GRE vocabulary: language and expression.

Shortened or condensed while retaining the essential content

The abridged edition of the novel omits several subplots but preserves the central narrative arc.

Makes more noticeable or prominent; emphasizes

The stark lighting in the gallery accentuates the rough texture of the sculptor's bronze figures.

To provide an explanation or justification for

Researchers struggled to account for the sudden decline in the bird population along the eastern seaboard.

To allow for; to be open to the possibility of

The evidence is so overwhelming that it does not admit of any alternative explanation.

An indirect or passing reference to something

The poet's allusion to the myth of Icarus underscores the novel's theme of overreaching ambition.

Containing or characterized by indirect references

Her allusive prose rewards careful readers who recognize echoes of Shakespeare, Milton, and the King James Bible.

Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning; unclear

The contract language was deliberately ambiguous, allowing both parties to claim compliance.

Comparable in certain respects; similar or equivalent in function

The structure of an atom was once considered analogous to a miniature solar system, though this model has since been refined.

Not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so

The politician's anodyne remarks failed to address the substantive concerns of voters.

To express clearly and effectively

The witness was able to articulate the sequence of events with remarkable precision despite the trauma she had endured.

So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring; trite

The critic dismissed the film's dialogue as banal and predictable.

High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated and pretentious in language

The senator's bombastic speeches impressed few of his more thoughtful colleagues.

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

The cacophony of car horns, construction, and shouting vendors defined the city soundscape.

Logically consistent; forming a unified, intelligible whole

The defense attorney failed to present a coherent alternative theory that could account for all the evidence.

Newly invented words or phrases; linguistic creations

Shakespeare's coinages—words like 'assassination' and 'lonely'—have become so common that their origin surprises most people.

An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning

The word 'regime' carries a negative connotation that 'administration' does not, even when describing the same government.

To imply or suggest in addition to the literal meaning

In literary criticism, the color red can connote passion, danger, or revolution depending on context.

Extremely complex and difficult to follow; intricately twisted

The tax code has become so convoluted that even accountants specializing in it disagree on basic interpretations.

(Of writing or description) Clear, concise, and to the point

The journalist's crisp prose conveyed complex policy debates in language any reader could follow.

In the form of a declaration; relating to factual information or explicit memory

The opening paragraph makes a bold, declarative statement that the rest of the essay spends two hundred pages defending.

The literal, dictionary definition of a word (as opposed to connotation)

The denotation of 'home' is simply a dwelling, but its connotation encompasses warmth, safety, and belonging.

Resembling a diagram; schematic and simplified rather than realistic

The architect's diagrammatic sketches captured the building's spatial logic more effectively than the detailed blueprints.

Intended to teach or instruct, often excessively moralistic

The novel's didactic tone undermines its literary merit, as characters exist only to deliver moral lessons.

The practice of conveying instruction and moral teaching, often excessively

The playwright rejected didacticism in favor of presenting moral ambiguity and letting audiences draw their own conclusions.

Spread out over a large area; not concentrated; lacking clarity

The essay's argument is so diffuse that the reader loses track of the central thesis by the third paragraph.

Temporary departures from the main subject in speech or writing

The lecturer's frequent digressions into personal anecdotes, while entertaining, left little time for the scheduled material.

In a way that is characteristic and distinguishing; uniquely

The architect's use of curved glass facades made her buildings distinctively recognizable across the city skyline.

To develop or present in further detail; to add more information

The professor asked the student to elaborate on her thesis, which he found provocative but insufficiently supported.

The process of developing something in further detail

The theory requires further elaboration before it can be tested against the full range of available data.

To evoke or draw out a response, answer, or fact

The prosecutor's carefully worded questions were designed to elicit a confession.

To make something clear; to explain or shed light on

The professor's examples helped elucidate the complex theorem for the students.

To make something more entertaining, interesting, or lively

Personal anecdotes can enliven an otherwise dry academic lecture and help students retain key concepts.

A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt

Calling layoffs a 'workforce restructuring' is a common corporate euphemism.

To bring or recall to the conscious mind; to call forth

The composer's use of minor keys and sparse orchestration was designed to evoke a sense of solitude and longing.

Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for doubt

The contract makes explicit that either party may terminate the agreement with thirty days' written notice.

Spoken or done without preparation; impromptu

Her extemporaneous remarks at the press conference proved more compelling than her prepared statement.

Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant

His facetious remarks during the meeting were not appreciated by the board members.

Well chosen or suited to the circumstances; apt and pleasing

The ambassador's felicitous choice of words defused what could have been a diplomatic incident.

Excessively elaborate or ornate; having a red or flushed complexion

The senator's florid oratory impressed audiences in the nineteenth century but reads as overwrought to modern ears.

Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters

The garrulous neighbor could turn a simple greeting into a thirty-minute conversation.

Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner

The grandiloquent prose style of the Victorian novelist felt overwrought to modern readers.

Lacking originality through overuse; trite; cliched

The speech relied on hackneyed phrases about 'innovation' and 'synergy' that left the audience thoroughly bored.

A lengthy and aggressive speech; to lecture someone aggressively

The manager's harangue about punctuality lasted twenty minutes and demoralized the entire staff.

The quality of being vivid, direct, and without intervening medium

The war correspondent's dispatches had an immediacy that transported readers directly to the front lines.

The quality of being impossible to understand or get through

The legal document's impenetrability frustrated homeowners who simply wanted to understand their mortgage terms.

Implied though not plainly expressed; understood but not directly stated

There was an implicit understanding among the staff that disagreeing publicly with the director could end one's career.

Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words; unspeakable

The ineffable beauty of the aurora borealis left the travelers speechless.

Lacking flavor; lacking vigor or interest; dull

The insipid dialogue made the film unwatchable despite its impressive visual effects.

Able to be understood; comprehensible

The translator's challenge was to render the poet's dense symbolism intelligible to readers in a different cultural context.

Indirect suggestions or hints of something

The first chapter offers only intimations of the tragedy to come, hinting at secrets that unravel slowly.

Using very few words; brief and concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious

The laconic general was famous for his terse battle orders.

Clear, transparent; (of language) easily understood

Her limpid prose style made complex scientific ideas accessible to readers with no technical background.

Tending to talk a great deal; talkative

The loquacious tour guide provided far more information than the visitors could absorb.

Expressed clearly; easy to understand; bright or luminous

The professor was praised for her lucid explanations of otherwise impenetrable theories.

Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms; gruesome

The tabloid published lurid accounts of the scandal, embellishing every detail for maximum sensational effect.

Figurative; using one thing to represent another symbolically

The author's use of the garden as a metaphorical stand-in for civilization pervades the entire novel.

To express the meaning of something using different words; a rewording

Students were asked to paraphrase the passage in their own words to demonstrate genuine comprehension.

Quality of being obviously and easily understood or reached

The patent accessibility of her writing allowed readers without scientific training to grasp the significance of the research.

The quality of being clear in meaning, expression, or style; translucency

The essayist was praised for the pellucidity of her arguments, which made even abstract philosophy feel concrete.

Concise and forceful in expression

The editor demanded pithy headlines that could capture a story's essence in five words or fewer.

A remark that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful; a cliche

The graduation speech was filled with platitudes that failed to inspire the audience.

In a slow, heavy, laborious manner; without inspiration

The biography recounts the subject's life ploddingly, year by year, without ever pausing to reflect on larger themes.

The use of an excess of words; long-windedness; verbosity

The professor's prolixity was legendary—a question that required a one-sentence answer would elicit a twenty-minute lecture.

Lacking poetic beauty or imagination; commonplace; dull and ordinary

The truth behind the legend turned out to be disappointingly prosaic—a simple accounting error, not a grand conspiracy.

Root or base elements of a word from which derivatives are formed

Understanding Latin and Greek radicals can help students decode the meanings of unfamiliar English words.

(Of writing or speech) lengthy and confused; disorganized

The witness's rambling testimony, full of tangents and contradictions, tested the patience of both the judge and the jury.

Persuasive or grandiloquent language; discourse aimed at influencing opinion

The candidate's soaring rhetoric inspired millions, though critics wondered whether the policies could match the promises.

Relating to or concerned with the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing

The author's use of rhetorical questions forces the reader to confront uncomfortable truths about complicity.

Relating to meaning in language

The dispute was largely semantic, with both parties agreeing on the substance but disagreeing about the terminology.

Loud and harsh; presenting a point of view in an excessively forceful way

The strident tone of the editorial alienated readers who might otherwise have agreed.

Relating to the arrangement of words and phrases in sentences

The poet's unusual syntactical choices—inverted clauses, fragmented sentences—force readers to slow down and pay attention.

Understood or implied without being stated; unspoken

There was a tacit agreement among the committee members to avoid discussing the controversial topic.

Diverging from a previous course; only marginally relevant

The professor's tangential remarks, while entertaining, distracted from the main lecture topic.

Sparing in the use of words; abrupt and concise

The general's terse battlefield dispatches—sometimes only three words long—became legendary for their economy of expression.

Lacking originality or freshness; overused and consequently dull

The commencement speech was full of trite advice about 'following your dreams' that the graduates had heard a hundred times before.

To emphasize; to underline the importance of something

The rising number of extreme weather events only serves to underscore the urgency of addressing climate change.

Leaving no doubt; unambiguous; clear and decisive

The court's ruling was unequivocal: the statute was unconstitutional.

Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; dull and uninspiring

The vapid television programming was criticized for failing to engage viewers intellectually.

In exactly the same words; word for word

The court stenographer recorded the testimony verbatim, capturing every word and hesitation.

Using more words than needed; wordy

The report was so verbose that the committee requested a five-page summary of its three-hundred-page findings.

Expressing opinions or feelings freely or loudly

The most vocal opponents of the policy were community leaders who had seen similar measures fail in the past.

Vehement or clamorous; expressing opinions or feelings loudly and forcefully

Vociferous protests outside city hall continued for a second week, drawing national media coverage.

The quality of talking or writing fluently and at great length; producing a great deal of speech or writing

The professor's volubility was both a gift and a hazard—her lectures were fascinating but frequently ran over time.