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GRE Vocabulary Words

English Vocabulary · GRE Live Review Preview

GRE Vocabulary Words

The GRE Verbal Reasoning measure asks test takers to understand and evaluate written material, analyze relationships among ideas, and use evidence within a sentence or passage. Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence all reward careful attention to connotation, contrast, logic, and precise word choice—not isolated memorization alone.

This independently authored 800-word beta curriculum prioritizes vocabulary identified in Magoosh’s official public GRE vocabulary ebook, then draws on advanced KSSR entries that have already passed English safety and structure audits. Additional official and public GRE references guide test alignment and editorial review. Overlap with SAT and advanced school-level vocabulary is intentional because the tests share academic language. Pages containing words 1–500 include five cloze questions; every word remains visible, editable in Vocabulary Studio, and available for private difficult/learned tracking. This unofficial resource is not endorsed by or affiliated with ETS.

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800 words
Words 631–665 of 800
#WordDetailsMeaningSample sentence
631compellingadjective
Study

Field: GRE evidence and rhetorical analysis

Word study: Base-form focus: compelling is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

zniewalającyThe documentary offers compelling evidence from newly opened archives.
632conjecturenoun
Study

Field: GRE evidence and rhetorical analysis

Word study: Base-form focus: conjecture is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. hipoteza 2. domysł 3. przypuszczenieThe claim remains conjecture until the documents are authenticated.
633decryverb
Study

Field: GRE evidence and rhetorical analysis

Word study: Base-form focus: decry is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

krytykowaćHealth advocates decry advertising that targets young children.
634elucidateverb
Study

Field: GRE evidence and rhetorical analysis

Word study: Base-form focus: elucidate is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. objaśniać 2. wyjaśniać 3. wyświetlaćA timeline helps elucidate the sequence of discoveries.
635evinceverb
Study

Field: GRE evidence and rhetorical analysis

Word study: Base-form focus: evince is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

świadczyćThe letters evince deep concern for displaced families.
636superfluousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

1. niepotrzebny 2. nadmierny 3. zbytecznyThe editor removed every superfluous adjective.
637surfeitnoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: surfeit is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

nadmiarA surfeit of examples made the argument harder to follow.
638surreptitiousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

1. dyskretny 2. ukradkowyThe camera recorded a surreptitious exchange of documents.
639sycophantnoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: sycophant is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. pochlebca 2. cmokier 3. lizusThe ruler surrounded himself with each sycophant who praised every decision.
640synthesisnoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: synthesis is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

syntezaThe essay offers a synthesis of archaeological and linguistic evidence.
641tacitadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: tacit is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. milczący 2. cichyTheir silence gave tacit approval to the change.
642taciturnadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: taciturn is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. małomówny 2. milczący 3. milkliwyThe taciturn witness answered in brief phrases.
643tangentialadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: tangential is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

tangensowyThe editor removed a tangential discussion of the author's childhood.
644tantamountadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: tantamount is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

równoważnyIgnoring the warning was tantamount to accepting the risk.
645tautologicaladjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: tautological is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

tautologicznyThe phrase “future plans” can be tautological in some contexts.
646temeritynoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ity commonly forms a noun naming a quality, state, or condition.

1. śmiałość 2. zuchwałość 3. zuchwalstwoShe had the temerity to challenge the ruler in public.
647tenaciousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

1. uparty 2. wytrwały 3. zawziętyA tenacious investigator followed the evidence for years.
648tenetnoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: tenet is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. zasada 2. dogmatEqual treatment is a basic tenet of the organization.
649tenuousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

słabyThe article draws a tenuous link between the two events.
650terseadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: terse is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. jędrny 2. lakoniczny 3. lapidarnyThe official issued a terse denial.
651torpornoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: torpor is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

apatiaWinter cold sends the animal into torpor.
652transcendverb
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: transcend is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

przechodzićThe novel's themes transcend its historical setting.
653transgressverb
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Prefix focus: trans- means across, through, or beyond.

nie przestrzegaćThe character must decide whether justice permits her to transgress the law.
654transientadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: transient is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

breweThe economic benefit proved transient.
655trepidationnoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ation commonly forms a noun naming an action, process, or result.

1. obawa 2. trwogaWith some trepidation, the team opened the sealed chamber.
656ubiquitousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

wszechobecnySmartphones have become ubiquitous in many communities.
657unctuousadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Suffix focus: -ous commonly forms an adjective meaning full of or characterized by.

1. tłusty 2. oleistyThe salesman's unctuous compliments made buyers suspicious.
658unremittingadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: unremitting is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

nieustannyUnremitting rain caused the river to overflow.
659urbaneadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: urbane is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

grzecznyThe urbane host moved easily among diplomats and artists.
660usurpverb
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: usurp is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

uzurpowaćThe general attempted to usurp the elected government's authority.
661utilitarianadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: utilitarian is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

funkcjonalnyThe building's utilitarian design prioritized durability.
662utopianoun
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: utopia is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

utopiaThe novel's apparent utopia depends on hidden coercion.
663vacillateverb
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: vacillate is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

wahaćThe council continued to vacillate between renovation and demolition.
664vapidadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: vapid is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

1. bezbarwny 2. beztreściowy 3. beztreściwyThe adaptation reduced a complex novel to vapid romance.
665vehementadjective
Study

Field: GRE literature, history, and humanities

Word study: Base-form focus: vehement is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context.

gorącyResidents voiced vehement opposition to the highway.

Vocabulary reading and practice

Reading the Evidence in the Ground

Reading practice for pages 19–21. Five relevant words are highlighted.

English reading

When archaeologists uncovered a burned doorway, newspapers quickly began to decry the site as evidence of a violent invasion. The excavation director warned that this conclusion was still a conjecture. Charred grain and collapsed roof beams did evince a sudden fire, but they could not identify its cause. A later soil analysis helped elucidate the sequence of events and offered a more compelling explanation: an accidental kitchen fire had spread during a drought.

Polish translation

Kiedy archeolodzy odkryli spalone wejście, gazety szybko zaczęły przedstawiać to miejsce jako dowód brutalnej inwazji. Kierownik wykopalisk ostrzegł, że ten wniosek jest wciąż tylko przypuszczeniem. Zwęglone ziarno i zawalone belki dachowe rzeczywiście wskazywały na nagły pożar, ale nie mogły określić jego przyczyny. Późniejsza analiza gleby pomogła wyjaśnić kolejność wydarzeń i zaproponowała bardziej przekonujące wyjaśnienie: przypadkowy pożar w kuchni rozprzestrzenił się podczas suszy.

Reading comprehension

1. Why does the director call the invasion claim a conjecture?

The evidence shows a fire but does not identify its cause.

2. What do the charred materials evince?

They evince that a sudden fire occurred.

3. What explanation does the soil analysis support?

It supports the explanation that an accidental kitchen fire spread during a drought.

About GRE Verbal Reasoning

The GRE Verbal Reasoning measure examines how well test takers understand and evaluate written material, recognize relationships among words and concepts, and analyze how parts of a sentence work together. Its three principal verbal question types are Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence.

Vocabulary matters on the GRE, but memorizing a definition is only the beginning. Strong preparation also connects each word to its connotation, common contrasts, near-synonyms, and role in an argument. Use the examples, readings, and quizzes here to practise choosing words from evidence in the sentence, then use official ETS material to learn the precise test format.

ETS test overview

Sources and curriculum references

These references guide selection and calibration. Definitions, sample sentences, readings, questions, and teaching notes are independently written and reviewed.