GRE Vocabulary: High-Frequency
English · 45 cards
Classic high-frequency GRE words with definitions, examples, and synonyms.
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ephemeral
(adj.) lasting for a very short time Syn: fleeting
The beauty of the cherry blossoms is ephemeral.
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anomaly
(n.) something that deviates from the standard or expected Syn: irregularity
The reading was an anomaly, so they ran the test again.
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austere
(adj.) severe or plain; without comfort or luxury Syn: stark
The monks lived in austere stone cells.
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candor
(n.) the quality of being open and honest Syn: frankness
She answered the difficult questions with refreshing candor.
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didactic
(adj.) intended to teach, often with a moral lesson Syn: instructive
The didactic novel aimed to instruct as much as entertain.
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enervate
(v.) to drain of energy or vitality Syn: weaken
The relentless heat enervated the marathon runners.
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fervent
(adj.) having or showing intense feeling Syn: ardent
She was a fervent supporter of the new policy.
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disparate
(adj.) essentially different in kind; not comparable Syn: dissimilar
The report combined data from many disparate sources.
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homogeneous
(adj.) of the same kind; uniform throughout Syn: uniform
The committee was criticized for being too homogeneous.
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impetuous
(adj.) acting quickly without thought; impulsive Syn: rash
His impetuous decision to quit surprised everyone.
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juxtaposition
(n.) the placing of things side by side for contrast Syn: contrast
The photo's power came from the juxtaposition of old and new.
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idiosyncrasy
(n.) a distinctive habit or peculiarity of an individual Syn: quirk
Tapping his pen was one of his harmless idiosyncrasies.
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mitigate
(v.) to make less severe or serious Syn: alleviate
Planting trees can help mitigate urban heat.
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nuance
(n.) a subtle difference in meaning or expression Syn: subtlety
A good translator captures every nuance of the original.
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obscure
(adj.) not clearly expressed or known to many Syn: unclear
The poem alludes to an obscure historical event.
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salient
(adj.) most noticeable or important Syn: prominent
She summarized the salient points of the proposal.
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equivocate
(v.) to use ambiguous language to avoid commitment Syn: hedge
The official equivocated when asked about the layoffs.
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rhetoric
(n.) the art of persuasive speaking or writing Syn: oratory
The candidate's rhetoric energized the crowd.
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paradigm
(n.) a typical example or model of something Syn: model
The discovery created a new paradigm in physics.
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tacit
(adj.) understood without being stated Syn: implied
There was a tacit agreement to avoid the topic.
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paucity
(n.) the presence of something in too small an amount Syn: scarcity
A paucity of data made the conclusion shaky.
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venerable
(adj.) commanding respect because of age or dignity Syn: esteemed
The venerable scholar had taught for fifty years.
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ascetic
(adj.) practicing severe self-discipline and abstention Syn: austere
He led an ascetic life with few possessions.
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zealot
(n.) a person who is fanatical about a cause Syn: fanatic
The reformer was dismissed by critics as a zealot.
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ambivalent
(adj.) having mixed or contradictory feelings Syn: conflicted
She felt ambivalent about moving to a new city.
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benign
(adj.) gentle and harmless; kindly Syn: harmless
The tumor turned out to be benign.
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ineffable
(adj.) too great or extreme to be expressed in words Syn: indescribable
She felt an ineffable joy at the summit.
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diffident
(adj.) modest or shy due to lack of confidence Syn: timid
The diffident intern rarely shared his ideas.
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eclectic
(adj.) deriving ideas or style from many sources Syn: varied
Her eclectic taste in music spanned every genre.
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dogmatic
(adj.) asserting opinions in an arrogant, rigid way Syn: opinionated
His dogmatic stance left no room for discussion.
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gratuitous
(adj.) uncalled for; without good reason Syn: unwarranted
The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.
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hierarchy
(n.) a system of ranking people or things by status Syn: ranking
The company has a strict managerial hierarchy.
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innocuous
(adj.) harmless; not likely to offend Syn: harmless
What seemed an innocuous remark started a long debate.
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laud
(v.) to praise highly Syn: extol
Critics lauded the director's bold new film.
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empirical
(adj.) based on observation or experiment, not theory Syn: observed
The claim lacked any empirical evidence.
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novel
(adj.) new and original; not previously known Syn: innovative
The team proposed a novel solution to the old problem.
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opaque
(adj.) not able to be seen through; hard to understand Syn: unclear
The instructions were so opaque that no one could follow them.
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plethora
(n.) an excess or overabundance of something Syn: surplus
The menu offered a plethora of dessert options.
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reticence
(n.) the quality of being reserved or unwilling to speak Syn: reserve
His reticence about the merger fueled speculation.
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sanction
(n.) official approval or a penalty for breaking a rule Syn: authorization
The trade agreement required government sanction.
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transient
(adj.) lasting only a short time; temporary Syn: temporary
The town's population is largely transient in summer.
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vindicate
(v.) to clear of blame or prove right Syn: exonerate
New evidence vindicated the accused engineer.
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wane
(v.) to decrease in size, strength, or intensity Syn: diminish
Public interest in the scandal began to wane.
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arduous
(adj.) requiring great effort; difficult Syn: strenuous
The climb to the summit was long and arduous.
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alleviate
(v.) to make a problem or suffering less severe Syn: ease
The new medicine helped alleviate her chronic pain.
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