CHAPTER 5

More GRE
Key Terms
(Continued from
Word Smart)
 Vocabulary on the GRE is just as important as it is on the SAT. The
following list is the second batch of words that appear often on the
GRE. This list is a supplement to the list that appeared in Word
Smart. If you want to do well on the GRE, you should know all the
words on the GRE and SAT Key Terms lists, starting with those in
Word Smart. Take ten words a day and commit them to memory. In
a few weeks you’ll have mastered this list.

As with the SAT Key Terms, you will find that many of the GRE Key
Terms appear in our main listing.

abjure: avoid; shun; reject; abnegate

acumen: shrewdness; insight; judgment; intelligence
alacrity: eagerness; enthusiasm; readiness; quickness
altruistic: unselfish; humane; selfless; philanthropic
amenable: agreeable; open; acquiescent; willing; pliable
approbation: approval; consent; praise; admiration
appropriation: misuse; fraud; stealing; cheating
archetype: model; epitome; prototype; standard
arduous: difficult; hard; laborious; grueling
asinine: silly; stupid; foolish; unintelligent
audacity: boldness; daring; courage; bravery
aver: avow; state; claim; declare
beguile: entice; lure; woo; charm; captivate
beneficent: charitable; altruistic; generous; benevolent
benevolent: kind; caring; compassionate; generous; beneficent
bent: determined; set; fixed; resolved; decided
bolster: boost; strengthen; reinforce; encourage
bombast: pomposity; pretentiousness; verboseness; grandiloquence
bouquet: aroma; nose; scent; fragrance
buttress (n.): support; prop; reinforcement; structure
buttress (v.): bolster; strengthen; prop up; reinforce
cacophony: disharmony; harshness; discord; noise; loudness
cajole: coax; persuade; wheedle; entice
castigation: criticism; rebuke; reprimand; scolding

286 More Word Smart

catalyst: promoter; facilitator; goad; stimulus
caustic: scathing; cutting; sarcastic; unkind
circumspect: careful; cautious; prudent; wary
complaisant: willing; acquiescent; agreeable; amenable
convoluted: intricate; complex; complicated; longwinded
craven: cowardly; gutless; spineless; weak
daft: silly; stupid; foolish; nutty
denigrate: disparage; vilify; degrade; belittle
derision: scorn; mockery; disdain; ridicule
diatribe: attack; tirade; denunciation; harangue
discomfit: embarrass; unsettle; distress; rattle; fluster
diffidence: reserve; shyness; hesitancy; timidity
disingenuous: dishonest; insincere; untruthful; deceitful
doughty: tough; spirited; feisty; indomitable
effrontery: impudence; nerve; cheekiness; boldness
emollient: soothing; calming; palliative; placative
engender: cause; provoke; stimulate; bring about
enterprise: initiative; innovativeness; creativity; inventiveness
eradicate: eliminate; destroy; exterminate; remove
esoteric: obscure; mysterious; abstruse; arcane
exemplar: paradigm; example; standard; archetype; ideal
extirpate: wipe out; destroy; eradicate; eliminate
extol: praise; exalt; commend; eulogize
fatuous: unintelligent; silly; complacent; unaware
fawn (v.): crawl; flatter; grovel; butter up
fidelity: loyalty; faithfulness; reliability; trustworthiness
flair: talent; skill; aptitude; ability; knack; gift
flip (v.): explode; lose your temper; go berserk; lose it
florid: ostentatious; showy; extravagant; flowery
gainsay: oppose; contradict; argue; refute
glut: excess; surplus; superfluity; overabundance
hackneyed: everyday; commonplace; worn-out; unimaginative
impertinence: insolence; impudence; disrespect; lip
improvident: careless; reckless; imprudent; negligent

More GRE Key Terms 287

 impudence: carelessness; recklessness; incaution; indiscretion
inane: silly; unintelligent; absurd; ridiculous
ingenuity: inventiveness; cleverness; resourcefulness; imagination
intrepid: fearless; bold; courageous; valiant
intemperate: self-indulgent; uncontrolled; unrestrained, extravagant
labyrinthine: complex; convoluted; intricate; complicated
lavish: extravagant; profligate; wasteful; excessive
liberal: generous; copious; abundant; substantial
malleable: soft; flexible; pliable; plastic; impressionable
merit: warrant; earn; be worthy of; deserve
minatory: expressing or conveying a threat
noisome: foul; offensive; disgusting; repulsive
obdurate: stubborn; inflexible; obstinate; adamant
obviate: remove; avoid; preclude; forestall
occluded: blocked; sealed; obstructed; stopped
opprobrium: scorn; contempt; condemnation; censure
paragon: model; epitome; archetype; paradigm
perfidy: treachery; disloyalty; deceit; duplicity
perjury: lying; untruthfulness; prevarication; mendacity
personification: epitome; embodiment; representation; exemplification
philanthropic: charitable; benevolent; humanitarian; generous
piquancy: tastiness; spiciness; sharpness; tang
placate: pacify; conciliate; soothe; calm; mollify
plasticity: malleability; softness; pliability; elasticity
plethora: overabundance; excess; surfeit; glut
plucky: brave; courageous; gutsy; fearless
posture (v.): pose; strike an attitude; strut
probity: correctness; integrity; rectitude; honor
proclivity: tendency; penchant; inclination; liking
prodigal: wasteful; reckless; dissolute; profligate
prodigious: extraordinary; phenomenal; unusual; exceptional
profligate: wasteful; reckless; spendthrift; extravagant
profusion: abundance; excess; plethora; surplus
propagate: spread; broadcast; proliferate; disseminate

288 More Word Smart

propensity: tendency; inclination; partiality; bent
quiescence: dormancy; latency; rest; inertness
renege: default; break your word; go back on; break a promise
rescind: withdraw; cancel; annul; repeal
sagacious: wise; sage; perceptive; erudite
sanction: authorization; permission; approval; agreement
sardonic: mocking; scornful; ironic; sarcastic
sedulous: determined; hardworking; assiduous; zealous
specious: false; hollow; erroneous; baseless
soporific: sleep-inducing; hypnotic; tranquilizing; tedious; boring
stalwart: resolute; determined; committed; unfaltering
superfluous: extra; surplus; redundant; unnecessary
tang: trace; hint; aftertaste; flavor; smack
tortuous: twisting; convoluted; indirect; meandering; roundabout
tractable: docile; controllable; manageable; obedient
unstinting: generous; openhanded; liberal; giving
vacuous: empty; blank; vacant; void
veneration: worship; adoration; reverence; honor
verbiage: excessive verbal nonsense; verbosity; waffle; redundancy
warrant (v.): merit; deserve; necessitate; justify
zest: taste; tang; piquancy; bite

More GRE Key Terms 289