A good vocabulary is crucial to acing Verbal section in GRE, CAT, SAT and other such exams. In this series of articles, we have compiled 1000 words that frequently feature in competitive exams.Spread over 25 lists of 40 words, these lists offer you a chance to learn the most essential English words.
Each word in the list is accompanied with its meaning and followed by a usage example. The words are categorized on three levels: 1, 2 and 3, according to the degree of difficulty. Go through the word lists and strengthen your vocabulary database.
Level 1: Let’s get warmed up
| Backpedal: Modify one's opinion, make it less strong |
| Politicians generally find it hard to backpedal on their publicly stated positions. |
| Compound: Add or increase |
| Strong winds compounded the difficulties of the fire-fighters. |
| Caustic: Harsh or corrosive in tone |
| He heaped caustic comments on his opponents. |
| Voracious: Very Greedy |
| Ram is a voracious shopkeeper who over-charges all his clients. |
| Indiscriminate: Not making or based on careful distinctions |
| The indiscriminate marking by the teacher led to the failure of a number of students. |
| Eminent: Of high rank or importance |
| Some eminent members of the society helped in rehabilitating the slum-dwellers in the city. |
| Matron: Supervisor or monitor |
| The hospital matron was very strict with the new nurses. |
| Paradox: Contradiction |
| It is a strange paradox that standing is more tiring than walking , |
| Realm: Kingdom |
| The priest lived in an idyllic realm of contentment and self-indulgence. |
| Throng: A large gathering of people |
| The crowds thronged the stadium of the rock concert. |
| Accost: Speak to someone |
| He was accosted in the street by four men. |
| Plethora: Extreme excess |
| There was a plethora of toys in Santa’s bag. |
| Felon: Someone who has committed a crime. |
| As a convicted felon he was sent to prison. |
| Fabricate: Make up something artificial or untrue |
| He fabricated a lie to save his life. |
| Gesticulate: Show, express or direct through movement |
| He gesticulated to call them near. |
| Vigilant: Carefully observant or attentive. |
| It was difficult to escape the vigilant eye of the town watch. |
| Avid: Ardently or excessively desirous |
| She was an avid reader of literary books. |
| Enhance: Increase |
| This condiment will enhance the flavour of the meal. |
| Jostle: To come in rough contact while moving; push and shove |
| The passengers jostled each other in the overcrowded train. |
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Level 2: Let’s take it up a notch
| Steeped: To soak in liquid/devote oneself fully |
| The peach blossoms were soaked in oil to be able to take out their fragrance. |
| Replete: Fill to satisfaction |
| The cricket match was replete with excitement and great plays. |
| Abound: In large quantities |
| In spring, the gardens abound with flowers. |
| Automaton: Robot |
| Only an automaton wouldn’t have noticed the hectic activity on the busy street. |
| Annals: Chronological records |
| The king is mentioned several times in annals of the period of his rule. |
| Perceive: To become conscious of something |
| She finally managed to perceive the truth. |
| Laconic: Brief and to the point |
| Whenever you ask him a tricky question, he gives a laconic reply. |
| Reticent: Cool and formal in manner |
| The students were very reticent to discuss their work. |
| Hapless: Deserving or inciting pity |
| The poor became hapless victims of a ruthless society. |
| Irate: Feeling or showing extreme anger |
| Irate protesters came onto the streets against corruption. |
Level 3: Time to be a master
| Prognosticate: To portend |
| The latest date of urban renewal prognosticates a social and cultural renaissance. |
| Badger: Annoy persistently |
| The beggar badgered the tourists constantly till they gave him some money. |
| Implore: Entreat |
| The victim implored the tribunal to have mercy. |
| Drudgery: Hard, menial work |
| The loss of a maid added to the drudgery of the housekeeper. |
| Interminable: Tiresomely long |
| The interminable sermon almost put the congregation to sleep. |
| Intrepid: Invulnerable to fear |
| All super heroes are intrepid people. |
| Furtive: Secret and sly or sordid |
| He was a young man with furtive eyes. |
| Pretext: Something serving to conceal plans |
| Under the pretext of friendship, he betrayed them. |
| Adroit: Quick or skilful |
| He is an adroit negotiator when it comes to cracking business deals. |
| Cajole: To persuade by flattery or urging |
| He cajoled her into going along with him to the movies. |
| Reprimand: Rebuke formally |
| The customer rebuked the waiter for bringing cold soup. |
Vocabulary Preparation Series
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