinary tastes were simply too parochial; "After
all," she quipped on her blog, "he considered Chef
Boyardee ethnic food."

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "narrow-chial".

 castigate
(verb) to reprimand harshly

Ex: Drill sergeants are known to castigate new

recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break
down during their first week in training.

Mnemonic: "caste-gate" - A 'casteist' showed me the

'gate' (door) because I belonged to a different caste,
which felt and meant like 'castigate'.
 venality
(noun) the condition of being
susceptible to bribes or corruption

Ex: Even some of the most sacred sporting events

are not immune to venality, as many of the officials
have received substantial bribes to make biased
calls.

Mnemonic: "penalty" - 'Venality' will make your way

to 'penalty' and that 'way' will not let you forget this
word!
 enervate
(verb) to sap energy from

Ex: John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the

intense sun would always leave him enervated after
hed spent the day sightseeing.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "energy

evaporate"!
 wanting
(adj) lacking

Ex: She did not think her vocabulary was wanting,

yet there were so many words that inevitably she
found a few she didn't know.

Mnemonic: I "want" what I "lack"!... and the thing

that I lack won't let me forget this word!
 calumny
(noun) making of a false statement
meant to injure a persons reputation

Ex: With the presidential primaries well under way,

the air is thick with calumny, and the mud already
waist-high.

Mnemonic: "call-u-mini" - I called you 'mini' in

public intentionally to hurt your reputation.
 equivocal
(adj) confusing or ambiguous

Ex: The findings of the study were equivocal the two

researchers had different opinions on what the
results signified.

Mnemonic: "equal-vocal" - When equal vocal sound

is not coming from a group song then it really
becomes 'confusing' and that confusing song will
help you remember this word!
amorphous
(adj) shapeless

Ex: His study plan for the GRE was at best

amorphous; he would do questions from random
pages in any one of seven test prep books.

Mnemonic: "a-morphed-us" - A 'morphed' photo of

'us' can make our life 'shapeless'.
ingenuous:
(adj) to be nave and innocent

Ex: Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from

an ingenuous girl from the suburbs to a jaded
urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of
how elaborate.

Mnemonic: "in-generous" - In generous people we

can find 'ingenuous' or 'innocent' soul!
 parsimonious
 (adj) extremely frugal; miserly

Ex: Katie is so parsimonious that she only buys a

pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in
them.

Mnemonic: "purse-mini-us" - People who always

show their 'purse to be mini in front of us' are
parsimonious.
gregarious
(adj) to be likely to socialize with
others

Ex: Often we think that great leaders are those who

are gregarious, always in the middle of a large group
of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others
have shown us, leaders can also be introverted.

Mnemonic: "gorgeous" - I like to 'socialize' with

gorgeous people and this habit of mine won't let me
forget this word!
 harangue
noun: a long pompous speech; a
tirade

Ex: Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a

reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table
would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable
harangues against the government.

Mnemonic: "harass" - Whenever I go late to office my

boss harasses me by giving a 'long speech', and that
harassment can never let me forget this word.
 harangue
verb: to deliver a long pompous
speech or tirade

Ex: Tired of his parents haranguing him about his

laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved
out of home at the age of thirty-five.

Mnemonic: "harass" - Whenever I go late to office my

boss harasses me by giving a 'long speech', and that
harassment can never let me forget this word.
 undermine
(verb) to weaken (usually paired with
an abstract term)

Ex: The student undermined the teachers authority

by questioning the teachers judgment on numerous
occasions.

Mnemonic: "under-the-mine" - My energy

'undermined' (felt weak) as I went under the mine.
 ambivalent
(adj) mixed or conflicting emotions
about something

Ex: Sam was ambivalent about studying for the exam

because doing so ate up a lot of his time, yet he was
able to improve his analytical skills.

Mnemonic: "valent-ines day" - We generally get

'mixed emotions' on valentines day, and hence those
emotions will help us remember this word!
 laconic
(adj) (describes a person, speech, or
style of writing) using very few
words

Ex: While Martha always swooned over the hunky,

laconic types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends
inevitably were very talkative and not very hunky.

Mnemonic: "lack-on-ink" - Since my pen lacked on

ink, so I had to write the exam 'using very few
words'.
 belie
(verb) to give a false representation
to; misrepresent

Ex: The smile on her face belies the pain she must
feel after the death of her husband.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "be-lie"!

impertinent:
(adj) being disrespectful;
improperly forward or bold

Ex: Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund,

Madeline, found the police officers questions
impertinentafter all, he thought, did she have to pry
into such details as to what Madelines favorite snack
was?

Mnemonic: "improper-aunt" - One improper aunt in

my neighbourhood is so 'disrespectful' that she will
never let me forget this word all my life!
 upbraid
(verb) to reproach; to scold

Ex: Bob took a risk walking into the "Students

Barbershop"in the end he had to upbraid the
apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven
bowl cut.

Mnemonic: "up-bride" - The bridegroom upbraided

(scolded) the horse when the horse threw his 'bride'
'up' from the carriage! This funny scene won't let
you forget this word!
prescience
(noun) the power to foresee the
future

Ex: Baxter's warnings about investing in technology

stocks seemed like an act of prescience after the
whole market declined significantly.

Mnemonic: "priests-sense" - Some priests can sense

'what is going to happen next'. Those priests will
always remind you the meaning of this word!
exacerbate
 (verb) make worse

Ex: Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold--when

she woke up the next day, her sinuses were
completely blocked.

Mnemonic: "excess-bet" - 'Excessive betting'

generally makes our financial condition 'worse'.
 banal
(adj) repeated too often;
overfamiliar through overuse

Ex: The professor used such banal expression that many

students in the class either fell asleep from boredom or
stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor
friends.

Mnemonic: "banner" - We see the same message

'repeatedly' in the same banner, and that repeated
message will always remind you the meaning of this word!
 rustic
(adj) characteristic of rural life;
awkwardly simple and provincial

Ex: The vacation cabin had no electricity and no

indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences,
Nigel adored its rustic charm.

Mnemonic: "raw street" - We find 'raw' streets

generally in 'rural areas', and those streets will help
you remember this word!
 fortuitous:
(adj) occurring by happy chance;
having no cause or apparent cause

Ex: Though Maria's neighbor Ernie "bumped into"

her at the Farmer's Market, the encounter wasn't
nearly as fortuitous as Maria was led to believe:
Ernie desperately wanted to ask Maria out on a date
and had been following her about town.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "fortune-us"!

 querulous
(adj) habitually complaining

Ex: The querulous old woman was beginning to wear

down even the happier members of the staff with her
ceaseless complaining.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "quarrel-us"!

 germane
(adj) relevant and appropriate

Ex: The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail

about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't
germane to the charges in the cases.

Mnemonic: German language is more 'germane'

(relevant) in Germany!
vociferous
(adj) conspicuously and offensively
loud; given to vehement outcry

Ex: In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response,

Paul caused people at every other table in the
restaurant to turn around and look at them angrily.

Mnemonic: It feels and means like "voice ferocious"!

 lambast
(verb) criticize severely or angrily

Ex: Showing no patience, the manager utterly

lambasted the sales team that lost the big account.

Mnemonic: "I-am-bastard" - One of my friends

angrily 'criticized' himself by shouting 'I am bastard'
when he was 'very angry' on himself.
predilection
(noun) a strong liking

Ex: Monte had a predilection for the fine things in

life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and
trips to the French Riviera.

Mnemonic: "Pred-likes-one" - A boy named Pred

'likes' one girl a lot, and now that boy will always
remind me of this word!
 to be continued...

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