GRE vocabulary list: 25 words with meanings and examples
C1–C225 words
GRE verbal rewards precision: the answer often turns on one word whose meaning is close to, but not the same as, three plausible alternatives. Learning words in sentences — the way they are tested — beats memorizing bare definitions, so each entry below comes with a context.
Where you will use it: GRE text completion, sentence equivalence and reading.
GRE Vocabulary — The word list
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ubiquitous | Present everywhere at once.“Screens are now ubiquitous in classrooms.” |
| laconic | Using very few words.“His laconic reply ended the discussion.” |
| ephemeral | Lasting a very short time.“Fame on the internet is ephemeral.” |
| prosaic | Ordinary and lacking imagination.“The explanation was disappointingly prosaic.” |
| equivocate | To use vague language to avoid committing.“The witness equivocated under questioning.” |
| intransigent | Refusing to change one's position.“Both sides remained intransigent.” |
| assuage | To make an unpleasant feeling less intense.“Nothing could assuage her worry.” |
| esoteric | Understood by only a small group.“The paper is esoteric even for specialists.” |
| venerate | To regard with deep respect.“The town venerates its founder.” |
| tenuous | Very weak or slight.“The link between the two events is tenuous.” |
| obfuscate | To make something unclear on purpose.“The report obfuscates the real cost.” |
| candor | Honest and direct speech.“She answered with unusual candor.” |
| aberration | A departure from what is normal.“The cold summer was an aberration.” |
| capricious | Changing suddenly and unpredictably.“The capricious ruler reversed the policy overnight.” |
| didactic | Intended to teach, sometimes too obviously.“The novel is entertaining without being didactic.” |
| enervate | To make someone feel weak or drained.“The intense heat enervated the hikers.” |
| fastidious | Very attentive to detail and cleanliness.“She is fastidious about citation style.” |
| gregarious | Sociable and enjoying company.“His gregarious nature suited the role.” |
| iconoclast | Someone who challenges established beliefs.“The artist became known as an iconoclast.” |
| magnanimous | Generous towards a rival or defeated person.“She was magnanimous in victory.” |
| obdurate | Stubbornly refusing to change.“The committee remained obdurate.” |
| parsimonious | Extremely unwilling to spend resources.“The parsimonious budget limited the study.” |
| recondite | Little known and difficult to understand.“The lecture covered a recondite branch of logic.” |
| sagacious | Showing wise judgement.“Her sagacious advice prevented a mistake.” |
| vociferous | Expressing opinions loudly and forcefully.“The plan faced vociferous opposition.” |
Useful learning tips
- Learn in small groupsTake five words at a time and review them before adding more.
- Say the examples aloudReading each sentence aloud connects spelling, sound and meaning.
- Write your own sentenceUse each word in a true sentence about your life or work.
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.
Studying gre vocabulary pairs well with our C1–C2 Advanced English Vocabulary, Academic Word List and SAT vocabulary words, or browse all free English word lists.
Related guides
Questions about this list
How can I practise GRE Vocabulary?
Start with five words and say each example aloud. Then recall the word from its meaning and review it over several days.
Where can I use GRE Vocabulary?
GRE text completion, sentence equivalence and reading.
How many words are in this list?
This list contains 25 English words with definitions and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete syllabus.
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