Top 20 GRE Vocabulary Words You Should Know in 2025

The GRE Verbal section isn't just about reading quickly—it's about understanding precise meanings, recognizing tone, and seeing how words shape arguments. A strong vocabulary makes every Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence question feel more manageable and less like a guessing game.

In this guide, we'll walk through 20 essential GRE vocabulary words that are highly relevant for 2025. You'll get clear definitions, simple examples, and quick memory hooks so you can start using these words confidently in context—not just memorizing them in isolation.

How to Use This GRE Vocabulary List

Don't just read these words once and move on. To make this list work for you, build it into a short, daily routine:

• Review 5–7 words per day instead of cramming all 20 at once.
• Say each word out loud, then explain it in your own words without looking.
• Write one new sentence that uses the word in a realistic, academic or professional context.
• Revisit the entire list at least twice per week until the words feel “familiar” on sight.

Over time, this kind of active practice trains your brain to recognize patterns in GRE vocabulary, so unfamiliar words become less intimidating on test day.

1–5: Core GRE Vocabulary for Arguments and Tone

These words often appear in Reading Comprehension passages and answer choices that describe an author's attitude or the structure of an argument.

• Ambivalent – having mixed or conflicting feelings about something. Example: The researcher was ambivalent about the policy, acknowledging both its benefits and drawbacks.
• Mitigate – to make something less severe or intense. Example: The new regulations were designed to mitigate the environmental impact of the project.
• Specious – seemingly true or plausible, but actually false or deceptive. Example: The argument was convincing at first glance but ultimately specious.
• Pragmatic – focused on practical results rather than theory or ideology. Example: The committee took a pragmatic approach, choosing the option that was easiest to implement.
• Esoteric – understood only by a small, specialized group. Example: The article used esoteric terminology that confused most readers.

6–10: Words That Signal Change, Contrast, and Nuance

These words frequently appear in transitions, making them especially important for Reading Comprehension and Text Completion.

• Ameliorate – to improve or make better.Example: The reforms were intended to ameliorate working conditions in the factories.
• Belie – to give a false impression of something.Example: Her calm expression belied her nervousness.
• Capricious – unpredictable or impulsive.Example: Investors were wary of the market's capricious behavior.
• Prosaic – dull, ordinary, lacking imagination.Example: The explanation was accurate but prosaic, failing to capture the audience's interest.
• Ubiquitous – present or found everywhere.Example: Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern life.

11–15: High-Yield Words for Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence

These words often appear in subtle answer choices where you need to infer the sentence's tone or logical direction.

• Didactic – intended to teach, often in a moralizing or overly instructive way. Example: The didactic tone of the essay made it feel more like a lecture than a discussion.
• Lucid – clear and easy to understand.Example: The professor gave a lucid explanation of a difficult concept.
• Obscure – (verb) to make unclear; (adj.) not well known. Example: The report's technical jargon obscured its main findings.
• Partisan – strongly biased in favor of a particular side or cause. Example: The article offered a partisan view of the issue.
• Tenacious – persistent, determined, not easily giving up. Example: Her tenacious preparation paid off on test day.

16–20: Advanced Words That Elevate Your GRE Writing and Reading

These words add nuance and sophistication to both Analytical Writing and Verbal reasoning.

• Intransigent – unwilling to compromise or change one's views. Example: The board remained intransigent despite mounting criticism.
• Magnanimous – generous, forgiving, or noble in spirit. Example: The scientist was magnanimous in sharing credit with her team.
• Nascent – just beginning to develop or emerge.Example: The nascent field of research had enormous potential.
• Prudent – careful, wise, and showing good judgment. Example: It is prudent to begin GRE preparation several months before your test date.
• Skeptical – doubtful or questioning.Example: GRE passages frequently describe scholars who are skeptical of widely accepted theories.

How to Remember GRE Vocabulary So It Sticks

Memorizing GRE vocabulary isn't about grinding through hundreds of flashcards once. It's about frequent, short reviews and using the words in realistic contexts. Try these strategies:

• Create small decks of 15–20 words and cycle them weekly.
• Group words by relationships—synonyms, antonyms, and “families” of meaning.
• Add words you miss on practice questions to a personal “error log.”
• Write one GRE-style sentence or short argument using 2–3 target words at a time.

Get Smarter GRE Vocabulary Practice with an AI Tutor

Building vocabulary for the GRE can feel overwhelming—but you don't have to do it alone. SimpUTech's AI Tutor for GRE Verbal and Reading Comprehension is designed to help you study the right words, in the right way, for faster score gains.

Instead of passively flipping flashcards, you'll get targeted practice questions, custom explanations, and interactive drills that adapt to your strengths and weaknesses. The tutor can quiz you on words like specious, ameliorate, or magnanimous in realistic sentence contexts until they feel automatic.