Today's GRE Vocabulary
Master these 10 high-frequency GRE words. Each word includes definition, usage, and a memory trick.
capitulate (verb)
Definition: to surrender, to cease to resist an opponent or demand
"After weeks of relentless pressure, the besieged city finally had to capitulate."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'cap' as in 'giving up the top spot' or 'surrendering your hat' in defeat.
gregarious (adjective)
Definition: fond of company; sociable
"Her gregarious nature made her the life of every party."
💡 Mnemonic: Related to 'congregate,' meaning to gather together. Gregarious people love to gather.
salient (adjective)
Definition: most noticeable or important; prominent
"The salient features of the new proposal were its environmental sustainability and economic feasibility."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of a 'sail' on a boat, which is a prominent and noticeable part.
ephemeral (adjective)
Definition: lasting for a very short time
"The beauty of the cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'a feather,' which is light and can blow away quickly, disappearing.
ubiquitous (adjective)
Definition: present, appearing, or found everywhere
"In today's digital age, smartphones have become ubiquitous."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'ubi' sounding like 'you be,' and then 'quit us' - like it's everywhere and won't leave you alone.
deleterious (adjective)
Definition: causing harm or damage
"The long-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption can be deleterious to one's health."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'delete,' as in it deletes your health or well-being.
fastidious (adjective)
Definition: very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail; very concerned about cleanliness
"The fastidious editor caught every single typo in the manuscript."
💡 Mnemonic: Imagine a 'fast' car needing 'tidious' (tidy) maintenance to run perfectly.
proclivity (noun)
Definition: a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition
"He has a proclivity for procrastination, often leaving his most important tasks until the last minute."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'pro' as 'for' and 'clivity' sounding like 'ativity' (activity) - a tendency FOR a certain activity.
bellicose (adjective)
Definition: demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight
"The diplomat's bellicose rhetoric escalated tensions between the two nations."
💡 Mnemonic: From 'bellum' (Latin for war) + 'cose' (like 'cause'). It causes war or is warlike.
insidious (adjective)
Definition: proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects
"The insidious spread of misinformation online can have a profound impact on public opinion."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'inside' and 'hissing' - a hidden, subtle, and dangerous influence.
