Difficult GRE Words

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Difficult GRE Words (Group 1)

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abase
abate
abbreviation
abdicate
abdication
abet
abeyance
abhor
abhorrent
abjure
ablution
abnegation
abolition
abortive
abrade
abrasion
abridge
abrogate
abscond
abstemious
abstruse
accede
acclivity
accolade
accretion
acerbity
acidulous
acquiesce
acquisition
acrimonious
acrimony
acronym
adage
addle
adherent
adjudicate
adjure
adorn
adornment
adroit
adulterate
adumbrate
advert
affable
aggrandize
aggregation
aghast
agnostic
aka
alkali
allege
allude
allurement
allusion
altar
amalgam
amalgamate
amass
ambidextrous
ambivalence
amble
amenity
amorphous
amplify
amputee
analgesic
analogous
anathema
ancillary
anew
animus
annotate
annualize
anodyne
anomalous
antagonist
antedate
antediluvian
anthology
anthropoid
antipathy
antithesis
antler
apartheid
aperitif
aperture
aphasia
aphorism
apiary
aplomb
apocryphal
apogee
apostate
apotheosis
appease
appellation
apposite
apprise
approbation
appropriation
aquifer
aquiline
arable
arbiter
arboreal
archetype
archipelago
arena
aromatic
arraign
arrears
arrogate
artifice
artless
ascendancy
ascetic
aseptic
aspect
asperity
asphyxiate
aspirant
assail
assent
assiduous
assimilate
assuage
astigmatism
astringent
asymmetric
at loggerheads
atrial
attainment
attenuate
attrition
audacious
augury
aura
austere
austerity
authenticate
autocrat
autonomous
avalanche
avant-garde
avarice
aver
aviation
avocation
avow
avowal

Word and Definition List
abase
Pronounce   v. humiliate; lower or depress in rank or esteem
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abate
Pronounce   v. subside; decrease; become less in amount or intensity
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abbreviation
Pronounce   n. shortening something by omitting parts of it
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abdicate
Pronounce   v. give up, renounce, abandon, lay down, or withdraw from, as a right or claim
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abdication
Pronounce   n. the act of giving up or renouncing a right, office, or position of power etc.
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abet
Pronounce   v. aid, usually in doing something wrong; encourage
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abeyance
Pronounce   n. suspended action; temporary cessation or suspension
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abhor
Pronounce   v. fill with horror and loathing; horrify; hate
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abhorrent
Pronounce   a. disgusting, loathsome
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abjure
Pronounce   v. renounce upon oath; abandon forever
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ablution
Pronounce   n. washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of religious rite
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abnegation
Pronounce   n. repudiation; self-sacrifice; renouncing your own interests in favor of interests of others
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abolition
Pronounce   n. ending; act of abolishing; act of doing away with
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abortive
Pronounce   a. unsuccessful; failing to accomplish an intended objective; fruitless
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abrade
Pronounce   v. wear away by friction; scrape; erode
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abrasion
Pronounce   n. scratch; friction
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abridge
Pronounce   v. condense; shorten; reduce length of written text
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abrogate
Pronounce   a. abolish, do away with, or annul, especially by authority
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abscond
Pronounce   v. leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest or prosecution
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abstemious
Pronounce   a. sparing or moderation in eating and drinking; temperate
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abstruse
Pronounce   a. obscure; profound; difficult to understand.
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accede
Pronounce   v. agree; give consent, often at insistence of another; concede
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acclivity
Pronounce   n. upward slope, as of hill
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accolade
Pronounce   n. award of merit; expression of approval; praise
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accretion
Pronounce   n. growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion
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acerbity
Pronounce   n. bitterness of speech and temper; sourness or acidness of taste, character, or tone
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acidulous
Pronounce   a. slightly sour in taste or in manner; sharp; caustic
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acquiesce
Pronounce   v. assent; agree without protesting
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acquisition
Pronounce   n. the act of acquiring or gaining possession
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acrimonious
Pronounce   a. bitter and sharp in language, tone, or manner
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acrimony
Pronounce   n. animosity, sharp or bitter hatred
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acronym
Pronounce   n. abbreviation
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adage
Pronounce   n. an old saying, that has obtained credit by long use
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addle
Pronounce   v. muddle; drive crazy; become confused
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adherent
Pronounce   n. person who adheres; one who follows or upholds a leader, party, cause
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adjudicate
Pronounce   v. hear and settle a case by judicial procedure
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adjure
Pronounce   v. appeal to or entreat earnestly; command or enjoin solemnly, as under oath
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adorn
Pronounce   v. enhance or decorate with or as if with ornaments
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adornment
Pronounce   n. embellishment; decoration; something that beautifies or adorns; ornament
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adroit
Pronounce   a. skillful and adept under pressing conditions
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adulterate
Pronounce   v. make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
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adumbrate
Pronounce   v. give hint or indication of something; disclose partially or guardedly; overshadow; shade
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advert
Pronounce   n. advertisement an ad; public promotion of some product or service
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affable
Pronounce   a. easily approachable; warmly friendly
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aggrandize
Pronounce   v. increase scope of; extend; intensify; make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation
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aggregation
Pronounce   n. several things grouped together or considered as a whole
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aghast
Pronounce   a. struck by shock, terror, or amazement
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agnostic
Pronounce   n. one who is skeptical of existence of a god or any ultimate reality
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aka
Pronounce   ad. as known or named at another time or place; also known as
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alkali
Pronounce   n. soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash; one of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, and ammonia
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allege
Pronounce   v. to assert to be true
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allude
Pronounce   v. refer casually or indirectly, or by suggestion
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allurement
Pronounce   n. temptation; enticement; any real or apparent good held forth, or operating, as a motive to action
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allusion
Pronounce   n. an indirect reference
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altar
Pronounce   n. elevated place or structure before which religious ceremonies may be enacted or upon which sacrifices may be offered
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amalgam
Pronounce   n. a combination of many different things; an alloy of mercury and other metals
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amalgamate
Pronounce   v. combine; unite in one body; mix or alloy a metal with mercury
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amass
Pronounce   v. collect; gather for oneself, as for one's pleasure or profit
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ambidextrous
Pronounce   a. capable of using either hand with equal ease
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ambivalence
Pronounce   n. state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes, such as love and hate
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amble
Pronounce   n. moving at an easy pace; walk slowly or leisurely
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amenity
Pronounce   n. pleasantness resulting from agreeable conditions
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amorphous
Pronounce   a. formless; lacking shape or definition
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amplify
Pronounce   v. broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make larger or more powerful; increase
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amputee
Pronounce   n. a person who has had one or more limbs removed by amputation
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analgesic
Pronounce   a. serving to reduce sensibility to pain without loss of consciousness
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analogous
Pronounce   a. comparable; similar or alike
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anathema
Pronounce   n. solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse
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ancillary
Pronounce   a. serving as aid or accessory; auxiliary
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anew
Pronounce   ad. once more; again; in a new and different way
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animus
Pronounce   n. feeling of animosity
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annotate
Pronounce   v. comment; make explanatory notes
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annualize
Pronounce   v. adjust or calculate so as to reflect a rate that is based on a full year
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anodyne
Pronounce   n. source of relaxation or comfort; medicine that relieves pain
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anomalous
Pronounce   a. deviating from normal or common order, form, or rule
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antagonist
Pronounce   n. one who contends with another, especially in combat; an adversary; opponent
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antedate
Pronounce   v. be earlier in time; go back further
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antediluvian
Pronounce   a. antiquated; extremely old and ancient; belonging to very ancient times
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anthology
Pronounce   n. book of literary selections by various authors
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anthropoid
Pronounce   a. manlike; resembling a human, especially in shape or outward appearance
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antipathy
Pronounce   n. strong feelings of aversion or dislike
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antithesis
Pronounce   n. contrast; direct contrast; opposition
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antler
Pronounce   n. entire horn, or any branch of the horn
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apartheid
Pronounce   n. South Africa's policy of racial separation, in place from 1948 to 1990.
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aperitif
Pronounce   n. alcoholic beverage taken before a meal as an appetizer
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aperture
Pronounce   n. opening; diameter of such an opening; hole
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aphasia
Pronounce   n. loss of speech due to injury or illness
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aphorism
Pronounce   n. definition or concise statement of principle; tersely phrased statement of truth or opinion
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apiary
Pronounce   n. place where bees and beehives are kept, especially where bees are raised for their honey
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aplomb
Pronounce   n. poise; self-confident assurance
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apocryphal
Pronounce   a. untrue; of questionable authorship or authenticity; erroneous; fictitious
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apogee
Pronounce   n. the highest point; point in orbit most distant from the body being orbited
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apostate
Pronounce   n. one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
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apotheosis
Pronounce   n. elevation to godhood; fact or action of becoming a god; an ideal example of something
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appease
Pronounce   v. bring peace, quiet, or calm to; satisfy or relieve
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appellation
Pronounce   n. name; title; act of naming; act of appealing for aid, sympathy
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apposite
Pronounce   a. strikingly appropriate and relevant; well-suited
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apprise
Pronounce   v. inform; give notice to; make aware
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approbation
Pronounce   n. expression of warm approval; praise
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appropriation
Pronounce   n. funding; money set aside for a specific purpose
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aquifer
Pronounce   n. underground bed or layer yielding ground water for wells and springs etc
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aquiline
Pronounce   a. curved or hooked like an eagle's beak
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arable
Pronounce   a. fit for growing crops, as by plowing
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arbiter
Pronounce   n. person with power to decide a dispute; judge
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arboreal
Pronounce   a. tree-dwelling; treelike; living in trees
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archetype
Pronounce   n. prototype; original model or type after which other similar things are patterned
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archipelago
Pronounce   n. a large group of islands; a sea, containing a large number of scattered islands
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arena
Pronounce   n. an enclosed area, often outdoor, for the presentation of sporting events or other spectacular events
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aromatic
Pronounce   a. fragrant or sweet-smelling; caused by fragrant odor
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arraign
Pronounce   v. officially charge someone in a court of law
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arrears
Pronounce   n. being in debt; unpaid, overdue debt or an unfulfilled obligation
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arrogate
Pronounce   v. claim without justification; claim for oneself without right
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artifice
Pronounce   n. subtle but base deception; trickery; cleverness or skill; ingenuity
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artless
Pronounce   a. free of artificiality; natural; open and honest
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ascendancy
Pronounce   n. superiority or decisive advantage; domination
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ascetic
Pronounce   a. leading a life of self-discipline and self-denial; austere
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aseptic
Pronounce   a. preventing infection; having cleansing effect
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aspect
Pronounce   n. look, or particular appearance of the face; the visual percept of a region
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asperity
Pronounce   n. harshness of manner, roughness
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asphyxiate
Pronounce   v. deprive of oxygen to the extent of producing death or very serious symptoms; suffocate
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aspirant
Pronounce   n. one who aspires, as to advancement, honors, or a high position
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assail
Pronounce   v. assault; attack with or as if with violent blows
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assent
Pronounce   v. express agreement to what is alleged or proposed; accept
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assiduous
Pronounce   a. constant in application or attention; diligent; unceasing or persistent
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assimilate
Pronounce   v. to make similar, to incorporate or absorb into
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assuage
Pronounce   v. ease or lessen pain; satisfy or appease
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astigmatism
Pronounce   n. eye defect that prevents proper focus
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astringent
Pronounce   a. causing contraction; having the effect of drawing tissue together; stern or austere
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asymmetric
Pronounce   a. not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
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at loggerheads
Pronounce   ad. engaged in a dispute
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atrial
Pronounce   a. of or pertaining to an atrium, especially the upper chambers of the heart
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attainment
Pronounce   n. something, such as an accomplishment or achievement; achievement
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attenuate
Pronounce   v. make slender, fine, or small; weaken; lessen density of
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attrition
Pronounce   n. gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment
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audacious
Pronounce   a. fearlessly, often recklessly daring; bold
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augury
Pronounce   n. sign of something coming; art or practice of foretelling events by signs or omens
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aura
Pronounce   n. an invisible breath; distinctive atmosphere or quality associated with something
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austere
Pronounce   a. strict or severe in discipline; severely simple and unornamented
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austerity
Pronounce   n. severe and rigid economy; severe or rigorous simplicity; absence of adornment or luxury
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authenticate
Pronounce   v. prove genuine; establish authenticity of
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autocrat
Pronounce   n. dictator; ruler having unlimited power
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autonomous
Pronounce   a. self-governing; not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent
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avalanche
Pronounce   n. fall or slide of a large mass, as of snow or rock, down a mountainside
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avant-garde
Pronounce   n. radically new or original; cutting edge
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avarice
Pronounce   n. greediness for wealth; insatiable desire of gain
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aver
Pronounce   v. declare to be true; affirm
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aviation
Pronounce   n. art or act of flying; specifically, the science or art of directing and controlling flying-machines
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avocation
Pronounce   n. activity taken up in addition to one's regular work or profession, usually for enjoyment
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avow
Pronounce   v. declare openly; acknowledge openly, boldly, and unashamedly
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avowal
Pronounce   n. open declaration; frank acknowledgment
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