Preparing for the GRE can be an overwhelming experience, especially when it comes to vocabulary. With so many words to remember, it’s easy to feel lost.
But fear not! In this blog, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about GRE vocabulary, making sure you’re armed with the right knowledge to boost your verbal score. From the most common GRE words to tips on how to memorize them quickly, we’ve got you covered.
One key area that many students struggle with is the Analytical Writing section. Knowing how to tackle this can make a huge difference in your score. If you’re interested in diving deeper into this topic, check out our blog on GRE Analytical Writing for effective tips.
Here is the key: By breaking down the exam sections and creating a solid study plan, you’ll set yourself up for success. So, let’s dive in!
Understanding GRE Vocabulary
The GRE Verbal Reasoning section may seem too much, but it’s manageable once you understand its structure.
The test assesses your ability to analyze and evaluate written material, reason verbally, and understand the meaning of words within context. Vocabulary plays a significant role in this section, particularly in Sentence Equivalence, Text Completion, and Reading Comprehension questions. These types of questions test how well you understand the meaning of words and how to infer their meaning from the context.
But how do you start?
The first step is to build your GRE vocabulary list. While you don’t need to memorize every word out there, focusing on the most common GRE vocabulary words will give you a strong foundation.
How to Study GRE Vocabulary Efficiently
Studying for GRE vocab practice doesn’t have to be boring or overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you memorize GRE vocabulary words effectively:
Use Flashcards: The classic method. Create physical or digital flashcards with the word on one side and the definition, an example sentence, and synonyms on the other side. Review these regularly to reinforce memory.
Contextual Learning: Instead of just memorizing definitions, try using each word in sentences. This will help you understand its usage in context, which is crucial for the GRE.
Mnemonic Devices: Create fun, memorable associations with each word. For example, to remember the word acerbic (meaning sharp or forthright), you might imagine a sharp-tongued critic writing a harsh review.
Practice with Online Resources: Many websites offer interactive GRE vocab quizzes, where you can test your knowledge and track your progress.
Group Study: Pair up with a friend or study group to quiz each other. Sometimes hearing another person’s explanation or definition can help you solidify your understanding.
Need quick tips for mastering GRE vocab? Chat with us directly for expert advice and tailored prep plans
How Many Vocabulary Words for GRE Should You Learn?
While there’s no magic number, aiming for a list of 500-1,000 key words can be a great place to start. The key is quality, not quantity. Learning 500 words deeply is more effective than trying to memorize 1,500 words with little understanding of their meanings.
To gauge how many vocabulary words for GRE you should learn, keep in mind that the test focuses on high-frequency words that are likely to appear on the exam. These include words commonly found in academic journals, literature, and other scholarly materials.
Also, strengthening your critical reasoning skills is very critical —your ability to assess argument quality quickly can maximize your score potential.
Here is the list of your first 100 GRE Vocabulary Words to Boost Your Preparation
Abasement – Humiliation or degradation. “Abasement happens in the basement.”
Abate – To lessen or decrease. “His anger abated after the apology.”
Abstain – To refrain from doing something. “I abstained from dessert to stick to my diet.”
Acerbic – Sharp or forthright. “A sharp pen tip wrote an acerbic review.”
Acquiesce – To accept or agree without protest. “She acquiesced to the request to help.”
Adulation – Excessive praise. “The actor received adulation for his performance.”
Alacrity – Eagerness or speed. “He accepted the offer with alacrity.”
Ameliorate – To improve or make better. “The new policy will ameliorate the situation.”
Anachronism – Something out of place in time. “The phone booth was an anachronism in the modern city.”
Antipathy – Deep-seated dislike. “She felt great antipathy towards the loud music.”
Apathy – Lack of interest or emotion. “His apathy towards school was evident.”
Arduous – Requiring great effort. “The hike was arduous, but rewarding.”
Assuage – To ease or lessen. “The calm words assuaged his fear.”
Avarice – Extreme greed. “The businessman’s avarice led him to exploit workers.”
Belligerent – Aggressive or combative. “The belligerent man caused trouble at the bar.”
Benevolent – Kindly and charitable. “She was a benevolent donor to the cause.”
Boor – An ill-mannered person. “Don’t act like a boor at the dinner table.”
Cacophony – Harsh, jarring noise. “The cacophony of car alarms woke me up.”
Candid – Honest and straightforward. “His candid comments were refreshing.”
Capricious – Impulsive or unpredictable. “Her capricious decisions made everyone nervous.”
Censure – To criticize severely. “The manager censured the team for their poor performance.”
Chauvinism – Exaggerated patriotism or loyalty to a group. “His chauvinism was evident in his biased views.”
Clamor – Loud noise or demand. “There was a clamor for reform.”
Coalesce – To come together or merge. “The two factions coalesced into one group.”
Condone – To overlook or forgive. “I do not condone your actions.”
Contrite – Feeling remorseful. “His contrite apology was heartfelt.”
Credulous – Willing to believe too easily. “She was so credulous that she believed the scammer’s story.”
Curmudgeon – A bad-tempered person. “The old curmudgeon grumbled about everything.”
Debilitate – To weaken or harm. “The illness debilitated her strength.”
Deference – Respect or honor. “He showed deference to the senior team members.”
Depravity – Moral corruption. “The depravity of the dictator’s regime was evident.”
Deride – To mock or ridicule. “The crowd derided his foolish statement.”
Diffident – Lacking confidence. “Her diffident manner made her seem shy.”
Dissonance – Lack of harmony or agreement. “There was dissonance between the two parties.”
Ebullient – Overflowing with enthusiasm. “Her ebullient personality lit up the room.”
Eccentric – Unconventional or quirky. “His eccentric habits made him stand out.”
Egregious – Extremely bad. “His egregious mistake cost him the promotion.”
Enervate – To drain energy. “The hot sun enervated us during the hike.”
Ephemeral – Short-lived or fleeting. “The beauty of the sunset was ephemeral.”
Equivocal – Ambiguous, having multiple meanings. “The politician gave an equivocal response to the question.”
Erudite – Having great knowledge. “The professor was known for his erudite lectures.”
Exacerbate – To worsen or intensify. “The argument only exacerbated the problem.”
Exemplary – Outstanding or serving as an example. “Her exemplary behavior earned her a reward.”
Exorbitant – Excessive or unreasonable. “The prices at the restaurant were exorbitant.”
Extant – Still in existence. “The extant documents were preserved in a museum.”
Flabbergasted – Astonished or shocked. “She was flabbergasted by the surprise party.”
Fortuitous – Happening by chance. “The fortuitous encounter led to a new job opportunity.”
Frivolous – Not serious or important. “Her frivolous spending led to financial problems.”
Furtive – Secretive or sly. “He gave a furtive glance before slipping out the door.”
Garrulous – Excessively talkative. “The garrulous man told stories for hours.”
Gregarious – Sociable or outgoing. “She was a gregarious person, always the life of the party.”
Harangue – A lengthy and aggressive speech. “He delivered a harangue about the importance of hard work.”
Hegemony – Dominance or leadership. “The country sought to establish hegemony in the region.”
Iconoclast – A person who attacks traditional beliefs or institutions. “The iconoclast challenged societal norms.”
Idiosyncrasy – A characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual. “Her idiosyncrasy was always wearing mismatched socks.”
Impetuous – Impulsive or rash. “His impetuous decision led to regret.”
Implacable – Unable to be appeased or calmed. “The implacable enemy refused peace talks.”
Indignant – Feeling or showing anger or annoyance. “She was indignant at the unfair treatment.”
Ineffable – Too great to be expressed in words. “The beauty of the landscape was ineffable.”
Inevitable – Certain to happen. “The failure of the project seemed inevitable.”
Inexorable – Unstoppable or relentless. “The inexorable march of time waits for no one.”
Ingenuous – Innocent, simple, or candid. “Her ingenuous nature made her endearing.”
Insipid – Lacking flavor or interest. “The soup was insipid and bland.”
Intransigent – Unwilling to compromise. “His intransigent stance prevented any agreement.”
Inveterate – Habitual or long-established. “He was an inveterate gambler.”
Laconic – Brief or concise. “Her laconic response left no room for debate.”
Lethargic – Sluggish or lacking energy. “He felt lethargic after the long day of work.”
Loquacious – Very talkative. “The loquacious guest dominated the conversation.”
Magnanimous – Generous or noble. “His magnanimous gesture helped those in need.”
Mendacious – Dishonest or lying. “Her mendacious statements were quickly debunked.”
Munificent – Very generous. “The munificent donor gave millions to charity.”
Nefarious – Wicked or criminal. “The villain’s nefarious plot was foiled by the hero.”
Noxious – Harmful or poisonous. “The noxious fumes from the factory caused health issues.”
Obdurate – Stubborn or unyielding. “The obdurate child refused to eat vegetables.”
Obfuscate – To confuse or obscure. “The lawyer tried to obfuscate the facts to confuse the jury.”
Oblivion – State of being forgotten or unaware. “The old building fell into oblivion after years of neglect.”
Ostentatious – Showy or flashy in a way that is intended to attract attention. “His ostentatious display of wealth was off-putting.”
Pernicious – Harmful or destructive. “The pernicious effects of smoking are well-documented.”
Perfunctory – Done with minimal effort or thought. “His perfunctory greeting showed his disinterest.”
Polemical – Relating to strong verbal or written attacks. “His polemical essay critiqued the government’s policies.”
Proclivity – A natural inclination or tendency. “She had a proclivity for solving complex problems.”
Prosaic – Dull or ordinary. “His prosaic speech failed to inspire the audience.”
Pugnacious – Eager to fight or argue. “His pugnacious nature made him unpopular.”
Quixotic – Idealistic but impractical. “His quixotic plans were destined to fail.”
Recalcitrant – Resisting authority or control. “The recalcitrant student refused to follow the rules.”
Recondite – Little known or obscure. “The book was full of recondite ideas.”
Rescind – To revoke or cancel. “The contract was rescinded after the mistake was discovered.”
Sycophant – A person who flatters or behaves in a servile manner to gain advantage. “The sycophant flattered the boss endlessly.”
Tantamount – Equivalent in seriousness. “His silence was tantamount to an admission of guilt.”
Tenuous – Weak or slight. “The connection between the two events was tenuous.”
Trenchant – Vigorous or sharp in expression. “The trenchant critique revealed serious flaws.”
Ubiquitous – Present or found everywhere. “Smartphones are ubiquitous in modern society.”
Vociferous – Loud and forceful. “The vociferous crowd protested outside the courthouse.”
Venerate – To regard with great respect or reverence. “The community venerated the old professor.”
Vilify – To speak or write about in an abusive manner. “He was vilified for his controversial actions.”
Voracious – Having a huge appetite or eagerness for something. “She had a voracious appetite for books.”
Wheedle – To coax or persuade through flattery. “He tried to wheedle a favor from his boss.”
Zealous – Fervently devoted. “He was zealous in his efforts to improve the community.”
Zigzag – To move back and forth in sharp turns. “The car zigzagged through traffic.”
How Long to Study for GRE Vocabulary?
The amount of time required to study GRE vocabulary varies based on your current level of proficiency. However, it’s generally recommended to spend at least 1-2 hours each day over the course of 2-3 months. This timeline will allow you to prepare for GRE vocabulary at a steady pace, avoiding last-minute cramming.
If you’re short on time, consider focusing on GRE vocabulary prep for 3-4 weeks leading up to your test, but make sure to use high-yield strategies like spaced repetition to get the most out of your study sessions.
Ready to get started? Explore our affordable GRE prep plans designed to fit your needs.
Time is of the essence when preparing for the GRE. So, how can you memorize so many words for GRE in a short amount of time? Here are a few strategies to help you learn faster:
Chunk Your Learning: Break your study sessions into smaller, manageable chunks. Focus on 20-30 words at a time and review them until you can recall their definitions and usage confidently.
Spaced Repetition: Use apps like Anki or Quizlet to schedule spaced repetition. This method helps you review words at increasing intervals, which strengthens your long-term memory.
Visual Aids: Create mind maps or diagrams that connect related words. This can help you remember words by associating them with one another.
Daily Review: Set aside a few minutes each day to review words from previous days. Consistent, daily practice will help solidify your vocabulary in your memory.
Conclusion
As the test day nears, don’t forget that last-minute GRE preparation is just as important as the months of study that came before.
By focusing onGRE vocabulary, practicing regularly with flashcards, and applying mnemonic devices, you’ll enhance both your verbal reasoning skills and your overall test performance.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to GRE prep, so experiment with different methods to see what works best for you.
Stay consistent, review daily, and tackle each word with the understanding that it’s one step closer to reaching your goal. Best of luck with your studies!
If you ever find yourself needing guidance or have any burning questions along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help!
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The best vocabulary for GRE is a mix of academic and high-frequency words that appear frequently in GRE questions, such as words related to academic reading, logical reasoning, and abstract thinking.
How do I increase my vocabulary for GRE?
Increase your vocabulary by using flashcards, reading academic material, practicing with word lists, and employing mnemonic devices to make memorization easier.
How can I memorize so many words for GRE?
Use repetition, mnemonic devices, and contextual learning to memorize words. Practice daily and apply the words in sentences to reinforce your understanding.
How to get over 300 on GRE?
Focus on building a solid foundation in GRE vocabulary, practicing critical reasoning and writing, and taking full-length practice tests to simulate test-day conditions.
