Barron's Essential Words for the GRE - Sheet1

Question 1

Abate

Answer 1

to decrease; reduce

Question 1

Abdicate

Answer 1

to give up a position, right, or power

Question 2

Aberrant

Answer 2

deviation from what is normal

Question 3

Abeyance

Answer 3

temporary suppression or suspension

Question 4

Abject

Answer 4

miserable; pitiful

Question 5

Abjure

Answer 5

to reject; abandon formally

Question 6

Abscission

Answer 6

the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

Question 7

Abscond

Answer 7

to depart secretly

Question 8

Abstemious

Answer 8

moderate in appetite

Question 9

Abstinence

Answer 9

the giving up of certain pleasure

Question 10

Abysmal

Answer 10

very bad

Question 11

Accretion

Answer 11

growth in size or increase in amount

Question 12

Accrue

Answer 12

to accumulate; grow by additions

Question 13

Adamant

Answer 13

uncompromising; unyielding

Question 14

Adjunct

Answer 14

something added, attached, or joined

Question 15

Admonish

Answer 15

to caution or reprimand

Question 16

Adulterate

Answer 16

to corrupt or make impure

Question 17

Aesthetic

Answer 17

relating to beauty or art

Question 18

Affected

Answer 18

pretentious, phony

Question 19

Affinity

Answer 19

fondness; liking; similarity

Question 20

Aggrandize

Answer 20

to make larger or greater

Question 21

Aggregated

Answer 21

amounting to a whole; total

Question 22

Alacrity

Answer 22

cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

Question 23

Alchemy

Answer 23

medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation

Question 24

Allay

Answer 24

to lessen; ease; soothe

Question 25

Alleviate

Answer 25

to relieve; improve partially

Question 26

Alloy

Answer 26

a combination; a mixture of two or more metals

Question 27

Allure

Answer 27

the power to entice by charm

Question 28

Amalgamate

Answer 28

to combine into a unified whole

Question 29

Ambiguous

Answer 29

unclear or doubtful in meaning

Question 30

Ambivalence

Answer 30

the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes

Question 31

Ambrosia

Answer 31

something delicious; the food of the gods

Question 32

Ameliorate

Answer 32

to improve

Question 33

Amenable

Answer 33

agreeable; cooperative; suited

Question 34

Amenity

Answer 34

something that increases comfort

Question 35

Amulet

Answer 35

ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

Question 36

Anachronism

Answer 36

something out of the proper time

Question 37

Analgesic

Answer 37

medication that reduces or eliminates pain

Question 38

Analogous

Answer 38

comparable

Question 39

Anarchy

Answer 39

absence of government; state of disorder

Question 40

Anodyne

Answer 40

something that clams or soothes pain

Question 41

Anomalous

Answer 41

irregular; deviation from the norm

Question 42

Antecedent

Answer 42

something that comes before

Question 43

Antediluvian

Answer 43

prehistoric

Question 44

Antipathy

Answer 44

dislike; hostility

Question 45

Apathy

Answer 45

indifference

Question 46

Apex

Answer 46

the highest point

Question 47

Apogee

Answer 47

the highest point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point

Question 48

Apothegm

Answer 48

a terse, witty saying

Question 49

Appease

Answer 49

to calm; pacify; placate

Question 50

Appellation

Answer 50

name

Question 51

Apposite

Answer 51

strikingly appropriate and relevant

Question 52

Apprise

Answer 52

inform

Question 53

Approbation

Answer 53

praise; approval

Question 54

Appropriate

Answer 54

to take possession for one's own use; confiscate

Question 55

Apropos

Answer 55

relevant

Question 56

Arabesque

Answer 56

ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet

Question 57

Archeology

Answer 57

the study of material evidence of past human life

Question 58

Ardor

Answer 58

great emotion or passion

Question 59

Arduous

Answer 59

extremely difficult; laborious

Question 60

Argot

Answer 60

a specialized vocabulary used by a group

Question 61

Arrest

Answer 61

to stop; to seize

Question 62

Artifact

Answer 62

item made by human craft

Question 63

Artless

Answer 63

guileless; natural

Question 64

Ascetic

Answer 64

one who practices self-denial

Question 65

Asperity

Answer 65

severity; harshness; irritability

Question 66

Aspersion

Answer 66

slander; false rumor

Question 67

Assiduous

Answer 67

diligent; hard-working

Question 68

Assuage

Answer 68

to make less severe

Question 69

Astringent

Answer 69

harsh; severe

Question 70

Asylum

Answer 70

place of refuge or shelter

Question 71

Atavism

Answer 71

in biology, the representation of a character in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence

Question 72

Attenuate

Answer 72

to weaken

Question 73

Audacious

Answer 73

bold; daring

Question 74

Austere

Answer 74

stern; unadorned

Question 75

Autonomous

Answer 75

self-governing; independent

Question 76

Avarice

Answer 76

greed

Question 77

Aver

Answer 77

to affirm; declare to be true

Question 78

Avocation

Answer 78

secondary occupation

Question 79

Avuncular

Answer 79

like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant

Question 80

Axiomatic

Answer 80

taken for granted

Question 81

Bacchanalian

Answer 81

pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry

Question 82

Banal

Answer 82

commonplace; trite

Question 83

Banter

Answer 83

playful conversation

Question 84

Bard

Answer 84

poet

Question 85

Bawdy

Answer 85

obscene

Question 86

Beatify

Answer 86

to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to

Question 87

Bedizen

Answer 87

to dress in a vulgar, showy manner

Question 88

Behemoth

Answer 88

huge creature, anything very large and powerful

Question 89

Belie

Answer 89

to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression

Question 90

Beneficent

Answer 90

kindly; doing good

Question 91

Bifurcate

Answer 91

to divide into two parts

Question 92

Blandishment

Answer 92

flattery

Question 93

Blase

Answer 93

bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned

Question 94

Bolster

Answer 94

to give a boost to; prop up; support

Question 95

Bombastic

Answer 95

pompous; using inflated language

Question 96

Boorish

Answer 96

rude; insensitive

Question 97

Bovine

Answer 97

cowlike

Question 98

Brazen

Answer 98

bold; shameless

Question 99

Broach

Answer 99

to mention for the first time