Today's GRE Vocabulary
Master these 10 high-frequency GRE words. Each word includes definition, usage, and a memory trick.
acumen (noun)
Definition: the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.
"Her financial acumen allowed her to navigate the volatile stock market with remarkable success."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'a cute man' who is very sharp and clever in business.
gregarious (adjective)
Definition: fond of company; sociable.
"The gregarious host ensured that every guest felt welcomed and engaged in conversation."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'Gregarious,' a friendly person named Greg who loves being around people.
paradigm (noun)
Definition: a typical example or pattern of something; a model.
"The discovery of DNA provided a new paradigm for understanding heredity and biological processes."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of a 'pair of dimes' that exemplifies a common pattern or model.
taciturn (adjective)
Definition: reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
"The usually taciturn professor surprised everyone with a lengthy and passionate defense of his research."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'taco turn,' imagine someone so quiet they only turn to take a bite of a taco.
enervate (verb)
Definition: to cause to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken.
"The prolonged heatwave began to enervate the city's residents, leaving them listless and unmotivated."
💡 Mnemonic: Imagine 'an elevator' that is so slow and broken it drains all your energy just waiting for it.
ameliorate (verb)
Definition: to make something bad or unsatisfactory better.
"The new educational program was designed to ameliorate the low literacy rates in the region."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'a million rates' being improved, like interest rates or test scores.
superfluous (adjective)
Definition: unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
"The committee decided to remove any superfluous sections from the report to make it more concise."
💡 Mnemonic: Sounds like 'super flu,' meaning an extra, unnecessary layer of sickness.
egregious (adjective)
Definition: outstandingly bad; shocking.
"The company's egregious disregard for environmental regulations led to a massive public outcry."
💡 Mnemonic: Imagine an 'e-gregious' mistake, so bad it's almost beyond belief.
perspicacious (adjective)
Definition: having a ready insight into and understanding of things.
"Her perspicacious analysis of the political climate proved invaluable in shaping the campaign strategy."
💡 Mnemonic: Like 'per-spicacious,' meaning to see through things very clearly and intelligently.
propensity (noun)
Definition: an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
"He had a propensity for getting into trouble, often due to his impulsive nature."
💡 Mnemonic: Think of 'pro-pensity,' as in a strong leaning or tendency to do something.