If you are preparing for the GRE in 2026, vocabulary is still the single highest-leverage thing you can study. The Verbal Reasoning section is built on two question types, Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence, that are won or lost on whether you know the precise meaning of one or two pivotal words. You either know the word or you guess.
This is the definitive list of the 500 most essential GRE words, fully updated for the 2026 test cycle and reviewed against the current shorter GRE. It is drawn from our vocabulary database of more than 2,700 fact-checked entries. Every word below is high-frequency: the kind that recurs across real test forms and the best word lists. Each has its own page on this site with synonyms, antonyms, and an example sentence, and all 500 are tested in our free vocabulary trainer. We refresh this list as the test evolves, so it stays current for 2026 and beyond.
Tip
Reading a list is not the same as learning it. Skim once to triage what you already know, then drill the rest in small sets with spaced repetition in the free GRE vocabulary trainer. Marking a word "got it" or "missed" and letting the missed ones come back is what makes them stick.
Why vocabulary still decides your Verbal score in 2026
The shorter GRE introduced in late 2023 cut the number of questions, which means every single Verbal question now carries more weight toward your scaled score. There is less room to absorb a vocabulary gap. A single unknown word in a Text Completion can turn a confident point into a coin flip.
And the scales are not symmetric: a 160 on Verbal is roughly the 84th percentile, so the difference between a good and a great Verbal score is often a few dozen words you either did or did not recognise on test day. That is exactly the gap this list is built to close. (See what a good GRE score looks like by field.)
How to study these 500 words
- Triage first. Read straight through and mark the words you already know cold. Do not waste reps on those.
- Learn in context, not in isolation. For each new word, read its example sentence and say a sentence of your own. Meaning sticks to usage, not to flashcard definitions.
- Use spaced repetition. Study in sets of 20, revisit missed words the next day, and let the ones you know fade. The trainer does this scheduling for you.
- Test under pressure. Recognition in a quiet room is easy; recall in a timed section is the real skill. Drill with Verbal practice and full mock tests.
- Review your misses weekly. Bookmark this page. The words you keep missing are your personal high-value list.
Essential GRE words 1–50: Abate to Apocryphal
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abate | verb | To lessen in intensity or amount |
| Abdicate | verb | To formally give up power or responsibility |
| Aberrant | adjective | Departing from what is normal or expected |
| Aberration | noun | A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected |
| Abrogate | verb | To abolish or repeal a law or agreement by authority |
| Abscond | verb | To leave secretly to avoid capture or accusation |
| Abstemious | adjective | Marked by moderation, especially in food and drink |
| Abstruse | adjective | Difficult to understand; obscure |
| Abyss | noun | A deep, immeasurable chasm or void, often used figuratively for something profound or catastrophic |
| Acerbic | adjective | Sharp and biting in tone or expression |
| Acidulous | adjective | Slightly sour in taste or manner; sharp or cutting in tone |
| Acquiesce | verb | To accept or agree to something reluctantly without protest |
| Acrimonious | adjective | Angry and bitter in tone or nature |
| Acrimony | noun | Bitterness or harshness in speech or feeling |
| Activism | noun | The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change |
| Acumen | noun | Keen insight and shrewd judgment |
| Adamant | adjective | Refusing to be persuaded; utterly unyielding |
| Adhere | verb | To stick firmly to a surface or to follow and support a rule or belief |
| Admonish | verb | To warn or reprimand someone firmly |
| Adroit | adjective | Clever and skillful, especially in handling situations |
| Adulation | noun | Excessive admiration or flattery |
| Adulterate | verb | To make impure by adding inferior or harmful substances |
| Aesthete | noun | A person who has or affects great sensitivity to beauty, especially in art and literature |
| Aesthetic | adjective | Concerned with beauty or artistic appreciation |
| Affable | adjective | Friendly, warm, and easy to talk to |
| Aggrandize | verb | To increase the power, wealth, or reputation of |
| Agog | adjective | Very eager or curious; in a state of excited anticipation |
| Alacrity | noun | Brisk and cheerful eagerness |
| Albeit | adverb | Though; even though; used to introduce a concession |
| Allay | verb | To reduce or relieve fear, worry, or pain |
| Allegation | noun | A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof |
| Allegiance | noun | Loyalty or commitment to a group, cause, or leader |
| Alleviate | verb | To make suffering or a problem less severe |
| Ambiguous | adjective | Open to more than one interpretation; unclear |
| Ambivalent | adjective | Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something |
| Ameliorate | verb | To make a bad situation better |
| Amenable | adjective | Willing to cooperate or be persuaded |
| Amorphous | adjective | Lacking a clear shape or structure |
| Anachronism | noun | Something placed outside its proper historical time |
| Anathema | noun | Something or someone intensely disliked or detested |
| Annul | verb | To declare invalid or legally void; to cancel or abolish officially |
| Anodyne | adjective | Unlikely to cause offense; bland and inoffensive |
| Anomalous | adjective | Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected |
| Anomaly | noun | Something that deviates from what is standard or expected |
| Antipathy | noun | A strong feeling of dislike or aversion |
| Antithetical | adjective | Directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible |
| Apathy | noun | Lack of interest, emotion, or concern |
| Aphoristic | adjective | Expressed in or resembling short, clever, and memorable sayings that convey general truths |
| Aplomb | noun | Self-confidence and poise in difficult situations |
| Apocryphal | adjective | Of doubtful authenticity, though widely circulated |
Essential GRE words 51–100: Apparition to Bombastic
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Apparition | noun | A ghost or ghostlike figure; something remarkable or unexpected that appears suddenly |
| Appease | verb | To pacify someone by giving in to demands |
| Apprehension | noun | Anxiety or fear about a future event; also, the act of understanding or grasping something mentally |
| Approbation | noun | Formal approval or praise |
| Aptitude | noun | A natural ability or talent for acquiring a particular skill |
| Arbitrary | adjective | Based on personal whim rather than reason or system |
| Arcane | adjective | Understood by only a few; mysterious |
| Archaic | adjective | Belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned |
| Ardent | adjective | Marked by intense passion or enthusiasm |
| Arduous | adjective | Requiring great effort; difficult and tiring |
| Articulate | adjective | Able to express ideas clearly and effectively |
| Artifact | noun | An object made by humans, typically one of cultural or historical interest |
| Artifice | noun | Clever or cunning trickery to deceive |
| Artless | adjective | Without guile or pretense; natural and sincere |
| Ascetic | adjective | Practicing severe self-discipline and abstinence |
| Asperity | noun | Harshness of tone or manner |
| Aspersions | noun | Attacks on the reputation or integrity of someone; damaging or derogatory remarks |
| Aspiration | noun | A strong desire or ambition to achieve something, or the act of breathing in |
| Assess | verb | To evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, or value of something |
| Assiduous | adjective | Showing great care, attention, and persistence |
| Assuage | verb | To ease or relieve an unpleasant feeling |
| Astute | adjective | Shrewd and perceptive in judgment |
| Atone | verb | To make amends or reparation for a wrong or injury that one has committed |
| Attentive | adjective | Paying close attention to something or someone, or thoughtfully considerate of the needs of others |
| Attenuate | verb | To reduce the strength, force, or value of something |
| Audacious | adjective | Showing bold and daring disregard for risk or convention |
| Augment | verb | To make something greater by adding to it |
| Augur | verb | To be a sign of a future outcome |
| Auspicious | adjective | Suggesting a favorable outcome; promising |
| Austere | adjective | Severe or plain in manner or appearance |
| Avarice | noun | Extreme greed for wealth or material gain |
| Avert | verb | To prevent something unpleasant from happening; or to turn away one's eyes or thoughts |
| Axiom | noun | A statement or proposition that is regarded as established, accepted, and self-evidently true |
| Banal | adjective | Lacking originality and so dull or commonplace |
| Banter | noun | Light, playful, and friendly exchange of remarks; good-humored teasing |
| Belie | verb | To give a false impression of or contradict |
| Bellicose | adjective | Inclined to fight or eager for war |
| Belligerent | adjective | Hostile and aggressively ready to fight |
| Benevolent | adjective | Kind, generous, and well-meaning toward others |
| Benign | adjective | Gentle, harmless, or favorable in nature |
| Bent | noun | A natural tendency or inclination toward a particular activity or thing |
| Berate | verb | To scold or criticize someone angrily and at length |
| Besiege | verb | To surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it, or to overwhelm someone with requests or questions |
| Bifurcate | verb | To divide or fork into two branches or parts |
| Bizarre | adjective | Very strange or unusual, especially in a striking or odd way |
| Blatant | adjective | Completely obvious and offensively conspicuous |
| Bleak | adjective | Offering little hope or comfort; cold and unwelcoming in atmosphere or prospect |
| Bogus | adjective | Not genuine; fraudulent or fake |
| Bolster | verb | To support, strengthen, or reinforce |
| Bombastic | adjective | High-sounding but with little real meaning; pompous in speech |
Note
Quick check: can you define the first hundred without peeking? If not, that is your starting set. Drill them twenty at a time in the free vocabulary trainer before moving on.
Essential GRE words 101–150: Bonhomie to Commensurate
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bonhomie | noun | Cheerful friendliness and good-natured ease in social interaction |
| Boor | noun | A rough, bad-mannered, and unpleasant person who is insensitive to social conventions |
| Boorish | adjective | Rude, ill-mannered, and lacking refinement |
| Brazen | adjective | Bold and shameless in a defiant way |
| Breach | noun | A violation of a law, duty, or agreement; or a gap or break in something |
| Brevity | noun | The quality of being brief or concise |
| Brisk | adjective | Active, fast, and energetic, or pleasantly fresh and invigorating |
| Brood | verb | To think deeply and at length about something that makes one worried or unhappy |
| Brusque | adjective | Blunt and abrupt in manner or speech |
| Bucolic | adjective | Relating to the pleasant simplicity of rural or pastoral life |
| Bureaucracy | noun | A system of government or organization characterized by complex rules and a rigid hierarchy |
| Burgeon | verb | To grow or expand rapidly and flourish |
| Buttress | verb | To support, strengthen, or back up |
| Bygone | adjective | Belonging to an earlier time; no longer current or relevant |
| Byzantine | adjective | Excessively complicated, intricate, or devious |
| Cacophony | noun | A harsh, jarring mixture of sounds |
| Cajole | verb | To coax someone into doing something through flattery or persuasion |
| Callous | adjective | Showing an insensitive and cruel disregard for others |
| Callow | adjective | Immature and lacking adult experience or sophistication |
| Calumny | noun | A false statement made to damage someone's reputation |
| Canard | noun | An unfounded rumor or false story, especially one deliberately spread to mislead |
| Candid | adjective | Truthful and straightforward; not concealing one's thoughts or opinions |
| Candor | noun | The quality of being open, honest, and direct in speech |
| Capitulate | verb | To surrender or give in, often after resistance |
| Caprice | noun | A sudden, impulsive change of mind or behavior; a whim with no clear rationale |
| Capricious | adjective | Given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood or behavior |
| Castigate | verb | To criticize or punish someone severely |
| Catalyst | noun | Something that precipitates or speeds up an event or change |
| Catholic | adjective | Including a wide variety of things; broad in tastes, interests, or scope |
| Caustic | adjective | Bitingly sarcastic or harshly critical |
| Cavalier | adjective | Showing a dismissive or offhand lack of concern |
| Censure | verb | To express strong, formal disapproval of someone |
| Cessation | noun | The bringing to an end of something; a pause or stopping of activity |
| Charlatan | noun | A person who falsely claims to have special skill or knowledge |
| Chastise | verb | To rebuke or punish someone for wrongdoing |
| Chicanery | noun | The use of trickery or deception to achieve a goal |
| Chronological | adjective | Arranged in the order in which events occurred over time |
| Circuitous | adjective | Indirect and roundabout rather than direct |
| Circumscribe | verb | To restrict or limit something within bounds |
| Circumspect | adjective | Cautious and careful to consider all consequences |
| Circumvent | verb | To find a way around an obstacle or rule |
| Clandestine | adjective | Done secretly, especially to conceal something improper |
| Clinch | verb | To confirm or settle a matter conclusively, or to secure a victory or deal |
| Coalesce | verb | To come together to form a single unified whole |
| Coerce | verb | To compel someone to act through force or threats |
| Cogent | adjective | Clear, logical, and convincing |
| Cognizance | noun | Knowledge, awareness, or understanding of something |
| Coherent | adjective | Logically connected and easy to understand |
| Collusion | noun | Secret cooperation between people, especially for illegal or deceitful purposes |
| Commensurate | adjective | Corresponding in size, degree, or extent; proportionate |
Essential GRE words 151–200: Complacent to Debacle
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Complacent | adjective | Smugly satisfied and unaware of potential dangers |
| Complementary | adjective | Combining in such a way as to enhance or emphasize the qualities of each other |
| Composure | noun | Calmness and self-control, especially in difficult or stressful situations |
| Concede | verb | To admit that something is true after initially denying or resisting it; to yield or surrender |
| Conceit | noun | Excessive pride in one's own qualities or achievements; also, an elaborate metaphorical idea in literature |
| Concession | noun | A thing that is granted or yielded, often in response to demands, or an acknowledgment that something is true |
| Conciliatory | adjective | Intended to make angry or hostile people calm and more friendly; seeking to reduce conflict |
| Concoct | verb | To invent or devise something, especially a story or plan, using skill or deception |
| Concur | verb | To agree or have the same opinion; to happen at the same time |
| Condone | verb | To accept or overlook behavior that is wrong |
| Confer | verb | To grant a title or degree to someone, or to have discussions and exchange opinions |
| Conflagration | noun | A large and destructive fire; also used figuratively for a major conflict or disaster |
| Conflate | verb | To combine two or more things, often incorrectly, treating distinct concepts as a single one |
| Confound | verb | To confuse or bewilder, or to mix up distinct things |
| Confrontation | noun | A hostile or argumentative meeting or situation between opposing parties |
| Congruent | adjective | In agreement or harmony; corresponding in character or kind |
| Conjecture | noun | An opinion or conclusion formed without firm evidence |
| Conjure | verb | To make something appear unexpectedly as if by magic, or to call upon a spirit by a magic ritual |
| Connote | verb | To imply or suggest something beyond the literal meaning of a word or action |
| Consign | verb | To deliver or transfer something to someone's custody; to relegate to a specific fate or place |
| Console | verb | To comfort someone at a time of grief or disappointment |
| Consolidate | verb | To combine several things into a single more effective or coherent whole; to strengthen a position |
| Conspicuous | adjective | Clearly visible or attracting notice; strikingly obvious |
| Conspire | verb | To plan secretly with others to do something harmful or illegal; or for events to combine toward one result |
| Constrict | verb | To make something narrower or tighter; to limit or restrict freedom or development |
| Consummate | adjective | Showing the highest degree of skill or completeness |
| Contentious | adjective | Causing or likely to cause argument; quarrelsome |
| Contextualize | verb | To place something within its broader context so that it can be properly understood and assessed |
| Contrite | adjective | Feeling deep remorse for having done wrong |
| Converge | verb | To come together or meet at a point; to tend toward a common conclusion or result |
| Convoke | verb | To call together or summon people to a meeting or assembly |
| Convoluted | adjective | Extremely complicated and difficult to follow |
| Copious | adjective | Present in large quantity; abundant |
| Corroborate | verb | To confirm or support a statement with evidence |
| Counterintuitive | adjective | Contrary to what common sense or intuition would suggest |
| Counterproductive | adjective | Having the opposite effect to the one intended; tending to hinder rather than help a goal |
| Covert | adjective | Kept secret or concealed rather than openly acknowledged |
| Crafty | adjective | Clever at achieving goals through indirect or deceptive means; cunning |
| Craven | adjective | Contemptibly cowardly and lacking courage |
| Credulity | noun | A tendency to believe too readily; readiness to accept something as true without sufficient evidence |
| Credulous | adjective | Too ready to believe things without sufficient evidence |
| Cryptic | adjective | Mysterious or obscure in meaning |
| Culpable | adjective | Deserving blame for a fault or wrongdoing |
| Curb | verb | To restrain or keep in check an impulse, tendency, or activity |
| Cursory | adjective | Hasty and superficial, without attention to detail |
| Curtail | verb | To reduce or cut short something |
| Cynical | adjective | Distrustful of others' motives and inclined to expect the worst |
| Dampen | verb | To make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong |
| Dearth | noun | A scarcity or shortage of something |
| Debacle | noun | A sudden and complete failure or collapse |
Tip
Go deeper on any word. Every entry here has its own page with synonyms, antonyms, and an example sentence, for example aberration or garrulous. Click through whenever a definition does not stick from the table alone.
Essential GRE words 201–250: Debase to Disposition
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Debase | verb | To lower in quality, value, or dignity |
| Debilitate | verb | To weaken or sap the strength of |
| Debunk | verb | To expose the falseness of a claim or belief |
| Decorous | adjective | Marked by proper, dignified behavior and good taste |
| Decorum | noun | Behavior in keeping with social propriety and good taste |
| Decree | noun | An official order issued by a legal authority that has the force of law |
| Decry | verb | To condemn or denounce openly |
| Deem | verb | To regard or consider in a specified way |
| Deference | noun | Respectful submission to another's judgment or wishes |
| Defiance | noun | Open resistance or bold disobedience toward authority or opposition |
| Defiant | adjective | Showing bold resistance or disobedience toward authority |
| Deflect | verb | To cause something to change direction or to turn aside from a course |
| Deft | adjective | Skillful and quick in movement or handling |
| Deleterious | adjective | Harmful or damaging, often in a subtle way |
| Delineate | verb | To describe or define precisely, or to mark the outline of |
| Demur | verb | To object or raise an objection, often politely |
| Denigrate | verb | To criticize unfairly so as to belittle |
| Denote | verb | To be a sign or symbol of something; to indicate or refer to |
| Denounce | verb | To publicly condemn as wrong or evil |
| Deprivation | noun | The harmful lack of something considered necessary for well-being |
| Deride | verb | To mock or ridicule contemptuously |
| Derivative | adjective | Imitative of others' work and lacking originality |
| Despondent | adjective | In low spirits from loss of hope or courage |
| Desultory | adjective | Lacking a plan or purpose; moving randomly from one thing to another |
| Detached | adjective | Not involved in or influenced by a situation, or showing a lack of emotion or personal involvement |
| Deterrent | noun | Something that discourages or prevents a particular action or behavior |
| Detrimental | adjective | Causing harm or damage |
| Devoid | adjective | Entirely lacking or free from a particular quality or thing |
| Diatribe | noun | A bitter, prolonged verbal attack |
| Dichotomy | noun | A division into two sharply opposed or contradictory parts |
| Didactic | adjective | Intended to teach or moralize, sometimes excessively |
| Diffidence | noun | Shyness or lack of self-confidence |
| Diffident | adjective | Lacking confidence; shy and hesitant |
| Diffuse | adjective | Spread out or wordy and lacking concision |
| Dilatory | adjective | Tending to cause delay or to procrastinate |
| Dilettante | noun | Someone who dabbles in a field without serious commitment |
| Disabuse | verb | To free someone from a false belief or misconception |
| Discerning | adjective | Showing good judgment and keen insight |
| Discordant | adjective | Not in harmony; conflicting or producing a harsh, unpleasant sound |
| Discriminating | adjective | Having or showing refined taste and good judgment in making distinctions |
| Discursive | adjective | Rambling and moving from topic to topic without order |
| Disdain | noun | A feeling that someone or something is unworthy of respect |
| Disingenuous | adjective | Insincere while pretending to be candid |
| Disinterested | adjective | Free from bias or self-interest; impartial |
| Disparage | verb | To speak of as having little worth; to belittle |
| Disparaging | adjective | Expressing a low opinion; belittling |
| Disparate | adjective | Fundamentally different in kind |
| Disparity | noun | A noticeable and often unfair difference |
| Dispassionate | adjective | Not influenced by emotion; calmly impartial |
| Disposition | noun | A person's natural temperament or characteristic inclination to behave in a particular way |
Essential GRE words 251–300: Disprove to Erstwhile
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Disprove | verb | To show that something is false or incorrect |
| Disquieting | adjective | Causing anxiety or unease; unsettling |
| Dissemble | verb | To conceal one's true motives or feelings by pretense |
| Disseminate | verb | To spread or distribute widely |
| Dissent | noun | The expression of disagreement or opposition to a prevailing or official view |
| Dissonance | noun | A lack of harmony or agreement |
| Dissuade | verb | To persuade someone not to do something |
| Diverge | verb | To develop in a different direction or differ from a standard |
| Divergent | adjective | Moving apart or differing from one another |
| Dogmatic | adjective | Asserting opinions as undeniable truth, allowing no debate |
| Dormant | adjective | Temporarily inactive or sleeping |
| Drab | adjective | Lacking brightness or interest; dull and cheerless |
| Draconian | adjective | Excessively harsh and severe |
| Drone | verb | To speak in a slow, monotonous tone without variation |
| Drought | noun | A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall leading to a water shortage |
| Dubious | adjective | Doubtful or questionable in quality or truth |
| Duplicitous | adjective | Deceitful in speech or conduct; given to double-dealing |
| Duplicity | noun | Deceitfulness; double-dealing |
| Dwarf | verb | To cause something to seem small or insignificant by comparison |
| Ebullient | adjective | Overflowing with cheerful enthusiasm and high spirits |
| Eclectic | adjective | Drawing from a wide and diverse range of sources or styles |
| Eclipse | verb | To deprive of importance or overshadow by being superior |
| Efficacy | noun | The power to produce a desired result or effect |
| Effusive | adjective | Expressing emotion or enthusiasm in an unrestrained way |
| Egregious | adjective | Outstandingly bad; conspicuously and shockingly wrong |
| Elicit | verb | To draw out a response, reaction, or information |
| Eloquence | noun | The ability to use language clearly, effectively, and persuasively |
| Eloquent | adjective | Fluent and persuasive in speaking or writing |
| Elucidate | verb | To make something clear by explaining it |
| Elusive | adjective | Difficult to find, catch, grasp, or define |
| Empirical | adjective | Based on observation or experiment rather than theory |
| Emulate | verb | To imitate someone admired in an effort to equal or surpass them |
| Enchant | verb | To fill someone with great delight or to place under a magical spell |
| Endeavor | noun | A serious attempt or effort to achieve a particular goal |
| Endemic | adjective | Regularly found in or native to a particular place or group |
| Enervate | verb | To drain of energy, vitality, or strength |
| Engender | verb | To give rise to or cause a feeling or situation |
| Engrossed | adjective | Having one's full attention absorbed or occupied by something |
| Enigma | noun | Something puzzling, mysterious, or hard to understand |
| Enlist | verb | To enroll or recruit someone for a cause, military service, or task |
| Enmity | noun | Deep-seated hostility or ill will |
| Entrenched | adjective | Firmly established and very resistant to change |
| Ephemeral | adjective | Lasting for only a very short time |
| Epistemology | noun | The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature, sources, and limits of human knowledge |
| Epistle | noun | A formal or lengthy letter, especially one written as a literary work |
| Equanimity | noun | Calmness and composure, especially under stress |
| Equivocal | adjective | Open to more than one interpretation; deliberately ambiguous |
| Equivocate | verb | To use vague language to avoid committing or to mislead |
| Erratic | adjective | Irregular, unpredictable, or inconsistent in behavior |
| Erstwhile | adjective | Formerly or previously, but no longer, of a specified kind |
Note
Halfway. Recognising a word on a list is not the same as recalling it in a timed section. Take a free, full-length, section-adaptive GRE mock test and meet these words where they actually count.
Essential GRE words 301–350: Erudite to Forfeit
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Erudite | adjective | Having or showing deep, scholarly knowledge |
| Eschew | verb | To deliberately avoid or abstain from something |
| Esoteric | adjective | Understood by only a small group with specialized knowledge |
| Espouse | verb | To adopt or support a cause, belief, or way of life |
| Evict | verb | To expel someone from a property by legal process |
| Exacerbate | verb | To make a problem or bad situation worse |
| Exculpate | verb | To clear someone of blame or guilt |
| Exonerate | verb | To clear someone from accusation or blame |
| Expedient | adjective | Convenient and practical, though sometimes at the cost of principle |
| Expedite | verb | To speed up or make a process happen more quickly |
| Expend | verb | To use up or spend a resource such as money, energy, or time |
| Exploit | verb | To make full use of something, often in an unfair or selfish way for one's own advantage |
| Exponent | noun | A person who advocates or promotes a particular cause, theory, or belief |
| Extant | adjective | Still in existence; surviving |
| Extol | verb | To praise enthusiastically and highly |
| Extraneous | adjective | Irrelevant or unrelated to the matter at hand |
| Facile | adjective | Achieved too easily and therefore superficial or shallow |
| Facilitate | verb | To make an action or process easier or more achievable |
| Faction | noun | A small, organized group within a larger one, especially one that is in opposition |
| Factious | adjective | Inclined to form rival groups and provoke internal dissent |
| Falter | verb | To lose strength or momentum; to hesitate or stumble in action or speech |
| Fanciful | adjective | Overly imaginative and unlikely to be practical or true; whimsical |
| Fastidious | adjective | Very attentive to detail and hard to please |
| Fatuous | adjective | Silly and pointless in a self-satisfied way |
| Feckless | adjective | Lacking initiative, competence, or a sense of responsibility |
| Fecund | adjective | Highly productive or fertile, whether of land or imagination |
| Felicitous | adjective | Well chosen and pleasingly appropriate |
| Fervent | adjective | Showing intense and passionate feeling |
| Fervid | adjective | Intensely enthusiastic or passionate to an extreme degree |
| Fervor | noun | Intense and passionate enthusiasm |
| Fetter | verb | To restrain or restrict freedom of movement or action |
| Feud | noun | A prolonged and bitter quarrel or state of hostility between two parties |
| Finicky | adjective | Excessively particular or hard to please about details |
| Flag | verb | To lose energy, enthusiasm, or strength |
| Flagrant | adjective | Conspicuously and outrageously bad or offensive |
| Flatter | verb | To praise someone excessively and often insincerely, especially to gain favor |
| Flaunt | verb | To display something ostentatiously in order to provoke envy or admiration |
| Flimsy | adjective | Weak and insubstantial; easily damaged or unconvincing |
| Flinch | verb | To make a quick, involuntary movement in response to pain or fear; to shrink back |
| Flirt | verb | To behave as though attracted to someone in a playful, non-serious way |
| Florescence | noun | A period of flourishing development or achievement |
| Florid | adjective | Excessively ornate or elaborate in style |
| Flout | verb | To openly disregard a rule, law, or convention |
| Fluke | noun | An unlikely chance occurrence or piece of luck that is not due to skill |
| Flux | noun | A state of continuous change or instability |
| Foment | verb | To stir up or instigate unrest or trouble |
| Foolhardy | adjective | Recklessly bold or daring with no regard for danger |
| Forbear | verb | To refrain from doing something out of restraint or patience |
| Foreshadow | verb | To be a warning or indication of a future event |
| Forfeit | verb | To lose or give up something as a penalty for wrongdoing or failure to comply |
Essential GRE words 351–400: Fortuitous to Idiosyncrasy
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Fortuitous | adjective | Happening by chance, often in a lucky way |
| Founder | verb | To fail or collapse, especially after an initial show of success |
| Fractious | adjective | Irritable and inclined to cause trouble or quarrel |
| Fractiousness | noun | A tendency toward irritability and quarrelsome behavior |
| Fraud | noun | Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain |
| Frenzy | noun | A state of uncontrolled excitement, agitation, or wild activity |
| Froward | adjective | Stubbornly contrary and difficult to deal with |
| Frugal | adjective | Careful and economical in spending resources |
| Fugacious | adjective | Tending to disappear quickly; fleeting |
| Fulminate | verb | To express vehement protest or criticism |
| Fulsome | adjective | Excessive and insincere, especially in flattery or praise |
| Fungible | adjective | Able to be exchanged or substituted for an identical equivalent |
| Furtive | adjective | Done secretly to avoid being noticed |
| Fustian | noun | Pompous or pretentious language with little real meaning |
| Gaffe | noun | An embarrassing social mistake or blunder, especially in a public setting |
| Galvanize | verb | To shock or stir into sudden action |
| Garner | verb | To gather or collect, especially gradually |
| Garrulous | adjective | Excessively talkative, especially about trivial things |
| Gaudy | adjective | Extravagantly bright or showy, typically in a tasteless way |
| Germane | adjective | Relevant and appropriate to the matter at hand |
| Glean | verb | To gather information or material bit by bit |
| Glib | adjective | Speaking fluently and smoothly but without sincerity or depth |
| Goad | verb | To provoke or urge someone into action, often by irritation |
| Grandiloquent | adjective | Using pompous, lofty, or overblown language |
| Grandiose | adjective | Impressive or ambitious in scale, often excessively so |
| Grating | adjective | Sounding harsh and unpleasant; irritating or annoying |
| Gratuitous | adjective | Uncalled for or unwarranted; done without good reason |
| Gravity | noun | Extreme seriousness or importance of a situation or matter |
| Gregarious | adjective | Sociable and fond of the company of others |
| Guile | noun | Cunning or clever deceit used to achieve an aim |
| Gullible | adjective | Easily deceived because of being too trusting |
| Hackneyed | adjective | Made dull and unoriginal through overuse |
| Hallucinate | verb | To perceive something that does not exist as a result of a disordered mental state or external influence |
| Harangue | noun | A long, forceful, and often scolding speech |
| Harbinger | noun | Something that signals or foreshadows what is to come |
| Harbor | verb | To keep or hold a thought, feeling, or person secretly in one's mind or shelter |
| Hardy | adjective | Capable of enduring difficult conditions; robust and resilient |
| Haughty | adjective | Arrogantly superior and disdainful toward others |
| Hearken | verb | To listen carefully or pay close attention to something |
| Hegemony | noun | Dominance or controlling influence of one group over others |
| Heretic | noun | A person who holds an opinion contrary to established religious doctrine or orthodox belief |
| Heterodox | adjective | Departing from accepted beliefs or standards |
| Heterogeneous | adjective | Consisting of diverse or dissimilar elements |
| Histrionic | adjective | Excessively theatrical or dramatic in manner |
| Homogeneous | adjective | Uniform in composition or character throughout |
| Hubris | noun | Excessive pride or self-confidence |
| Hyperbole | noun | Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect |
| Hypocritical | adjective | Behaving in a way that contradicts one's stated beliefs or principles |
| Iconoclast | noun | A person who attacks cherished beliefs or established institutions |
| Idiosyncrasy | noun | A peculiar habit or feature distinctive to an individual |
Tip
Almost there. The last 100 trend a little harder. If you want only the highest-frequency core, start with our top 100 GRE words; for the tough tail, see hard GRE words.
Essential GRE words 401–450: Idolatry to Infiltrate
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Idolatry | noun | Extreme admiration or worship of someone or something, often to an excessive degree |
| Ignominious | adjective | Deserving or marked by public shame and disgrace |
| Imbibe | verb | To absorb or assimilate ideas or knowledge, or to drink something, especially alcohol |
| Imbue | verb | To fill or inspire someone or something thoroughly with a quality or feeling |
| Immutable | adjective | Not capable of or susceptible to change |
| Impasse | noun | A situation in which no progress is possible because opposing sides cannot agree |
| Impeccable | adjective | Without fault or flaw; faultless |
| Impecunious | adjective | Having little or no money |
| Impede | verb | To slow or obstruct the progress of |
| Impediment | noun | A hindrance or obstacle that makes progress or movement difficult |
| Imperious | adjective | Arrogantly domineering or commanding |
| Impermeable | adjective | Not allowing fluids or gases to pass through; impossible to penetrate |
| Impervious | adjective | Not capable of being affected or penetrated |
| Impetuous | adjective | Acting quickly and rashly without thought |
| Impious | adjective | Showing a lack of respect or reverence, especially toward religion or sacred things |
| Implacable | adjective | Impossible to appease or satisfy |
| Implicit | adjective | Implied or understood without being directly stated |
| Implode | verb | To collapse inward violently or to fail suddenly and catastrophically from within |
| Imposture | noun | The act of fraudulently pretending to be someone else in order to deceive others |
| Impregnable | adjective | Unable to be captured, overcome, or broken through; completely secure |
| Improvidence | noun | Failure to plan for the future or to use resources wisely |
| Improvise | verb | To create or perform something spontaneously without preparation or planning |
| Impugn | verb | To attack as false or call into question |
| Impunity | noun | Exemption from punishment or freedom from the consequences of one's actions |
| Inadvertent | adjective | Not resulting from intent; accidental |
| Inane | adjective | Lacking sense or substance; silly |
| Inauspicious | adjective | Suggesting that the future will not be favorable; not promising a good outcome |
| Incendiary | adjective | Tending to stir up conflict or strong emotion |
| Incessant | adjective | Continuing without interruption; unceasing |
| Inchoate | adjective | Only partly formed or just begun; rudimentary |
| Incidence | noun | The rate, frequency, or extent of occurrence of something, especially a disease or problem |
| Incipient | adjective | In an early stage; just beginning to appear |
| Incisive | adjective | Sharply clear and direct in thought or expression |
| Incongruous | adjective | Out of place or inconsistent with its surroundings |
| Incontrovertible | adjective | Not able to be denied or disputed |
| Incorporate | verb | To include or absorb something as part of a larger whole |
| Inculcate | verb | To instill an idea or value through persistent instruction |
| Incursion | noun | A sudden invasion or attack into enemy territory, or an unwanted intrusion into a domain |
| Indefatigable | adjective | Incapable of being tired out; tireless |
| Indigent | adjective | Lacking the basic necessities; very poor |
| Indiscriminate | adjective | Done at random or without careful judgment |
| Indolent | adjective | Habitually lazy and averse to effort |
| Indomitable | adjective | Impossible to subdue or defeat |
| Induce | verb | To bring about or cause something to happen through influence or persuasion |
| Indulge | verb | To allow oneself or another to enjoy a pleasure or to satisfy a desire without restraint |
| Ineffable | adjective | Too great or extreme to be expressed in words |
| Inert | adjective | Lacking the power to move or act; inactive |
| Inexorable | adjective | Impossible to stop or persuade; relentless |
| Inextricable | adjective | Impossible to disentangle or escape from; too complex to resolve |
| Infiltrate | verb | To enter or gain access to an organization or place secretly and gradually |
Essential GRE words 451–500: Infinitesimal to Zealous
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitesimal | adjective | Extremely small; immeasurably tiny |
| Infuse | verb | To fill something or someone with a quality or feeling |
| Ingenious | adjective | Marked by cleverness and original invention |
| Ingenuous | adjective | Innocent and unsuspecting; frank and candid |
| Ingrained | adjective | Firmly established and difficult to change |
| Ingratiate | verb | To bring oneself into another's favor deliberately |
| Inimical | adjective | Tending to obstruct or harm; hostile |
| Iniquitous | adjective | Grossly unfair or morally wrong |
| Innocuous | adjective | Not harmful or offensive |
| Inopportune | adjective | Occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time |
| Inordinate | adjective | Exceeding reasonable limits; excessive |
| Insatiate | adjective | Impossible to satisfy; always wanting more |
| Inscrutable | adjective | Impossible to understand or interpret |
| Insidious | adjective | Proceeding in a gradual, harmful way that is hard to detect |
| Insipid | adjective | Lacking flavor, interest, or vigor; dull |
| Instigate | verb | To provoke or stir up an action or event |
| Insular | adjective | Narrow-minded or isolated in outlook |
| Insurrection | noun | A violent uprising against an authority or government |
| Intact | adjective | Not damaged or impaired in any way; remaining whole and complete |
| Intemperate | adjective | Lacking moderation or self-restraint; excessive |
| Interplay | noun | The way in which two or more things have an effect on each other |
| Intractable | adjective | Hard to control, manage, or solve |
| Intransigent | adjective | Refusing to compromise or change one's views |
| Intrepid | adjective | Fearless and bold in facing danger |
| Laconic | adjective | Using very few words; terse to the point of seeming blunt |
| Languid | adjective | Lacking energy or vigor; pleasantly slow and unhurried |
| Laud | verb | To praise highly |
| Lethargic | adjective | Sluggish and lacking energy or alertness |
| Loquacious | adjective | Tending to talk a great deal; very talkative |
| Lucid | adjective | Clearly expressed and easy to understand; mentally clear |
| Magnanimous | adjective | Generous and forgiving, especially toward a rival or weaker party |
| Maverick | noun | An independent-minded person who refuses to conform |
| Mendacious | adjective | Given to lying; untruthful |
| Mercurial | adjective | Subject to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood |
| Meticulous | adjective | Showing great attention to detail; very careful |
| Mitigate | verb | To make less severe, painful, or harmful |
| Mollify | verb | To soothe the anger or anxiety of someone |
| Morose | adjective | Sullen, gloomy, and ill-tempered |
| Nefarious | adjective | Extremely wicked or villainous |
| Obdurate | adjective | Stubbornly refusing to change one's mind or course of action |
| Obsequious | adjective | Excessively eager to please or obey, in a fawning way |
| Ostentatious | adjective | Marked by a showy display intended to impress others |
| Paradox | noun | A statement that seems self-contradictory yet may be true |
| Paucity | noun | The presence of something in unusually small amounts |
| Perfidious | adjective | Deliberately treacherous or disloyal |
| Pervasive | adjective | Spreading widely and present throughout something |
| Placate | verb | To calm someone's anger or hostility by appeasing them |
| Pragmatic | adjective | Dealing with matters in a practical rather than idealistic way |
| Quell | verb | To suppress or put an end to, especially by force; to quiet or calm |
| Zealous | adjective | Filled with or marked by intense enthusiasm and energetic devotion |
GRE vocabulary FAQ
There is no official count, but the high-frequency core that recurs across real GRE forms is in the few hundreds. Mastering the 500 essential words on this page, plus the academic vocabulary you meet in reading, covers the large majority of what Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence test.
For most test takers, deeply knowing these 500 high-frequency words is enough to remove vocabulary as a weakness. If you are targeting a 165+ Verbal score, add the harder, lower-frequency tail from our hard GRE words list.
Spaced repetition in small sets, learning each word in an example sentence, and frequent self-testing. Passive re-reading does not work. The free vocabulary trainer handles the scheduling and brings missed words back automatically.
Yes. The shorter GRE kept Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence, both of which depend directly on knowing precise word meanings. If anything, fewer questions make each vocabulary word more valuable.
At 20 new words a day with review, most people work through 500 words in three to four weeks, then need a few more weeks of revision for durable recall. Starting earlier is the single easiest way to raise a Verbal score.
Turn this list into a Verbal score
A word list only helps if it leaves the page. Drill these 500 words in sets in the free vocabulary trainer, see them in real questions with Verbal practice, and then prove it under real timing with a free, full-length GRE mock test that gives you an instant score and your exact percentile. That is how a vocabulary list becomes points.
Tip
Start now: open the vocabulary trainer and do your first set of 20. Twenty words today beats five hundred words "later."