Barron gre word list A

Barron GRE word list - W 
wade
walk through a substance, such as water, that impedes movement 
waffle
speak equivocally about an issue; N. 
waft
move gently (in air or in seas) by wind or waves; Ex. leaves wafting past the 
window 

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wag
shake repeatedly from side to side; Ex. The dog wagged its tail; N: humorous 
person; wit 
wage
begin and continue (a war) 
waggish
humorous; mischievous; tricky 
waif
homeless child or animal; Ex. waifs and strays 
waive
give up temporarily; yield; N. waiver: waiving a right or claim; document that 
waives a right or claim 
wake
trail of ship or other object through water; path of something that has gone 
before; Ex. hunger followed in the wake of the war 
wallow
roll in mud; indulge in; (of a ship) roll in a rough sea; become helpless; Ex. 
wallow in the mud/luxury 
wan
having a pale or sickly color; pallid 
wanderlust strong longing to travel 
wane
decrease in size or strength (after being full); grow gradually to an end; Ex. 
The moon waxes and wanes every month; N. 
wangle
achieve by cleverness or trick; wiggle out; fake; Ex. She tried to wangle an 
invitation to the party. 
wanton
unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; willfully malicious; unchaste; sexually 
improper; promiscuous; Ex. wanton spending/killing; CF. having no just cause 
warble
(of a bird) sing; babble; N. 
ward
administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent 
person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert 
warp
twist out of shape; N. 
warrant
justification; written order that serves as authorization (esp. a judicial writ); 
Ex. search/death warrant; V: justify; guarantee 
warranted
justified; authorized 
warranty
guarantee; assurance by seller 
warren
tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in 
which people live 
wary
very cautious; watchful 
wastrel
waster; profligate 
waver
move or swing back and forth; be uncertain or unsteady in decision or 
movement; Ex. wavering between accepting and refusing 
wax
increase gradually (as the moon); grow 
waylay
ambush; lie in wait for and attack 
wean
accustom a baby not to nurse; accustom (the young of a mammal) to take 

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nourishment other than by suckling; give up a cherished activity; cause to 
gradually leave (an interest or habit); Ex. wean oneself from cigarettes 
weary
tired after long work; V. 
weather
pass safely through (a storm or difficult period); endure the effects of weather 
or other forces 
weird
eerie; strange; unnatural 
well-bred
of good upbringing; well-mannered and refined 
welt
raised mark from a beating or whipping 
welter
wallow (as in mud or high seas); lie soaked (as in blood); Ex. The victims 
weltered in their blood. 
wheedle
deceive, persuade, or obtain by flattery; cajole; coax; Ex. wheedle a promise 
out of her 
whelp
young animal (esp. of the dog or cat family); young wolf, dog, tiger, etc. 
whet
sharpen; stimulate; Ex. whet someone's appetite 
whiff
puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); short-lasting smell; hint; Ex. whiff of 
perfume/scandal 
whim
sudden capricious idea; fancy 
whimsical
capricious; fanciful; amusingly strange 
whimsy
whim; tendency to behave amusingly strangely; Ex. story full of whimsy 
whine
complain (in a sad voice); make a high sad sound (as in pain or supplication) 
whinny
neigh like a horse; CF. neigh: make the sound which horses make 
whit
small amount; smallest speck; Ex. not a whit of 
whittle
pare; cut away thin bits (from wood); fashion in this way; reduce gradually; 
trim 
wholesome conducive to mental or physical health; healthful 
whorl
ring of leaves around stem; ring; circular arrangement; Ex. whorls on the 
fingers 
wiggle
wriggle; move from side to side with irregular twisting motions 
willful
wilful; intentional; headstrong 
willowy
flexible; pliant; slender; CF. willow 
wilt
loose freshness; droop 
wily
crafty; cunning; artful; N. wile: deceitful stratagem 
wince
move back suddenly; shrink back; flinch; Ex. She winced as she touched the 
cold body. 
windfall
fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event 

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winnow
sift; separate the chaff from grain by blowing; separate good parts from bad; 
CF. wind 
winsome
charming (in a childlike way); agreeable; gracious; engaging 
wisp
small bunch (of hair); faint streak (of smoke) 
wispy
thin; slight; barely discernible 
wistful
sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely 
longing 
withdrawn
introverted; retiring; remote remote/distant in manner; aloof 
wither
(of a plant) dry up from loss of moisture; lose freshness; shrivel; decay 
withhold
refuse to give; hold back; Ex. withholding tax 
withstand
stand up against; resist successfully 
witless
lacking intelligence or wit; foolish; idiotic 
witticism
witty saying; wisecrack(clever joking remark) 
wizardry
sorcery; magic 
wizened
shriveled; withered; Ex. wizened apple/old lady 
woe
great sorrow; deep inconsolable grief; affliction; suffering; Ex. financial woes 
woeful
sad; (of something bad) deplorable; deplorably bad; Ex. woeful housing 
conditions 
wont
(the stated person's) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: 
customary 
worldly
engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual; of the material world 
wrangle
quarrel noisily; obtain through arguing; herd cattle; N. 
wrath
anger; fury 
wreak
inflict; Ex. wreak one's vengeance on 
wrench
twist; pull; strain; Ex. He wrenched the gun out of her hands. 
wrest
obtain by pulling violently; pull away; take by violence; Ex. wrest victory from 
their grasp 
wretch
miserable person; bad or despicable person; ADJ. wretched: miserable; bad; 
contemptible; vile 
wring
twist (to extract liquid); extract by twisting; wrench painfully (necks or hands) 
wrinkle
small ridge on a smooth surface (face or cloth); V. 
writ
written command issued by a court (telling someone to do or not to do 
something) 
writhe
twist in coils; contort in pain 
wrongheaded stubbornly wrong 

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wry
(esp. of an expression of the face) twisted; with a humorous twist (expressing 
displeasure) 
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