Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions

Question 1

rugged

Answer 1

tough; rough (of terrain); (of a man) having attractively strong, rough-hewn features

Question 2

irksome

Answer 2

irritating, annoying, vexing

Question 3

canonise

Answer 3

place in or recognise as canon; officially declare (a dead person) to be a saint; treat or regard as being above reproach or of great significance; sanction by Church authority

Question 4

luminary

Answer 4

a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere

Question 5

efflorescence

Answer 5

rapid growth or development; The formation of a powdery deposit on the surface of brickwork, rock, or other material as a result of loss of moisture on exposure to air

Question 6

clangourous

Answer 6

characterized by or making a continuous loud banging or ringing sound

Question 7

hortatory

Answer 7

tending or aiming to exhort

Question 8

heyday

Answer 8

the period of a person’s or thing’s greatest success, popularity, activity, or vigour

Question 9

marginalise

Answer 9

treat (a person, group, or concept) as insignificant or peripheral

Question 10

fortuitous

Answer 10

serendipitous, happening by chance

Question 11

synthesise

Answer 11

make something by synthesis; combine (a number of things) into a coherent whole; produce sound electronically

Question 12

scanty

Answer 12

small or insufficient in quantity or amount; skimpy, revealing

Question 13

meagre

Answer 13

lacking in quantity or quality; (of a person or animal) thin

Question 14

prolix

Answer 14

using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy

Question 15

tillage

Answer 15

the preparation of land for growing crops; land under cultivation
“forty acres of tillage”

Question 16

staple

Answer 16

important

Question 17

canny

Answer 17

having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters

Question 18

espousal

Answer 18

an act of adopting or supporting a cause, belief, or way of life; a marriage

Question 19

quaint

Answer 19

attractively unusual or old-fashioned

Question 20

cloy

Answer 20

disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment

Question 21

hidebound

Answer 21

conservative, conventional, orthodox

Question 22

prudent

Answer 22

acting with or showing care and thought for the future

Question 23

surly

Answer 23

bad-tempered and unfriendly, sullen

Question 24

scuffle

Answer 24

move (something) in a hurried, confused, or awkward way, making a rustling or shuffling sound
“a drenched woman scuffled through the doorway”

Question 25

rapt

Answer 25

characterised by a state of fascination; filled with an intense and pleasurable emotion; enraptured
“she shut her eyes and seemed rapt with desire”

Question 26

buoyant

Answer 26

light-hearted

Question 27

temperate

Answer 27

relating to or denoting a region or climate characterized by mild temperatures; showing moderation or self-restraint

Question 28

unexpurgated

Answer 28

(of a text) complete and containing all the original material, uncensored

Question 29

nonchalant

Answer 29

cool, relaxed, unconcerned

Question 30

rhapsody

Answer 30

an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling

Question 31

accentuate

Answer 31

make more noticeable or prominent

Question 32

devolve

Answer 32

delegate

Question 33

byword

Answer 33

an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling; a word or expression summarizing a thing’s characteristics or a person’s principles

Question 34

bungle

Answer 34

carry out (a task) clumsily or incompetently

Question 35

deleterious

Answer 35

harmful

Question 36

ascribe

Answer 36

regard something to be due to, attribute; regard a text, quotation, or work of art as being produced by or belonging to (a particular person or period); regard a quality as belonging to

Question 37

inestimable

Answer 37

too great to calculate

Question 38

institutionalise

Answer 38

establish (something) as a convention or norm in an organization or culture

Question 39

pitfall

Answer 39

a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty; a covered pit used as a trap

Question 40

meandering

Answer 40

following a winding course, circuitous, roundabout

Question 41

idiosyncratic

Answer 41

individual, peculiar

Question 42

whisk

Answer 42

take or move (someone or something) somewhere suddenly and quickly; beat or stir with a light, rapid movement; a bunch of grass, twigs, or bristles for removing dust or flies

Question 43

archipelago

Answer 43

an extensive group of islands

Question 44

pedestrian

Answer 44

dull

Question 45

jettison

Answer 45

discard

Question 46

misnomer

Answer 46

a misapplied or inappropriate name or designation

Question 47

economy

Answer 47

sparing or careful use of something

Question 48

pejorative

Answer 48

(a word) expressing contempt and disapproval

Question 49

aplomb

Answer 49

self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation, poise

Question 50

entreaty

Answer 50

humble request

Question 51

wheedle

Answer 51

inveigle, cajole

Question 52

notwithstanding

Answer 52

in spite of