GRE A words

Question 1

abdicate

Answer 1

If a king or queen abdicates, he or she makes a formal statement that he or she no longer wants to be king or queen:

King Edward VIII abdicated (the British throne) in 1936.

Question 2

abate

Answer 2

reduce, diminish

Question 3

aberrant

Answer 3

abnormal, deviant

Question 4

abhor

Answer 4

detest, regard with disgust

Question 5

abrasive

Answer 5

rough, suitable for grinding or polishing

Question 6

abridge

Answer 6

condense or curtail; shorten by omitting parts

Question 7

abstain

Answer 7

hold back, refrain

Question 8

acme

Answer 8

summit, peak, highest point

Question 9

activism

Answer 9

The practice of pursuing political or other goals

Question 10

adhere

Answer 10

stick (to), such as with glue

Question 11

admonish

Answer 11

mildly scold, caution, advise

Question 12

adverse

Answer 12

opposing, harmful

Question 13

advocate

Answer 13

speak or argue in favor of

Question 14

aesthetic

Answer 14

concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste

Question 15

affable

Answer 15

pleasant, warm and friendly

Question 16

affectation

Answer 16

fake behavior adopted to give a certain impression

Question 17

aggrandize

Answer 17

make greater; exaggerate

Question 18

aggregate

Answer 18

Gather together, amount to ; constituting a whole made up of constituent parts

Question 19

alacrity

Answer 19

cheerful or speedy willingness

Question 20

alienate

Answer 20

cause to become unfriendly; distant

Question 21

alleviate

Answer 21

lesson, make easier to endure

Question 22

ambiguous

Answer 22

Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations

Question 23

ambivalent

Answer 23

uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once;

Question 24

analogous

Answer 24

comparable, corresponding in some particular way (making a good analogy)

Question 25

anarchy

Answer 25

absence of law or government; chaos

Question 26

anoint

Answer 26

rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred

Question 27

anomaly

Answer 27

deviation from what is common; inconsistency

Question 28

antagonize

Answer 28

make hostile or unfriendly

Question 29

antipathy

Answer 29

deep dislike, aversion, or repugnance, sometimes with reason

Question 30

apathy

Answer 30

not caring; absence of feeling lack of interest or concer

Question 31

apocryphal

Answer 31

of questionable authenticity; false

Question 32

appease

Answer 32

pacify, satisfy, relieve; concede to belligerent demands

Question 33

appreciable

Answer 33

enough to be perceived, considerable

Question 34

arbitrary

Answer 34

based entirely on one’s discretion; capricious, unreasonable, or having no basis

Question 35

arcane

Answer 35

known or understood by only a few; obscure; secret

Question 36

archaic

Answer 36

characteristic of an earlier period

Question 37

arduous

Answer 37

very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure

Question 38

articulate

Answer 38

using language in a clear, fluent way

Question 39

artifact

Answer 39

any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time

Question 40

artless

Answer 40

free of deceit or craftiness, natural; genuine

Question 41

ascertain

Answer 41

find out with certainty

Question 42

ascetic

Answer 42

abstinent or austere in lifestyle

Question 43

assuage

Answer 43

make milder, relieve; soothe

Question 44

audacious

Answer 44

very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way

Question 45

augment

Answer 45

make larger

Question 46

austere

Answer 46

severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined

Question 47

autonomous

Answer 47

self-governing, independent

Question 48

aver

Answer 48

declare or affirm with confidence, say

Question 49

avid

Answer 49

enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate, excessively desirous