GRE Wordlist

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Z

Word	Meaning
abase	lower; degrade; humiliate
abash	embarrass
abate	subside or moderate
abbreviate	shorten
abdicate	renounce; give up
aberrant	abnormal or deviant
abet	assist, usually in doing something wrong
abeyance	suspended action
abject	wretched; lacking pride
abjure	renounce upon oath
ablution	washing
abnegation	renunciation; self-sacrifice
abominate	loathe; hate
abortive	unsuccessful; fruitless
abrasive	rubbing away; tending to grind down
abrogate	abolish
abscond	depart secretly and hide
absolute	complete; totally unlimited; certain
absolve	pardon (an offense)
abstain	refrain; withhold from participation
abstract	theoretical; not concrete; non-representational
abusive	coarsely insulting; physically harmful
abut	border upon; adjoin
abysmal	bottomless
accede	agree
accelerate	move faster
accessible	easy to approach; obtainable
accessory	additional object; useful but not essential thing
acclimate	adjust to climate or environment
acclivity	sharp upslope of a hill
accolade	award of merit
accord	agreement
accost	approach and speak first to a person
accoutre	equip
accretion	growth; increase
accrue	come about by addition
acidulous	slightly sour; sharp; caustic
acme	peak; pinnacle; highest point
acquiesce	assent; agree passively
acquittal	deliverance from a charge
acrid	sharp; bitterly pungent
acrimonious	stinging, caustic
actuarial	calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
actuate	motivate
acuity	sharpness
acumen	mental keenness
adage	wise saying; proverb
adamant	hard, inflexible
addendum	addition; appendix to book
addle	muddle; drive crazy
adherent	supporter; follower
adjunct	something attached to but holding an inferior position
adjuration	solemn urging
adjutant	staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
admonish	warn; reprove
adorn	decorate
adroit	skillful
adulation	flattery; admiration
adulterate	make impure by mixing with baser substances
advent	arrival
adventitious	accidental; casual
adversary	opponent; enemy
adverse	unfavorable; hostile
adversity	poverty, misfortune
advert	refer to
advocate	urge; plead for
aegis	shield; defense
affable	courteous
affected	artificial; pretended
affidavit	written statement made under oath
affiliation	joining; associating with
affinity	kinship
affirmation	positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath
affix	attach or add on; fasten
affluence	abundance; wealth
affront	insult; offend
agape	openmouthed
agenda	items of business at a meeting
agglomeration	collection; heap
aggrandize	increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor
aggregate	sum; total
aghast	horrified
agility	nimbleness
agitate	stir up; disturb
agnostic	one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god or any ultimate reality
agog	highly excited; intensely curious
agrarian	pertaining to land or its cultivation
alacrity	cheerful promptness
alchemy	medieval chemistry
alcove	nook; recess
alias	an assumed name
alienate	make hostile; separate
alimentary	supplying nourishment
alimony	payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce
allay	calm; pacify
allege	state without proof
allegory	story in which characters are used as symbols; fable
alleviate	relieve
alliteration	repetition of beginning sound in poetry
alloy	mixture as of metals
allude	refer indirectly
allure	entice; attract
allusion	indirect reference
alluvial	pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
aloft	upward
aloof	apart; reserved
altercation	noisy quarrel
altruistic	unselfishly generous; concerned for others
amalgamate	combine; unite in one body
amass	collect
amazon	female warrior
ambidextrous	capable of using either hand with equal ease
ambience	environment; atmosphere
ambiguous	unclear or doubtful in meaning
ambivalence	the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
amble	moving at an easy pace
ambrosia	food of the gods
ambulatory	able to walk
ameliorate	improve
amenable	readily managed; willing to be led
amend	correct; change, generally for the better
amenities	convenient features; courtesies
amiable	agreeable; lovable
amicable	friendly
amiss	wrong; faulty
amity	friendship
amnesia	loss of memory
amnesty	pardon
amok	in a state of rage
amoral	non-moral
amorous	moved by sexual love; loving
amorphous	shapeless; vague; indeterminate
amphibian	able to live both on land and in water
amphitheater	oval building with tiers of seats
ample	abundant
amplify	enlarge
amputate	cut off part of body; prune
amulet	charm; talisman
anachronism	something or someone misplaced in time
analgesic	causing insensitivity to pain
analogous	comparable
analogy	similarity; parallelism
anarchist	person who rebels against the established order
anarchy	absence of governing body; state of disorder
anathema	solemn curse; someone or something that is despised
anathematize	curse
anchor	secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place
ancillary	serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
anecdote	short account of an amusing or interesting event
anemia	condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles
anesthetic	substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
anguish	acute pain; extreme suffering
angular	sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
animadversion	critical remark
animated	lively
animosity	active enmity
animus	hostile feeling or intent
annals	records; history
anneal	reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
annihilate	destroy
annotate	comment; make explanatory notes
annuity	yearly allowance
annul	make void
anodyne	drug that relieves pain; opiate
anoint	consecrate
anomalous	abnormal; irregular
anomaly	irregularity
anonymity	state of being nameless; anonymousness
antagonistic	hostile; opposed
antecede	precede
antecedents	preceding events; early life; ancestors
antediluvian	antiquated; ancient
anthropoid	manlike
anthropologist	student of the history and science of humankind
anthropomorphic	having human form or characteristics
anticlimax	letdown in thought or emotion
antipathy	aversion; dislike
antiquated	obsolete; outdated
antiseptic	substance that prevents infection
antithesis	contrast; direct opposite of or to
anvil	iron block used in hammering out metals
apathetic	indifferent
apathy	lack of caring; indifference
ape	imitate or mimic
aperture	opening; hole
apex	tip; summit; climax
aphasia	loss of speech due to injury or illness
aphorism	pithy maxim
apiary	a place where bees are kept
aplomb	poise; composure
apocalyptic	prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster
apocryphal	untrue; made up
apogee	highest point
apoplexy	stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis
apostate	one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
apothecary	druggist
apothegm	pithy, compact saying
apotheosis	deification; glorification
appall	dismay; shock
apparition	ghost; phantom
appease	pacify; soothe
appellation	name; title
append	attach
application	diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply
apposite	appropriate; fitting
appraise	estimate the value of
appreciate	be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of
apprehend	arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive
apprehensive	fearful; discerning
apprise	inform
approbation	approval
appropriate	acquire; take possession of for one's own use
appurtenances	subordinate possessions
apropos	with reference to; regarding
aptitude	fitness; talent
aquiline	curved, hooked
arable	fit for plowing
arbiter	person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge
arbitrary	unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical
arbitrate	act as judge
arboretum	place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
arcade	a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
arcane	secret; mysterious
archaeology	study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
archaic	antiquated
archetype	prototype; primitive pattern
archipelago	group of closely located islands
archives	public records; place where public records are kept
ardor	heat; passion; zeal
arduous	hard; strenuous
argot	slang
aria	operatic solo
arid	dry; barren
aristocracy	hereditary nobility; privileged class
armada	fleet of warships
aromatic	fragrant
arraign	charge in court; indict
array	marshal; draw up in order
array	clothe; adorn
arrears	being in debt
arrogance	pride, haughtiness
arroyo	gully
articulate	effective; distinct
artifacts	products of primitive culture
artifice	deception; trickery
artisan	a manually skilled worker
artless	without guile; open and honest
ascendancy	controlling influence
ascetic	practicing self-denial; austere
asceticism	doctrine of self-denial
ascribe	refer; attribute; assign
aseptic	preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
ashen	ash-colored; deadly pale
asinine	stupid
askance	with a sideways or indirect look
askew	crookedly; slanted; at an angle
asperity	sharpness (of temper)
aspersion	slanderous remark
aspirant	seeker after position or status
aspiration	noble ambition
assail	assault
assay	analyze; evaluate
assent	agree; accept
assert	state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc).
assessment	estimation; appraisal
assiduous	diligent
assimilate	absorb; cause to become homogenous
assuage	ease; lessen(pain)
assumption	something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of
assurance	promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence
asteroid	small planet
astigmatism	eye defect that prevents proper focus
astral	relating to the stars
astringent	binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe
astronomical	enormously large or extensive
astute	wise; shrewd
asunder	into parts; apart
asylum	place of refuge or shelter; protection
asymmetric	not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
atavism	resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type;
atheistic	denying the existence of God
atone	make amends for; pay for
atrocity	brutal deed
atrophy	wasting away
attenuate	make thin; weaken
attest	testify; bear witness
attribute	essential quality
attribute	ascribe; explain
attrition	gradual wearing down
audacious	daring; bold
audit	examination of accounts
augment	increase
augury	omen; prophecy
august	impressive; majestic
aureole	sun's corona; halo
auroral	pertaining to the aurora borealis
auspicious	favoring success
austere	strict, stern
austerity	sternness; severity; lack of luxuries
authenticate	prove genuine
authoritarian	favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic
authoritative	having the weight of authority; dictatorial
autocrat	monarch with supreme power
automaton	mechanism that imitates actions of humans
autonomous	self-governing
autopsy	examination of a dead body; postmortem
auxiliary	offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary
avarice	greed for wealth
aver	state confidently
averse	reluctant
aversion	firm dislike
avert	prevent; turn away
aviary	enclosure for birds
avid	greedy; eager for
avocation	secondary or minor occupation
avow	declare openly
avuncular	like an uncle
awe	solemn wonder
awl	pointed tool used for piercing
awry	distorted; crooked
axiom	self-evident truth requiring no proof
azure	sky blue