GRE vocabulary: nature, science and the physical world.

Relating to the adrenal glands, which produce hormones including adrenaline

The adrenal response to sudden danger can sharpen reflexes but impair long-term decision-making.

To combine or unite to form one organization or structure

The two companies decided to amalgamate in order to compete more effectively in the global market.

Relating to the physical structure of a body or organism

Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings reveal a scientific curiosity far ahead of his time.

A body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater

The massive aquifer beneath the Great Plains supplies drinking water to millions but is being depleted faster than it recharges.

Relating to the scientific study of material remains from past human cultures

Archaeological evidence suggests that the site was continuously inhabited for over six thousand years.

Objects made by humans, typically of historical or cultural interest

The artifacts recovered from the shipwreck provided an invaluable window into medieval maritime trade.

The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat or in the world generally

The coral reef's extraordinary biodiversity makes it one of the most scientifically valuable ecosystems on the planet.

The branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals

Biogeography helps explain why marsupials thrived in Australia but not on other continents.

The regions of the earth's surface and atmosphere occupied by living organisms; the global ecological system

Human activity is altering the biosphere at a rate unprecedented in the geological record.

Very strange or unusual, especially in a way that provokes unease

The artist's bizarre juxtaposition of industrial machinery and pastoral landscapes provoked both confusion and admiration.

Water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt

Life in the deep ocean brine pools has adapted to salinity levels that would kill most organisms.

Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and rural life

The painter was known for his bucolic landscapes depicting idyllic farm life.

Animals that feed on other animals; meat-eaters

Large carnivores play a critical role in regulating prey populations and maintaining ecosystem balance.

A person or thing that precipitates an event or change

The economic downturn served as a catalyst for sweeping regulatory reform.

Mercy; lenience, especially toward an offender or enemy

The defense attorney pleaded for clemency, citing the defendant's age and lack of prior offenses.

To come together and form one mass or whole; to unite

Several grassroots movements coalesced into a single powerful political party.

Naturally accompanying or associated; occurring together

Rapid industrialization and its concomitant environmental damage transformed the region.

To change from a gas or vapor to a liquid; to become denser or more concentrated

Water vapor in the atmosphere will condense into droplets when it encounters cooler air at higher altitudes.

Overcrowded; blocked or clogged with traffic

Congested urban highways have prompted city planners to invest heavily in public transit alternatives.

The process of making something stronger or more solid; stabilization of memories

The consolidation of several small school districts into one large system promised efficiency but sacrificed community identity.

To come together from different directions so as to meet; to tend toward a common result

Several lines of evidence converge to support the evolutionary hypothesis.

Having craters (bowl-shaped depressions) on the surface

The cratered surface of the moon preserves a record of billions of years of asteroid impacts.

Causing harm or damage

The study demonstrated the deleterious effects of prolonged screen time on children's sleep.

To remove the moisture from something; to dry out completely

The prolonged drought desiccated the once-fertile farmland.

Purified by the process of evaporation and condensation

The author distilled decades of research into a slim volume accessible to any educated reader.

Coordinated or harmonized in their environmental relationships and interactions

The migratory patterns of the birds are ecologically synchronized with the blooming cycle of the wildflowers they pollinate.

To destroy completely; to put an end to

The global campaign to eradicate polio has been one of public health's greatest successes.

Systematically dug up for archaeological study

The team excavated a burial chamber containing jewelry, pottery, and tools dating to the third millennium BCE.

The process of discharging waste matter from the body

The kidneys play a vital role in the excretion of metabolic waste products from the bloodstream.

(Of a species) introduced from another country or region; non-native

Exotic species introduced by trading ships have displaced native plants throughout the island's coastal ecosystems.

To make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly

The new software was designed to expedite the processing of insurance claims.

(Of farmland) plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a period to restore its fertility

The farmer left the eastern fields fallow for a season, allowing the depleted soil to recover its nutrients.

The animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

The island's fauna includes several species found nowhere else on Earth, making it a priority for conservation.

Relating to the animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period

The faunal assemblage recovered from the site indicates a diverse ecosystem that supported both large predators and grazing herds.

Possible and practical to do easily or conveniently

The engineers determined that the bridge design was technically feasible but would require an unprecedented span.

The action of floating on or in a liquid; an experiment testing buoyancy

The engineers tested the raft's flotation capacity before allowing passengers aboard for the river crossing.

Broken pieces; incomplete remnants of a larger object

Only fragments of the original manuscript survive, but they are enough to reconstruct the author's central argument.

Massive, slow-moving bodies of ice formed from compacted snow on land

As glaciers retreat due to rising temperatures, they expose landscapes that have been buried under ice for millennia.

Relating to the force of attraction between masses

The gravitational pull of Jupiter shields the inner planets from many asteroids that might otherwise strike Earth.

Things that foreshadow or announce what is coming; precursors

The early frost and unusually large acorn crop were harbingers of the brutal winter that followed.

To be in agreement or accord with

The new wing of the museum was designed so that its modern lines harmonized with the original neoclassical facade.

Struck with a barbed spear used for hunting large aquatic animals

Nineteenth-century whalers harpooned their prey from small boats launched from the decks of larger sailing vessels.

The floor of a fireplace; a structure for containing fire

The ancient hearth at the center of the dwelling contained charcoal that could be radiocarbon dated.

Areas (usually pits or fireplaces) used for cooking or heating with fire

Stone-lined hearths found at the excavation site suggest that the inhabitants used fire for both cooking and warmth.

Animals that feed on plants

Large herbivores like elephants shape their environment by toppling trees and creating clearings that benefit other species.

Diverse in character or content; composed of different or dissimilar elements

The city's heterogeneous population, drawn from dozens of countries, made it a vibrant center of cultural exchange.

Brought about or stimulated; (in this context) traffic generated as a result of new road capacity

The new highway lanes, rather than reducing congestion, induced additional traffic that quickly filled the expanded road.

Lacking the power to move or act; having no effect

Noble gases are chemically inert, rarely reacting with other elements under normal conditions.

Relating to electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, perceived as heat

Infrared telescopes can detect heat signatures from celestial objects invisible to optical instruments.

A new method, idea, product, or way of doing something

The printing press was an innovation that transformed not just publishing but the very structure of knowledge and power.

Introducing new ideas or methods; featuring new approaches; original and creative

The startup's innovative approach to recycling converts ocean plastic into durable building materials.

Able to be exchanged with each other; essentially identical

The parts were designed to be interchangeable, so that a broken component could be replaced without custom fabrication.

Opposite in position, direction, order, or effect

The study revealed an inverse relationship between screen time and academic performance among adolescents.

A reversal of the normal order or arrangement

The temperature inversion trapped pollutants close to the ground, creating a thick smog over the city.

Calmed into a false sense of comfort or security; deceived into complacency

The years of calm had lulled residents into a false sense of security, leaving them unprepared for the earthquake.

Tempts or attracts (a person or animal) to do something

The promise of quick profits lures inexperienced investors into markets they do not fully understand.

Acting as an intervening mechanism between cause and effect

Sleep appears to play a mediating role between stress exposure and long-term health outcomes.

A person who attempts to resolve a dispute between two or more parties

The retired judge served as a mediator between the two factions, earning the trust of both sides.

The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality

The seminar on metaphysics explored questions about the nature of existence that science alone cannot answer.

The scientific study of the atmosphere and weather

Advances in meteorology have dramatically improved the accuracy of weather forecasts over the past fifty years.

Archaeological term for refuse piles or ancient garbage heaps

Analysis of middens at the coastal settlement revealed a diet rich in shellfish, fish, and sea birds.

A person's social environment; the physical or social setting in which something occurs

The novel vividly evokes the intellectual milieu of 1920s Paris, where artists and writers gathered in cramped cafes.

To make less severe, serious, or painful

The government introduced new regulations to mitigate the environmental impact of industrial waste.

Depicting subjects as they appear in nature; true to life

The playwright's naturalistic dialogue captured the rhythms of everyday speech so faithfully that audiences felt they were eavesdropping.

In the form of a cloud or haze; vague, ill-defined, unclear

The company's plans for expansion remained nebulous, with no concrete timeline or budget attached.

The young produced by an organism

The biologist tracked the offspring of the tagged wolves to study how behavioral traits are passed between generations.

Feeding on food of both plant and animal origin; (figurative) having wide-ranging interests or tastes

The author was an omnivorous reader whose influences ranged from ancient Greek philosophy to modern comic books.

Moving in a curved path around a celestial body

The satellite orbiting Mars has transmitted images that reveal ancient river channels on the planet's surface.

To move or swing back and forth; to waver between extremes

Public opinion seemed to oscillate between support for and opposition to the policy.

Lying over or upon something

Geologists removed the overlying sediment to expose the fossil bed that had been sealed for millions of years.

Having a hole or holes pierced through it

The perforated limestone allowed groundwater to seep through, creating the network of caves beneath the hillside.

Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

The pernicious influence of misinformation undermined public trust in scientific institutions.

Spreading widely throughout an area or group; prevalent

The pervasive influence of social media has fundamentally altered how people communicate.

The evolutionary development and history of a species or group of organisms

Advances in DNA sequencing have revolutionized the study of phylogeny, revealing evolutionary relationships invisible in the fossil record.

Microscopic marine organisms that photosynthesize, forming the base of aquatic food chains

Phytoplankton produce roughly half of the world's oxygen through photosynthesis, making them essential to life on Earth.

A substance used for coloring; the natural coloring matter of animal or plant tissue

The ancient Egyptians extracted blue pigment from lapis lazuli, a stone so rare it was valued more highly than gold.

A small pine tree native to the southwestern U.S. that produces edible seeds (pinon nuts)

The pinon trees that dot the arid landscape provide food for birds, squirrels, and indigenous communities alike.

Not securely held or in position; dependent on chance; dangerously likely to fall

The company's precarious financial position left it vulnerable to even minor market fluctuations.

The act of one organism hunting and consuming another

The introduction of wolves into the ecosystem restored a natural cycle of predation that controlled the deer population.

A section or quarter (here: a region of space)

The telescope was pointed toward a quadrant of the sky where astronomers expected to find the newly predicted comet.

Relating to carbon-14 dating, a method of determining the age of organic materials

Radiocarbon dating placed the artifacts at approximately 3,000 years old, consistent with the Bronze Age settlement.

To breathe; to release carbon dioxide through metabolic processes

All aerobic organisms respire, consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide as they convert food into energy.

Having a rough, uneven surface; wild and inhospitable

The rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands has inspired poets and painters for centuries.

Health-giving; healthy; conducive to well-being

The salubrious mountain climate attracted those seeking relief from chronic respiratory conditions.

Fit and safe for a voyage on the sea

Inspectors declared the vessel seaworthy after verifying that all repairs met international maritime safety standards.

Relating to or formed from sediment (material deposited by water, wind, or glaciers)

Fossils are most commonly found in sedimentary rock, where layers of sand and mud preserved organisms over millennia.

At the same time; concurrently

The orchestra's ability to play softly and intensely simultaneously created a tension that held the audience spellbound.

Highly developed; complex and refined

The civilization developed a sophisticated irrigation system that sustained agriculture in an otherwise arid landscape.

Deeply immersed in or thoroughly familiar with a subject or activity

The professor, steeped in the classical tradition, could quote Virgil and Horace from memory.

Extending across or being situated on both sides of; spanning

The ancient city, straddling the border between two modern nations, belongs fully to neither.

Chemical substances containing sulfur combined with other elements

Volcanic emissions rich in sulfur compounds can lower global temperatures by reflecting sunlight back into space.

Open or receptive to; capable of being affected by

Coral reefs are especially susceptible to changes in ocean temperature, which can trigger widespread bleaching events.

Broad strips or areas of something

The wildfire burned through vast swaths of forest, destroying habitats that had taken centuries to mature.

Providing a general overview or summary; seeing the whole together

The textbook provides a synoptic overview of European history from the fall of Rome to the present day.

Relating to moderate climatic regions between the tropics and the poles

The temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest support some of the tallest trees and most diverse fungal communities on Earth.

The speed at which a passage of music is played

The conductor gradually increased the tempo, building the audience's anticipation toward the symphony's explosive finale.

Thick underground parts of a plant stem (such as a potato) that serve as food storage

The earliest farmers in the Andes cultivated tubers like potatoes that could thrive at high altitudes.

Dug up from the ground; discovered through excavation

Construction workers accidentally unearthed a cache of Roman coins buried beneath the foundation of a medieval church.

Consistent throughout; not varying

The experiment required a uniform temperature across all samples to ensure that results were comparable.

Not able to be maintained or defended; not supportable

Current rates of groundwater extraction are unsustainable and will deplete the aquifer within two decades.

Having no vegetation; bare of plant life

The unvegetated slopes above the treeline are subject to severe erosion during heavy rainstorms.

The positive or negative quality/direction of something (e.g., positive valence = positive meaning)

The survey measured the emotional valence of participants' responses, distinguishing positive reactions from negative ones.

The process of estimating the monetary worth of something

An independent valuation of the company placed its worth at considerably less than the asking price.

A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that regulates water retention and blood pressure; also called antidiuretic hormone

Researchers discovered that vasopressin plays a role in social bonding behavior, not just water regulation.

Resembling veins; branching and narrow in form

The veinlike channels carved into the Martian surface suggest that liquid water once flowed across the planet.

Strong, active, and full of energy; characterized by forceful action

A vigorous debate erupted on the Senate floor as legislators clashed over the proposed tax reform.

The severity or harmfulness of a disease or pathogen

The virulence of the new strain alarmed epidemiologists, who feared it could overwhelm hospital capacity.

To become or make bent or twisted out of shape

Extreme heat can warp metal rails, creating dangerous gaps that derail trains traveling at high speed.

Caused (a large amount of damage or harm)

The hurricane wreaked havoc across the coastline, destroying thousands of homes and displacing entire communities.

Tiny aquatic animals that drift in water bodies; a domain-specific ecological term

Zooplankton form a critical link in the marine food chain, feeding on phytoplankton and serving as prey for small fish.