GRE Premier 2017 with 6 Practice Tests

Part VII. GRE RESOURCES

Appendix C. Top GRE-Level Words in Context

The GRE tests the same kinds of words over and over again. Here you will find some common GRE-Level words with their definitions in context to help you to remember them. If you see a word that’s unfamiliar to you, take a moment to study the definition and, most importantly, reread the sentence with the word’s definition in mind.

Remember: learning vocabulary words in context is one of the best ways for your brain to retain the words’ meanings. A broader vocabulary will serve you well on all four GRE Verbal question types and will also be extremely helpful in the Analytical Writing section. section.

A

· ABATE: to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

o As the hurricane’s force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.

· ABSCOND: to leave secretly

o The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.

· ABSTAIN: to choose not to do something

o She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray.

· ABYSS: an extremely deep hole

o The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart the previously unseen depths.

· ADULTERATE: to make impure

o The chef made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water.

· ADVOCATE: to speak in favor of

o The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat.

· AESTHETIC: concerning the appreciation of beauty

o Followers of the AESTHETIC Movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.

· AGGRANDIZE: to increase in power, influence, and reputation

o The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.

· ALLEVIATE: to make more bearable

o Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache.

· AMALGAMATE: to combine; to mix together

o Giant Industries AMALGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated.

· AMBIGUOUS: doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

o The directions she gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.

· AMELIORATE: to make better; to improve

o The doctor was able to AMELIORATE the patient’s suffering using painkillers.

· ANACHRONISM: something out of place in time

o The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases, like “groovy” and “far out,” that had not been popular for years.

· ANALOGOUS: similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

o In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent “clockmaker.”

· ANOMALY: deviation from what is normal

o Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates.

· ANTAGONIZE: to annoy or provoke to anger

o The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail.

· ANTIPATHY: extreme dislike

o The ANTIPATHY between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare.

· APATHY: lack of interest or emotion

o The APATHY of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so.

· ARBITRATE: to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

o Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings.

· ARCHAIC: ancient, old-fashioned

o Her ARCHAIC Commodore computer could not run the latest software.

· ARDOR: intense and passionate feeling

o Bishop’s ARDOR for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.

· ARTICULATE: able to speak clearly and expressively

o She is such an ARTICULATE defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.

· ASSUAGE: to make something unpleasant less severe

o Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache.

· ATTENUATE: to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

o The Bill of Rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of governments to change laws at will.

· AUDACIOUS: fearless and daring

o Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.

· AUSTERE: severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

o The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem AUSTERE to the civilian eye.

B

· BANAL: predictable, clichéd; boring

o He used BANAL phrases like “have a nice day” and “another day, another dollar.”

· BOLSTER: to support; to prop up

o The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Sasquatch was in the area.

· BOMBASTIC: pompous in speech and manner

o The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly BOMBASTIC; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.

C

· CACOPHONY: harsh, jarring noise

o The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instruments.

· CANDID: impartial and honest in speech

o The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious.

· CAPRICIOUS: changing one’s mind quickly and often

o Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICIOUS; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.

· CASTIGATE: to punish or criticize harshly

o Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.

· CATALYST: something that brings about a change in something else

o The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution.

· CAUSTIC: biting in wit

o Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

· CHAOS: great disorder or confusion

o In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from CHAOS.

· CHAUVINIST: someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

o The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINISTS.

· CHICANERY: deception by means of craft or guile

o Dishonest used car salespeople often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.

· COGENT: convincing and well reasoned

o Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

· CONDONE: to overlook, pardon, or disregard

o Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness.

· CONVOLUTED: intricate and complicated

o Although many people bought A Brief History of Time few could follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories.

· CORROBORATE: to provide supporting evidence

o Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness’s testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim’s apartment.

· CREDULOUS: too trusting; gullible

o Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds still believe in him.

· CRESCENDO: steadily increasing volume or force

o The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.

D

· DECORUM: appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

o The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a visit to the palace.

· DEFERENCE: respect, courtesy

o The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE.

· DERIDE: to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

o The awkward child was often DERIDED by his “cooler” peers.

· DESICCATE: to dry out thoroughly

o After a few weeks of lying on the desert’s baking sands, the cow’s carcass became completely DESICCATED.

· DESULTORY: jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

o Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.

· DIATRIBE: an abusive, condemnatory speech

o The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the driver who had cut him off.

· DIFFIDENT: lacking self-confidence

o Steve’s DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

· DILATE: to make larger; to expand

o When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes DILATE to let in more light.

· DILATORY: intended to delay

o The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.

· DILETTANTE: someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

o Jerry’s friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.

· DIRGE: a funeral hymn or mournful speech

o Melville wrote the poem “A DIRGE for James McPherson” for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.

· DISABUSE: to set right; to free from error

o Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.

· DISCERN: to perceive; to recognize

o It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

· DISPARATE: fundamentally different; entirely unlike

o Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are DISPARATE.

· DISSEMBLE: to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

o The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer—he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.

· DISSONANCE: a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

o Cognitive DISSONANCE is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence.

· DOGMA: a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

o Linus’s central DOGMA was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.

· DOGMATIC: dictatorial in one’s opinions

o The dictator was DOGMATIC—he, and only he, was right.

· DUPE: to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

o Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.

E

· ECLECTIC: selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

o Budapest’s architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of Eastern and Western styles.

· EFFICACY: effectiveness

o The EFFICACY of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

· ELEGY: a sorrowful poem or speech

o Although Thomas Gray’s “ELEGY Written in a Country Churchyard” is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality.

· ELOQUENT: persuasive and moving, especially in speech

o The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its ELOQUENT words.

· EMULATE: to copy; to try to equal or excel

o The graduate student sought to EMULATE his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class.

· ENERVATE: to reduce in strength

o The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army.

· ENGENDER: to produce, cause, or bring about

o His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.

· ENIGMA: a puzzle; a mystery

o Speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an ENIGMA.

· ENUMERATE: to count, list, or itemize

o Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED.

· EPHEMERAL: lasting a short time

o The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies’ average life span is a matter of hours.

· EQUIVOCAL: open to more than one interpretation; misleading

o Asked a pointed question, the politician nevertheless gave an EQUIVOCAL answer.

· EQUIVOCATE: to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

o When faced with criticism of her policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking she agreed with them.

· ERRATIC: wandering and unpredictable

o The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of ERRATIC turns that surprised the audience.

· ERUDITE: learned, scholarly, bookish

o The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals in the field.

· ESOTERIC: known or understood by only a few

o Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world of particle physics.

· ESTIMABLE: admirable

o Most people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.

· EULOGY: speech in praise of someone

o His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents.

· EUPHEMISM: use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

o The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM “sleeping” instead of the word “dead.”

· EXACERBATE: to make worse

o It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only EXACERBATE the problem.

· EXCULPATE: to clear from blame; prove innocent

o The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to EXCULPATE those who are innocent.

· EXIGENT: urgent; requiring immediate action

o The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding.

· EXONERATE: to clear of blame

o The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.

· EXPLICIT: clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

o The owners of the house left a list of EXPLICIT instructions detailing their house sitter’s duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants.

F

· FANATICAL: acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

o The stormtroopers were FANATICAL in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.

· FAWN: to grovel

o The understudy FAWNED over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.

· FERVID: intensely emotional; feverish

o The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.

· FLORID: excessively decorated or embellished

o The palace had been decorated in a FLORID style; every surface had been carved and gilded.

· FOMENT: to arouse or incite

o The protesters tried to FOMENT feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.

· FRUGALITY: a tendency to be thrifty or cheap

o Scrooge McDuck’s FRUGALITY was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money.

G

· GARRULOUS: tending to talk a lot

o The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.

· GREGARIOUS: outgoing, sociable

o She was so GREGARIOUS that when she found herself alone, she felt quite sad.

· GUILE: deceit or trickery

o Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy.

· GULLIBLE: easily deceived

o The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information.

H

· HOMOGENEOUS (or HOMOGENOUS): of a similar kind

o The class was fairly HOMOGENEOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors.

I

· ICONOCLAST: one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

o His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST.

· IMPERTURBABLE: not capable of being disturbed

o The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.

· IMPERVIOUS: impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected

o A good raincoat will be IMPERVIOUS to moisture.

· IMPETUOUS: quick to act without thinking

o It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.

· IMPLACABLE: unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

o His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained IMPLACABLE for weeks.

· INCHOATE: not fully formed; disorganized

o The ideas expressed in Nietzsche’s mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing.

· INGENUOUS: showing innocence or childlike simplicity

o She was so INGENUOUS that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.

· INIMICAL: hostile, unfriendly

o Even though the children had grown up together, they were INIMICAL to each other at school.

· INNOCUOUS: harmless

o Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS and pose no danger to humans.

· INSIPID: lacking interest or flavor

o The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all.

· INTRANSIGENT: uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

o The professor was INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

· INUNDATE: to overwhelm; to cover with water

o The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.

· IRASCIBLE: easily made angry

o Attila the Hun’s IRASCIBLE and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.

L

· LACONIC: using few words

o She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible.

· LAMENT: to express sorrow; to grieve

o The children continued to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise.

· LAUD: to give praise; to glorify

o Parades and fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels.

· LAVISH: to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.)

o She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became overweight and spoiled.

· LETHARGIC: acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

o The clerk was so LETHARGIC that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.

· LOQUACIOUS: talkative

o She was naturally LOQUACIOUS, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking.

· LUCID: clear and easily understood

o The explanations were written in a simple and LUCID manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned.

· LUMINOUS: bright, brilliant, glowing

o The park was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors.

M

· MALINGER: to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

o A common way to avoid the draft was by MALINGERING—pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the Army.

· MALLEABLE: capable of being shaped

o Gold is the most MALLEABLE of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.

· METAPHOR: a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol

o The METAPHOR “a sea of troubles” suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.

· METICULOUS: extremely careful about details

o To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators METICULOUSLY examined every inch of the area.

· MISANTHROPE: a person who dislikes others

o The character Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.

· MITIGATE: to soften; to lessen

o A judge may MITIGATE a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.

· MOLLIFY: to calm or make less severe

o Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them.

· MONOTONY: lack of variation

o The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.

N

· NAIVE: lacking sophistication or experience

o Having never traveled before, the elementary school students were more NAIVE than their high school counterparts on the field trip.

O

· OBDURATE: hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion

o The president was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.

· OBSEQUIOUS: overly submissive and eager to please

o The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor’s tie and agree with him on every issue.

· OBSTINATE: stubborn, unyielding

o The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked.

· OBVIATE: to prevent; to make unnecessary

o The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.

· OCCLUDE: to stop up; to prevent the passage of

o A shadow is thrown across the earth’s surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is OCCLUDED by the moon.

· ONEROUS: troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

o The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it.

· OPAQUE: impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light

o The heavy buildup of dirt and grime on the windows almost made them OPAQUE.

· OPPROBRIUM: public disgrace

o After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM.

· OSTENTATION: excessive showiness

o The OSTENTATION of the Sun King’s court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.

P

· PARADOX: a contradiction or dilemma

o It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.

· PARAGON: model of excellence or perfection

o She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.

· PEDANT: someone who shows off learning

o The graduate instructor’s tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT.

· PERFIDIOUS: willing to betray one’s trust

o The actress’s PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.

· PERFUNCTORY: done in a routine way; indifferent

o The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile.

· PERMEATE: to penetrate

o This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to PERMEATE stains and dissolve them in minutes!

· PHILANTHROPY: charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness

o New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.

· PLACATE: to soothe or pacify

o The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by saying “Nice doggy,” and offering it a treat.

· PLASTIC: able to be molded, altered, or bent

o The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes.

· PLETHORA: excess

o Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a PLETHORA of excuses.

· PRAGMATIC: practical as opposed to idealistic

o While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, PRAGMATIC gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them.

· PRECIPITATE: to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

o Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only two months, friends and family members expected such a PRECIPITATE marriage to end in divorce.

· PREVARICATE: to lie or deviate from the truth

o Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.

· PRISTINE: fresh and clean; uncorrupted

o Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still PRISTINE when researchers arrived.

· PRODIGAL: lavish, wasteful

o The PRODIGAL son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure.

· PROLIFERATE: to increase in number quickly

o Although she only kept two guinea pigs initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that she soon had dozens.

· PROPITIATE: to conciliate; to appease

o The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.

· PROPRIETY: correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs

o The aristocracy maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to even the most minor social rules.

· PRUDENCE: wisdom, caution, or restraint

o The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her résumé.

· PUNGENT: sharp and irritating to the senses

o The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT.

Q

· QUIESCENT: motionless

o Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.

R

· RAREFY: to make thinner or sparser

o Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.

· REPUDIATE: to reject the validity of

o The old woman’s claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.

· RETICENT: silent, reserved

o Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting.

· RHETORIC: effective writing or speaking

o Lincoln’s talent for RHETORIC was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address.

S

· SATIATE: to satisfy fully or overindulge

o His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could SATIATE it.

· SOPORIFIC: causing sleep or lethargy

o The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater.

· SPECIOUS: deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

o The student’s SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.

· STIGMA: a mark of shame or discredit

o In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery.

· STOLID: unemotional; lacking sensitivity

o The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge’s harsh sentence.

· SUBLIME: lofty or grand

o The music was so SUBLIME that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.

T

· TACIT: done without using words

o Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a TACIT agreement had been made about which course of action to take.

· TACITURN: silent, not talkative

o The clerk’s TACITURN nature earned him the nickname “Silent Bob.”

· TIRADE: long, harsh speech or verbal attack

o Observers were shocked at the manager’s TIRADE over such a minor mistake.

· TORPOR: extreme mental and physical sluggishness

o After surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off.

· TRANSITORY: temporary; lasting a brief time

o The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.

V

· VACILLATE: to sway physically; to be indecisive

o The customer held up the line as he VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.

· VENERATE: to respect deeply

o In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to the elders’ wisdom and experience.

· VERACITY: truthfulness; accuracy

o She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events.

· VERBOSE: wordy

o The professor’s answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the original question had been.

· VEX: to annoy

o The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor’s loud music.

· VOLATILE: easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive

o His VOLATILE personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.

W

· WAVER: to fluctuate between choices

o If you WAVER too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice.

· WHIMSICAL: acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

o The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets.

Z

· ZEAL: passion, excitement

o She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members.

COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS

· ALREADY: by this or that time, previously

o He already completed his work.

· ALL READY: completely prepared

o The students were all ready to take their exam.

· ALTOGETHER: entirely; completely

o I am altogether certain that I turned in my homework.

· ALL TOGETHER: in the same place

o She kept the figurines all together on her mantle.

· CAPITAL: a city containing the seat of government; the wealth or funds owned by a business or individual; resources

o Atlanta is the capital of Georgia.

o The company’s capital gains have diminished in recent years.

· CAPITOL: the building in which a legislative body meets

o Our trip included a visit to the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

· COARSE: rough, not smooth; lacking refinement

o The truck’s large wheels enabled it to navigate the coarse, rough terrain.

o His coarse language prevented him from getting hired for the job.

· COURSE: path; series of classes or studies

o James’s favorite course is biology.

o The doctor suggested that Amy rest and let the disease run its course.

· HERE: in this location

o George Washington used to live here.

· HEAR: to listen to or to perceive by the ear

o Did you hear the question?

· ITS: a personal pronoun that shows possession

o Please put the book back in its place.

· IT’S: the contraction of “it is” or “it has”

o It’s snowing outside.

o It’s been too long.

· LEAD: to act as a leader, to go first, or to take a superior position

o The guide will lead us through the forest.

· LED: past tense of “lead”

o The guide led us through the forest.

· LEAD: a metal

o It is dangerous to inhale fumes from paint containing lead.

· LOOSE: free; to set free; not tight

o She always wears loose clothing when she does yoga.

· LOSE: to become without

o Use a bookmark so you don’t lose your place in your book.

· PASSED: the past tense of pass; a euphemism for someone dying

o We passed by her house on Sunday.

· PAST: that which has gone by or elapsed in time

o In the past, Abby never used to study.

o We drove past her house.

· PRINCIPAL: the head of a school; main or important

o The quarterback’s injury is the principal reason the team lost.

o The principal of the school meets with parents regularly.

· PRINCIPLE: a fundamental law or truth

o The laws of motion are among the most important principles in physics.

· STATIONARY: fixed, not moving

o Thomas rode a stationary bicycle at the gym.

· STATIONERY: paper used for letter writing

o The principal’s stationery has the school’s logo on the top.

· THEIR: possessive of “they”

o Paul and Ben studied for their test together.

· THERE: a place; in that matter or respect

o There are several question types on the GRE.

o Please hang up your jacket over there.

· THEY’RE: contraction of “they are”

o Be careful of the bushes, as they’re filled with thorns.