GRE vocabulary list: 12 words with meanings and examples
C1–C212 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.” |
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than all twelve 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 SAT vocabulary words, academic English vocabulary and linking words and connectors, or browse all free English word lists.
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