Manhattan GRE 500 Essential Words

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1.

abate

(v) reduce, diminish

Huge Step Taken by Europe's Bank to
_____ a Crisis
The storm _____
Synonym: decrease, weaken, relieve,
recede, lessen.

2.

abdicate

(v) formally give up the throne (or some

other power or responsibility)

3.

aberrant

(adj) abnormal, deviant

4.

abhor!!!!!!!!

(v) detest, regard with disgust

5.

abjure

(v) give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or

shun (especially formally or under oath)

6.

abrasive

(adj) rough, suitable for grinding or

polishing (such as sandpaper); causing
irritation or annoyance

7.

8.

abridge!!!!!!!!!

abstain

15.

aesthetic

(adj, n) concerning the appreciation of

beauty or good taste, pertaining to the
science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of
beauty and taste of a particular time and
place (noun)

16.

affable!!!!!!!!!!!

(adj) warm and friendly, pleasant,

approachable

17.

affectation

(n) fake behavior (such as in speech or

dress) adopted to give a certain impression

18.

aggrandize

(v) make greater; exaggerate,

To increase in power, influence, or
reputation,
To increase the scope of; extend.
(remember the cartoon gerndizer)
The Egyptians and the Syrians sought to
stop these Hashemite countries from
aggrandizing.

(v) reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting

parts throughout while retaining the main
idea

19.

aggregate

(v) hold back, refrain (especially from

something bad or unhealthy); decline to
vote

(v, adj) gather together, amount to (verb);

constituting a whole made up of
constituent parts (adj)

20.

alacrity

(n) cheerful or speedy willingness

21.

alienate

(v) cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or

distant

22.

alleviate

(v) lessen, make easier to endure

US to ______ on loan to chile to protest

human rights abuses

_______ the pain,

In Irvington, a New School To _______
Overcrowding.
Cellphone Case Helps to ______ Wi-Fi
Woes(distress)

Soviets _____ in U.N. Vote on Israel

India says it will ______ in Iran nuclear
vote
9.

acme

(n) summit, peak, highest point

10.

activism

(n) the practice of pursuing political or

other goals through vigorous action, often
including protests and demonstrations

11.

adhere!!!!!!!!!!!!

(v) stick (to), such as with glue, or to a

plan or belief

12.

admonish

(v) mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind

to do something

13.

adverse

(adj) opposing, harmful

14.

advocate

(v, n) speak or argue in favor of (verb); a

person who pleads for a cause or on behalf
of another person (noun)
4 Major Candidates Vie for New York
Public _____ Job
syn: supporter

23.

ambiguous

(adj) not clear, hard to understand, open to

having several meanings or interpretations
THE ______ YASIR ARAFAT
AIDS Test Is, Unfortunately, Still _______

24.

ambivalent

(adj) uncertain; unable to decide, or

wanting to do two contradictory things at
once

25.

analogous

(adj) comparable, corresponding in some

particular way (making a good analogy)
analogous to /with
Trip Seen _________ to Hopkins's

26.

27.

anarchy!!!!!!!!!!
from here

(n) absence of law or government; chaos,

disorder

anoint!!!!!!!!

(v) rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred,

such as by ceremony that includes applying
oil to someone

28.

anomaly

(n) deviation from what is common;

inconsistency

39.

articulate

An ____ in Mating - Self-Castration

Raises Reproductive Success
29.

antagonize

30.

antipathy (n.)

deep dislike, aversion, or repugnance,

somtimes without reason
Poll Finds ____ Toward Some AIDS
Victims
U.S. AND CHINA UNITED BY _____ TO
THE SOVIET UNION

31.

apathy

an ______ speaker
an ______ essay
our plays are growing ________ again

(v) make hostile or unfriendly

Don't Antagonize Those Who Could Help
Fight Crime.

40.

artifact

(n) any object made by humans, especially

those from an earlier time, such as those
excavated by archaeologists

41.

artless

(adj) free of deceit or craftiness, natural,

genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude,
uncultured

42.

ascertain

(v) find out with certainty

43.

ascetic

(adj, n) abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a

person who leads an austere and simple like
without material pleasures, esp. someone who
does this for religious reasons

44.

assuage

(v) make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or

calm

(n) not caring; absence of feeling; lack of

interest or concern
Egyptian _____ on Human Rights
Wake Up, America: _____ Can Be
Dangerous

32.

apocryphal!!!!!!!

(adj) of questionable authenticity; false

33.

appease (v.)

2irda2....pacify, satisfy, relieve; concede to

be belligerent demands, sometimes at the
expense of principles

_____ her grief

__________ their chronic insecurity
Synonyms: relieve
45.

audacious

appreciable
(adj.)

enough to be perceived, considerable

35.

arbitrary (adj.)

based entirely on one's discretion;

capricious, unreasonable, or having no
basis

36.

arcane

(adj) known or understood by only a few;

obscure, secret

37.

archaic

(adj) characteristic of an earlier period,

ancient, primitive
_____ laws
an ______ bronze statuette
_______ Smiles Have Persisted For
2,000 Years

38.

arduous

(adj) very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard

to endure

(adj) very bold or brave, often in a rude or

reckless way; extremely original
An __________ interpretation of two
Jacobean dramas
Synonyms: adventurous, brave
Garee2

Instagram Reversal Doesn't ______

Everyone
Did We ________ Iraq?
34.

(adj, verb) using language in a clear, fluent

way (adj); speak distinctly or give clarity to an
idea (verb)

46.

augment

(v) make larger

47.

austere

(adj) severe in manner or appearance; very

self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or
ease; sober or serious
An _______ design
a desert nomad's ( ______ ) life

48.

autonomous

(adj) self-governing, independent

49.

aver

(v) declare or affirm with confidence

50.

avid

(adj) enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate;

excessively desirous

51.

balk

(v) refuse to proceed or to do something

52.

base

(adj) morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little

or no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit

53.

belie

(v) contradict or misrepresent

54.

benign

(adj) harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or

beneficial; not cancerous

55.

bogus

(adj) fake, fraudulent

56.

bolster

(v) strengthen or support

______ their argument with the piece of
evidence.
Ideas to ______ power grid
Chinese Students _______ U.S. College
Budgets

73.

chauvinism

(n) fanatical patriotism or blind

enthusiasm for military glory; undue or
biased devotion to any group, cause, etc.

74.

chronological

(adj) arranged in or relating to time order

75.

clamor

(v) noisy uproar or protest, as from a

crowd; a loud, continuous noise

57.

boor

(n) rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a

peasant or country bumpkin

76.

clinch

(v) make final or settle conclusively; to

fasten or hold together

58.

buffer

(n) something that shields, protects, absorbs

shock, or cushions

77.

coalesce

(v) come together, unite; fuse together

78.

cogent

(adj) very convincing, logical

59.

bureaucracy

(n) government characterized by many bureaus

and petty administrators or by excessive,
seemingly meaningless requirements

79.

commensurate

(adj) the same in size, extent, etc.,

equivalent; proportional

burgeon

(v) grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or

shoots (of a plant)

80.

60.

complacent

(adj) self-satisfied, smug; overly content

(and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some
other bad quality)

61.

buttress

(v, n) support or encourage (verb); a support or

prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the
wall of a building (noun)

81.

complementary

(adj) completing; fitting together well;

filling mutual needs

bygone

(adj, n) past, former (adj); that which is in the

past (usually plural noun)

82.

62.

compliant

(adj) obeying, submissive; following the

requirements

cacophony

(n) harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture

of sounds

83.

63.

concede

(v) give in, admit, yield; acknowledge

reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving
up land after losing a war)

The _______ of Money in Political

Advertisements

84.

conciliatory

(adj) reconciling, appeasing, attempting to

make the peace

(adj) open, sincere, honest

85.

concur

(v) approve, agree

86.

condone

(v) overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless

87.

confer

(v) consult, compare views; bestow or give

88.

connoisseur

(n) expert, especially in the fine arts;

person of educated, refined tastes

89.

console

(v, n) lessen the suffering or grief of (verb);

a control panel, or small table or cabinet
(noun)

64.

candid

De Blasio's Wife Gives _______ Interview

65.

66.

canonical

capricious

(adj) authorized, recognized; pertaining to the

canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or
artistic works
(adj) acting on impulse, erratic
Apple's __________ Rules for iPhone Apps

67.

cartography

(n) mapmaking

90.

consolidate

(v) unite, combine, solidify, make coherent

68.

castigate

(v) criticize severely; punish in order to correct

91.

constrict

(v) squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom

of

Senate Panel Is Expected to ________ Apple

on Tax Tactics ...

92.

construe

(v) interpret or translate

93.

contentious

(adj) controversial; prone to causing

arguments, especially gratuitous or petty
ones

94.

contextualize

(v) place in context, such as by giving the

background or circumstances

95.

conundrum

(n) riddle, the answer to which involves a

play on words; any mystery

96.

converge

(v) move towards one another or towards a

point; unite

97.

conversant

(adj) knowledgeable about or experienced

with

69.

catalyst

(n) causer of change

70.

caustic

(adj) capable of corroding metal or burning the

skin; very critical or sarcastic

71.

censure

(n, v) strong disapproval or official reprimand

(noun); to issue such disapproval or reprimand
(verb)

72.

cescendo

(n) steady increase in force, intensity, or the

loudness of a musical passage; a climactic
moment or peak

98.

conversely

(adv) in an opposite way; on the other

hand

123.

deflect

(v) cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a

straight course; avoid

99.

convoluted

(adj) twisted; very complicated

124.

deleterious

(adj) harmful, unhealthy

100.

copious

(adj) plentiful, bountiful

125.

delineate

101.

corroborate

(v) support, add evidence to

(v) mark the outline of; sketch; describe in

detail

cosmopolitan

(adj) belonging to the entire world, at

home globally; free from local or
national prejudices or attachments

126.

denigrate

(v) belittle, attack the reputation of

102.

127.

denote

(v) be a name or symbol for

103.

104.

105.

106.

128.

deride

(v) mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously

countenance

(n, v) facial expression or face (noun);

approve or tolerate (verb)

129.

derivative

(adj) derived from something else; not

original

counterintuitive

(adj) against what one would

intuitively expect

130.

desiccate

(v) thoroughly dried up, dehydrated

counterpoint

(n) contrasting item, opposite; a

complement; the use of contrast or
interplay in a work of art

131.

detached

(adj) impartial, disinterested;

unconcerned, distant, aloof

132.

deterrent

(adj) defeating the purpose; preventing

the intended goal

(n) something that restrains or

discourages

133.

diatribe

(n) bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant

counterproductive

107.

covert

(adj) secret, veiled, undercover

134.

didactic

108.

crafty

(adj) cunning, skillful in deception or

underhanded schemes

(adj) intended to instruct; teaching, or

teaching a moral lesson

135.

digress

(v) go off-topic when speaking or writing

136.

din

(n) loud, confused noise, esp. for a long

period of time

137.

disabuse

(v) free someone from a mistake in

thinking

138.

discerning

(v) reach the highest point or final

stage

(adj) having good judgment or insight;

able to distinguish mentally

139.

discredit

(adj) thinking the worst of others'

motivations; bitterly pessimistic

(v) injure the reputation of, destroy

credibility of or confidence in

140.

discrepancy

(n) difference or inconsistency

141.

discriminating

(adj) judicious, discerning, having good

judgment or insight

142.

disingenuous

(adj) insincere, not genuine

109.

craven

(adj) very cowardly, lacking courage

110.

credibility

(n) believability, trustworthiness

111.

credulous

(adj) gullible; prone to believing or

trusting too easily or without enough
evidence

112.

113.

culminate
cynical

114.

daunt

(v) discourage, dishearten, lessen the

courage of

115.

debase

(v) degrade; lower in quality, value,

rank, etc.; lower in moral quality

143.

disinterested

(adj) unbiased, impartial; not interested

116.

debunk

(v) expose, ridicule, or disprove false or

exaggerated claims

144.

disjointed

(adj) behaving with propriety and good

taste; polite

(adj) disconnected, not coherent, jerky;

having the joints separated

145.

dismiss

(v) allow to disperse or leave; fire from a

job; put aside or reject, esp. after only a
brief consideration

146.

dispassionate

(adj) unbiased, not having a selfish or

personal motivation; calm, lacking
emotion

147.

dispatch

(n, v) speed, promptness; send off or deal

with in a speedy way

148.

disperse

(v) scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish

149.

disposition

(n) a person's general or natural mood;

tendency

150.

disquieting

(adj) disturbing, causing anxiety

117.

decorous

118.

deem

(v) judge; consider

119.

deface

(v) vandalize, mar the appearance of

120.

defamatory (adj.)

slanderous, injurious to someone's

reputation

121.

default

(n, v) failure to act, neglect (noun); fail

to fulfill an obligation, esp. a financial
one (verb)

122.

deference

(n) respectful submission; yielding to

the authority or opinion of another

151.

disseminate

(v) scatter, spread about, broadcast

152.

dissent

(v, n) disagree or take an opposing view, esp.

in relation to a formal body such as a
government, political party, or church; such a
view

dissonance

(n) harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony;

disagreement

154.

distill

(v) purify; extract the essential elements of

155.

diverge

(v) differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as

from a path

Divest

(v) deprive or strip of rank, title, etc., or of

clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite
of invest)

153.

156.

157.

Divine

(v) discover through divination or

supernatural means; perceive by insight

175.

Empirical

(adj) coming from, based on, or able to be

verified by experience or experimentation; not
purely based on theory

176.

Emulate

(v) copy in an attempt to equal or be better than

177.

Enervate

(v) weaken, tire

178.

Enhance

(v) raise to a higher value, desirability, etc.

179.

Enigma

(n) puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or

contradictory person

180.

Entitlement

(n) having the right to certain privileges;

believing, sometimes without cause, that one
deserves or has a right to certain privileges

181.

Enumerate

(v) count or list; specify one-by-one

182.

Ephemeral

(adj) lasting only a short time, fleeting

183.

Equitable

(adj) fair, equal, just

158.

Document

(v) support with evidence, cite sources in a

detailed way, create documentary evidence of

184.

Erratic

(adj) inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed

course

159.

Dogma

(n) a system of principles laid down by an

authority; established belief

185.

Erroneous

(adj) mistaken, in error; improper, morally

incorrect

160.

Dormant

(adj) asleep, inactive, on a break

186.

Erudite

161.

Dubious

(adj) doubtful, questionable, suspect

(adj) scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing a

deep, often systematic, knowledge

162.

e.g.

(abbre.) for example, such as

187.

Eschew

(v) shun, avoid, abstain from

163.

eccentric

(adj) peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm

esp. in a whimsical way

188.

Esoteric

(adj) understood by or intended for only a few;

secret

164.

Eclectic

(adj) selecting the best of everything or from

many diverse sources

189.

Estimable

(adj) worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be

estimated

165.

Eclipse

(n, v) the obscuring of one thing by another,

such as the sun by the moon or a person by a
more famous or talented person (noun); to
obscure, darken, make less important (verb)

190.

Eulogy

(n) speech of praise or written work of praise,

esp. a speech given at a funeral

191.

Exacerbate

(v) make worse (more violent, severe, etc.),

inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)

192.

Exacting

(adj) very severe in making demands; requiring

precise attention

193.

Exculpate

(v) clear from guilt or blame

194.

Exhaustive

(adj) comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a

topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities;
draining, tending to exhaust

195.

Explicit

(adj) direct, clear, fully revealed; clearly

depicting sex or nudity

196.

Exponent

(n) person who expounds or explains;

champion, advocate, or representative

197.

Extraneous

(adj) irrelevant; foreign, coming from without,

not belonging

198.

Extrapolate

(v) conjecture about an unknown by projecting

information about something known; predict
by projecting past experience

199.

Facetious

(adj) joking, humorous, esp. inappropriately;

not serious, concerned with frivolous things

200.

Facilitate

(v) make easier, help the progress of

166.

Efficacy

(n) the quality of being able to produce the

intended effect

167.

Egalitarian

(adj) related to the belief in the equality of all

people, esp. in political, economic, or social
spheres

168.

Egregious

(adj) extraordinarily or conspicuously bad;

glaring

169.

Elated

(adj) very happy, in high spirits

170.

Elevate

(v) raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a

higher rank or status or raise up to a higher
spiritual or intellectual plane

171.

Elicit

(v) call forth, bring out, evoke

172.

Eloquent

(adj) marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech;

expressive, emotionally moving

173.

Embellish

(v) decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a

story) with fictional or fanciful details

174.

Eminent

(adj) prominent, distinguished, of high rank

201.

Fallacious

(ad) containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic;

logically unsound; deceptive

202.

Fanatical

(adj) excessively devoted, enthusiastic, or

zealous in an uncritical way

203.

Fanciful

(adj) whimsical, capricious; imaginary; freely

imaginative rather than based on reason or
reality

204.

Fathom

(v) measure the depth of (usually of water) as

with a sounding line; penetrate and discover
the meaning of, understand

205.

Feasible

(adj) possible; logical or likely; suitable

206.

Fidelity

(n) faithful, loyalty; strict observance of duty;

accuracy in reproducing a sound or image

207.

Figurative

(adj) metaphorical, based on figures of

speech; containing many figures of speech (as
fancy-sounding writing); related to portraying
human or animals figures

208.

Finesse

(n, v) extreme delicacy, subtlety, or diplomacy

in handling a sensitive situation or in a
performance or skill (noun); use tact or
diplomacy; employ a deceptive strategy (verb)

209.

Flag

(v) get tired, lose enthusiasm; hang limply or

droop

210.

Fleeting

(adj) passing quickly, transitory

211.

Foment

(v) incite, instigate, stir up, promote the

growth of; apply medicated liquid to a body
part

224.

Glib

(adj) fluent and easy in a way that suggests

superficiality or insincerity

225.

Goosebumps

(n) the bumps created by hairs standing up

on the skin in response to cold, fear, etc.

226.

Gradation

(n) a progression, a process taking place

gradually, in stages; one of these stages

227.

Gregarious

(adj) sociable, pertaining to a flock or

crowd

228.

Guile

(n) clever deceit, cunning, craftiness

229.

Hackneyed

(adj) so commonplace as to be stale; not

fresh or original

230.

Hardy

(adj) bold, brave, capable of enduring

hardship, fatigue, cold, etc.

231.

Haven

(adj) harbor or port; refuge, safe place

232.

Hearken

(v) listen, pay attention to

233.

Hedonist

(n) person devoted to pleasure

234.

Heterogeneous

(adj) different in type, incongruous;

composed of different types of elements

235.

Hierarchy

(n) a ranked series; a classification of

people according to rank, ability, etc.; a
ruling body

236.

Hodgepodge

(n) mixture of different kinds of things,

jumble

237.

Homogeneous

(adj) of the same kind; uniform throughout

238.

Hyperbole

(n) deliberate exaggeration for effect

212.

Foreshadow

(v) indicate or suggest beforehand, presage

239.

Idiosyncrasy

213.

Forfeit

(v) surrender or lose as a result of an error,

crime, or failure to fulfill an obligation

(n) characteristic or habit peculiar to an

individual; peculiar quality, quirk

240.

illiberality

(n) narrow-mindedness, bigotry; strictness

or lack of generosity

241.

imminent

(adj) ready to occur, impending

242.

Impair

(v) make worse, weaken

243.

Impartial

(adj) unbiased, fair

244.

Impede

(v) hold back, obstruct the progress of

245.

Implication

(n) act of implying or that which is

implied; close connection, esp. in an
incriminating way

246.

Implicit

(adj) implied, not stated directly; involved

in the very essence of something,
unquestionable

247.

Implode

(v) burst inward

248.

Inadvertent

(adj) unintentional; characterized by a lack

of attention, careless

249.

Inasmuch

(adv) in like manner, considering that

(contradiction of "in as much," generally
followed by "as")

214.

Fortify

(v) strengthen, invigorate, encourage

215.

Fringe

(n, adj) on the margin, periphery (adj); the

people in a group who hold the most extreme
views (noun)

Frugal

(adj) economically, thrifty, not wasteful with

money; inexpensive

217.

Futile

(adj) producing no useful result, ineffective;

trivial unimportant

218.

Gainsay

(v) declare false, deny; oppose

219.

Garrulous

(adj) talkative, wordy, rambling

220.

Gauche

(adj) tactless, lacking social grace, awkward,

crude

216.

221.

Gawky

(adj) physically awkward (esp. of a tall,

skinny person, often used to describe
teenagers)

222.

Germane

(adj) relevant and appropriate, on topic

223.

Gist

(n) main idea, essence

250.

Incendiary

(adj) setting on fire, pertaining to arson;

arousing strife, rebellion, etc.;
"inflaming" the senses

Incentive

(n) something that encourages greater

action or effort, such as a reward

252.

Inchoate

(adj) just begun, undeveloped,

unorganized

253.

Incipient

(adj) just beginning; in a very early stage

254.

Incongruous

(adj) out of place, inappropriate, not

harmonious

255.

Inconsequential

(adj) insignificant, unimportant; illogical

256.

Incorporate

(v) combine, unite; form a legal

corporation; embody, give physical form
to

251.

257.

Indeterminate

(adj) not fixed or determined, indefinite;

vague

258.

Indifferent

(adj) not caring, having no interest;

unbiased, impartial

259.

Inform

(v) inspire, animate; give substance,

essence, or context to; be the
characteristic quality of

260.

Ingenuous

(adj) genuine, sincere, not holding back;

naive

261.

Ingrained

(adj) deep-rooted, forming part of the very

essence; worked into the fiber

262.

Inherent

(adj) existing as a permanent, essential

quality; intrinsic

263.

Innocuous

(adj) harmless, inoffensive

264.

Intelligible

(adj) able to understood, clear

265.

Intractable

(adj) difficult to control, manage, or

manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn

266.

Intrepid

(adj) fearless, brave, enduring in the face

of adversity

267.

268.

269.

Intrinsic
Jargon

Jocular

(adj) belonging to the essential nature of

a thing
(n) vocabulary specific to a group or
occupation; convoluted or unintelligible
language
(adj) joking or given to joking all the
time; jolly, playful

274.

Lackluster

(adj) not shiny; dull, mediocre, lacking

brilliance or vitality

275.

Laconic

(adj) using few words, concise

276.

Lament

(v, n) mourn; express grief, sorrow, or regret

(verb); an expression of grief, esp. as a song or
poem (noun)

277.

Lampoon

(n, v) a harsh satire (noun); ridicule or satirize

(verb)

278.

Landmark

(n, adj) object (such as a building) that stands

out and can be used to navigate by; very
important place, event, etc.

279.

Languid

(adj) drooping from exhaustion, sluggish,

slow; lacking in spirit

280.

Lassitude

(n) tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference

281.

Laudable

(adj) worthy of praise

282.

Lavish

(adj, v) abundant or giving in abundance;

marked by excess (adj); give very generously
(verb)

283.

Layperson

(n) a person who is not a member of the clergy

or not a member of a particular profession
(such as medicine, law, etc.)

284.

Levity

(n) lightness (of mind, spirit, or mood) or lack

of seriousness, sometimes in an inappropriate
way

285.

Levy

(v, n) collect tax from, wage war on, or enlist

for military service (verb); act of collecting tax
or amount owed, or the drafting of troops into
military service (noun)

286.

Liberal

(adj, n) favorable to progress or reform;

believing in maximum possible individual
freedom; tolerant, open-minded; generous
(adj); a person with such beliefs or practices
(noun)

287.

Libertine

(n) morally or sexually unrestrained person;

freethinker (regarding religion)

288.

Likewise

(adv) also, in addition to; similarly, in the

same way

289.

Log

(v, n) keep a record of, write down; travel for or

at a certain distance or speed (verb); a written
record (noun)

290.

Loquacious

(adj) talkative, wordy

270.

Judicious

(adj) using good judgment; wise, sensible

291.

Lucid

(adj) clear, easy to understand; rational, sane

271.

Juncture

(n) critical point in time, such as a crisis

or a time when a decision is necessary; a
place where two things are joined
together

292.

Lull

(n, v) soothe or cause to fall asleep (as in a

lullaby); quiet down; make to feel secure,
sometimes falsely (verb); a period of calm or
quiet (noun)

272.

Keen

(adj) sharp, piercing; very perceptive or

mentally sharp; intense (of a feeling)

293.

Makeshift

273.

Kudos

(n) praise, honor, congratulations

(n, adj) a temporary, often improvised,

substitute (noun); improvised for temporary use
(adj)

294.

Malleable

(adj) able to be bent, shaped, or adapted

295.

Maverick

(n) rebel, individualist, dissenter

296.

Mendacious

(adj) lying, habitually dishonest

297.

Mercurial

(adj) quickly unpredictably changing

moods; fickle, flighty

298.

Metamorphosis

(n) a complete change or transformer (in

biology, a change such as a caterpillar
becoming a pupa and then a butterfly)

299.

Meticulous

(adj) taking extreme care in regards to

details; precise, fussy

300.

Mitigate

(v) make less severe; lessen or moderate

(damage, grief, pain, etc.)

301.

Modest

(adj) humble; simple rather than showy;

decent (esp. "covering up" in terms of
dress); small, limited

302.

Mollify

(v) calm or soothe (an angry person);

lessen or soften

303.

Monotony

(n) sameness or repetitiousness to the

point of being boring; lack of variation,
uniformity, esp. repetition in sound

304.

Moreover

(adv) besides; in addition to what was just

stated

305.

Mores

(n) customs, manners, or morals of a

particular group

306.

Mundane

(adj) common, ordinary, everyday

307.

Naive

(adj) simple and unsophisticated,

unsuspecting, lacking worldly experience
and critical judgment

308.

Nascent

(adj) coming into existence, still

developing

309.

Negate

(v) deny or refute; make void or cause to be

ineffective

310.

Net

(adj, v) remaining after expenses or other

factors have been deducted; ultimate (adj);
to bring in as profit or to catch as in a net
(verb)

311.

Nevertheless/Nonetheless

(adv) however, even so,

despite that

312.

Notoriety

(n) ill fame; the state of being

well-known for a disgraceful
reason

313.

Novel

(adj) new, fresh, original

314.

Nuance

(n) a subtle difference in tone,

meaning, and expression

315.

Objective

(adj) factual, related to reality

or physical objects; not
influenced by emotions,
unbiased

316.

Obsequious

(adj) servile, very compliant,

fawning

317.

Obsolete

(adj) out of date, no longer in

use

318.

Obstinate

(adj) stubborn or hard to

control

319.

Obviate

(v) prevent, eliminate, or make

unnecessary

320.

Occult

(n, adj, v) the supernatural

(noun); pertaining to magic,
astrology, etc.; mysterious,
secret or hidden (adj); to hide,
to shut off from view

321.

Offhand

(adj) casual, informal; done

without preparation or
forethought; rude in a short
way, brusque

322.

Officious

(adj) excessively eager in

giving unwanted advice or
intruding where one is not
wanted; meddlesome, pushy

323.

Offset

(v, n) counteract, compensate

for (verb); a counterbalance
(noun)

324.

Onerous

(adj) burdensome, oppressive,

hard to endure

325.

Opaque

(adj) not translucent; not

allowing light, hear, etc. to
pass through; dark, dull,
unclear or stupid

326.

Optimal/Optimum

(adj) best, most desirable or

favorable

327.

Orthodox

(adj) adhering to a traditional,

established faith, or to
anything customary or
commonly accepted

328.

Oscillate

(v) swing back and forth;

waver, change one's mind

329.

Outstrip

(v) surpass, exceed; be larger or better than;

leave behind

330.

Overshadow

(v) cast a shadow over, darken; dominate,

make to seem less important
(n) model or pattern; worldview, set of
shared assumptions, values, etc.

331.

332.

Paradigm
Paradox

(n) contradiction, or seeming contradiction

that is actually true

333.

Pariah

(n) social outcast, untouchable

334.

Partial

(adj) biased, prejudiced, favoring one over

the others; having a special liking for
something or someone (usually partial to)

335.

336.

337.

338.

339.

Partisan

Patent

Pathological
Patronizing
Paucity

(adj, n) devoted to a particular group, cause,

etc. (adj); fervent supporter of a group, party,
idea, etc.; guerilla fighter (noun)
(adj, n) obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj);
a letter from the government guaranteeing an
inventor rights to his or her invention (noun)
(adj) relating to or caused by disease;
relating to compulsive bad behavior
(adj) condescending, having a superior
manner, treating as an inferior
(n) scarcity, the state of being small in
number

355.

Plummet

(v) plunge, fall straight down

356.

Polarized

(adj) divided into sharply opposed groups

357.

Ponderous

(adj) heavy; bulky and unwieldy; dull,

labored

358.

Posthumous

(adj) happening or continuing after death

359.

Potentate

(n) ruler, person of great power

360.

Pragmatic

(adj) practical; dealing with actual facts

and reality

361.

Pre-empt

(v) prevent; take the place of, supplant; take

before someone else can

362.

Preamble

(n) introductory statement, preface

363.

Precarious

(adj) unstable, insecure, dangerous

364.

Precursor

(n) something that comes before, esp.

something that also announces or suggests
something on its way

365.

Predisposed

(adj) having an inclination or tendency

beforehand; susceptible

366.

Presumptive

(adj) based on inference or assumption;

providing reasonable grounds for belief

367.

Presumptuous

(adj) too bold or forward; going beyond

that which is proper

368.

Pretentious

(adj) claiming or demanding a position of

importance or dignity, esp. when
unjustified; showing off creating deceptive,
false show of worth

340.

Peccadillo

(n) small sin or fault

341.

Pedestrian

(adj) ordinary, dull, commonplace

342.

Penchant

(n) liking or inclination

369.

Principled

(adj) having high moral standards

343.

Perfidious

(adj) disloyal, treacherous, violating one's

trust

370.

Pristine

(adj) in an original, pure state; uncorrupted

371.

Probity

(n) honesty, integrity

372.

Prodigal

(adj) wasteful, extravagant; giving

abundantly, lavish

373.

Prodigious

(adj) extraordinarily large, impressive, etc.

374.

Profligate

(adj) completely and shamelessly immoral,

or extremely wasteful

375.

Profound

(adj) very insightful, penetrating deeply

into a subject; pervasive intense, "down to
the very bottom;" at the very bottom

376.

Profuse

(adj) abundant, extravagant, giving or

given freely

377.

Prohibitive

(adj) tending to forbid something, or

serving to prevent something

378.

Proliferate

(v) increase or spread rapidly or excessively

344.

Peripheral

(adj) relating to or making up an outer

boundary or region; not of primary
importance

345.

Permeate

(v) spread or penetrate throughout

346.

Pervasive

(adj) tending to spread throughout

347.

Philanthropy

(n) efforts to improve the well-being of

humankind, generally through giving money

348.

Phony

(adj) fake, counterfeit; insincere, not genuine

349.

Pious

(adj) devout; religiously reverent and dutiful

350.

Pith

(n) core, essence; significance or weight

351.

Placate

(v) satisfy or calm down (angry or

dissatisfied person), esp. by conciliatory
gestures

352.

Placid

(adj) peaceful, calm, tranquil

379.

Prologue

(n) introductory part to a book, play, etc.

353.

Plastic

(adj) able to be shaped or formed; easily

influenced

380.

Pronounced

(adj) distinct, strong, clearly indicated

381.

Propriety

(n) conforming to good manners or

appropriate behavior; justness

354.

Plausible

(n) believable; having the appearance of

truth

382.

Prosaic

(adj) dull, ordinary

408.

Retrospective

(adj, n) looking to the past or backward;

applying to the past, retroactive (adj); an art
exhibit of an artist's work over a long period
of time (n)

383.

Proscribe

(v) prohibit, outlaw; denounce; exile or banish

384.

Prospective

(adj) potential, in the future

385.

Prudent

(adj) wise in practical matters, carefully

providing for the future

409.

Reverent

(adj) feeling or expressing very deep respect

and awe

386.

Pugnacious

(adj) inclined to fight, combative

410.

Rhetoric

387.

Qualified

(adj) modified, limited, conditional on

something else

(n) the art or study of persuasion through

speaking or writing; language that is
elaborate or pretentious but actually empty,
meaning little

388.

Quandary

(n) uncertainty or confusion about what to do,

dilemma

411.

Rife

(adj) happening frequently, abundant,

currently being reported

389.

Quibble

(v) make trivial arguments or criticisms, find

faults in a petty way, esp. to evade something
more important

412.

Rudimentary

(adj) elementary, relating to the basics;

undeveloped, primitive

Quotidian

(adj) daily; everyday, ordinary

413.

Rustic

390.
391.

Ranks

(n) personnel; a group of people considered all

together

(adj, n) relating to country life,

unsophisticated; primitive; made of rough
wood (adj); a rural or uncultured person
(noun)

392.

Reap

(v) harvest, such as by cutting; gather; get as a

result of one's effort

414.

Sacrosanct

(adj) sacred, inviolable, not to be trespassed

on or violated; above any criticism

393.

Recluse

(n) person who lives in seclusion

415.

Sagacious

394.

Refute

(v) prove to be false

(adj) wise; showing good judgment and

foresight

Relegate

(v) send or commit to an inferior place, rank,

condition, etc.; exile, banish; assign (a task)
to someone else

416.

Salubrious

(adj) healthful, promoting health

395.

417.

Sanction

(n, v) permission or approval, something

that gives support or authority to something
else (noun); to allow, confirm, ratify (verb);
OR a legal action against another country to
get it to comply (noun); to place sanctions or
penalties on (verb)

418.

Sanguine

(adj) cheerfully optimistic, hopeful; reddish,

ruddy (as in rosy-red cheeks indicating
health or vitality)

419.

Sap

(n, v) the inner fluid of a plant or any

essential body fluid; energy, vitality; a person
taken advantage of (noun); undermine,
weaken, tire out (verb)

Satiate or
Sate

(v) to fully satisfy; to go beyond satisfying to

the point of excess (possibly inducing
disgust, tiredness, etc.)

421.

Saturate

(v) soak or imbue thoroughly; cause a

substance to unite with the greatest possible
amount of another substance

422.

Savor

(v) appreciate fully, taste or smell with

pleasure

423.

Scant

(adj) not enough or barely enough

424.

Scathing

(adj) severe, injurious; bitterly harsh or

critical (as a remark)

425.

Secular

(adj) not religious or holy; pertaining to

worldly things

396.

Remedial

(adj) providing a remedy, curative; correcting

a deficient skill

397.

Render

(v) give, submit, surrender; translate; declare

formally; cause to become

398.

Replete

(adj) supplied in abundance, filled, gorged

(used with with)

399.

Reproach

(n, v) blame, disgrace (noun); criticize,

express disappointment in (verb)

400.

Repudiate

(v) reject, cast off, deny that something has

authority

401.

Requite

(v) reciprocate, repay, or revenge

402.

Rescind

(v) annul, repeal, make void

403.

Resolution

(n) the quality of being firmly determined;

resolving to do something; a formal judgment,
esp. decided by a vote

404.

Resolve

(v, n) find a solution to; firmly decide to do

something; decide by formal vote (verb);
firmness of purpose (noun)

405.

Respectively

(adv) in the order given

406.

Restive

(adj) impatient or uneasy under the control of

another; resisting being controlled

407.

Reticent

(adj) not talking much; private (of a person),

restrained, reserved

420.

426.

Sedulous

(adj) persevering, persistent, diligent in

one's efforts

427.

Sentient

(adj) conscious; experiencing sensation or

perceiving with the senses

428.

Simultaneous

(adj) at the same time

429.

Skeptic

(adj) person inclined to doubting or

questioning generally accepted beliefs

430.

Skirt

(v) border, lie along the edge of , go around;

evade

431.

Slack

Status Quo

(n) existing state or condition

449.

Stingy

(adj) not generous with money, reluctant to

spend or give

Stoic or
Stoical

(adj, n) indifferent to pleasure or pain,

enduring without complaint (adj); person
indifferent to pleasure or pain (noun)

Stolid

(adj) unemotional, showing little emotion,

not easily moved

Stymie or
Stymy

(v, n) block, hinder, or thwart (verb); an

obstacle (noun)

450.

451.

Subjective

(adj) existing in the mind or relating to one's

own thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc.;
personal, individual, based on feelings

454.

Subside

(v) sink, settle down, become less active;

return to a normal level

455.

Substantiate

(v) support with evidence or proof; give a

material existence to

456.

Succeeding

(adj) coming after or following

457.

Supersede

(v) replace, take the position of, cause to be

disregarded as void or obsolete

458.

Supplicate

(v) pray humbly; ask, beg, or seek in a

humble way

459.

Surfeit

(n) excess, excessive amount, overindulgence

460.

Surmise

(v) guess, infer, think, or make an opinion

with incomplete information

461.

Sycophant

(n) servile flatterer, parasitic person, one

who fawns in order to get ahead

462.

Synchronous

(adj) happening at the same time; occurring

at the same rate and thus happening together
repeatedly

463.

Table

(v) lay aside to discuss later, often as a way to

postpone discussion indefinitely

464.

Tacit

(adj) understood without being said; implied,

not stated directly; silent

465.

Taciturn

(adj) not talking much, reserved; silent,

holding back in conversation

466.

Tangential

(adj) only slightly relevant, going off topic

467.

Temperance

(n) moderation, self-control, esp. regarding

alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total
abstinence from alcohol

433.

Slight

(adj, v, n) small, not very important, slender

or delicate (adj); treat as though not very
important; snub, ignore (verb); an act of
treating in this way, a discourtesy (noun)

434.

Solicitous

(adj) concerned or anxious (about another

person), expressing care; eager or desirous;
very careful

435.

Soporific

(adj, n) causing sleep; sleepy, drowsy (adj);

something that causes sleep (noun)

436.

Sound

(v) measure the depth of (usually water) as

with a sounding line; penetrate and discover
the meaning of, understand (usually as
sound the depths)
(adj) very disciplined and stern; frugal,
living simply, austere; suggestive of the
ancient Spartans

438.

Spate

(n) sudden outpouring or rush; flood

439.

Spearhead

(v) be the leader of

440.

Specious

(adj) seemingly true but actually false;

deceptively attractive

441.

Spectrum

(n) a broad range of nevertheless related

qualities or ideas, esp. those that overlap to
create a continuous series (as in a color
spectrum, where each color blends into the
next in a continuous way)

Speculate

448.

453.

(n) a large number or quantity

442.

(adj) fixed, not moving or changing, lacking

vitality

452.

Slew

Spartan

Static

(adj, v, n) loose, negligent, lazy, weak (adj);

neglect to so one's duties; loosen up, relax
(verb); period of little work (noun)

432.

437.

447.

(v) contemplate; make a guess or educated

guess about; engage in a risky business
transaction, gamble

443.

Sporadic

(adj) occasional, happening irregularly or in

scattered locations

444.

Sportive

(adj) playful, merry, joking around, done "in

sport" (rather than intended seriously)

468.

Tenuous

(adj) long and thin, slender; flimsy, having

little substance

445.

Standing

(n, adj) status, rank, reputation (noun);

existing indefinitely, not movable (adj)

469.

Timely

(adj) well-timed, happening at a suitable

time

446.

Stark

(adj) complete, total, utter; harsh or grim;

extremely simple, severe, blunt, or plain

470.

Timorous

(adj) fearful, timid

471.

Tirade

(n) bitter, abusive criticism or verbal attack

494.

Warranted

(adj) justified, authorized (warrant can mean to

justify or a justification, but can also mean to
vouch for or guarantee)

472.

Torpor

(n) sluggishness, lethargy, or apathy; a

period of inactivity

473.

Torrid

(adj) very hot, parching, burning;

passionate

495.

Wary

(adj) watchful, motivated by caution, on guard

against danger

474.

Tractable

(adj) easily controlled or managed, docile;

easily shaped or molded

496.

Whereas

(conjunction) while on the contrary,

considering that

Transitory

(adj) temporary, short-lived, not lasting

497.

475.

Whimsical

(adj) marked or motivated by whims (odd,

fanciful ideas); erratic, unpredictable

476.

Trifling

(adj) trivial, not very important; so small

as to be unimportant; frivolous, shallow

498.

Wily

(adj) crafty, cunning, characterized by tricks or

artifice

477.

Trite

(adj) lacking freshness or originality,

lacking effectiveness due to overuse, cliche

499.

Zeal

478.

Ubiquitous

(adj) existing everywhere at the same time

(n) great fervor or enthusiasm for a cause,

person, etc.; tireless diligence in furthering that
cause; passion, ardor

479.

Undermine

(v) weaken cause to collapse by digging

away at the foundation (of a building or an
argument); injure or attack in a secretive
or underhanded way

500.

zenith

(n) high point, culmination

480.

Underscore

(v) emphasize (or, literally, to underline

text)

481.

Unearth

(v) dig up, uncover, expose

482.

Unequivocal

(adj) unambiguous, clear, absolute;

having only one possible meaning

483.

Unprecedented

(adj) never before known or seen, without

having happened previously

484.

Unseemly

(adj) improper, inappropriate, against the

rules of taste or politeness

485.

Vacillate

(v) waver in one's mind or opinions, be

indecisive

486.

Venerate

(v) revere, regard with deep respect and

awe

487.

Veracity

(n) truthfulness, accuracy; habitual

adherence to the truth

488.

Verbose

(adj) wordy

489.

Viable

(adj) capable of living (or growing,

developing, etc.); practical, workable

490.

Vintage

(adj, n) related to items of high quality

from a previous era, old-fashioned,
antique (adj); the wine of a particular year
(noun)

491.

Virtual

(adj) existing only in the mind or by

means of a computer network; existing in
results or in essence but not officially or in
name

492.

Vituperate

(v) verbally abuse, rebuke or criticize

harshly

493.

Volatile

(adj) varying, inconstant, fleeting; tending

to violence, explosive