GRE Vocabulary: 100 High-Frequency Words Every Test-Taker Must Know

GRE Vocabulary: 100 High-Frequency Words Every Test-Taker Must Know

Vocabulary is the foundation of GRE Verbal success. Unlike the SAT, where vocabulary questions ask you to choose words in context, the GRE tests vocabulary more aggressively through Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions — question types where knowing the precise meaning of advanced words is often the difference between a correct and incorrect answer.

This list contains the 100 highest-frequency GRE words based on analysis of official ETS practice materials, PowerPrep tests, and recent test administrations. For broader GRE Verbal strategies, see our GRE Verbal Strategies guide. For a comprehensive GRE overview, see our Complete GRE Guide.

How GRE Vocabulary Is Tested

GRE vocabulary appears in two main question types:

• Text Completion: A passage with 1-3 blanks. You select the word(s) that best complete the passage. For questions with 2-3 blanks, you must get ALL blanks correct to receive credit — there is no partial credit
• Sentence Equivalence: A sentence with one blank and six answer choices. You select TWO answers that both complete the sentence with the same meaning. Both selected words must produce sentences that mean the same thing

The GRE specifically tests words that have multiple meanings, words that are commonly confused with similar-sounding words, and words that express precise shades of meaning that everyday English does not require.

Words 1-35: Core High-Frequency

These words appear on nearly every GRE test. If you do not know them, start here.

1. Aberrant — Departing from the normal; deviant. 'The scientist dismissed the aberrant data point as likely resulting from a measurement error.'

2. Abscond — To leave hurriedly and secretly, especially to escape. 'The treasurer absconded with the organization's funds before the audit could be completed.'

3. Acumen — The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions. 'Her business acumen was evident in the company's rapid growth under her leadership.'

4. Adulterate — To make impure by adding inferior or improper substances. 'The manufacturer was fined for adulterating the product with cheaper ingredients.'

5. Amalgamate — To combine or unite to form one structure. 'The two companies decided to amalgamate their operations to reduce overhead costs.'

6. Ameliorate — To make something bad or unsatisfactory better. 'The new policy aimed to ameliorate the working conditions for factory employees.'

7. Anachronism — A thing belonging to a period other than that in which it exists. 'The use of a typewriter in the modern office seemed like an anachronism.'

8. Anomalous — Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected. 'The anomalous results prompted the team to redesign their experiment entirely.'

9. Antipathy — A deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion. 'The senator's antipathy toward the proposed legislation was evident in her impassioned speech.'

10. Apathy — Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. 'Voter apathy was blamed for the historically low turnout in the midterm elections.'

11. Arcane — Understood by few; mysterious or secret. 'The professor's lecture on arcane medieval legal codes fascinated the few students who could follow it.'

12. Arduous — Involving great difficulty or effort; strenuous. 'The arduous climb to the summit took the experienced mountaineers nearly 12 hours.'

13. Artful — Clever or skillful, especially in a crafty or cunning way. 'The diplomat's artful negotiation prevented the talks from collapsing.'

14. Ascetic — Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from indulgence. 'The monk lived an ascetic life, owning nothing beyond his robes and a few books.'

15. Assuage — To make less intense; to relieve or ease. 'The company issued a public statement to assuage consumer fears about the product recall.'

16. Audacious — Showing a willingness to take bold risks; daring. 'The entrepreneur's audacious plan to disrupt the industry initially drew skepticism from investors.'

17. Austere — Severe or strict in manner or appearance; having no luxuries. 'The austere design of the building reflected the minimalist philosophy of its architect.'

18. Aver — To state or assert to be the case. 'The witness averred that she had seen the defendant at the scene of the incident.'

19. Banal — So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring. 'Critics dismissed the novel's plot as banal and predictable.'

20. Bolster — To support or strengthen. 'The additional funding was intended to bolster the school's struggling literacy program.'

21. Bucolic — Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and rural life. 'The painter captured the bucolic scenery of the farmland in remarkable detail.'

22. Burgeon — To begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish. 'The tech industry burgeoned in the region after several major companies established headquarters there.'

23. Cacophony — A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. 'The cacophony of car horns, construction, and shouting made conversation impossible on the busy street.'

24. Calumny — The making of false and defamatory statements to damage someone's reputation. 'The politician dismissed the accusations as calumny designed to undermine her campaign.'

25. Castigate — To reprimand severely; to criticize harshly. 'The editorial castigated the administration for its failure to address the infrastructure crisis.'

26. Chicanery — The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose. 'The investigation revealed years of financial chicanery at the highest levels of the corporation.'

27. Cogent — Clear, logical, and convincing. 'The lawyer presented a cogent argument that swayed the jury's opinion.'

28. Complaisant — Willing to please others; obliging. 'The complaisant nature of the assistant made her invaluable to the demanding executive.'

29. Contrite — Feeling or expressing remorse; penitent. 'The CEO appeared contrite during the press conference, apologizing for the company's environmental violations.'

30. Conundrum — A confusing and difficult problem or question. 'The economic conundrum of rising inflation alongside high unemployment puzzled policymakers.'

31. Corroborate — To confirm or give support to a statement or theory. 'Archaeological findings corroborated the historian's thesis about ancient trade routes.'

32. Dearth — A scarcity or lack of something. 'The dearth of affordable housing in the city forced many families to move to the suburbs.'

33. Decorum — Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety; etiquette. 'The judge demanded decorum in the courtroom after the outburst.'

34. Demur — To raise doubts or objections; to show reluctance. 'When asked to work overtime without compensation, the employees demurred.'

35. Desiccate — To remove moisture from; to dry out completely. 'The desert sun desiccated the landscape, leaving cracked earth where a lake had once been.'

Words 36-70: Advanced High-Frequency

These words distinguish a 155 Verbal score from a 160+ score. They appear in the more difficult Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions.

1. Diffident — Modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence. 'Despite her expertise, the researcher was diffident about presenting her findings to the committee.'

2. Disabuse — To persuade someone that an idea or belief is mistaken. 'The professor sought to disabuse students of the notion that correlation implies causation.'

3. Disseminate — To spread information widely. 'The organization disseminated its research findings through public lectures and published reports.'

4. Ebullient — Full of energy, enthusiasm, and cheerfulness. 'The ebullient crowd celebrated the team's championship victory well into the night.'

5. Eclectic — Deriving ideas or style from a broad range of sources. 'The museum's eclectic collection ranged from ancient pottery to contemporary digital art.'

6. Edifying — Providing moral or intellectual instruction. 'The documentary proved to be an edifying experience for viewers unfamiliar with the history of the region.'

7. Effrontery — Insolent or impertinent behavior; audacity. 'The employee had the effrontery to demand a raise after repeatedly missing deadlines.'

8. Egregious — Outstandingly bad; shocking. 'The egregious errors in the report called the entire study's methodology into question.'

9. Elegy — A poem or song of mourning; a lament. 'The writer penned an elegy for the vanishing wilderness that had defined his childhood.'

10. Enervate — To cause someone to feel drained of energy; to weaken. 'The prolonged negotiations enervated both parties, leaving them eager to reach any compromise.'

11. Ephemeral — Lasting for a very short time. 'The artist specialized in ephemeral installations that existed for only a few hours before being dismantled.'

12. Equivocate — To use ambiguous language to conceal the truth or avoid commitment. 'The spokesperson equivocated when asked directly about the company's involvement in the scandal.'

13. Erudite — Having or showing great knowledge or learning. 'The erudite professor lectured effortlessly on topics ranging from Renaissance art to quantum physics.'

14. Eulogy — A speech praising someone, especially one who has recently died. 'The eulogy captured the deceased's remarkable contributions to both science and public service.'

15. Excoriate — To criticize severely; to censure. 'The editorial excoriated the government's handling of the natural disaster.'

16. Facetious — Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor. 'The senator's facetious remarks about the budget deficit drew criticism from colleagues on both sides.'

17. Fastidious — Very attentive to accuracy and detail; excessively particular. 'The fastidious editor caught errors that three previous reviewers had missed.'

18. Fecund — Producing or capable of producing an abundance; fertile. 'The fecund imagination of the novelist produced a new bestseller nearly every year.'

19. Gainsay — To deny or contradict. 'The evidence was so overwhelming that no one could gainsay the committee's conclusions.'

20. Germane — Relevant to a subject under consideration. 'The professor asked students to ensure that their contributions to the discussion were germane to the topic.'

21. Harangue — A lengthy and aggressive speech; to lecture aggressively. 'The coach harangued the players for their lack of effort during the first half.'

22. Iconoclast — A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions. 'The architect was an iconoclast who rejected classical design principles in favor of radical experimentation.'

23. Imperturbable — Unable to be upset or excited; calm. 'The surgeon remained imperturbable throughout the complex, six-hour operation.'

24. Impervious — Not allowing entrance or passage; unable to be affected by. 'The politician appeared impervious to the criticism leveled by the opposition.'

25. Inchoate — Just begun and not fully formed or developed. 'The entrepreneur's inchoate business plan needed significant refinement before investors would take it seriously.'

26. Laconic — Using very few words; concise to the point of seeming rude. 'The detective's laconic responses gave the suspect little to work with during the interrogation.'

27. Laud — To praise highly, especially in a public context. 'The committee lauded the researcher's contributions to the field of renewable energy.'

28. Magnanimous — Very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival. 'The magnanimous gesture of the winning team, who publicly praised their opponents, earned widespread admiration.'

29. Mercurial — Subject to sudden, unpredictable changes in mood or mind. 'The CEO's mercurial temperament made it difficult for employees to predict her reactions.'

30. Obsequious — Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. 'The obsequious aide agreed with every statement the executive made, regardless of its accuracy.'

31. Occlude — To stop, close up, or obstruct. 'The vegetation had occluded the entrance to the cave, making it nearly invisible from the trail.'

32. Pellucid — Translucently clear; easily understood. 'The writer's pellucid prose made even complex scientific concepts accessible to a general audience.'

33. Perfunctory — Carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection. 'The manager gave the report only a perfunctory glance before approving it.'

34. Phlegmatic — Having an unemotional and calm disposition. 'The phlegmatic general remained composed even as the battle situation deteriorated.'

35. Pith — The essential or most important part of something. 'The critic cut through the rhetoric to identify the pith of the author's argument.'

Words 71-100: Expert Level

These words appear in the hardest GRE Verbal questions. Mastering them is essential for scoring 163+ on Verbal.

1. Platitude — A remark or statement that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful. 'The graduation speech was filled with platitudes rather than genuine advice.'

2. Polemic — A strong verbal or written attack; a controversy. 'The essay was more polemic than scholarship, attacking opposing viewpoints without providing evidence.'

3. Prescience — The fact of knowing something before it takes place; foresight. 'The investor's prescience about the market downturn allowed her to sell her holdings just in time.'

4. Probity — The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency. 'The judge was known for her probity, never accepting so much as a dinner invitation from litigants.'

5. Prodigal — Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; lavish. 'The prodigal expenditures of the previous administration left the department deeply in debt.'

6. Propitiate — To win or regain the favor of by doing something that pleases. 'The company offered refunds to propitiate angry customers after the data breach.'

7. Querulous — Complaining in a petulant or whining manner. 'The querulous patient tested the nurse's patience with constant, trivial complaints.'

8. Recalcitrant — Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude. 'The recalcitrant student refused to participate in the group project despite the teacher's encouragement.'

9. Recondite — Little known; abstruse; dealing with very profound or obscure subject matter. 'The philosopher's recondite arguments were accessible only to specialists in the field.'

10. Reticent — Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved. 'The artist was reticent about explaining the meaning behind her work, preferring viewers to form their own interpretations.'

11. Sedulous — Showing dedication and diligence; persevering. 'The sedulous researcher spent years compiling the data needed to support her hypothesis.'

12. Solicitous — Showing interest or concern. 'The host was solicitous of her guests' comfort, ensuring every detail of the event was perfect.'

13. Soporific — Tending to induce drowsiness or sleep. 'The professor's soporific lectures made staying awake through the afternoon session a challenge.'

14. Specious — Superficially plausible but actually wrong. 'The lawyer's specious reasoning failed to convince the experienced judge.'

15. Stolid — Calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation. 'The stolid farmer endured the drought without complaint, methodically conserving every drop of water.'

16. Surfeit — An excessive amount of something. 'The surfeit of information available online makes it difficult to distinguish credible sources from unreliable ones.'

17. Sycophant — A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage. 'The executive surrounded himself with sycophants who told him only what he wanted to hear.'

18. Torpor — A state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy. 'The extreme heat induced a torpor that made even simple tasks feel exhausting.'

19. Tractable — Easy to control or influence; manageable. 'The problem, which initially seemed intractable, proved to be tractable once the team adopted a new approach.'

20. Truculent — Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant. 'The truculent negotiator's confrontational style alienated potential allies.'

21. Turgid — Swollen and distended; (of language) pompous and dull. 'The senator's turgid speeches were criticized for their excessive length and lack of substance.'

22. Vacuous — Having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; empty. 'The pundit's vacuous commentary added nothing to the public's understanding of the issue.'

23. Venal — Showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt. 'The investigation uncovered venal officials who had accepted payments in exchange for favorable decisions.'

24. Veracious — Speaking or representing the truth. 'The journalist's veracious reporting earned her the trust of readers and sources alike.'

25. Verbose — Using more words than needed; wordy. 'The reviewer criticized the author's verbose style, noting that the 400-page book could have been half the length.'

26. Vicissitude — A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome. 'The vicissitudes of the stock market reminded investors that past performance does not guarantee future returns.'

27. Vituperate — To blame or insult someone in strong or violent language. 'The columnist vituperated the administration's foreign policy in a scathing editorial.'

28. Wanton — Deliberate and unprovoked; without restraint. 'The wanton destruction of the historic building drew outrage from preservationists.'

29. Welter — A large number of items in no order; a confused mass. 'The researcher sifted through a welter of contradictory data to identify meaningful trends.'

30. Winsome — Attractive or appealing in appearance or character. 'The candidate's winsome personality helped her connect with voters during town hall meetings.'

GRE Vocabulary Study Strategies

1. Learn words in groups — Group words by meaning (e.g., words meaning 'to criticize': castigate, excoriate, vituperate, censure) or by root (e.g., 'bene-' words: benevolent, beneficent, benediction). This creates memory networks that make recall easier

2. Use spaced repetition — Apps like Anki, WitPrep, or Magoosh GRE Flashcards use algorithms that optimize when you see each word, maximizing retention with minimum time

3. Practice with real GRE questions — After learning a batch of words, immediately practice with Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions to see them in test context. For additional strategies, see our GRE Vocabulary in 30 Days guide

4. Read challenging material — The Economist, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and academic journals use GRE-level vocabulary naturally. Reading 30 minutes daily builds passive vocabulary that supports active recall on test day

5. Learn 15-20 words per day maximum — More than 20 new words per day leads to poor retention. Focus on quality: knowing a word well enough to use it in a sentence is more valuable than recognizing 50 words vaguely

Build your GRE vocabulary with WitPrep's Vocabulary Practice Hub. Spaced repetition flashcards with contextual examples, quizzes, and progress tracking for all high-frequency GRE words.

Key Takeaways

• GRE Verbal success depends heavily on vocabulary — Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions directly test word knowledge
• The 100 words in this list are the highest-frequency GRE words based on official ETS materials and recent test data
• Learn words in meaningful groups (by meaning or root) and use spaced repetition for efficient retention
• Practice with real GRE question types after learning each batch to build test-context familiarity
• Read challenging publications daily (The Economist, academic journals) to encounter GRE vocabulary naturally and build passive recognition