GRE Vocab Day-1

1. Abate

Sound: ə-‘bāt 

Word Type: Verb
Synonyms: diminish, decrease, subside, mitigate

Antonyms: intensify, increase, enhance, augment

Abate, in simple language, means to become less intense or widespread. It can refer to something physically decreasing, like a storm abating, or emotionally, like your anger abating. It can also mean to cause something to become smaller or less intense.

Real-life example: After the rain, the storm started to abate, and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

Funny example: He expected the pain from the bee sting to abate, but instead, it seemed to enjoy its stay.

2. Capricious

Sound: kə-‘pri-shəs 

Word Type: Adjective 

Synonyms: unpredictable, variable, changeable, mercurial 

Antonyms: consistent, stable, predictable, steady

Capricious is used to describe someone or something that is prone to sudden and unaccountable changes in mood or behavior. In other words, if something or someone is capricious, they may change quickly and unexpectedly.

Real-life example: The capricious weather made it difficult for her to decide what to wear to the picnic.

Funny example: His capricious cat would one-minute purr happily in his lap and the next minute attack his feet for no apparent reason.

3. Diligent

Sound: ‘di-li-jənt 

Word Type: Adjective 

Synonyms: hard-working, assiduous, industrious, painstaking 

Antonyms: lazy, careless, negligent, slothful

Diligent means someone who is hard-working and careful in their work. A diligent person pays great attention to detail because they care about their work. They put in the time and effort to do things right.

Real-life example: The diligent student spent hours studying for her exams to ensure she was well prepared.

Funny example: He was so diligent in brushing his teeth that even the tooth fairy would be proud of his dental hygiene.

4. Exacerbate

Sound: ig-‘za-sər-bāt 

Word Type: Verb 

Synonyms: aggravate, worsen, inflame, intensify 

Antonyms: alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate, improve

Exacerbate means to make something that is already bad even worse. This can be a situation, a feeling, a problem, etc. If you’re exacerbating something, you’re causing it to become more severe, serious, or dangerous.

Real-life example: Ignoring the leaking pipe will only exacerbate the problem, leading to potential water damage in the house.

Funny example: Eating that third slice of cake only exacerbated my guilt about ditching my diet plan.

5. Facetious

Sound: fə-‘sē-shəs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: flippant, glib, waggish, jesting

Antonyms: serious, earnest, genuine, solemn

Facetious describes someone who is treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor. It’s when someone’s being sarcastic or making light of something usually considered serious or important.

Real-life example: His facetious comments during the meeting did not sit well with the stern-faced manager.

Funny example: When asked about his plans for the zombie apocalypse, he gave a facetious response about leading a new society based on pizza consumption.

6. Garrulous

Sound: ‘gar-ə-ləs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: talkative, loquacious, verbose, chatty

Antonyms: taciturn, reticent, laconic, quiet

Garrulous means excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters. If someone is garrulous, they talk a lot, often about things that only they find interesting.

Real-life example: The garrulous man on the train told everyone who would listen about his stamp collection.

Funny example: My garrulous parrot can keep the conversation going even when everyone else in the room falls silent.

7. Hackneyed

Sound: ‘hak-nēd 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: overused, clichéd, worn-out, stale

Antonyms: original, fresh, innovative, novel

Hackneyed describes something that is not interesting, exciting, or original because it has been used, said, or done too many times. If a phrase or style is hackneyed, it’s considered unoriginal and dull.

Real-life example: The movie was filled with hackneyed dialogue like “I’ll be back” and “May the force be with you.”

Funny example: Her hackneyed advice of “just be yourself” was as helpful as a chocolate teapot.

8. Immutable

Sound: i-‘myü-tə-bəl 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: unchanging, fixed, set, rigid

Antonyms: mutable, flexible, changeable, variable

Immutable means unchanging over time or unable to be changed. If something is immutable, it’s set and can’t be modified.

Real-life example: The laws of physics are considered immutable as they do not change over time or place.

Funny example: Despite the numerous laundry accidents, the white shirt’s attraction to spaghetti sauce seemed immutable.

9. Juxtaposition

Sound: ˌjək-stə-pə-‘zi-shən 

Word Type: Noun

Synonyms: proximity, comparison, contrast, adjacency

Antonyms: separation, division, disassociation

Juxtaposition is the act of placing things side by side, especially for the purpose of comparison or contrast. This term is often used in visual arts and literature but can also apply to any situation where two or more things are placed together for contrast.

Real-life example: The juxtaposition of the bustling city and the serene countryside highlights the pace of life in each place.

Funny example: The juxtaposition of a sumo wrestler and a jockey on the same horse made for an interesting race.

10. Knack

Sound: ‘nak 

Word Type: Noun

Synonyms: talent, flair, aptitude, facility

Antonyms: ineptitude, incapacity, incompetence, inability

Knack refers to a natural skill or talent at doing something. If someone has a knack for something, they are good at it and do it almost without thinking.

Real-life example: She has a knack for making people laugh with her witty comments.

Funny example: He has a surprising knack for getting his head stuck in the most unusual places, like between the stair rails or in a fishbowl.

11. Loquacious

Sound: lō-‘kwā-shəs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: talkative, garrulous, verbose, chatty

Antonyms: reticent, reserved, silent, taciturn

Loquacious describes a person who likes to talk a lot and often about things that only they find interesting. This word usually implies that the person talks excessively or more than might be desired.

Real-life example: The loquacious salesperson could talk for hours about the benefits of the latest vacuum cleaner model.

Here is a funny example: My loquacious neighbor seems to have endless trivial anecdotes about his socks.

12. Mundane

Sound: mən-‘dān 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: ordinary, common, banal, pedestrian

Antonyms: extraordinary, exceptional, remarkable, unique

Mundane means lacking interest or excitement; dull. It refers to something that is very ordinary and not at all exciting or unusual.

Real-life example: He found his daily job of filing reports to be very mundane.

Funny example: The superhero found choosing a laundry detergent to be a mundane decision far beneath his heroic duties.

13. Nefarious

Sound: nə-‘far-ē-əs Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: wicked, evil, villainous, malevolent

Antonyms: virtuous, good, noble, benevolent

Nefarious refers to actions or activities that are wicked or criminal. This word often describes someone who is known for being a villain and doing bad things.

Real-life example: The nefarious plot to rob the bank was thwarted by the swift action of the police.

Funny example: The cat’s nefarious plan to steal the dog’s food was foiled by the sudden appearance of a cucumber.

14. Obtuse

Sound: äb-‘tüs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: dull, slow, stupid, unintelligent

Antonyms: acute, sharp, clever, smart

Obtuse can describe a person or their manner to be slow to understand or difficult to perceive or understand. In other words, if someone is being obtuse, they need to grasp what’s being explained to them.

Real-life example: The professor grew frustrated with the obtuse student who couldn’t grasp the basic concept of the lecture.

Funny example: Despite multiple diagrams and demonstrations, Bob remained obtuse about how to operate a can opener.

15. Prolific

Sound: prō-‘li-fik 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: productive, creative, fertile, fruitful

Antonyms: unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, barren

Prolific means producing many works, results, or offspring. A prolific artist, for example, creates a large number of artworks. A prolific writer produces many books or articles.

Real-life example: Stephen King is a prolific author who has written over 60 novels.

Funny example: The prolific rabbit family soon outnumbered the residents of the small apartment.

16. Querulous

Sound: ‘kwer-ə-ləs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: complaining, whining, grumbling, petulant

Antonyms: content, satisfied, cheerful, uncomplaining

Querulous describes someone who complains a lot and is always finding fault. If someone is querulous, they tend to be grumpy, dissatisfied, and prone to arguing.

Real-life example: The querulous customer complained about every aspect of the meal, from the temperature of the soup to the color of the napkins.

Funny example: The querulous parrot had learned to mimic its owner’s complaints so well it began to grumble about the brand of its birdseed.

17. Reticent

Sound: ‘re-ti-sənt 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: reserved, quiet, silent, restrained

Antonyms: outgoing, extroverted, garrulous, talkative

Reticent describes someone who does not reveal their thoughts or feelings readily. If someone is reticent, they tend to keep their feelings and thoughts to themselves rather than sharing them openly.

Real-life example: Despite his colleagues’ curiosity, he was reticent about his life outside of work.

Funny example: Even when bribed with his favorite treats, the reticent dog wouldn’t reveal who chewed up the couch.

18. Spurious

Sound: ‘spyur-ē-əs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: false, counterfeit, fraudulent, bogus

Antonyms: genuine, authentic, real, valid

Spurious refers to something that is not genuine, authentic, or true. It’s used to describe things that are intended to deceive, such as counterfeit items or false claims.

Real-life example: The website was selling spurious designer watches at a fraction of the expected price.

Funny example: His spurious excuse about alien abduction did not convince his teacher to extend the deadline for his homework.

19. Truculent

Sound: ‘trə-kyə-lənt 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: aggressive, belligerent, combative, confrontational

Antonyms: peaceful, cooperative, friendly, amicable

Truculent describes a person or their manner as eager or quick to argue or fight. Someone who is truculent is aggressive and easily provoked.

Real-life example: The truculent customer argued with the store manager over the price of a candy bar.

Funny example: Despite being a tiny chihuahua, he had a truculent attitude that would rival a great Dane’s.

20. Ubiquitous

Sound: yü-‘bi-kwə-təs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: omnipresent, pervasive, universal, everywhere

Antonyms: rare, scarce, infrequent, limited

Ubiquitous describes something or someone that appears to be present everywhere at the same time. If something is ubiquitous, it is everywhere.

Real-life example: Smartphones have become ubiquitous with their widespread use in every part of our daily life.

Funny example: The catchy tune from the latest kids’ show became so ubiquitous even the birds started whistling it.

21. Vacillate

Sound: ‘va-sə-lāt 

Word Type: Verb

Synonyms: waver, fluctuate, oscillate, dither

Antonyms: remain, persist, decide, resolve

Vacillation means to go back and forth between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive. If someone is vacillating, they can’t make up their mind.

Real-life example: She vacillated between studying medicine or law, both fields equally appealing to her.

Funny example: I’ve been vacillating between eating a salad or a burger for lunch; my health-conscious mind and my taste buds are at war.

22. Wistful

Sound: ‘wis(t)-fəl 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: nostalgic, yearning, longing, pensive

Antonyms: content, satisfied, cheerful, indifferent

Wistful describes someone who is feeling or showing a quiet longing or regret for something in the past. A wistful person has a sad longing, often for something or someone they can’t have.

Real-life example: He looked wistful as he remembered the summers he spent at his grandmother’s house as a child.

Funny example: She had a wistful expression whenever she saw the ice cream truck pass by, remembering her diet plan.

23. Xenophobic

Sound: zē-nə-‘fō-bik 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: racist, bigoted, prejudiced, discriminatory

Antonyms: tolerant, accepting, open-minded, unbiased

Xenophobic describes a person who has a fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of anything that is strange or foreign. A xenophobic person often shows a strong bias against or fear of foreign cultures, people, or customs.

Real-life example: The xenophobic man was uncomfortable around people from a different cultural background than his own.

Funny example: The cat was so xenophobic that it hissed at any non-feline creature that dared to cross its path, including the harmless goldfish in its bowl.

24. Yield

Sound: ‘yēld 

Word Type: Verb

Synonyms: produce, generate, provide, surrender

Antonyms: resist, withhold, deny, refuse

Yield has a few different meanings. In one sense, it means to produce or provide something, like a plant yielding fruit. In another sense, it means to surrender or give way to another.

Real-life example: The apple tree yielded an abundant crop this year. // When he saw his opponent’s superior skills, the fencer yielded.

Funny example: The tomato plant yielded one measly tomato – it wouldn’t make a very filling salad. // My dog finally yielded his spot on the couch when he saw I had treats.

25. Zealous

Sound: ‘ze-ləs 

Word Type: Adjective

Synonyms: passionate, enthusiastic, fervent, eager

Antonyms: apathetic, indifferent, unenthusiastic, lethargic

Zealous describes someone who is very eager or enthusiastic about something, to the point of being extreme. A zealous person puts a lot of energy and effort into the things they care about.

Real-life example: She was a zealous supporter of animal rights, dedicating her time and resources to the cause.

Funny example: His zealous obsession with lawn care made him the proud owner of the greenest, most immaculate lawn in the entire neighborhood – much to the envy of his neighbors.