GRE Word List 12
Group 1
| Abysmal | very deep; very bad |
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| Approbation | approval [opp. disapprobation] |
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| Bent (n) | inclination; aptitude |
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| Cadge | get by begging |
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| Debacle | disaster |
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| Extemporize | speak without preparation or rehearsal [extemporaneous (a)] |
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| Incumbents | occupiers of a job or position |
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| Lambaste | attack verbally |
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| Noisome | disgusting |
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| Pastiche | work (usually artistic) which imitates, or is composed of parts taken from varied sources |
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Group 2
| Arboreal | living in trees; concerned with trees |
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| Centrifuge | device to separate substances by spinning them at high speed |
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| Cloistered | isolated |
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| Disabuse | make someone aware of an error in thinking |
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| Engendering | causing; bringing into being [engender (v)] |
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| Intemperate | excessive; immoderate [intemperance (n)] |
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| Lugubrious | sad; gloomy |
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| Nonplussed | confused |
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| Pedagogy | science of education; teaching |
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| Satiate | satisfy; fill completely [satiable (a); satiation (n)] |
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| Slake | quench; satisfy |
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Group 3
| Artless | without effort; without trickery; simple |
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| Comeliness | beauty; prettiness [comely (a)] |
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| Doff | take off (esp. of a hat) |
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| Don | put on (esp. of clothes) |
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| Erudition | learning; scholarly knowledge [erudite (a)] |
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| Plaintive | sad; mournful |
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| Suborn | bribe |
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| Tendentious | dogmatic; biased |
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| Tortuous | indirect; winding |
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| Verbiage | excessive or meaningless wordiness |
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Group 4
| Atonement | making amends for sin or crime [atone (v)] |
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| Complaisance | flexibility; willingness to please [complaisant (a)] |
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| Daguerreotype | forerunner of the photograph |
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| Fawn | behave in a sycophantic way; grovel [fawning (a)] |
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| Gregariousness | sociability; liking for crowds [gregarious (a)] |
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| Nascent | emerging; newly formed |
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| Paean | praise; tribute (esp. in song) |
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| Reproof | scolding; criticism [reprove (v)] |
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| Scurvy | 1. disease due to lack of vitamin C; 2. contemptible; rascally |
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| Tutelary | serving as a guardian [tutelage (n)] |
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Group 5
| Abscission | cutting; process causing leaves to fall off |
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| Contentious | causing argument [contention (n); contend (v)] |
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| Debilitating | weakening [debilitate (v)] |
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| Foible | quirk; minor weakness |
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| Importune | beg; solicit [importunate (a)] |
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| Pertain | be relevant to [pertinent (a)] |
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| Slew | glut; excess |
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| Toady | sycophant; flatterer |
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| Torrid | hot and steamy |
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| Veracious | true [veracity (n)] |
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Group 6
| Asperity | using harsh or critical tone |
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| Blowhard | boastful person |
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| Disingenuous | crafty |
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| Evanescent | short-lived [evanescence (n)] |
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| Intangible | cannot be touched; abstract [intangibility (n)] |
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| Labile | changing rapidly; unstable |
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| Malapropism | use of similar sounding but incorrect word |
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| Posture (v) | to put on an act |
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| Proximate | immediate; nearest |
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| Pugnacious | aggressive, ready to fight [pugnacity (n)] |
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Group 7
| Foreshadowed | indicated a future event [foreshadow (v)] |
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| Gaucherie | awkwardness [gauche (a)] |
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| Heterodox | unorthodox |
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| Inscrutability | quality of being difficult to comprehend [inscrutable (a)] |
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| Limerick | short amusing poem |
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| Mannered | stylized; pretentious |
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| Pluck (n) | courage |
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| Sedulous | persevering; eager and thorough |
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| Syllogism | type of logical reasoning |
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| Vicissitude | unexpected change in fortune or circumstances |
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Group 8
| Acolyte | disciple; follower or attendant |
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| Admonitory | scolding [admonition (n)] |
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| Caprices | whimsies; fancies |
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| Cornucopia | symbol (horn filled with fruit etc.) denoting natural abundance |
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| Deferential | showing respect [deference (n); defer (v)] |
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| Intractability | stubbornness; resistance [intractable (a)] |
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| Luminary | eminent person |
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| Minion | underling; servant |
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| Undergird | support; strengthen |
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| Vitiate | weaken; sap energy |
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Group 9
| Coterie | clique; small group with common interests |
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| Denigrate | decry; criticize; belittle |
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| Empirical | found by experiment or practice |
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| Gainsay | contradict |
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| Hyperbole | exaggeration [hyperbolic (a)] |
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| Modest | 1. bashful; unpretentious; 2. not excessive |
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| Prolixity | wordiness [prolix (a)] |
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| Rebus | puzzle in which pictures give clues |
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| Sere | withered; old |
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| Vulpine | like a fox [compare with bovine (cow-like); porcine (pig-like), etc.] |
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Group 10
| Corroborate | give supporting evidence [corroboration (n)] |
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| Exacerbated | made worse [exacerbate (v); exacerbation (n)] |
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| Exact (v) | to demand; extort |
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| Faddish | whimsical; following a fashion |
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| Hapless | unlucky |
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| Misconstrue | put a wrong interpretation on something |
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| Perennial | long-lasting |
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| Rent | torn (past participle of the verb to rend) |
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| Shard | fragment of pottery |
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| Xenophobe | person afraid of foreigners |
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