11 October 2024

6 minutes read

GRE Word List Of 52 Most Popular Words In 2024

Q: What strategies can I use to improve my GRE vocabulary?

Effective strategies include using flashcards , engaging in contextual learning , practicing with high-frequency word lists , and participating in group study sessions . These methods help reinforce learning through repetition and varied exposure

Dirghayu Kaushik

Founder & CEO

Dirghayu Kaushik

Founder & CEO

11 October 2024

6 minutes read

GRE

Key Takeaways

Mastering a focused GRE word list of high-frequency words can significantly improve your verbal score.
Effective prep isn’t about cramming many words, but understanding how key terms are used in context.
Consistently revisiting and practicing a GRE word list builds confidence for the verbal section on test day.

Let’s be honest—there’s nothing quite like the panic of seeing words like obfuscate or pusillanimous pop up in your GRE prep. Your brain immediately asks, “Why on Earth do I need to know these?” And yet, here we are—because the GRE loves to throw vocabulary curveballs. The truth is, knowing these tricky words can mean the difference between an average and stellar score, no matter how unnecessary they might seem in everyday conversation.

But don’t worry, studying for the GRE’s verbal section doesn’t have to be a nightmare. You don’t need to memorize every obscure word out there (because who has time for that?). Instead, you can focus on the most commonly tested words—words that have a habit of showing up year after year. This list of 52 popular GRE words for 2024 will help you breeze through those vocabulary questions without breaking a sweat.

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What Is In The GRE Vocab?

The GRE vocabulary section is designed to test your grasp of challenging words that can significantly impact your overall GRE score. The GRE word list typically includes words that vary in difficulty, ranging from terms like obstinate to laconic. This list forms a critical part of your test prep, and understanding the meaning, definition, and usage of these words is essential for success.

When tackling the verbal reasoning section, you’ll encounter sentence equivalence and text completion questions that rely heavily on your knowledge of these GRE exam words. The vocabulary is vast, and the lack of context can make studying feel overwhelming. However, focusing on high-frequency words and regularly taking a vocab quiz can help you improve.

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Why GRE Word List Is Important For The Preparation In 2024?

In 2024, mastering the GRE vocab is more crucial than ever for acing the GRE test. The list of words you’ll encounter plays a massive role in how well you perform, especially in the verbal section. Let’s be real—it’s not just about memorizing many words. It’s about understanding how these vocab words fit into the context of questions like text completion, reading comprehension, and sentence equivalence. Here are four reasons why the GRE root word list is your secret weapon for success:

High-frequency words = higher scores

The essential words in this list often appear on the GRE sections, making them a goldmine for improving your verbal score. Learning these synonyms and their meanings is a smart way to boost your performance.

It reinforces your grasp on language

The vocab list not only helps you tackle tricky questions but also enhances your ability to handle graduate record examination (GRE®) tasks, like verbal reasoning and complex sentence equivalence scenarios.

Effective study plans

Using a compiled words list with usage examples will help you adjust your study pace and stay on top of your GRE preparation. It’s not just about the quantity of words you learn but how well you grasp and apply them in your GRE study plan.

Better test-day confidence

Familiarity with vocab words allows you to walk into the exam feeling prepared to reach your goal. Monitoring your progress with this list is the best way to improve your chances of scoring impressively on test day.

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52 Most Popular GRE Words In 2024

The following are some of the most high-frequency words that you’re likely to encounter on the GRE exam in 2024. These words not only appear frequently but also play a crucial role in boosting your overall verbal score. By learning and practicing their meanings and usage, you can better tackle the verbal reasoning section with confidence.

Here’s a curated vocab list to get you started:

S.No	Word	Definition	Example Sentence
1	Alacrity	Eagerness or willingness	She accepted the invitation with alacrity.
2	Obfuscate	To confuse or obscure	The instructions only served to obfuscate the task.
3	Quixotic	Extremely idealistic; unrealistic	His plans to revolutionize the industry were quixotic.
4	Pusillanimous	Showing a lack of courage	The pusillanimous leader avoided making decisions.
5	Prodigious	Remarkably great in size or degree	He received a prodigious amount of support.
6	Cacophony	A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds	The traffic produced a cacophony of honks and sirens.
7	Laconic	Using few words; concise	Her laconic reply indicated she wasn’t interested.
8	Magnanimous	Very generous or forgiving	She was magnanimous in victory, praising her opponent.
9	Abate	To reduce in intensity or amount	The storm finally abated after hours of heavy rain.
10	Equivocate	To speak ambiguously to avoid the truth	The politician continued to equivocate during the debate.
11	Belie	To give a false impression	His calm tone belied the intensity of his anger.
12	Assiduous	Showing great care and perseverance	The assiduous student completed all assignments on time.
13	Capricious	Given to sudden changes in mood or behavior	Her capricious nature made her unpredictable.
14	Garrulous	Excessively talkative	The garrulous host dominated the conversation.
15	Harangue	A lengthy and aggressive speech	He launched into a harangue about the government’s failures.
16	Intransigent	Unwilling to compromise	The two parties remained intransigent in their demands.
17	Loquacious	Very talkative	The loquacious professor was hard to follow during lectures.
18	Mendacious	Not telling the truth; lying	The report was filled with mendacious information.
19	Obdurate	Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion	The obdurate child refused to apologize.
20	Polemic	A strong verbal or written attack	His essay was a polemic against modern education.
21	Recalcitrant	Resistant to authority	The recalcitrant teenager ignored the curfew.
22	Soporific	Tending to induce drowsiness	The soporific lecture put half the audience to sleep.
23	Truculent	Eager or quick to argue or fight	The truculent teenager was always ready for an argument.
24	Ubiquitous	Present or found everywhere	Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern life.
25	Vacillate	To waver between different opinions or actions	She tended to vacillate when making decisions.
26	Zealous	Passionate and enthusiastic support	The zealous fans cheered their team with energy.
27	Bombastic	High-sounding with little meaning	His bombastic speech did not impress the audience.
28	Abstruse	Difficult to understand	The professor’s explanation was too abstruse for beginners.
29	Acerbic	Harsh or sharp in tone	His acerbic wit left the audience uncomfortable.
30	Anachronistic	Belonging to another time period	The use of typewriters today feels anachronistic.
31	Antipathy	A strong feeling of dislike	His antipathy toward authority figures was obvious.
32	Aplomb	Complete self-confidence or assurance	She handled the interview with aplomb.
33	Austere	Severe or strict in manner	The austere teacher rarely smiled in class.
34	Banal	Lacking originality	The movie’s plot was banal and predictable.
35	Chicanery	The use of trickery to achieve a goal	He resorted to chicanery to win the election.
36	Deleterious	Causing harm or damage	The policy had a deleterious effect on the economy.
37	Diffident	Modest or shy due to a lack of confidence	Her diffident nature kept her from speaking up.
38	Enervate	To weaken or drain energy from	The hot weather enervated the runners.
39	Erudite	Having or showing great knowledge	The erudite scholar impressed the conference attendees.
40	Eschew	To deliberately avoid or abstain from	They decided to eschew the traditional wedding customs.
41	Fatuous	Silly and pointless	His fatuous remarks made the meeting unbearable.
42	Garrulous	Excessively talkative	The garrulous salesman talked for hours without pause.
43	Inimical	Tending to obstruct or harm	The government policies were inimical to business growth.
44	Laconic	Using very few words	His laconic responses made the conversation awkward.
45	Mitigate	To make less severe	The company worked to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
46	Opprobrium	Harsh criticism or disapproval	The actor faced opprobrium after the controversial remarks.
47	Pedantic	Overly concerned with minute details or rules	His pedantic approach to the problem frustrated his colleagues.
48	Perfunctory	Done without care or effort	Her apology was perfunctory and insincere.
49	Recondite	Little known or difficult to understand	The scientist’s recondite theories confused the public.
50	Reprobate	An unprincipled person	He was known as a reprobate in his younger years.
51	Specious	Misleading in appearance, especially misleadingly attractive	The argument was specious, drawing in listeners with false claims.
52	Stolid	Calm, dependable, and showing little emotion	The stolid guard did not react to the chaos around him.

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Conclusion

At the end of the day, mastering GRE vocabulary isn’t about memorizing endless words just for the sake of it. It’s about understanding the patterns, knowing which words matter most, and learning to use them effectively. Sure, the GRE throws some tough vocabulary at you, but with the right prep, it’s entirely manageable. This list of 52 words isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s a strong starting point to boost your verbal score and build the confidence you need for test day.

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FAQs

What types of questions are on the GRE Verbal section?

The GRE Verbal section includes three main types of questions: Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence. Each type assesses different skills, such as understanding passages, completing sentences, and finding synonyms1 4

How important is vocabulary for the GRE?

Vocabulary is crucial for the GRE, especially in the Verbal Reasoning section. A strong vocabulary aids in comprehending reading passages, answering sentence completion questions, and tackling analogy and antonym questions accurately

What strategies can I use to improve my GRE vocabulary?

Effective strategies include using flashcards, engaging in contextual learning, practicing with high-frequency word lists, and participating in group study sessions. These methods help reinforce learning through repetition and varied exposure

Are there specific word lists I should focus on for the GRE?

Yes, several high-frequency GRE word lists are recommended, including Barron’s 333 High-Frequency Words, Magoosh’s GRE Vocabulary List, and Kaplan’s 500 Essential GRE Words. These lists contain words that frequently appear on the test

What are some common mistakes to avoid when preparing for the GRE Verbal section?

Common mistakes include relying solely on memorization without understanding context, neglecting to practice with actual GRE questions, and underestimating the importance of reading comprehension skills

How can I effectively use flashcards for GRE vocabulary?

Flashcards can be used for active recall and spaced repetition. Writing down words along with their definitions and example sentences helps reinforce memory. Digital apps can also enhance portability and convenience