20 words to learn before attempting the GRE exam in 2023
When you prepare for the GRE prep, you should display strong language skills. The most demanding part of GRE prep is advanced vocabulary. So, it is better to enhance your English language capacities and pick up vocabulary.
Here is our compilation of 20 words you must be familiar with before you take your GRE exam.
Assuage – Verb
Meaning – To make unpleasant feelings less strong.
Example: I attempted to assuage apprehensions that finances were unstable.
The word “assuage” indicates mitigating effects that are associated with critical or hostile. Since “Assuage” is formal, it is used very frequently in GRE prep.
Brusque – Adjective
Meaning – quick and rude in manner or speech.
Example:
As his comments were considered brusque, his peers were offended.
Brusque refers to conduct that is punitive and strict. It is also used widely for GRE prep.
Lucid – Adjective
Meaning – clearly expressed and easy to understand.
Example:
He lucidly explained the concepts, leaving us with no doubts.
“Lucid” is akin to “clear,” which is informal. That is the reason it is included in the GRE prep list.
Erudite – Adjective
Meaning – having or containing a lot of knowledge that is known by very few people
Example:
Albert Einstein was erudite in various disciplines.
An erudite person is one who is considered knowledgeable and informed.
Opaque – Adjective
Meaning – Opaque writing or speech is difficult to understand
Example:
As the professor’s speech was opaque, most students were left confused.
Opaque also means something that does not allow let light across or is not easy to understand,
It literally implies “not clear” or symbolically “vague.”
Zeal – Noun
Meaning – great enthusiasm or eagerness
Example:
In their zeal to protect the traffic jams, the civic authorities began targeting street vendors.
Zeal can indicate any sense of fervor and animation. Though passion is more widely used, zeal seems more apt.
Abstain – Verb
Meaning – to not do something, especially something enjoyable that you think might be bad:
Example:
He is abstaining from work.
It is suggested that you use abstain as it looks proper and respectable.
Laudable – Adjective
Meaning – Deserving admiration or praise
Example:
His acting performance was laudable in the movie.
The word “laudable” ranks among the most regularly used English words. Therefore, it is crucial for GRE prep.
Homogeneous – Adjective
Meaning – consisting of parts or people that are similar to each other or are of the same type
Example:
The population of a large city like New York is not at all homogeneous.
Though “same” is synonymous with homogeneous, the latter sounds official, which is why it is frequently used in GRE prep.
Mitigate – Verb
Meaning – to make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad
Example:
Education can mitigate illiteracy.
When you use “mitigate” instead of lessening, it will make the sentence sound formal, and, therefore, it has been included in GRE prep.
Antipathy – Noun
Meaning – a feeling of strong dislike, opposition, or anger
Example:
Despite the players’ antipathy for each other, they shook hands after the match.
Antipathy is a very frequently used word in GRE prep. You may use hate or dislike, but that would be informal and direct.
Eulogy – Noun
Meaning – a composition containing grand praise, esp. for a person someone who has expired recently.
Examples:
Eulogy is usually delivered at funerals
“eulogy” is also commonly used to denote phrases relating to the departed; it is being widely used.
Bolster – Verb
Meaning – to support or improve something or make it stronger.
Examples:
We tried to bolster his confidence before his tennis match.
As “bolster” is widely accepted, it is essential to for those preparing for GRE prep to learn it.
Ostentation – Noun
Meaning – a show of wealth, possessions, or power intended to attract admiration or notice
Example:
The cricketer stays away from ostentation as he lives modestly.
Since the word is used frequently in everyday conversations, it is popular in GRE prep.
Dissonance – Noun
Meaning – a combination of sounds or musical notes that are not pleasant when heard together
Example:
His kind words were in dissonance with his cruel behavior.
The word “dissonance” is used in various fields, such as poetry, psychology, and cultural studies. That is why “dissonance” is repeatedly used in the GRE exam, which is why it is essential to learn for GRE prep.
Lethargic – Adjective
Meaning – having little energy, feeling unwilling and unable to do anything
Example:
Lethargic people like to be idle and sleep a lot.
This word is considerably used globally.
Venerate – Verb
Meaning – to honor or very much respect a person or thing
Example:
We venerate creative persons, such as poets, painters, and other artists.
Venerate is synonymous with worship. But we do not use worship for normal mortals.
Ephemeral – Adjective
Meaning – lasting for only a brief period.
Example:
Our joyous moments seem so ephemeral.
Ephemeral is only one word but describes a feeling, which is why “ephemeral” is crucial for your GRE prep.
Volatile – Adjective
Meaning – likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly
Example:
Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the world’s economy has been very volatile.
The term volatile was used to explain very light objects which appeared ready to take off. It is important to learn this because of its widespread usage.
Audacious – Adjective
Meaning – indicating a tendency to take risks.
Examples:
The audacious goal of Steve Jobs was to make a device that would be the mother of all computers.
The GRE test is an independent measurement of skills that are crucial for most graduates intend to go abroad to study or work there.