📘 30 Must-Know GRE Vocabulary Words on Emotions, Logic & Social Behavior (with Mnemonics)
Preparing for the GRE Verbal section?
Boost your score with these 30 handpicked vocabulary words covering emotions, abstract concepts, reasoning, law, social behavior, and discipline.
Each word includes a definition, GRE-style usage sentence, and a mnemonic to help you memorize effectively.
💡 GRE Word List (with Mnemonics)
| Word | Meaning | GRE Sentence Example | Mnemonic Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abate | To lessen in intensity or amount | The political tension began to abate after peace talks. | A-bate = A-beat = reduce like beating down |
| Abhor | To hate deeply | She abhors dishonesty in any form. | Abhor = hate what’s “horrible” |
| Abject | Extremely bad; showing hopelessness | He lived in abject poverty after losing everything. | Abject = “object” of pity |
| Abstain | To deliberately avoid or refrain | He abstained from voting due to lack of information. | Abstain = stay away = “stain-free” |
| Abstemious | Self-restrained, especially in eating/drinking | Her abstemious diet kept her fit throughout the year. | Ab-stomach = restrain stomach |
| Abstract | Existing as a concept, not concrete | The professor’s ideas were too abstract to grasp easily. | Abstract art = hard to understand |
| Abstruse | Difficult to understand | Quantum mechanics remains abstruse to most students. | Abstruse = “confused truth” |
| Absurd | Wildly unreasonable or illogical | The theory was so absurd that no one took it seriously. | Absurd = out of sync with reason |
| Abet | To aid or encourage wrongdoing | He was charged with abetting the criminal. | Abet = aid + bad |
| Abrogate | To officially cancel or repeal | The law was abrogated after public protest. | Abrogate = “abort” a rule legally |
| Abscond | To flee secretly (especially to avoid arrest) | The accountant absconded with the company’s funds. | Abscond = abs (away) + cond (hide) |
| Abjure | To renounce formally | He abjured violence in favor of peaceful protest. | Abjure = “jury” → formal law renunciation |
| Absolution | Formal release from guilt or punishment | The priest offered her absolution for her sins. | Absolution = dissolve guilt |
| Absolve | To declare someone free from guilt | The judge absolved him of all charges. | Solve someone’s guilt |
| Accede | To agree to a request or treaty | The king acceded to the terms of the agreement. | Accede = accept + concede |
| Abeyance | A state of temporary suspension | The project is in abeyance until further notice. | A-beyance = “be on hold” |
| Abnegate | To deny oneself something (often pleasure) | He abnegated all material desires to live a spiritual life. | Negate your needs |
| Abnegation | Act of self-denial | Her abnegation of luxury was admired by many. | Ab = away, negation = denial |
| Ablution | Ritual washing or cleansing | The monks performed their morning ablutions by the river. | Ablution = lotion = washing |
| Ablutions | Acts of washing for religious rituals | His daily ablutions were part of a spiritual routine. | Ablutions = plural of ablution |
| Accelerate | To speed up | Innovation has accelerated in recent years. | Accelerate = access faster |
| Abbreviate | To shorten | “Dr.” is an abbreviation of “Doctor.” | ABBREVIATE = SHORTEN (like a brief) |
| Accentuate | To highlight or emphasize | Her makeup accentuated her cheekbones. | Accent = highlight sound |
| Abundant | More than enough; plentiful | The forest was abundant with rare flora. | Abundant = bun-dant = many buns |
| Abysmal | Extremely poor in quality | The service at the hotel was abysmal. | Abyss = deep, abysmal = rock bottom |
| Accolade | Praise or award | The director received accolades for the film. | Accolade = clap = praise |
| Accommodate | To make room or adjust | The room was large enough to accommodate all guests. | A+commode = space for more |
| Accessible | Easy to approach or understand | The museum is accessible to the disabled. | Access = easy to enter |
| Aberrant | Deviating from the normal | His aberrant behavior alarmed his parents. | Ab (away) + errant (error) |
| Aberration | A deviation from the norm | Her sudden kindness was an aberration from her usual harshness. | Aberration = error + deviation |
🎯 Practice Section: GRE Sentence Completion
1. Her strict, _______ habits made her the healthiest person in the office.
A) indulgent B) ostentatious C) abstemious D) unpredictable
Answer: C) abstemious
2. After years of faithful service, he was granted full _______ by the church.
A) accusation B) acclaim C) absolution D) abnegation
Answer: C) absolution
3. The theory was so ______ that even experts struggled to explain it.
A) lucid B) abstruse C) charming D) amusing
Answer: B) abstruse
💬 GRE Verbal Tip of the Day
When solving sentence completions, match the sentence tone.
Words like although, despite, yet, and however often signal a contrast. Use these clues to find the correct answer.
📅 Download Flashcards (PDF)
Download all 30 words with meanings, mnemonics, and GRE-style examples in a printable PDF.
👉 Click here to download GRE Flashcards (PDF)
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