GRE words

Question 1

abase

Answer 1

Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or
esteem

Question 2

abate

Answer 2

Reduce, diminish

Question 3

abdicate

Answer 3

Formally give up the throne (or some other
power or responsibility)

Question 4

aberrant

Answer 4

Abnormal, deviant

Question 5

abeyance

Answer 5

Temporary suspension, inactivity

Question 6

abhor

Answer 6

Detest, regard with disgust

Question 7

abjure

Answer 7

Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun
(especially formally or under oath)

Question 8

abrasive

Answer 8

Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such
as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance

Question 9

abscission

Answer 9

Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation
of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or
animal

Question 10

accretion

Answer 10

Gradual increase; an added part or addition

Question 11

acerbic

Answer 11

Sour; harsh or severe

Question 12

acidulous

Answer 12

Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic

Question 13

acme

Answer 13

Summit, peak, highest point

Question 14

admonish

Answer 14

Mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do
something

Question 15

adulterate

Answer 15

Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior
ingredients

Question 16

adumbrate

Answer 16

Give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only
partially; obscure

Question 17

affable

Answer 17

Warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable

Question 18

affectation

Answer 18

Fake behavior (such as in speech or dress)
adopted to give a certain impression

Question 19

aggrandize

Answer 19

Make greater; exaggerate

Question 20

alacrity

Answer 20

Cheerful or speedy willingness

Question 21

anachronism

Answer 21

Something that is not in its correct historical
time; a mistake in chronology, such as by
assigning a person or event to the wrong time
period

Question 22

analogous

Answer 22

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

Question 23

anodyne

Answer 23

Medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing,
relieving pain (adj)

Question 24

antedate

Answer 24

Be older than, precede in time; assign to an
earlier date

Question 25

antithetical

Answer 25

Directly opposed, opposite; involving antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in love me or hate me)

Question 26

apocryphal

Answer 26

Of questionable authenticity; false

Question 27

apostate

Answer 27

Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.

Question 28

approbation

Answer 28

Praise or approval, especially formal approval

Question 29

arbiter

Answer 29

Judge, umpire, person empowered to decide matters at hand

Question 30

arcane

Answer 30

Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret

Question 31

archaic

Answer 31

Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive

Question 32

arduous

Answer 32

Very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure

Question 33

arrogate

Answer 33

Claim or take presumptuously or without the right to do so

Question 34

artless

Answer 34

Free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured

Question 35

aseptic

Answer 35

Free from germs

Question 36

asperity

Answer 36

Rigor, severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface

Question 37

aspersions

Answer 37

Damaging remarks, defamation, slander

Question 38

assail

Answer 38

Attack violently, assault

Question 39

assiduous

Answer 39

Persevering, diligent, constant

Question 40

assuage

Answer 40

Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm

Question 41

attenuate

Answer 41

Weaken or thin out

Question 42

attuned

Answer 42

In harmony; in sympathetic relationship

Question 43

augment

Answer 43

Make larger

Question 44

augury

Answer 44

Telling the future, such as through supernatural means

Question 45

austere

Answer 45

Severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious

Question 46

avarice

Answer 46

Insatiable greed; a miserly desire to hoard wealth

Question 47

aver

Answer 47

Declare or affirm with confidence

Question 48

axiom

Answer 48

Self-evident truth requiring no proof; universally or generally accepted principle