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Last Updated on April 30, 2023
For many students, learning GRE vocabulary words can be a challenging and frustrating part of preparing for the GRE Verbal section, in large part because there are so many words to learn. Furthermore, when they learn GRE vocab, many students run into the issue of mixing up the definitions of words that look and sound alike. GRE question-writers actually know these mix-ups are an issue and use “look-alike” words to make some GRE Verbal questions trickier.
In this article, we’ll discuss where commonly confused words tend to appear in the GRE Verbal section and which words the GRE may try to trick you with. You’ll also get some study tips to help ensure that the most common GRE vocab words that are easy to confuse don’t trip you up on test day.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Are Commonly Confused GRE Words?
- Where Do Commonly Confused Words Appear on the GRE Exam?
- Answers That Look Like Each Other
- Answers That Look Like a Word That Would Make Sense
- The Most Common GRE Vocab Words That Are Easy to Confuse: A List
- Is There a GRE Vocabulary List That ETS Provides?
- How Much Vocabulary Is Enough For GRE Verbal?
- In Conclusion
- What’s Next?
Let’s start by discussing what exactly commonly confused GRE words are.
What Are Commonly Confused GRE Words?
Commonly confused GRE words have a few key characteristics:
- They often appear in the GRE Verbal section.
- They are easily confused with other GRE vocabulary words that look and sound very similar to them.
- They and their “look-alikes” are the same part of speech (noun, verb, etc.).
So, for example, two GRE vocabulary words that look or sound alike and are both verbs are commonly confused GRE words.
Because these words are so easy to mix up, GRE question-writers sometimes add another “wrinkle” to a Verbal question by putting commonly confused words among the answer choices.
KEY FACT:
GRE question-writers sometimes add another “wrinkle” to a Verbal question by putting commonly confused words among the answer choices.
Despite their superficial similarities, many commonly confused GRE vocabulary words actually have opposite meanings. So, often when test-takers fall for a “word confusion” trap on the GRE exam, they select an answer choice that is precisely the opposite of the one they need.
Fortunately, commonly confused GRE words are only a small subset of the vocabulary list most GRE test-takers need to memorize. So, you won’t have to worry about distinguishing hundreds of look-alike words from each other during your test prep. Nevertheless, devoting some study time to learning the most common GRE vocab words that are easy to confuse can help improve your GRE Verbal performance.
TTP PRO TIP:
Devoting study time to learning commonly confused GRE words can help you improve your performance in GRE Verbal and thus improve your GRE score.
So, let’s take a look at where you may see some commonly confused words on the exam.
Where Do Commonly Confused Words Appear on the GRE Exam?
You won’t be tested on commonly confused words in Reading Comprehension questions. Vocabulary questions associated with Reading Comprehension passages test your understanding of a particular word’s meaning in a given context, rather than your ability to choose the correct word for the given context.
Commonly confused words can, however, show up in both Text Completion (TC) and Sentence Equivalence (SE) questions. Those are questions in which you must pick the appropriate word to complete a sentence. Thus, they are fertile ground for “word confusion” traps.
In particular, Sentence Equivalence questions are an opportunity for the GRE question-writers to try to trigger “word confusion,” since you have to pick a pair of correct answers that are synonyms.
(If you’re unsure of the difference between the 3 main Verbal question types, this article on the GRE Verbal section can help.)
KEY FACT:
Commonly confused words can show up in both Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions in the GRE Verbal section.
Let’s discuss how GRE question-writers may deploy commonly confused words in Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions
Answers That Look Like Each Other
TC and SE questions may attempt to trick us in a couple of different ways using commonly confused words. First, they could present answer choices that look like each other, so that the correct answer gets “lost in the crowd.”
KEY FACT:
TC and SE questions may try to trick you by presenting some answer choices that look like each other.
For example, suppose we are faced with the following sentence in a Text Completion question:
The rampant corruption within the department __________ the urgent need for greater oversight by independent entities.
Now let’s say that among the 5 answer choices are two words that look pretty similar to each other: “underscores” and “undermines.”
“Underscores,” which means “emphasizes,” produces a logical sentence meaning. After all, the sentence states that there is “rampant (uncontrolled and widespread) corruption within the department.” Thus, we can logically infer that “the urgent need for greater oversight” is justified. In other words, “rampant corruption” emphasizes the need for oversight.
The rampant corruption within the department underscores the urgent need for greater oversight by independent entities.
Of course, if we’re not well-versed in the most common GRE vocab words that can be easily confused, or if we’re simply not paying close attention, we could mistakenly select “undermines” as our answer, thinking that it conveys the meaning we need. However, “undermines” (weakens) actually conveys the opposite of a logical meaning in this context. Notice that in the given context, “undermines” conveys essentially the opposite meaning of the correct answer, “underscores.”
Avoiding the Look-Alike Trap
How do we avoid the trap we see in our example above?
One, we make it a point to study commonly confused GRE vocabulary words. In particular, be sure to study words that have tripped you up in practice questions during your GRE prep.
Two, we make sure that we are reading carefully and paying close attention as we’re completing GRE practice questions. Skimming or rushing through questions is a recipe for word confusion!
TTP PRO TIP:
To avoid getting tripped up by answer choices that look alike, become well-versed in commonly confused GRE vocab words and don’t rush when reading through Verbal questions.
Answers That Look Like a Word That Would Make Sense
Another way that GRE question-writers test us with commonly confused words is by presenting an answer choice that looks very similar to a word that would be logical in the given context but is not actually that word.
KEY FACT:
Some TC or SE questions present answer choices that look like words that would make sense in context but aren’t actually those words.
To illustrate how this trap might appear, let’s consider a Sentence Equivalence example practice question.
SE Example
A less __________ approach to teaching would incorporate student feedback rather than maintain methods that were devised long ago in a more rigid scholastic environment than today’s.
- traditional
- heterodox
- equitable
- reliable
- conventional
- dependable
Notice that none of the answer choices above look alike. However, there is still a chance we could fall prey to word confusion when selecting a synonym pair to fill the blank, because choice (B), heterodox (not conforming to tradition), looks similar to “orthodox” (conforming to tradition).
“Orthodox” actually would make sense in this context. It is a synonym of choice (A), traditional, which is a logical and correct choice.
However, “orthodox” does not in fact appear among the answer choices. Furthermore, the look-alike “heterodox” produces a meaning that is the opposite of “orthodox.” Thus, the meaning produced is the opposite of what makes sense in the sentence. Let’s break down why.
As the phrase “rather than” indicates, the sentence contrasts two different approaches to teaching. On the one hand, we have an approach in which teachers “maintain methods that were devised (created) long ago in a more rigid (strict) scholastic environment.” So, essentially, we have an older, less flexible approach.
On the other hand, we have an approach that “would incorporate student feedback” and thus be “less” like the other one. So, we have a newer, more flexible approach. This is the type of approach described in the part of the sentence containing the blank.
However, we have to be careful, because the word “less” precedes the blank. “Less” acts as a negation word in this context. A “less [old and inflexible] approach” basically means a “newer, more flexible approach,” right?
So, to fill the blank, choice (A), traditional, makes sense, since the sentence actually says “less traditional.” And the answer choice that is really a synonym of “traditional” is not “heterodox” but choice (E), conventional. Below is the correctly completed sentence:
A less traditional/conventional approach to teaching would incorporate student feedback rather than maintain methods that were devised long ago in a more rigid scholastic environment than today’s.
Note that choice (C), equitable (fair), does not pair with any other answer choice, and thus cannot possibly be correct.
Choices (D) and (F), reliable/dependable, pair with each other but don’t clearly contrast with an approach in which teachers “maintain methods that were devised long ago in a more rigid scholastic environment.” After all, who’s to say that the older, more rigid methods aren’t the more reliable/dependable ones?
Avoiding Answers That Look Like Logical Words
How do we avoid the trap of selecting an answer that only looks like a word that would make sense in the given context? Once again, we must make a point of studying commonly confused words and being careful readers. Remember, being a careful reader means paying close attention when reading not only question stems but also answer choices.
One clue indicating that a commonly confused word may be tripping us up is if there are 3 words among the answer choices that all seem to convey the same meaning. For example, say we mistook “heterodox” for “orthodox” in the example above. We would find ourselves with 3 choices that all seemed to be synonyms: traditional, heterodox, and conventional.
Of course, there can be only 2 correct answers that convey the same meaning as each other in a Sentence Equivalence question, never 3. So, if we come up with 3 answers but have studied commonly confused words, we’ll be better positioned to see where we went wrong and eliminate “heterodox” as the trap choice that it is.
KEY FACT:
There can be only 2 correct answers that convey the same meaning as each other in a Sentence Equivalence question.
We now know how commonly confused words may be tested on the GRE exam. So, let’s take a look at what the most common GRE vocab words that can be easily confused are.
The Most Common GRE Vocab Words That Are Easy to Confuse: A List
The list below contains some common GRE vocab words that can be easy to mix up. Any of these words may appear as trap choices in TC and SE questions. Study this list! Pay particular attention to any words that trip you up during your GRE vocab study or in practice questions. Note that many of these words are actually antonyms of each other.
TTP PRO TIP:
Study the list below, paying particular attention to any words that trip you up during your GRE vocab study or in practice questions.
We now know what the most common GRE vocab words that can be easily confused are. So, let’s answer a couple of common questions about studying GRE vocab.
Is There a GRE Vocabulary List That ETS Provides?
ETS, the GRE test-maker, does not offer a vocabulary list to students preparing for the GRE. However, there are plenty of GRE word lists out there, some of which you may have come across online.
The thing is, you want to make sure that you use a list from a reputable source. For one, you want to make sure that the list you’re studying contains only the most used GRE words, not every word under the sun. As it is, you may need to memorize hundreds, or even thousands, of GRE vocabulary words. You don’t want to add to an already large task by studying words unlikely to appear on the exam.
Secondly, make sure that the list you’re studying contains word definitions that are clear, concise, and easy to understand. Such definitions will be easier to memorize. Additionally, you won’t waste time having to figure out what unclear or overly sophisticated definitions mean. A good GRE vocabulary list will make definitions simple.
You may be tempted to cobble together several different GRE word lists in order to create one, giant “master list.” I’ve even met students who have tried to combine every list they found online. I would advise against such a project. Cobbling together GRE word lists can be a time-consuming and ultimately confusing task that leaves your vocab study in a disorganized state. You may find yourself with an unreasonably long list containing many words you really don’t need. Furthermore, you may end up trying to blend together and memorize multiple different definitions for the same word.
Find One, Reputable Vocab List
To learn GRE words, find a single, reputable list with all of the GRE vocab words you’ll need. For example, TTP users have access to a downloadable GRE vocab list containing 1,150+ GRE vocab words that commonly appear on the exam. Those words are organized alphabetically and by difficulty and accompanied by crystal-clear, easily digestible definitions. It’s the only list our students need to efficiently learn GRE vocabulary.
TTP PRO TIP:
Using a vocabulary list from a reputable source ensures that you study only the words you really need and learn definitions that are easy to understand and memorize.
How Much Vocabulary Is Enough For GRE Verbal?
Some students need to learn hundreds — or over a thousand — GRE vocabulary words to be properly prepared for test day.
That said, the number of GRE vocabulary words students need to memorize during their GRE prep largely depends on how many words they already know. For instance, some students find that they are already very familiar with many easy-level GRE words. Other students are surprised to find that they don’t really know the definitions of many easier words they thought they knew.
Whichever camp you’re in, be aware that it’s easy to get carried away with studying vocab. If you find yourself attempting to memorize 5,000 new words or spending the majority of your Verbal prep memorizing vocab, it’s probably time to reprioritize.
At the end of the day, you should spend the bulk of your GRE Verbal prep mastering the various Verbal concepts and question types that appear on the exam, not turning yourself into a human dictionary.
Still, even if you are well-read and skilled in vocabulary, expect to have to learn at least a couple hundred new vocabulary words for your exam. Additionally, expect that you’ll need to brush up on some words you’re only somewhat familiar with.
TTP PRO TIP:
The number of GRE vocabulary words you’ll need to memorize depends on your current level of vocabulary knowledge.
In Conclusion
It’s far more effective to learn GRE vocab in small chunks, rather than cram in dozens of new words at a time. So, working your way through a comprehensive GRE vocabulary list can take some serious time and effort.
Nevertheless, the right resources and smart strategies can put you on your way to GRE Verbal success and the graduate school of your dreams.
So, to improve your score on GRE Verbal, remember to do the following in your test prep:
- Make it a point to study commonly confused GRE words. In particular, study words that trip you up when you’re reviewing vocab words or completing practice questions.
- Be sure to carefully read both sentences and answer choices when completing GRE questions. Don’t skim or rush.
What’s Next?
Looking for more tips on how to learn GRE vocab? Check out this guide to remembering vocab words.
Want to take your GRE prep to the next level? Try the TTP GRE course for just $1!
