📘 Elevate Your GMAT Verbal Score: 30 Advanced Vocabulary Words for Emotions, Decisions & Disputes – Week 3
Struggling with GMAT Sentence Correction and Critical Reasoning?
Master these 30 sophisticated vocabulary words—grouped by Psychology, Strategy, Economics, and more—that frequently appear in GMAT Verbal questions. Understanding these will not only help you spot errors but also interpret tone, logic, and meaning more precisely.
Each word is packed with its definition, a GMAT-style sentence, and a usage tip for real exam prep value.
🔢 Vocabulary List with Examples
1. Psychology & Sociology
- Adulate
• Meaning: To excessively praise or flatter
• Sentence: The intern adulated the CEO in hopes of promotion.
• Tip: Look for exaggerated praise and its implications in tone-based questions. - Adulation
• Meaning: Excessive admiration
• Sentence: The celebrity was uncomfortable with the constant adulation.
• Tip: Use when identifying flattery vs. sincerity. - Affable
• Meaning: Friendly, easy to talk to
• Sentence: Her affable nature made her a favorite among clients.
• Tip: Positive tone word—can be contrasted with harsh or formal ones. - Affectation
• Meaning: Artificial behavior to impress
• Sentence: His British accent was an affectation, not genuine.
• Tip: Used in contexts requiring clarity between real and fake. - Affinity
• Meaning: A natural liking or connection
• Sentence: She felt an immediate affinity with classical music.
• Tip: Often used in emotional or preference-based reasoning. - Aggrieve
• Meaning: To cause distress or offense
• Sentence: The unfair policy aggrieved several employees.
• Tip: Related to emotional harm or perceived injustice. - Aghast
• Meaning: Filled with horror or shock
• Sentence: Investors were aghast at the sudden market crash.
• Tip: Useful in tone questions indicating extreme reaction. - Agog
• Meaning: Eager or excited
• Sentence: The fans were agog with anticipation before the launch.
• Tip: Strongly positive tone—often contrasted with fear or worry. - Agonize
• Meaning: To mentally suffer or worry
• Sentence: She agonized over which college to attend.
• Tip: Appears in dilemmas or emotional conflict situations.
2. Strategy & Decision Making
- Adroit
• Meaning: Skillful and clever
• Sentence: His adroit handling of the crisis won him praise.
• Tip: Positive word often used in contrast with clumsy or unskilled. - Agile
• Meaning: Quick-thinking or physically nimble
• Sentence: Startups need agile teams to succeed in fast markets.
• Tip: Describes both physical and mental flexibility. - Advocate
• Meaning: To support or argue in favor of
• Sentence: She advocates for climate change awareness.
• Tip: Can appear in logical support arguments. - Advocacy
• Meaning: Public support for an idea
• Sentence: The NGO is known for its advocacy of human rights.
• Tip: Watch for tone in cause-based questions. - Agitate
• Meaning: To stir up or provoke
• Sentence: The activist agitated for fair wages.
• Tip: Can carry emotional or political intensity—often tested for tone.
3. Business & Economics
- Affluent
• Meaning: Wealthy
• Sentence: The affluent district saw no effect from the recession.
• Tip: Economic indicators often use this word for comparison. - Aggrandize
• Meaning: To increase power or wealth
• Sentence: The politician tried to aggrandize his role in the decision.
• Tip: May appear in tone questions about exaggeration or motive. - Aggregate
• Meaning: Total or whole formed by parts
• Sentence: The aggregate sales exceeded forecasts.
• Tip: Often used in data-driven Sentence Correction questions. - Adulterate
• Meaning: To make impure (usually for profit)
• Sentence: The supplier was caught adulterating food products.
• Tip: Often found in ethics or business CR contexts.
4. Philosophy & Logic
- Agnostic
• Meaning: Unsure about God or truth
• Sentence: As an agnostic, he remained neutral in religious debates.
• Tip: Can appear in logical or ethical dilemmas where certainty is absent.
5. Law & Ethics
- Adversarial
• Meaning: Involving conflict or opposition
• Sentence: The debate became increasingly adversarial.
• Tip: Signals a confrontational or competitive setting. - Adverse
• Meaning: Harmful or unfavorable
• Sentence: The new law had adverse effects on small businesses.
• Tip: Watch for comparisons or consequences. - Adversity
• Meaning: Difficulty or misfortune
• Sentence: He thrived despite years of adversity.
• Tip: Typically found in resilience or challenge contexts.
6. Communication & Language
- Adumbrate
• Meaning: To foreshadow or outline vaguely
• Sentence: The author adumbrated the twist in earlier chapters.
• Tip: Often paired with literary or argument structure discussions. - Aesthetic
• Meaning: Concerned with beauty
• Sentence: The design’s aesthetic appeal attracted young buyers.
• Tip: Applies to art, architecture, branding—tested for tone/style. - Aestheticism
• Meaning: Devotion to beauty or art
• Sentence: The movement emphasized aestheticism over function.
• Tip: Useful in comparing style vs. utility.
7. Religion & Spirituality
- Aerie
• Meaning: High nest or secluded stronghold
• Sentence: The guru lived in an aerie atop the mountains.
• Tip: Rare word but metaphorical—watch for poetic or symbolic usage.
8. General Academic
- Adorn
• Meaning: To decorate or beautify
• Sentence: The hall was adorned with banners and flowers.
• Tip: May describe visuals, ceremonies, or metaphorical embellishment. - Advent
• Meaning: Arrival of something significant
• Sentence: The advent of AI changed the job market.
• Tip: Often used in tech, history, or invention contexts. - Adventitious
• Meaning: Accidental; not inherent
• Sentence: The discovery was adventitious rather than planned.
• Tip: Appears in cause-effect logic; contrasts with deliberate actions.
🎯 GMAT Sentence Correction Practice
Q1. The brand’s success was due not to planning but to an ______ series of events.
A) affluent B) agnostic C) adventitious D) adorned
Answer: C) adventitious
Q2. The speaker’s ______ comments made the audience uncomfortable.
A) agog B) aesthetic C) acerbic D) affectation
Answer: D) affectation
Q3. The lawyer remained ______ in her defense, despite media pressure.
A) adverse B) adamant C) affable D) aggrieved
Answer: B) adamant
Q4. The company’s CEO attempted to ______ his influence by exaggerating his achievements.
A) aggrandize B) advocate C) adorn D) aggregate
Answer: A) aggrandize
Q5. Critics noted that the novel’s early chapters subtly ______ the plot twist to come.
A) aggregate B) adumbrate C) adulterate D) advocate
Answer: B) adumbrate
🎓 GMAT Verbal Tip
The GMAT rewards clarity, accuracy, and tone control. Words like advocate, adulterate, and adumbrate may seem similar but imply drastically different meanings. Knowing these distinctions is key to Sentence Correction mastery.
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