GRE Mnemonic Vocabulary List
abase Short Definition : Definition : lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect Definition (verb) cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of Synonyms : chagrin , humble , humiliate , mortify Example Sentence
He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in front of the boss
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abase Abase > to bring someone down back to A BASE level.
abash Short Definition : Definition : embarrass Definition (verb) cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious se lf-conscious Synonyms : embarrass
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abash link it to bashful. A=ALWAYS B=BRINGS a S=SHAME ab stands for Abhishek + ash stands for Aishwarya when Abhishek married to Aish Salman gets embarrassed
abate Short Definition : Definition : To reduce in amount;Put an end to; subside or moderate Definition (verb) make less active or intense
Synonyms : slack , slake
Definition (verb) become less in amount or intensity Synonyms : die away , let up , slack , slack off Example Sentence
The storm abated
The rain let up after a few hours
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abate rebate means discount... i.e reducing the price.. abate and rebate are rh yming words ab ate mat karo abate your weight ABATE=AB+ATE... here "ATE" is the past tense of "eat". So when we eat, the quantity tends to reduce or lessen... the same applies here.. ABATE RHYMES WITH "WAIT". means waiting to get sumthng subsided
abbreviate Short Definition : shorten Definition (verb) reduce in scope while retaining essential elements Synonyms : abridge , contract , cut , foreshorten , reduce , shorten Example Sentence
The manuscript must be shortened
Definition (verb) shorten Example Sentence
Abbreviate `New York' and write `NY'
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abbreviate abbreviate consists of brevity(means brief)..so the meaning would be 'to make brief' Abbreviation = short form of anything so abbreviate means to shorten abbreviate has root brev (brief) in it; brev (brief) means in short. hence meaning of abbreviate is to shorten something
abdicate Short Definition : renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility) Definition (verb) give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations Synonyms : renounce Example Sentence
The King abdicated when he married a divorcee
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abdicate ab+dicate dicate sounds like dictator. Dictator is an authoritarian ruler who has lot of power. To remember better,ab normal is opposite to normal.So,abdicate is opposite to dictator (ie)losing power. ab (root ab means away as in abandon) + dic (dictatorship) + ate (to eat and hence reduce) : means to give away (or reduce) dictatorship and hence to give-up power. "Ab nai dictate" means now u hav to giv up.
aberrant Short Definition : abnormal or deviant Definition (noun) one whose behavior departs substantially from the norm of a group
Definition (adj) markedly different from an accepted norm Synonyms : deviant , deviate Example Sentence
aberrant behavior
deviant ideas
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for aberrant (Tag: Global) ab (away) + err (error) + ant : focus on ERR and ANT. Ants normally move together in a queue. imagine all these ants moving randomly like a group of honey bees. That would be abnormal behaviour. (beer+ant)...ant drank beer and walking abnormal. ab error aa gayi..hence it is no more normal...hence abnormal the term ERR is inside here, how can it be normal then?
aberration Short Definition : deviation from the normal; mental disorder Definition (noun) a state or condition markedly different from the norm Synonyms : aberrance , aberrancy , deviance
Definition (noun) a disorder in one's mental state
Definition (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image Synonyms : distortion , optical aberration
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for aberration sounds like abortion which is not normal delivery ab+err+ation.. in this if we concentrate on err.. which relates to error.. which is deviation from normal. A person who drinks beer acts differently from normal guy.. which is deviating for normal. abe beer kabhi ration ki dukan pe nahi mil sakti...which is a kind of deviation.
abet Short Definition : assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage Definition (verb) assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abet "a"+"bet" Normally in teenage,college students "bet" to their friends that i will make a girl to fall in luv with me n even his fnds supports n encourages him. a+bet ; a bet generally assists you to do something wrong
abeyance Short Definition : suspended action Definition (noun) temporary cessation or suspension Synonyms : suspension
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abeyance a+beyance .. here concentrate on beyance.. it sounds like buoyancy which which suspends objects above the ground level.
remember "abey" in hindi... abey mat karo... do it later!
Interpret it as opposite of obey+ance -- not obeying the given orders and suspend the work (action)
Interpret it as opposite of obey+ance -- not obeying. Not obeying the orders of his Commanding officer resulted in the captain's suspension for 13 days.
abey+dance.. due to delay in dance, audience are angry.. due to abeyance in the show audience are frustrated.
word contains buoyancy >>> its a state of suspension on water.
abhor Short Definition : detest; hate Definition (verb) find repugnant Synonyms : abominate , execrate , loathe Example Sentence
I loathe that man
She abhors cats
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abhor bhor sounds like "a whore" and we generally hate a whore....so to hate someone is abhoring that person
ab + hor (horror) -- that means we should always hate the horror.
a + bhor (bore).. a bore person is always rejected. Many people generally abhor a bore person.
aBhORING , Sounds like a BORING that many would hate . People always hate boring topic . Abhore Bore – Hate
'abhor' sounds similar to 'whore', a prostitute. Imagine a whore hates you more than you hate him when dirty people visit her.
One would abhor a whore wouldn’t they?
abide Short Definition : dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; Ex. abide by the rules; Ex. I can't abide rude people. Definition (verb) dwell Synonyms : bide , stay Example Sentence
You can stay with me while you are in town
stay a bit longer--the day is still young
Definition (verb) put up with something or somebody unpleasant Synonyms : bear , brook , digest , endure , put up , stand , stick out , stomach , suffer , support , tolerate Example Sentence
I cannot bear his constant criticism
The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
he learned to tolerate the heat
She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abide a+bride(bide)genrally guyz loose their independence aftr d marriage bcoz f their bride...so as to bear them n their principles...so abide counts to bear sthng or hate sthng.
abi(abhi"name of a person")+the second part sounds like hide(abhi hides from his stupid friends....because he cant tolerate them.
abide : concentrate on bide it sounds like hide,to escape you hide as u can't bear them lik that
bide in abide sounds like bind(something that binds you).....so abide means that fails to bind you from your heart..but you merely have to tolerate
a + (bide)= bride= wife= tolerate= bear
abject Short Definition : (of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology Definition (adj) of the most contemptible kind Synonyms : low , low-down , miserable , scummy , scurvy Example Sentence
abject cowardice
a low stunt to pull
a low-down sneak
his miserable treatment of his family
You miserable skunk!
a scummy rabble
a scurvy trick
Definition (adj) most unfortunate or miserable Example Sentence
the most abject slaves joined in the revolt
abject poverty
Definition (adj) showing utter resignation or hopelessness Synonyms : unhopeful Example Sentence
abject surrender
Definition (adj) showing humiliation or submissiveness Example Sentence
an abject apology
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abject Abject sounds like REJECT. Poor people are like REJECTED (Abject) people in the society. poor people or people lacking pride (abject people) are rejected in society
abject sounds like reject if any person is rejected in job he/she will feel hopless and wil be in miserable condition
Abject sounds like Reject...hopeless person is always rejected
'Submissive' ppl are treated as mere OBJECTS THAT ARE OWNED (compare object wid ABJECT) and less humane.
abjure Short Definition : renounce upon oath Definition (verb) formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure Synonyms : forswear , recant , resile , retract Example Sentence
He retracted his earlier statements about his religion
She abjured her beliefs
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abjure Abjure think it like injure. so once you are injured you will give up. so abjure means give up
ab+jure...jure- jor (in Hindi) Jor lagaao chodoo mat....(Don't Give up) (this mnemonic is in Hindi Language)
abjure ~ ab (away) + jure (jury). He abjured (rejected, moved away from) her earlier statements in front of jury.
ab+jaanede+yaar (abjure) am renouncing
ABJURE = the prefix AB- means against. -JURE means rule (like JURY) So, ABJURE means to rule against.
abjure sounds like "object" which both are the same in the meaning to renounce
ablution Short Definition : washing Definition (noun) the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for ablution ab+solution sounds like blue solution,means pure water,which is used to wash yourself.
ablution ~ a + blue + solution; just imagine some blue color solution used for washi ng clothes.
take ablution to remove pollution
abnegation Short Definition : renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation Definition (noun) the denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief Example Sentence
abnegation of the Holy Trinity
Definition (noun) renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others Synonyms : denial , self-abnegation , self-denial , self-renunciation
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abnegation abnegate: ab+nahi+get; meaning giving up something
Ab-negate ~ relate negate to negative and ab to away. It implies subtracting something. Subtracting (removing away) some important aspect of your life means sacrificing something.
abnegation=ab+negation. negation part could be considered as saying negative answer. when you say NO to something, you have rejected it or renounced it
ab-negate: ab (now) I negate (nullify) myself.
state of having no ego-abn(o)eg(o)tion- sacrifice state
abode Short Definition : dwelling place; home Definition (noun) any address at which you dwell more than temporarily Synonyms : residence Example Sentence
a person can have several residences
Definition (noun) housing that someone is living in Synonyms : domicile , dwelling , dwelling house , habitation , home Example Sentence
he built a modest dwelling near the pond
they raise money to provide homes for the homeless
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abode abode sounds jus like aboard= a+board... boarding refers to living room or place
a-bode(body) ......a body needs a dwelling place/home
Children use Adobe software to make abode(houses) in pictures
Sounds like a boat. Some people live on a boat.
abolish Short Definition : cancel; put an end to Definition (verb) do away with Synonyms : get rid of Example Sentence
Slavery was abolished in the mid-19th century in America and in Russia
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abolish sounds sumwhat similar to demolish..which means put an end of sumthing
abolish is similar to abort.Meaning of abort is to stop the development of a baby.Thus the meaning "End something" or "Put to an end".
abolish sounds like a+polish which means it cleans bad....put an end to dust
ab + polish (bolish) : now we have polish our shoes and hence put an end to dirt over it.
abominable Short Definition : detestable; extremely unpleasant Definition (adj) unequivocally detestable Synonyms : detestable , execrable , odious Example Sentence
abominable treatment of prisoners
detestable vices
execrable crimes
consequences odious to those you govern
Definition (adj) exceptionally bad or displeasing Synonyms : atrocious , awful , dreadful , painful , terrible , unspeakable Example Sentence
atrocious taste
abominable workmanship
an awful voice
dreadful manners
a painful performance
terrible handwriting
an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room
Mnemonics (Memory Aids) for abominable abo + min + able : this work is not even above (ab) my minimum (min) ability (able) le vel.. so it's exceptionally bad.
abominable means think as boman irani(vilan in 3idiots)...so he is bad,hated by all,his face was extremely unplesant (in dat picture)
abo=> above min=> minute able => able so hated so can't resist above a minute
ever heard of abominable snowman??...its an apelike wild animal ....so its unpleasant
abominable= a bomb + able: nobody likes what a bomb can do. Its extremely unpleasant
a bomb is dropped so it's very unpleasant.
