GMAT Words

Belabor

To assail verbally; To insist repeatedly or harp on

Amphitheatre

Oval-shaped theatre

Anathema

Curse, ban

Annul

Cancel, nullify

Anodyne

Pain soothing

Anoint

Consecrate, to apply oil, especially as a sacred rite

Antediluvian

Ancient, obsolete, pre-historic

Antithesis

direct opposite

Apathetic

Unconcerned, indifferent

Aphasia

Inability to speak or use words

Aplomb

poise, confidence

Apocryphal

a doubtful authenticity, not genuine, fictional

Apostate

one who abandoned their faith

Apotheosis

Defication, glorification

Approbation

Praise, official approval

Archaic

antiquated, from an earlier time

Archipelago

group of islands

ardor

great emotion or passion

arraign

to indict, to call to court to answer a charge

arrogate

seize without right, to demand or claim arrogantly

ascendancy

powerful state

ashen

resembling ashes, or deathly pale

asinine

stupid

askance

to view with suspicion, scornfully

askew

crooked, tilted

aspersion

slander

assent

to express agreement

assiduous

hard-working

assuage

lessen pain, to make less severe, ease

astringent

causing contraction, severe, harsh

asunder

apart, into different parts

asunder

apart, into different parts

atone

make amends for a wrong

august

noble, dignified, awe-inspiring, venerable

avow

declare

awry

crooked, askew, amis

axiom

self-evident truth, premise

bacchanal

orgy, drunkenly festive

baleful

hostile, malignant

balk

hesitate, refuse, shirk, prevent

banal

trite, overly common

bane

poison, nuisance, something causing ruin

bastion

fort

beguile

deceive, seduce, mislead

behemoth

monster, huge creature

beleaguer

besiege, to harass, plague

berate

to scold harshly

bestial

beast-like, brutal

bestow

to give as a gift, grant

bevy

group

bicker

quarrel, to have a petty argument

bilious

ill-tempered

bilk

swindle, cheat, defraud

blandish

to coax with flattering, grovel

blight

decay, afflict, destroy

bombast

pompous speech

borgeois

middle class

broach

bring up a topic of conversation

brusque

curt, rough and abrupt in manner

bulwark

fortification

burgeon

sprout or flourish

cabal

plot, a secret group seeking to overturn something

cadaver

corpse, dead body

cajole

encourage, coax, flatter

calumny

slander, false accusations

canard

hoax, a lie

candor

frankness, honesty

canvass

survey, examine thoroughly

capricious

fickle, impulsive, whimsical

careen

swerve, to lean on one side

castigate

criticize, punish

cataclysm

catastrophe, disaster

cathartic

purgative, purifying, cleansing

catholic

universal, worldly

caucus

a small group within an organization

cavil

quibble, raise trivial (small) objections

cede

transfer ownership, surrender possession of something

censorious

condemning speech, severely critical

chagrin

shame, embarrassment, humiliation

chalice

goblet, cup

chary

cautious, watchful, extremely shy

cherubic

sweet, innocent

chicanery

trickery, fraud, deception

chide

scold, express disapproval

chimerical

imaginary, impossible

circumlocution

roundabout expression

choleric

easily angered, short-tempered

circumvent

evade, avoid, to go around

citadel

fortness or stronghold

clamor

noisy outcry

cleave

to split or separate, to stick, adhere

clemency

forgiveness, merciful leniency

cloister

refuge, to confine, seclude

coalesce

together

coddle

to pamper, baby, treat indulgently

cogent

well-put, logically forceful

cognate

from the same source, related

cognomen

family name, any name, nickname