1.

abate (v) reduce, diminish

2. abdicate (v) formally give up the throne (or some other
power or responsibility)
3. aberrant (adj) abnormal, deviant
4. abhor (v) detest, regard with disgust
5. abjure (v) give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun
(especially formally or under oath)
6. abrasive (adj) rough, suitable for grinding or polishing
(such as sandpaper); causing irritation or
annoyance
7. abridge (v) reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts
throughout while retaining the main idea
8. abstain (v) hold back, refrain (especially from something
bad or unhealthy); decline to vote
9. acme (n) summit, peak, highest point
10. activism (n) the practice of pursuing political or other
goals through vigorous action, often including
protests and demonstrations
11. adhere (v) stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or
belief
12. admonish (v) mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do
something
13. adverse (adj) opposing, harmful
14. advocate (v, n) speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person
who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another
person (noun)
15. aesthetic (adj, n) concerning the appreciation of beauty or
good taste, pertaining to the science of what is
beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a
particular time and place (noun)
16. affable (adj) warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable
17. affectation (n) fake behavior (such as in speech or dress)
adopted to give a certain impression
18. aggrandize (v) make greater; exaggerate
19. aggregate (v, adj) gather together, amount to (verb);
constituting a whole made up of constituent
parts (adj)
20. alacrity (n) cheerful or speedy willingness
21. alienate (v) cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or
distant
22. alleviate (v) lessen, make easier to endure
23. ambiguous (adj) not clear, hard to understand, open to
having several meanings or interpretations
24. ambivalent (adj) uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to
do two contradictory things at once
25. analogous (adj) comparable, corresponding in some
particular way (making a good analogy)
26. anarchy (n) absence of law or government; chaos,
disorder
27. anoint (v) rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as
by ceremony that includes applying oil to
someone
28. anomaly (n) deviation from what is common;
inconsistency
29. antagonize (v) make hostile or unfriendly
30. antipathy
(n.)
deep dislike, aversion, or repugnance, somtimes
without reason
31. apathy (n) not caring; absence of feeling; lack of
interest or concern
32. apocryphal (adj) of questionable authenticity; false
33. appease
(v.)
pacify, satisfy, relieve; concede to be belligerent
demands, sometimes at the expense of
principles
34. appreciable
(adj.)
enough to be perceived, considerable
35. arbitrary
(adj.)
based entirely on one's discretion; capricious,
unreasonable, or having no basis
36. arcane (adj) known or understood by only a few;
obscure, secret
37. archaic (adj) characteristic of an earlier period, ancient,
primitive
38. arduous (adj) very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to
endure
39. articulate (adj, verb) using language in a clear, fluent way
(adj); speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea
(verb)
40. artifact (n) any object made by humans, especially
those from an earlier time, such as those
excavated by archaeologists
41. artless (adj) free of deceit or craftiness, natural,
genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude,
uncultured
42. ascertain (v) find out with certainty
43. ascetic (adj, n) abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a
person who leads an austere and simple like
without material pleasures, esp. someone who
does this for religious reasons
44. assuage (v) make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm
45. audacious (adj) very bold or brave, often in a rude or
reckless way; extremely original
46. augment (v) make larger
Manhattan GRE 500 Essential Words
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47. austere (adj) severe in manner or appearance; very
self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or
ease; sober or serious
48. autonomous (adj) self-governing, independent
49. aver (v) declare or affirm with confidence
50. avid (adj) enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate;
excessively desirous
51. balk (v) refuse to proceed or to do something
52. base (adj) morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little
or no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit
53. belie (v) contradict or misrepresent
54. benign (adj) harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or
beneficial; not cancerous
55. bogus (adj) fake, fraudulent
56. bolster (v) strengthen or support
57. boor (n) rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a
peasant or country bumpkin
58. buffer (n) something that shields, protects, absorbs
shock, or cushions
59. bureaucracy (n) government characterized by many bureaus
and petty administrators or by excessive,
seemingly meaningless requirements
60. burgeon (v) grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or
shoots (of a plant)
61. buttress (v, n) support or encourage (verb); a support or
prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the
wall of a building (noun)
62. bygone (adj, n) past, former (adj); that which is in the
past (usually plural noun)
63. cacophony (n) harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture
of sounds
64. candid (adj) open, sincere, honest
65. canonical (adj) authorized, recognized; pertaining to the
canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or
artistic works
66. capricious (adj) acting on impulse, erratic
67. cartography (n) mapmaking
68. castigate (v) criticize severely; punish in order to correct
69. catalyst (n) causer of change
70. caustic (adj) capable of corroding metal or burning the
skin; very critical or sarcastic
71. censure (n, v) strong disapproval or official reprimand
(noun); to issue such disapproval or reprimand
(verb)
72. cescendo (n) steady increase in force, intensity, or
the loudness of a musical passage; a
climactic moment or peak
73. chauvinism (n) fanatical patriotism or blind
enthusiasm for military glory; undue or
biased devotion to any group, cause, etc.
74. chronological (adj) arranged in or relating to time order
75. clamor (v) noisy uproar or protest, as from a
crowd; a loud, continuous noise
76. clinch (v) make final or settle conclusively; to
fasten or hold together
77. coalesce (v) come together, unite; fuse together
78. cogent (adj) very convincing, logical
79. commensurate (adj) the same in size, extent, etc.,
equivalent; proportional
80. complacent (adj) self-satisfied, smug; overly content
(and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some
other bad quality)
81. complementary (adj) completing; fitting together well;
filling mutual needs
82. compliant (adj) obeying, submissive; following the
requirements
83. concede (v) give in, admit, yield; acknowledge
reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving
up land after losing a war)
84. conciliatory (adj) reconciling, appeasing, attempting to
make the peace
85. concur (v) approve, agree
86. condone (v) overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless
87. confer (v) consult, compare views; bestow or give
88. connoisseur (n) expert, especially in the fine arts;
person of educated, refined tastes
89. console (v, n) lessen the suffering or grief of (verb);
a control panel, or small table or cabinet
(noun)
90. consolidate (v) unite, combine, solidify, make coherent
91. constrict (v) squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom
of
92. construe (v) interpret or translate
93. contentious (adj) controversial; prone to causing
arguments, especially gratuitous or petty
ones
94. contextualize (v) place in context, such as by giving the
background or circumstances
95. conundrum (n) riddle, the answer to which involves a
play on words; any mystery
96. converge (v) move towards one another or
towards a point; unite
97. conversant (adj) knowledgeable about or
experienced with
98. conversely (adv) in an opposite way; on the other
hand
99. convoluted (adj) twisted; very complicated
100. copious (adj) plentiful, bountiful
101. corroborate (v) support, add evidence to
102. cosmopolitan (adj) belonging to the entire world, at
home globally; free from local or
national prejudices or attachments
103. countenance (n, v) facial expression or face (noun);
approve or tolerate (verb)
104. counterintuitive (adj) against what one would
intuitively expect
105. counterpoint (n) contrasting item, opposite; a
complement; the use of contrast or
interplay in a work of art
106. counterproductive (adj) defeating the purpose; preventing
the intended goal
107. covert (adj) secret, veiled, undercover
108. crafty (adj) cunning, skillful in deception or
underhanded schemes
109. craven (adj) very cowardly, lacking courage
110. credibility (n) believability, trustworthiness
111. credulous (adj) gullible; prone to believing or
trusting too easily or without enough
evidence
112. culminate (v) reach the highest point or final
stage
113. cynical (adj) thinking the worst of others'
motivations; bitterly pessimistic
114. daunt (v) discourage, dishearten, lessen the
courage of
115. debase (v) degrade; lower in quality, value,
rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
116. debunk (v) expose, ridicule, or disprove false or
exaggerated claims
117. decorous (adj) behaving with propriety and good
taste; polite
118. deem (v) judge; consider
119. deface (v) vandalize, mar the appearance of
120. defamatory (adj.) slanderous, injurious to someone's
reputation
121. default (n, v) failure to act, neglect (noun); fail to
fulfill an obligation, esp. a financial one
(verb)
122. deference (n) respectful submission; yielding to the
authority or opinion of another
123. deflect (v) cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a
straight course; avoid
124. deleterious (adj) harmful, unhealthy
125. delineate (v) mark the outline of; sketch; describe in
detail
126. denigrate (v) belittle, attack the reputation of
127. denote (v) be a name or symbol for
128. deride (v) mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously
129. derivative (adj) derived from something else; not
original
130. desiccate (v) thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
131. detached (adj) impartial, disinterested;
unconcerned, distant, aloof
132. deterrent (n) something that restrains or
discourages
133. diatribe (n) bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant
134. didactic (adj) intended to instruct; teaching, or
teaching a moral lesson
135. digress (v) go off-topic when speaking or writing
136. din (n) loud, confused noise, esp. for a long
period of time
137. disabuse (v) free someone from a mistake in
thinking
138. discerning (adj) having good judgment or insight;
able to distinguish mentally
139. discredit (v) injure the reputation of, destroy
credibility of or confidence in
140. discrepancy (n) difference or inconsistency
141. discriminating (adj) judicious, discerning, having good
judgment or insight
142. disingenuous (adj) insincere, not genuine
143. disinterested (adj) unbiased, impartial; not interested
144. disjointed (adj) disconnected, not coherent, jerky;
having the joints separated
145. dismiss (v) allow to disperse or leave; fire from a
job; put aside or reject, esp. after only a
brief consideration
146. dispassionate (adj) unbiased, not having a selfish or
personal motivation; calm, lacking
emotion
147. dispatch (n, v) speed, promptness; send off or deal with
in a speedy way
148. disperse (v) scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
149. disposition (n) a person's general or natural mood;
tendency
150. disquieting (adj) disturbing, causing anxiety
151. disseminate (v) scatter, spread about, broadcast
152. dissent (v, n) disagree or take an opposing view, esp.
in relation to a formal body such as a
government, political party, or church; such a
view
153. dissonance (n) harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony;
disagreement
154. distill (v) purify; extract the essential elements of
155. diverge (v) differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as
from a path
156. Divest (v) deprive or strip of rank, title, etc., or of
clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite
of invest)
157. Divine (v) discover through divination or
supernatural means; perceive by insight
158. Document (v) support with evidence, cite sources in a
detailed way, create documentary evidence of
159. Dogma (n) a system of principles laid down by an
authority; established belief
160. Dormant (adj) asleep, inactive, on a break
161. Dubious (adj) doubtful, questionable, suspect
162. e.g. (abbre.) for example, such as
163. eccentric (adj) peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm
esp. in a whimsical way
164. Eclectic (adj) selecting the best of everything or from
many diverse sources
165. Eclipse (n, v) the obscuring of one thing by another,
such as the sun by the moon or a person by a
more famous or talented person (noun); to
obscure, darken, make less important (verb)
166. Efficacy (n) the quality of being able to produce the
intended effect
167. Egalitarian (adj) related to the belief in the equality of all
people, esp. in political, economic, or social
spheres
168. Egregious (adj) extraordinarily or conspicuously bad;
glaring
169. Elated (adj) very happy, in high spirits
170. Elevate (v) raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a
higher rank or status or raise up to a higher
spiritual or intellectual plane
171. Elicit (v) call forth, bring out, evoke
172. Eloquent (adj) marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech;
expressive, emotionally moving
173. Embellish (v) decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a
story) with fictional or fanciful details
174. Eminent (adj) prominent, distinguished, of high rank
175. Empirical (adj) coming from, based on, or able to be
verified by experience or experimentation; not
purely based on theory
176. Emulate (v) copy in an attempt to equal or be better than
177. Enervate (v) weaken, tire
178. Enhance (v) raise to a higher value, desirability, etc.
179. Enigma (n) puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or
contradictory person
180. Entitlement (n) having the right to certain privileges;
believing, sometimes without cause, that one
deserves or has a right to certain privileges
181. Enumerate (v) count or list; specify one-by-one
182. Ephemeral (adj) lasting only a short time, fleeting
183. Equitable (adj) fair, equal, just
184. Erratic (adj) inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed
course
185. Erroneous (adj) mistaken, in error; improper, morally
incorrect
186. Erudite (adj) scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing a
deep, often systematic, knowledge
187. Eschew (v) shun, avoid, abstain from
188. Esoteric (adj) understood by or intended for only a few;
secret
189. Estimable (adj) worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be
estimated
190. Eulogy (n) speech of praise or written work of praise,
esp. a speech given at a funeral
191. Exacerbate (v) make worse (more violent, severe, etc.),
inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)
192. Exacting (adj) very severe in making demands; requiring
precise attention
193. Exculpate (v) clear from guilt or blame
194. Exhaustive (adj) comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a
topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities;
draining, tending to exhaust
195. Explicit (adj) direct, clear, fully revealed; clearly
depicting sex or nudity
196. Exponent (n) person who expounds or explains;
champion, advocate, or representative
197. Extraneous (adj) irrelevant; foreign, coming from without,
not belonging
198. Extrapolate (v) conjecture about an unknown by
projecting information about something
known; predict by projecting past experience
199. Facetious (adj) joking, humorous, esp. inappropriately;
not serious, concerned with frivolous things
200. Facilitate (v) make easier, help the progress of
201. Fallacious (ad) containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic;
logically unsound; deceptive
202. Fanatical (adj) excessively devoted, enthusiastic, or
zealous in an uncritical way
203. Fanciful (adj) whimsical, capricious; imaginary; freely
imaginative rather than based on reason or
reality
204. Fathom (v) measure the depth of (usually of water) as
with a sounding line; penetrate and discover
the meaning of, understand
205. Feasible (adj) possible; logical or likely; suitable
206. Fidelity (n) faithful, loyalty; strict observance of duty;
accuracy in reproducing a sound or image
207. Figurative (adj) metaphorical, based on figures of
speech; containing many figures of speech (as
fancy-sounding writing); related to portraying
human or animals figures
208. Finesse (n, v) extreme delicacy, subtlety, or diplomacy
in handling a sensitive situation or in a
performance or skill (noun); use tact or
diplomacy; employ a deceptive strategy (verb)
209. Flag (v) get tired, lose enthusiasm; hang limply or
droop
210. Fleeting (adj) passing quickly, transitory
211. Foment (v) incite, instigate, stir up, promote the
growth of; apply medicated liquid to a body
part
212. Foreshadow (v) indicate or suggest beforehand, presage
213. Forfeit (v) surrender or lose as a result of an error,
crime, or failure to fulfill an obligation
214. Fortify (v) strengthen, invigorate, encourage
215. Fringe (n, adj) on the margin, periphery (adj); the
people in a group who hold the most extreme
views (noun)
216. Frugal (adj) economically, thrifty, not wasteful with
money; inexpensive
217. Futile (adj) producing no useful result, ineffective;
trivial unimportant
218. Gainsay (v) declare false, deny; oppose
219. Garrulous (adj) talkative, wordy, rambling
220. Gauche (adj) tactless, lacking social grace,
awkward, crude
221. Gawky (adj) physically awkward (esp. of a tall,
skinny person, often used to describe
teenagers)
222. Germane (adj) relevant and appropriate, on topic
223. Gist (n) main idea, essence
224. Glib (adj) fluent and easy in a way that suggests
superficiality or insincerity
225. Goosebumps (n) the bumps created by hairs standing up
on the skin in response to cold, fear, etc.
226. Gradation (n) a progression, a process taking place
gradually, in stages; one of these stages
227. Gregarious (adj) sociable, pertaining to a flock or
crowd
228. Guile (n) clever deceit, cunning, craftiness
229. Hackneyed (adj) so commonplace as to be stale; not
fresh or original
230. Hardy (adj) bold, brave, capable of enduring
hardship, fatigue, cold, etc.
231. Haven (adj) harbor or port; refuge, safe place
232. Hearken (v) listen, pay attention to
233. Hedonist (n) person devoted to pleasure
234. Heterogeneous (adj) different in type, incongruous;
composed of different types of elements
235. Hierarchy (n) a ranked series; a classification of
people according to rank, ability, etc.; a
ruling body
236. Hodgepodge (n) mixture of different kinds of things,
jumble
237. Homogeneous (adj) of the same kind; uniform throughout
238. Hyperbole (n) deliberate exaggeration for effect
239. Idiosyncrasy (n) characteristic or habit peculiar to an
individual; peculiar quality, quirk
240. illiberality (n) narrow-mindedness, bigotry; strictness
or lack of generosity
241. imminent (adj) ready to occur, impending
242. Impair (v) make worse, weaken
243. Impartial (adj) unbiased, fair
244. Impede (v) hold back, obstruct the progress of
245. Implication (n) act of implying or that which is
implied; close connection, esp. in an
incriminating way
246. Implicit (adj) implied, not stated directly; involved
in the very essence of something,
unquestionable
247. Implode (v) burst inward
248. Inadvertent (adj) unintentional; characterized by a
lack of attention, careless
249. Inasmuch (adv) in like manner, considering that
(contradiction of "in as much," generally
followed by "as")
250. Incendiary (adj) setting on fire, pertaining to arson;
arousing strife, rebellion, etc.;
"inflaming" the senses
251. Incentive (n) something that encourages greater
action or effort, such as a reward
252. Inchoate (adj) just begun, undeveloped,
unorganized
253. Incipient (adj) just beginning; in a very early stage
254. Incongruous (adj) out of place, inappropriate, not
harmonious
255. Inconsequential (adj) insignificant, unimportant; illogical
256. Incorporate (v) combine, unite; form a legal
corporation; embody, give physical form
to
257. Indeterminate (adj) not fixed or determined, indefinite;
vague
258. Indifferent (adj) not caring, having no interest;
unbiased, impartial
259. Inform (v) inspire, animate; give substance,
essence, or context to; be the
characteristic quality of
260. Ingenuous (adj) genuine, sincere, not holding back;
naive
261. Ingrained (adj) deep-rooted, forming part of the very
essence; worked into the fiber
262. Inherent (adj) existing as a permanent, essential
quality; intrinsic
263. Innocuous (adj) harmless, inoffensive
264. Intelligible (adj) able to understood, clear
265. Intractable (adj) difficult to control, manage, or
manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn
266. Intrepid (adj) fearless, brave, enduring in the face
of adversity
267. Intrinsic (adj) belonging to the essential nature of
a thing
268. Jargon (n) vocabulary specific to a group or
occupation; convoluted or unintelligible
language
269. Jocular (adj) joking or given to joking all the
time; jolly, playful
270. Judicious (adj) using good judgment; wise, sensible
271. Juncture (n) critical point in time, such as a crisis or a
time when a decision is necessary; a place
where two things are joined together
272. Keen (adj) sharp, piercing; very perceptive or
mentally sharp; intense (of a feeling)
273. Kudos (n) praise, honor, congratulations
274. Lackluster (adj) not shiny; dull, mediocre, lacking
brilliance or vitality
275. Laconic (adj) using few words, concise
276. Lament (v, n) mourn; express grief, sorrow, or regret
(verb); an expression of grief, esp. as a song or
poem (noun)
277. Lampoon (n, v) a harsh satire (noun); ridicule or satirize
(verb)
278. Landmark (n, adj) object (such as a building) that stands
out and can be used to navigate by; very
important place, event, etc.
279. Languid (adj) drooping from exhaustion, sluggish,
slow; lacking in spirit
280. Lassitude (n) tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference
281. Laudable (adj) worthy of praise
282. Lavish (adj, v) abundant or giving in abundance;
marked by excess (adj); give very generously
(verb)
283. Layperson (n) a person who is not a member of the clergy
or not a member of a particular profession
(such as medicine, law, etc.)
284. Levity (n) lightness (of mind, spirit, or mood) or lack
of seriousness, sometimes in an inappropriate
way
285. Levy (v, n) collect tax from, wage war on, or enlist
for military service (verb); act of collecting tax
or amount owed, or the drafting of troops into
military service (noun)
286. Liberal (adj, n) favorable to progress or reform;
believing in maximum possible individual
freedom; tolerant, open-minded; generous
(adj); a person with such beliefs or practices
(noun)
287. Libertine (n) morally or sexually unrestrained person;
freethinker (regarding religion)
288. Likewise (adv) also, in addition to; similarly, in the
same way
289. Log (v, n) keep a record of, write down; travel for or
at a certain distance or speed (verb); a written
record (noun)
290. Loquacious (adj) talkative, wordy
291. Lucid (adj) clear, easy to understand; rational, sane
292. Lull (n, v) soothe or cause to fall asleep (as in
a lullaby); quiet down; make to feel secure,
sometimes falsely (verb); a period of calm
or quiet (noun)
293. Makeshift (n, adj) a temporary, often improvised,
substitute (noun); improvised for
temporary use (adj)
294. Malleable (adj) able to be bent, shaped, or adapted
295. Maverick (n) rebel, individualist, dissenter
296. Mendacious (adj) lying, habitually dishonest
297. Mercurial (adj) quickly unpredictably changing
moods; fickle, flighty
298. Metamorphosis (n) a complete change or transformer (in
biology, a change such as a caterpillar
becoming a pupa and then a butterfly)
299. Meticulous (adj) taking extreme care in regards to
details; precise, fussy
300. Mitigate (v) make less severe; lessen or moderate
(damage, grief, pain, etc.)
301. Modest (adj) humble; simple rather than showy;
decent (esp. "covering up" in terms of
dress); small, limited
302. Mollify (v) calm or soothe (an angry person);
lessen or soften
303. Monotony (n) sameness or repetitiousness to the
point of being boring; lack of variation,
uniformity, esp. repetition in sound
304. Moreover (adv) besides; in addition to what was just
stated
305. Mores (n) customs, manners, or morals of a
particular group
306. Mundane (adj) common, ordinary, everyday
307. Naive (adj) simple and unsophisticated,
unsuspecting, lacking worldly experience
and critical judgment
308. Nascent (adj) coming into existence, still
developing
309. Negate (v) deny or refute; make void or cause to be
ineffective
310. Net (adj, v) remaining after expenses or other
factors have been deducted; ultimate (adj);
to bring in as profit or to catch as in a net
(verb)
311. Nevertheless/Nonetheless (adv) however, even so,
despite that
312. Notoriety (n) ill fame; the state of being
well-known for a disgraceful
reason
313. Novel (adj) new, fresh, original
314. Nuance (n) a subtle difference in tone,
meaning, and expression
315. Objective (adj) factual, related to reality
or physical objects; not
influenced by emotions,
unbiased
316. Obsequious (adj) servile, very compliant,
fawning
317. Obsolete (adj) out of date, no longer in
use
318. Obstinate (adj) stubborn or hard to
control
319. Obviate (v) prevent, eliminate, or make
unnecessary
320. Occult (n, adj, v) the supernatural
(noun); pertaining to magic,
astrology, etc.; mysterious,
secret or hidden (adj); to hide,
to shut off from view
321. Offhand (adj) casual, informal; done
without preparation or
forethought; rude in a short
way, brusque
322. Officious (adj) excessively eager in
giving unwanted advice or
intruding where one is not
wanted; meddlesome, pushy
323. Offset (v, n) counteract, compensate
for (verb); a counterbalance
(noun)
324. Onerous (adj) burdensome, oppressive,
hard to endure
325. Opaque (adj) not translucent; not
allowing light, hear, etc. to
pass through; dark, dull,
unclear or stupid
326. Optimal/Optimum (adj) best, most desirable or
favorable
327. Orthodox (adj) adhering to a traditional,
established faith, or to
anything customary or
commonly accepted
328. Oscillate (v) swing back and forth;
waver, change one's mind
329. Outstrip (v) surpass, exceed; be larger or better than;
leave behind
330. Overshadow (v) cast a shadow over, darken; dominate,
make to seem less important
331. Paradigm (n) model or pattern; worldview, set of
shared assumptions, values, etc.
332. Paradox (n) contradiction, or seeming contradiction
that is actually true
333. Pariah (n) social outcast, untouchable
334. Partial (adj) biased, prejudiced, favoring one over
the others; having a special liking for
something or someone (usually partial to)
335. Partisan (adj, n) devoted to a particular group, cause,
etc. (adj); fervent supporter of a group, party,
idea, etc.; guerilla fighter (noun)
336. Patent (adj, n) obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj);
a letter from the government guaranteeing an
inventor rights to his or her invention (noun)
337. Pathological (adj) relating to or caused by disease;
relating to compulsive bad behavior
338. Patronizing (adj) condescending, having a superior
manner, treating as an inferior
339. Paucity (n) scarcity, the state of being small in
number
340. Peccadillo (n) small sin or fault
341. Pedestrian (adj) ordinary, dull, commonplace
342. Penchant (n) liking or inclination
343. Perfidious (adj) disloyal, treacherous, violating one's
trust
344. Peripheral (adj) relating to or making up an outer
boundary or region; not of primary
importance
345. Permeate (v) spread or penetrate throughout
346. Pervasive (adj) tending to spread throughout
347. Philanthropy (n) efforts to improve the well-being of
humankind, generally through giving money
348. Phony (adj) fake, counterfeit; insincere, not genuine
349. Pious (adj) devout; religiously reverent and dutiful
350. Pith (n) core, essence; significance or weight
351. Placate (v) satisfy or calm down (angry or
dissatisfied person), esp. by conciliatory
gestures
352. Placid (adj) peaceful, calm, tranquil
353. Plastic (adj) able to be shaped or formed; easily
influenced
354. Plausible (n) believable; having the appearance of
truth
355. Plummet (v) plunge, fall straight down
356. Polarized (adj) divided into sharply opposed groups
357. Ponderous (adj) heavy; bulky and unwieldy; dull,
labored
358. Posthumous (adj) happening or continuing after death
359. Potentate (n) ruler, person of great power
360. Pragmatic (adj) practical; dealing with actual facts
and reality
361. Pre-empt (v) prevent; take the place of, supplant; take
before someone else can
362. Preamble (n) introductory statement, preface
363. Precarious (adj) unstable, insecure, dangerous
364. Precursor (n) something that comes before, esp.
something that also announces or suggests
something on its way
365. Predisposed (adj) having an inclination or tendency
beforehand; susceptible
366. Presumptive (adj) based on inference or assumption;
providing reasonable grounds for belief
367. Presumptuous (adj) too bold or forward; going beyond
that which is proper
368. Pretentious (adj) claiming or demanding a position of
importance or dignity, esp. when
unjustified; showing off creating deceptive,
false show of worth
369. Principled (adj) having high moral standards
370. Pristine (adj) in an original, pure state; uncorrupted
371. Probity (n) honesty, integrity
372. Prodigal (adj) wasteful, extravagant; giving
abundantly, lavish
373. Prodigious (adj) extraordinarily large, impressive, etc.
374. Profligate (adj) completely and shamelessly immoral,
or extremely wasteful
375. Profound (adj) very insightful, penetrating deeply
into a subject; pervasive intense, "down to
the very bottom;" at the very bottom
376. Profuse (adj) abundant, extravagant, giving or
given freely
377. Prohibitive (adj) tending to forbid something, or
serving to prevent something
378. Proliferate (v) increase or spread rapidly or excessively
379. Prologue (n) introductory part to a book, play, etc.
380. Pronounced (adj) distinct, strong, clearly indicated
381. Propriety (n) conforming to good manners or
appropriate behavior; justness
382. Prosaic (adj) dull, ordinary
383. Proscribe (v) prohibit, outlaw; denounce; exile or banish
384. Prospective (adj) potential, in the future
385. Prudent (adj) wise in practical matters, carefully
providing for the future
386. Pugnacious (adj) inclined to fight, combative
387. Qualified (adj) modified, limited, conditional on
something else
388. Quandary (n) uncertainty or confusion about what to do,
dilemma
389. Quibble (v) make trivial arguments or criticisms, find
faults in a petty way, esp. to evade something
more important
390. Quotidian (adj) daily; everyday, ordinary
391. Ranks (n) personnel; a group of people considered all
together
392. Reap (v) harvest, such as by cutting; gather; get as a
result of one's effort
393. Recluse (n) person who lives in seclusion
394. Refute (v) prove to be false
395. Relegate (v) send or commit to an inferior place, rank,
condition, etc.; exile, banish; assign (a task)
to someone else
396. Remedial (adj) providing a remedy, curative; correcting
a deficient skill
397. Render (v) give, submit, surrender; translate; declare
formally; cause to become
398. Replete (adj) supplied in abundance, filled, gorged
(used with with)
399. Reproach (n, v) blame, disgrace (noun); criticize,
express disappointment in (verb)
400. Repudiate (v) reject, cast off, deny that something has
authority
401. Requite (v) reciprocate, repay, or revenge
402. Rescind (v) annul, repeal, make void
403. Resolution (n) the quality of being firmly determined;
resolving to do something; a formal judgment,
esp. decided by a vote
404. Resolve (v, n) find a solution to; firmly decide to do
something; decide by formal vote (verb);
firmness of purpose (noun)
405. Respectively (adv) in the order given
406. Restive (adj) impatient or uneasy under the control of
another; resisting being controlled
407. Reticent (adj) not talking much; private (of a person),
restrained, reserved
408. Retrospective (adj, n) looking to the past or backward;
applying to the past, retroactive (adj); an art
exhibit of an artist's work over a long period
of time (n)
409. Reverent (adj) feeling or expressing very deep respect
and awe
410. Rhetoric (n) the art or study of persuasion through
speaking or writing; language that is
elaborate or pretentious but actually empty,
meaning little
411. Rife (adj) happening frequently, abundant,
currently being reported
412. Rudimentary (adj) elementary, relating to the basics;
undeveloped, primitive
413. Rustic (adj, n) relating to country life,
unsophisticated; primitive; made of rough
wood (adj); a rural or uncultured person
(noun)
414. Sacrosanct (adj) sacred, inviolable, not to be trespassed
on or violated; above any criticism
415. Sagacious (adj) wise; showing good judgment and
foresight
416. Salubrious (adj) healthful, promoting health
417. Sanction (n, v) permission or approval, something
that gives support or authority to something
else (noun); to allow, confirm, ratify (verb);
OR a legal action against another country to
get it to comply (noun); to place sanctions or
penalties on (verb)
418. Sanguine (adj) cheerfully optimistic, hopeful; reddish,
ruddy (as in rosy-red cheeks indicating
health or vitality)
419. Sap (n, v) the inner fluid of a plant or any
essential body fluid; energy, vitality; a person
taken advantage of (noun); undermine,
weaken, tire out (verb)
420. Satiate or
Sate
(v) to fully satisfy; to go beyond satisfying to
the point of excess (possibly inducing
disgust, tiredness, etc.)
421. Saturate (v) soak or imbue thoroughly; cause a
substance to unite with the greatest possible
amount of another substance
422. Savor (v) appreciate fully, taste or smell with
pleasure
423. Scant (adj) not enough or barely enough
424. Scathing (adj) severe, injurious; bitterly harsh or
critical (as a remark)
425. Secular (adj) not religious or holy; pertaining to
worldly things
426. Sedulous (adj) persevering, persistent, diligent in
one's efforts
427. Sentient (adj) conscious; experiencing sensation or
perceiving with the senses
428. Simultaneous (adj) at the same time
429. Skeptic (adj) person inclined to doubting or
questioning generally accepted beliefs
430. Skirt (v) border, lie along the edge of , go around;
evade
431. Slack (adj, v, n) loose, negligent, lazy, weak (adj);
neglect to so one's duties; loosen up, relax
(verb); period of little work (noun)
432. Slew (n) a large number or quantity
433. Slight (adj, v, n) small, not very important, slender
or delicate (adj); treat as though not very
important; snub, ignore (verb); an act of
treating in this way, a discourtesy (noun)
434. Solicitous (adj) concerned or anxious (about another
person), expressing care; eager or desirous;
very careful
435. Soporific (adj, n) causing sleep; sleepy, drowsy (adj);
something that causes sleep (noun)
436. Sound (v) measure the depth of (usually water) as
with a sounding line; penetrate and discover
the meaning of, understand (usually as
sound the depths)
437. Spartan (adj) very disciplined and stern; frugal,
living simply, austere; suggestive of the
ancient Spartans
438. Spate (n) sudden outpouring or rush; flood
439. Spearhead (v) be the leader of
440. Specious (adj) seemingly true but actually false;
deceptively attractive
441. Spectrum (n) a broad range of nevertheless related
qualities or ideas, esp. those that overlap to
create a continuous series (as in a color
spectrum, where each color blends into the
next in a continuous way)
442. Speculate (v) contemplate; make a guess or educated
guess about; engage in a risky business
transaction, gamble
443. Sporadic (adj) occasional, happening irregularly or in
scattered locations
444. Sportive (adj) playful, merry, joking around, done "in
sport" (rather than intended seriously)
445. Standing (n, adj) status, rank, reputation (noun);
existing indefinitely, not movable (adj)
446. Stark (adj) complete, total, utter; harsh or grim;
extremely simple, severe, blunt, or plain
447. Static (adj) fixed, not moving or changing, lacking
vitality
448. Status Quo (n) existing state or condition
449. Stingy (adj) not generous with money, reluctant to
spend or give
450. Stoic or
Stoical
(adj, n) indifferent to pleasure or pain,
enduring without complaint (adj); person
indifferent to pleasure or pain (noun)
451. Stolid (adj) unemotional, showing little emotion,
not easily moved
452. Stymie or
Stymy
(v, n) block, hinder, or thwart (verb); an
obstacle (noun)
453. Subjective (adj) existing in the mind or relating to one's
own thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc.;
personal, individual, based on feelings
454. Subside (v) sink, settle down, become less active;
return to a normal level
455. Substantiate (v) support with evidence or proof; give a
material existence to
456. Succeeding (adj) coming after or following
457. Supersede (v) replace, take the position of, cause to be
disregarded as void or obsolete
458. Supplicate (v) pray humbly; ask, beg, or seek in a
humble way
459. Surfeit (n) excess, excessive amount, overindulgence
460. Surmise (v) guess, infer, think, or make an opinion
with incomplete information
461. Sycophant (n) servile flatterer, parasitic person, one
who fawns in order to get ahead
462. Synchronous (adj) happening at the same time; occurring
at the same rate and thus happening together
repeatedly
463. Table (v) lay aside to discuss later, often as a way to
postpone discussion indefinitely
464. Tacit (adj) understood without being said; implied,
not stated directly; silent
465. Taciturn (adj) not talking much, reserved; silent,
holding back in conversation
466. Tangential (adj) only slightly relevant, going off topic
467. Temperance (n) moderation, self-control, esp. regarding
alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total
abstinence from alcohol
468. Tenuous (adj) long and thin, slender; flimsy, having
little substance
469. Timely (adj) well-timed, happening at a suitable
time
470. Timorous (adj) fearful, timid
471. Tirade (n) bitter, abusive criticism or verbal attack
472. Torpor (n) sluggishness, lethargy, or apathy; a
period of inactivity
473. Torrid (adj) very hot, parching, burning;
passionate
474. Tractable (adj) easily controlled or managed, docile;
easily shaped or molded
475. Transitory (adj) temporary, short-lived, not lasting
476. Trifling (adj) trivial, not very important; so small
as to be unimportant; frivolous, shallow
477. Trite (adj) lacking freshness or originality,
lacking effectiveness due to overuse, cliche
478. Ubiquitous (adj) existing everywhere at the same time
479. Undermine (v) weaken cause to collapse by digging
away at the foundation (of a building or an
argument); injure or attack in a secretive
or underhanded way
480. Underscore (v) emphasize (or, literally, to underline
text)
481. Unearth (v) dig up, uncover, expose
482. Unequivocal (adj) unambiguous, clear, absolute;
having only one possible meaning
483. Unprecedented (adj) never before known or seen, without
having happened previously
484. Unseemly (adj) improper, inappropriate, against the
rules of taste or politeness
485. Vacillate (v) waver in one's mind or opinions, be
indecisive
486. Venerate (v) revere, regard with deep respect and
awe
487. Veracity (n) truthfulness, accuracy; habitual
adherence to the truth
488. Verbose (adj) wordy
489. Viable (adj) capable of living (or growing,
developing, etc.); practical, workable
490. Vintage (adj, n) related to items of high quality
from a previous era, old-fashioned,
antique (adj); the wine of a particular year
(noun)
491. Virtual (adj) existing only in the mind or by
means of a computer network; existing in
results or in essence but not officially or in
name
492. Vituperate (v) verbally abuse, rebuke or criticize
harshly
493. Volatile (adj) varying, inconstant, fleeting; tending
to violence, explosive
494. Warranted (adj) justified, authorized (warrant can mean to
justify or a justification, but can also mean to
vouch for or guarantee)
495. Wary (adj) watchful, motivated by caution, on guard
against danger
496. Whereas (conjunction) while on the contrary,
considering that
497. Whimsical (adj) marked or motivated by whims (odd,
fanciful ideas); erratic, unpredictable
498. Wily (adj) crafty, cunning, characterized by tricks or
artifice
499. Zeal (n) great fervor or enthusiasm for a cause,
person, etc.; tireless diligence in furthering that
cause; passion, ardor
500. zenith (n) high point, culmination