📘 30 Essential GMAT Sentence Correction Vocabulary Words for Conflict, Logic & Style

Want to improve your GMAT Verbal score?
These 30 vocabulary words are frequently tested in GMAT Sentence Correction and Critical Reasoning sections. From identifying faulty comparisons to correcting awkward expressions, mastering these terms can significantly improve your accuracy and verbal reasoning.

Each word is theme-tagged, includes a precise meaning, GMAT-style sentence, and a usage tip for exam strategy.

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🔢 Vocabulary List with Examples

1. Conflict & Resolution

1. Abate
   • Meaning: To reduce in intensity
   • Sentence: The judge ordered the noise to abate after repeated complaints.
   • Tip: Common in weakening arguments or conditions.
2. Abet
   • Meaning: To assist or encourage wrongdoing
   • Sentence: The manager was accused of abetting financial fraud.
   • Tip: Look out for negative tone contexts.
3. Abjure
   • Meaning: To renounce or formally reject
   • Sentence: She abjured her citizenship to join the foreign army.
   • Tip: Often used in legal or ethical rejection.
4. Abnegate
   • Meaning: To deny oneself pleasures or rights
   • Sentence: The monk chose to abnegate material wealth.
   • Tip: Used in contexts of discipline or sacrifice.
5. Abnegation
   • Meaning: Self-denial
   • Sentence: His life was one of complete abnegation and service.
   • Tip: May show up in philosophical contexts.
6. Abrogate
   • Meaning: To abolish formally
   • Sentence: The government moved to abrogate the outdated law.
   • Tip: Common in political and legal contexts.
7. Abscond
   • Meaning: To flee secretly, usually to avoid arrest
   • Sentence: The accountant absconded with company funds.
   • Tip: Related to escape, often in crime-related CR questions.
8. Absolve
   • Meaning: To free from guilt
   • Sentence: The priest absolved the sinner after confession.
   • Tip: Watch for context clues about blame or guilt.
9. Absolution
   • Meaning: Formal forgiveness
   • Sentence: The court granted her absolution based on new evidence.
   • Tip: Legal/religious term, often tested for precision.
10. Abstain
    • Meaning: To intentionally avoid something
    • Sentence: Many members abstained from voting on the motion.
    • Tip: Shows intentional non-participation—useful in CR questions.
11. Abstemious
    • Meaning: Moderate in consumption, especially food/drink
    • Sentence: The diplomat lived an abstemious lifestyle abroad.
    • Tip: Contrast word in health or discipline-based arguments.

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2. Psychology & Sociology

12. Aberrant
    • Meaning: Deviating from the norm
    • Sentence: His aberrant behavior raised concerns at the office.
    • Tip: Triggers “cause-effect” questions in CR.
13. Aberration
    • Meaning: A deviation; abnormal instance
    • Sentence: The spike in temperatures was an aberration.
    • Tip: Common in trends and data interpretation.
14. Abject
    • Meaning: Severe and hopeless
    • Sentence: They lived in abject poverty after the collapse.
    • Tip: Watch for context involving extremes.

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3. Philosophy & Logic

15. Abstract
    • Meaning: Not concrete; theoretical
    • Sentence: The theory was too abstract for practical use.
    • Tip: Watch for contrast with practical or real-world examples.
16. Abstruse
    • Meaning: Difficult to understand
    • Sentence: His explanation was so abstruse that nobody followed.
    • Tip: Often paired with criticism of complexity.

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4. Education & Learning

17. Abbreviate
    • Meaning: To shorten
    • Sentence: In notes, students often abbreviate long terms.
    • Tip: Useful in precision vs. brevity comparisons.
18. Accessible
    • Meaning: Easy to understand or use
    • Sentence: The professor’s notes were clear and accessible.
    • Tip: Often in sentence corrections involving clarity.

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5. General Academic

19. Accede
    • Meaning: To agree to a demand
    • Sentence: The board acceded to the merger after much debate.
    • Tip: Watch for tone shifts or concessions in arguments.
20. Accelerate
    • Meaning: To increase in speed or rate
    • Sentence: The reforms helped accelerate the approval process.
    • Tip: Associated with time, speed, and cause-effect.
21. Accentuate
    • Meaning: To highlight or emphasize
    • Sentence: The marketing strategy accentuated product strengths.
    • Tip: Used in comparison or stylistic correction questions.
22. Accolade
    • Meaning: An award or praise
    • Sentence: The scientist received an accolade for her research.
    • Tip: Look for tone issues in parallel structures.
23. Accommodate
    • Meaning: To adapt or provide
    • Sentence: The policy was adjusted to accommodate more students.
    • Tip: Often used with “adjust,” “adapt,” or “flexibility.”

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6. Religion & Rituals

24. Ablution
    • Meaning: A religious or ceremonial cleansing
    • Sentence: Morning ablutions are a ritual in many cultures.
    • Tip: Appears in metaphorical or cultural references.
25. Ablutions
    • Meaning: Acts of washing for purification
    • Sentence: He performed his ablutions before prayer.
    • Tip: Rare but tricky—watch singular/plural usage.
26. Abhor
    • Meaning: To hate intensely
    • Sentence: She abhors cruelty to animals.
    • Tip: Often used to strengthen emotional appeal or moral stance.

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7. Absurdity & Logic

27. Absurd
    • Meaning: Illogical or unreasonable
    • Sentence: The proposal was so absurd that it wasn’t even discussed.
    • Tip: Commonly tested in illogical comparisons or wordiness.

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8. Business & Economics

28. Abundant
    • Meaning: Plentiful or more than enough
    • Sentence: The region has abundant natural resources.
    • Tip: Pairs with data-based questions or CR assumptions.

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🎯 GMAT Sentence Correction Practice

Q1. Although the CEO promised transparency, the report was full of _______ statements that confused the stakeholders.
A) abstruse B) coherent C) concise D) abundant
Answer: A) abstruse

Q2. The government attempted to ______ the outdated policy, citing public disapproval.
A) accelerate B) abrogate C) accentuate D) abbreviate
Answer: B) abrogate

Q3. His actions were ______ and could not be justified under any ethical framework.
A) abstract B) absurd C) accessible D) ambiguous
Answer: B) absurd

Q4. The suspect _______ with the evidence before the trial began.
A) abated B) absolved C) absconded D) abnegated
Answer: C) absconded

Q5. The committee’s ________ of personal luxuries inspired respect among citizens.
A) abatement B) abnegation C) abstention D) absolution
Answer: B) abnegation

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🎓 GMAT Verbal Tip

Always eliminate answer choices with ambiguous, redundant, or illogical structure. Precision in vocabulary is key for scoring high on GMAT Sentence Correction.

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