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Information
Provided by Kaplan Test Prep
Extensive reading is the best way to develop your command
of tough vocabulary. But cramming Shakespeare and Milton before
the test is not very practical. So, we've done a little investigating
and have compiled the top 100 vocabulary words of all time.
Use this list to strengthen your vocabulary and prepare for
the test day challenge.
- abbreviate: (v) to shorten, abridge
- abstinence: (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable
activity, e.g., eating or drinking
- adulation: (n) high praise
- adversity: (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn
of events
- aesthetic: (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts
- amicable: (adj) friendly, agreeable
- anachronistic: (adj) out-of-date, not attributed
to the correct historical period
- anecdote: (n) short, usually funny account of an
event
- anonymous: (adj) nameless, without a disclosed
identity
- antagonist: (n) foe, opponent, adversary
- arid: (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
- assiduous: (adj) persistent, hard-working
- asylum: (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge
- benevolent: (adj) friendly and helpful
- camaraderie: (n) trust, sociability amongst friends
- censure: (v) to criticize harshly
- circuitous: (adj) indirect, taking the longest
route
- clairvoyant: (adj) exceptionally insightful, able
to foresee the future
- collaborate: (v) to cooperate, work together
- compassion: (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
- compromise: (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable
to both sides
- condescending: (adj) possessing an attitude of
superiority, patronizing
- conditional: (adj) depending on a condition, e.g.,
in a contract
- conformist: (n) person who complies with accepted
rules and customs
- congregation: (n) a crowd of people, an assembly
- convergence: (n) the state of separate elements
joining or coming together
- deleterious: (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental
- demagogue: (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing
to emotion or prejudice
- digression: (n) the act of turning aside, straying
from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument
- diligent: (adj) careful and hard-working
- discredit: (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor
or disgrace
- disdain: (v) to regard with scorn or contempt
- divergent: (adj) separating, moving in different
directions from a particular point
- empathy: (n) identification with the feelings of
others
- emulate: (v) to imitate, follow an example
- enervating: (adj) weakening, tiring
- enhance: (v) to improve, bring to a greater level
of intensity
- ephemeral: (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting
- evanescent: (adj) quickly fading, short-lived,
esp. an image
- exasperation: (n) irritation, frustration
- exemplary: (adj) outstanding, an example to others
- extenuating: (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness
of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors
- florid: (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate
- fortuitous: (adj) happening by luck, fortunate
- frugal: (adj) thrifty, cheap
- hackneyed: (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse
- haughty: (adj) arrogant and condescending
- hedonist: (n) person who pursues pleasure as a
goal
- hypothesis: (n) assumption, theory requiring proof
- impetuous: (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without
thinking
- impute: (v) to attribute an action to particular
person or group
- incompatible: (adj) opposed in nature, not able
to live or work together
- inconsequential: (adj) unimportant, trivial
- inevitable: (adj) certain, unavoidable
- integrity: (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
- intrepid: (adj) fearless, adventurous
- intuitive: (adj) instinctive, untaught
- jubilation: (n) joy, celebration, exultation
- lobbyist: (n) person who seeks to influence political
events
- longevity: (n) long life
- mundane: (adj) ordinary, commonplace
- nonchalant: (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited
- novice: (n) apprentice, beginner
- opulent: (adj) wealthy
- orator: (n) lecturer, speaker
- ostentatious: (adj) showy, displaying wealth
- parched: (adj) dried up, shriveled
- perfidious: (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
- precocious: (adj) unusually advanced or talented
at an early age
- pretentious: (adj) pretending to be important,
intelligent or cultured
- procrastinate: (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone,
put off
- prosaic: (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace
- prosperity: (n) wealth or success
- provocative: (adj) tending to provoke a response,
e.g., anger or disagreement
- prudent: (adj) careful, cautious
- querulous: (adj) complaining, irritable
- rancorous: (adj) bitter, hateful
- reclusive: (adj) preferring to live in isolation
- reconciliation: (n) the act of agreement after
a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
- renovation: (n) repair, making something new again
- resilient: (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
- restrained: (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted
- reverence: (n) worship, profound respect
- sagacity: (n) wisdom
- scrutinize: (v) to observe carefully
- spontaneity: (n) impulsive action, unplanned events
- spurious: (adj) lacking authenticity, false
- submissive: (adj) tending to meekness, to submit
to the will of others
- substantiate: (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting
evidence
- subtle: (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive
- superficial: (adj) shallow, lacking in depth
- superfluous: (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant
- suppress: (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent
the dissemination of information
- surreptitious: (adj) secret, stealthy
- tactful: (adj) considerate, skillful in acting
to avoid offense to others
- tenacious: (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip
on
- transient: (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting
- venerable: (adj) respected because of age
- vindicate: (v) to clear from blame or suspicion
- wary: (adj) careful, cautious
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