GRE vocabulary: society, power and culture.

To renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, or responsibility

The king chose to abdicate the throne rather than face a revolution.

Agreeing to a demand, request, or treaty; giving consent

After months of resistance, the board ended up acceding to the shareholders' demand for greater transparency.

Vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change

Her activism on behalf of migrant workers earned her both admiration and fierce political opposition.

Modified versions of something adjusted for a new purpose

Film adaptations of classic novels rarely satisfy readers who cherish the original prose.

To publicly recommend or support; a person who pleads for a cause

She continued to advocate for criminal justice reform throughout her career.

Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

The building's aesthetic appeal was undeniable, drawing tourists from around the world.

A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty

The aesthetics of Japanese garden design emphasize simplicity, asymmetry, and the beauty of natural materials.

Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land; agricultural

The country's agrarian economy left it vulnerable to droughts that devastated crop yields.

Estranged; made to feel isolated or withdrawn from

The artist's uncompromising vision alienated mainstream audiences but earned devoted followers among critics.

Providing supplementary or additional help and support; subsidiary

The research paper's ancillary findings about diet and sleep proved more influential than its main thesis.

A vigorous and pioneering advocate of a particular cause or idea

She became an apostle of sustainable architecture, lecturing worldwide on carbon-neutral building design.

Very old or old-fashioned; belonging to an earlier period

The archaic language of the legal code made it nearly incomprehensible to modern readers.

A self-contained piece for one voice, usually in an opera

The soprano's aria in the second act brought the audience to tears with its haunting simplicity.

Relating to or characteristic of an author

The novel's shifting perspectives make it difficult to determine the authorial stance on the central moral dilemma.

Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom

The authoritarian regime suppressed dissent through censorship, surveillance, and the imprisonment of political opponents.

Official permission or approval to do something

Construction could not begin without authorization from both the city planning board and the environmental agency.

Made use of; took advantage of

She availed herself of the university's extensive archives to reconstruct the lost history of the community.

Sent away from a place as an official punishment; expelled

The dissident was banished from the country and spent twenty years in exile before the regime fell.

Yielded or submitted to

The company bowed to public pressure and withdrew the controversial advertisement within hours of its release.

To wave or flourish something as a threat or display

The dictator would brandish military threats whenever neighboring countries criticized his human rights record.

Restraining or controlling; checking the freedom of

The author chafed at the publisher's edits, bridling at what she saw as unnecessary interference with her prose.

A system of government or administration marked by excessive red tape and rigid procedures

The grant application required navigating a labyrinth of bureaucracy that discouraged all but the most determined researchers.

The concentration of control or authority in a single entity or center

The centralization of power in the capital weakened local governance and bred resentment in the provinces.

A V-shaped or zigzag pattern used as decoration or insignia

The mosaic floor featured a repeating chevron pattern that archaeologists traced to second-century Roman workshops.

The part of a church between the nave and the altar, typically enclosed, where the choir sings

The choir of the medieval cathedral was reserved for clergy, separated from the nave where the congregation gathered.

Relating to the clergy or religious officials

The clerical hierarchy resisted the reforms, viewing them as a threat to the church's traditional authority.

A composition made by combining diverse elements

The filmmaker's work is a collage of documentary footage, animation, and staged reenactments.

Relating to the shared responsibility and cooperation among colleagues

The department fostered a collegial atmosphere in which junior faculty felt comfortable sharing ideas with senior professors.

Established a settlement in and exercised control over a foreign territory

European powers colonized vast territories in Africa during the nineteenth century, redrawing borders with little regard for existing cultures.

Trade; the exchange of goods and services between groups

The ancient port city thrived on commerce, trading silk and spices with merchants from three continents.

Shared by all members of a community; for common use

The communal gardens provided fresh produce and, more importantly, a gathering place for the neighborhood.

The act of obeying rules, requests, or commands

The factory was shut down for failure to maintain compliance with federal emissions standards.

Standing out so as to be clearly visible; attracting notice

The artist's conspicuous absence from the gallery opening fueled speculation about a rift with the curator.

The act of placing something in an appropriate context for proper understanding

The museum's contextualization of colonial artifacts alongside indigenous accounts offered a more balanced historical narrative.

The quality of being based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed; conformity

The novelist's early work was marked by a conventionality that gave no hint of the radical experimentation to come.

Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures

The cosmopolitan city attracted artists, entrepreneurs, and scholars from every continent.

An early 20th-century art movement that fragmented objects into geometric forms and depicted them from multiple viewpoints simultaneously

Cubism shattered the conventions of perspective that had dominated Western painting since the Renaissance.

Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety; etiquette

The judge demanded decorum in her courtroom, silencing the unruly spectators.

Humble submission and respect; yielding to the judgment of another

Out of deference to the senior professor, the young researcher withheld her criticism.

A political leader who seeks support by appealing to prejudices rather than rational argument

Historians often cite the rise of the demagogue as a warning about the fragility of democracy.

To determine or control; to prescribe authoritatively

Economic realities, rather than ideological preferences, often dictate the policies a government can pursue.

A lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite; a mournful song

The haunting dirge echoed through the cathedral during the memorial service.

To manage without; to get rid of

The new manufacturing process allowed the company to dispense with several costly intermediate steps.

To make ineligible or unfit; to declare not meeting requirements

A single procedural error was enough to disqualify the laboratory's results from inclusion in the meta-analysis.

Lack of attention to or concern for something

The company's blatant disregard for environmental regulations resulted in a record-setting fine from federal authorities.

To spread or scatter widely, especially information or knowledge

The internet has made it possible to disseminate research findings to a global audience within hours of publication.

Seeking to impose a doctrine without regard to practical considerations; rigidly ideological

His doctrinaire approach to economics ignored the messy realities of the global marketplace.

A person who makes documentary films or photographs documenting real life

The documentarian spent five years embedded in the community before filming a single frame of footage.

Representing a number of different groups or viewpoints; universal or broad in scope (originally: promoting unity among Christian churches)

The conference adopted an ecumenical approach, inviting scholars from every major school of thought to present their findings.

Relating to or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities

The commune was founded on egalitarian principles, with every member sharing equally in both labor and decision-making.

All the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election

The electorate was deeply polarized, with no single issue capable of uniting voters across party lines.

The complete removal or getting rid of something

The elimination of lead from gasoline is one of the twentieth century's most significant public health achievements.

Fixed firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass

Cultural assumptions are embedded in language in ways that native speakers rarely notice.

Fame or recognized superiority within a particular sphere; high rank or distinction

The historian achieved such eminence in the field that her interpretations shaped an entire generation of scholarship.

Native to or restricted to a certain place; regularly found among particular people or in a certain area

Corruption was endemic in the regime, permeating every level of government.

Involves (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence

Rebuilding the city's infrastructure entails not just financial investment but also years of careful urban planning.

Firmly established and difficult to change

Entrenched interests in the energy sector have repeatedly blocked legislation aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

A person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

The museum is considered the epitome of modern architectural design.

Fair and impartial; just

The mediator proposed an equitable division of resources that gave each community access to clean water.

Adopted or supported (a cause, belief, or way of life)

The reformer espoused the cause of universal suffrage at a time when the idea was considered dangerously radical.

The state of being alienated or separated in feeling

The estrangement between the two former allies lasted nearly a decade before a mutual friend brokered reconciliation.

The study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who create it

Her work in ethnomusicology documented musical traditions that were at risk of disappearing within a single generation.

The characteristic spirit, attitudes, or guiding beliefs of a community, era, or movement

The company's ethos of innovation encourages employees to experiment freely, even at the risk of occasional failure.

The quality of being convenient and practical, though possibly improper or immoral; political advantage or self-serving convenience

The decision was driven by political expedience rather than any genuine concern for the welfare of constituents.

Convenient and practical, though possibly improper or immoral; serving one's immediate interest

The quick fix was expedient in the short term but created structural problems that took years to resolve.

Able to be taken advantage of or used for one's benefit

The software vulnerability was potentially exploitable by attackers, prompting an emergency patch from the developer.

Taken away (property) from the owner, typically by the state or an authority

The government expropriated farmland along the river to build a dam, compensating owners at below-market rates.

To make an action or process easy or easier; to help bring about

The mediator's role was to facilitate productive dialogue between the opposing parties.

New and inexperienced; a person or organization that is immature or inexperienced

The fledgling startup secured its first round of funding after only three months.

Short for flying buttresses; the arched supports on the exterior of a Gothic building

The flyers of Notre-Dame transfer the weight of the vault across open space to massive outer piers.

Arched exterior supports that transfer the thrust of a roof or vault to an outer pier, characteristic of Gothic architecture

The flying buttresses of Chartres Cathedral allowed architects to replace solid walls with vast stained-glass windows.

A sheet of paper folded once to make two leaves; a large-format page

The rare folio edition of Shakespeare's plays sold at auction for a record-breaking sum.

Relating to the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community

The composer drew on folkloric melodies from her native region, weaving them into a symphonic framework.

Appearing unfriendly or threatening; discouraging approach

The mountain's forbidding north face, sheer and ice-covered, had never been successfully climbed.

Creating or devising methodically; expressing in a systematic way

The committee spent months formulating a policy that could satisfy both environmentalists and the mining industry.

A category of artistic composition characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter

The novel defies easy classification, blending elements of science fiction, historical drama, and philosophical essay into a new genre.

A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

The iconoclast challenged every assumption the discipline had held for generations.

Relating to the interpretation of visual images, symbols, and their cultural meanings

The iconographic analysis revealed that the painting's symbols were drawn from both Christian and pagan traditions.

A system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory

The regime's official ideology demanded loyalty to the state above all personal and family obligations.

Peculiar or individual characteristics, mannerisms, or habits

The composer's idiosyncrasies—his insistence on conducting barefoot, for example—became the stuff of legend.

Peculiar to an individual; distinctively personal and unconventional

Her idiosyncratic writing style, full of sentence fragments and invented punctuation, divided critics sharply.

Not honorable in character or purpose; morally base

The historian argued that the war was fought for ignoble reasons disguised as righteous ones.

Opposed to liberal principles; restrictive; not generous

The new legislation drew condemnation from civil liberties groups who described it as illiberal and authoritarian.

Lack of generosity; narrowness; unwillingness to give or share

The patron's illiberality was legendary; despite vast wealth, he refused to fund even modest public improvements.

Enclosed or confined against one's will; walled in

The political prisoners were immured in a fortress so remote that escape was virtually unthinkable.

The act of creating or performing spontaneously without preparation

Jazz thrives on improvisation, with musicians building spontaneous melodies over established harmonic structures.

Created and performed spontaneously or without preparation

The troupe's improvisational comedy drew its humor from audience suggestions, making every show unique.

Compensated for harm or loss; secured against legal liability

The insurance policy indemnified the homeowner against losses from fire, flood, and earthquake.

Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native

Indigenous farming techniques, refined over thousands of years, have recently attracted the attention of sustainable agriculture researchers.

Impossible to see or clearly distinguish; imperceptible

The difference in quality between the two recordings was indiscernible to all but the most trained audiophiles.

Not able to be identified as different or distinct

The forger's copies were virtually indistinguishable from the originals, fooling experts for nearly a decade.

A written or carved text; here, the artist's written claim

The inscription on the ancient stele recorded a peace treaty between two rival city-states.

Deeply committed to or involved with

The community was deeply invested in the outcome of the zoning decision, which would determine the neighborhood's character for decades.

Showing a lack of respect for things normally treated with reverence

The comedian's irreverent take on political conventions delighted younger audiences but scandalized traditionalists.

Traveling from place to place; wandering

Itinerant musicians brought news and entertainment to remote villages.

To throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship; to abandon or discard

The airline decided to jettison its unprofitable routes to focus on the most heavily traveled corridors.

Shows or proves to be right or reasonable

The evidence presented so far barely justifies the sweeping conclusions the authors draw in their final chapter.

A close connection or relationship, especially biological relatedness

The anthropologist studied the kinship systems of Pacific Island societies to understand how social bonds shaped governance.

Not sufficiently strict or careful; negligent

The agency's lax oversight of the industry allowed unsafe products to reach consumers for years before a recall was issued.

Relating to the branch of government that makes laws

The legislative battle over healthcare reform consumed the better part of two congressional sessions.

To make legitimate or lawful; to justify or validate

Hosting the international summit was an attempt to legitimize the new government in the eyes of the world.

Treated as a celebrity; given a great deal of public attention and approval

The explorer was lionized upon his return, celebrated in newspapers and invited to dine with heads of state.

A wealthy and influential person, especially in business or industry

The media magnate controlled newspapers, television stations, and streaming platforms.

Wrongdoing, especially by a public official or corporate entity

The audit uncovered years of financial malfeasance that had siphoned millions from the public pension fund.

Fettered with manacles; restrained or shackled

The prisoners were manacled and marched through the streets as a warning to anyone who might contemplate rebellion.

An independent-minded person; unorthodox or independent in thought and action

The maverick scientist challenged the establishment with her unconventional theories.

Extreme reluctance to spend money; excessive stinginess

The tycoon's miserliness was so extreme that he reused tea bags and darned his own socks despite his vast fortune.

The process of managing badly or incompetently

Decades of mismanagement left the once-profitable company on the brink of bankruptcy.

The central part of a church building, intended to accommodate the congregation

The cathedral's nave, with its soaring columns and ribbed vaulting, could accommodate over a thousand worshippers.

Failing to take proper care in doing something; careless

The hospital was found negligent for failing to follow established protocols during the surgical procedure.

The practice of following or obeying a law, custom, or duty

Strict observance of the ceasefire held for forty-eight hours before a border incident shattered the fragile peace.

Conforming to traditional or established beliefs; conventional

The researcher's unorthodox methods drew skepticism from colleagues trained in more orthodox experimental traditions.

Authorized or generally accepted beliefs, doctrines, or practices

Challenging the prevailing orthodoxy in any scientific field requires not just evidence but considerable courage.

A model of excellence or perfection of a kind; a peerless example

The organization was held up as a paragon of corporate responsibility.

Having a limited or narrow outlook or scope; narrow-minded

The critic accused the literary establishment of parochial tastes, ignoring important work published outside major cities.

Unwilling to spend money or use resources; frugal to the point of stinginess

The parsimonious explanation—that the simplest hypothesis is usually correct—is a guiding principle in scientific reasoning.

A work of art that imitates the style of previous works; a medley or mixture

The film is an affectionate pastiche of 1940s detective noir, complete with shadowy cinematography and a world-weary narrator.

The class of small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank

The revolution was fueled by a peasantry that had endured decades of exploitation under the feudal system.

Magazines or journals published at regular intervals

The library's collection of nineteenth-century periodicals provides a fascinating record of public opinion during the Civil War.

Seeking to promote the welfare of others; generous and benevolent

The billionaire's philanthropic efforts focused on improving access to education in rural areas.

Characterized by diversity of views, cultures, or groups coexisting

A pluralistic society requires institutions that can mediate between communities with fundamentally different values and beliefs.

Relating to or characterized by government by the wealthy; ruled by the rich

Critics described the tax policy as plutocratic, arguing that it benefited the wealthiest citizens at everyone else's expense.

Having a large population; densely inhabited

The most populous cities in the developing world face urgent challenges in providing clean water and sanitation.

To authorize or sanction in advance before a service is rendered

Insurance companies often require patients to preapprove procedures, adding bureaucratic delays to medical care.

In a way that is not securely held or in position; dangerously; uncertainly

The ancient temple sits precariously on a cliff edge, its foundations eroded by centuries of wind and rain.

Surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way

She is the preeminent authority on early colonial American history.

Relating to the imposition of rules or directions; telling people what they should do

Linguists distinguish between descriptive approaches, which document how language is used, and prescriptive ones, which dictate how it should be.

In its original condition; unspoiled; immaculately clean

The pristine wilderness area remained untouched by commercial development.

Reckless extravagance or wastefulness; lavish generosity

The emperor's prodigality—building lavish palaces while his subjects starved—eventually provoked a popular uprising.

Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources

The administration's profligate spending on military contracts left insufficient funds for domestic infrastructure.

The legal prevention of the manufacture and sale of alcohol

Prohibition, intended to reduce crime and improve public health, instead gave rise to a vast underground economy.

Relating to an owner; protected as intellectual/trade property

The company's proprietary algorithm gave it a significant competitive advantage in processing financial data.

Of or concerning a province; unsophisticated or narrow-minded

His provincial attitudes prevented him from appreciating the diversity of the cosmopolitan city.

Causing annoyance, anger, or strong reaction deliberately; stimulating debate

The scholar's provocative reinterpretation of the Civil War challenged narratives that had been accepted for generations.

Acting with or showing care and thought for the future; wise and careful

It would be prudent to save a portion of the windfall rather than spending it all immediately.

To remedy or set right an undesirable situation; remedy or compensation

The lawsuit sought to redress decades of discriminatory hiring practices.

To consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position

The once-celebrated theory has been relegated to a footnote in modern textbooks.

In an unceasingly intense or harsh manner; without letting up

The prosecutor relentlessly cross-examined the witness, exposing inconsistency after inconsistency in his account.

To formally declare one's abandonment of a claim, right, or possession

The prince renounced his claim to the throne in order to marry a commoner.

The action or process of suppressing or restraining a thought, feeling, or desire

The government's repression of free speech drove intellectual life underground, where it flourished in secret salons.

To revoke, cancel, or repeal a law, order, or agreement

The university was forced to rescind its offer of admission after discovering the applicant's fraud.

Official permission or approval; a penalty for disobeying a law (note: can mean either approval or penalty)

The international community imposed economic sanctions on the regime to pressure it into compliance.

Relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress

The actor's sartorial elegance, always impeccably tailored, became as famous as his performances on screen.

An organization or entity that is dependent on or controlled by another; a subsidiary

The smaller nation functioned as a satellite of the superpower, following its foreign policy directives without question.

With certainty; in a way that is firmly established and beyond doubt

The archaeological record securely establishes that the settlement existed long before European contact.

Untanned leather with a rough granulated surface; a type of rawhide binding

The book's shagreen binding, rough and mottled, had survived three centuries of handling remarkably well.

Occurring at irregular intervals; not regular or continuous

Rain fell only sporadically throughout the summer, leaving crops parched and farmers facing devastating losses.

Unwillingness to spend money or give things; extreme reluctance to part with resources

The philanthropist's private stinginess surprised those who knew him only through his generous public donations.

In a manner relating to style, especially literary or artistic style

The two novels, written a decade apart, are stylistically so different that they seem to be the work of different authors.

To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest

The colonial power sought to subjugate the indigenous population through military force and cultural suppression.

Lower in rank or position; secondary in importance

The general insisted that military objectives must never be subordinate to political considerations during active operations.

The right to vote in political elections

The long struggle for women's suffrage culminated in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Experts in technology or science who have political power or influence; technical specialists in governance

The government relied on technocrats rather than elected officials to design its economic reform program.

The quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully

The family's thrift during the Depression years instilled habits of saving that persisted for generations.

An act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offense

Minor transgressions were punished with the same severity as serious offenses.

Present, appearing, or found everywhere

Smartphones have become so ubiquitous that their absence is more noticeable than their presence.

In a way that leaves no doubt; clearly and definitively

The court's ruling unambiguously affirmed the right of citizens to peacefully assemble and petition their government.

Great skill in music or another artistic pursuit

The pianist's virtuosity was breathtaking, but critics noted that technical brilliance alone does not guarantee emotional depth.

Playfully quaint or fanciful; acting in a capricious manner

The whimsical illustrations delighted children and adults alike.