A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
bacchanalian (adj) : related to a drunken festival or wild partying
badger (v) : to bother or to nag
badinage (n) : playful conversation or speak in a witty manner
baffle (v) : to confuse or frustrate someone
baleful (adj) : harmful, threatening, evil in effect or intent
balk (v) : to refuse to do something, to stop short of something
ballast (n) : anything heavy carried in a ship, airplane or vehicle in order to give stability
balmy (adj) : pleasant, soothing, or mild
banal (adj) : ordinary, common place or unoriginal
bandy (v) : to throw or pass back and forth
bantering (adj) : funny in tone or attitude, joking
barb (n) : a spike, a sharp point, or a mean comment or remark
bard (n) : someone who writes poems, a poet
barrage (n) : an unending attack, a bombing, or an overwhelming outpouring
barren (adj) : unfruitful, lifeless, or unable to produce
barterer (n) : a person who does business by trading goods without using money
bastion (n) : a fortified place of strong defense
bauble (n) : a pretty but cheap ornament; the scepter carried by a court jester
bawdy (adj) : funny but indecent, or vulgar humor
beam (n) : a long piece of wood, metal, or other material used mainly to support weight
beatitude (n) : a state of perfect happiness or being blessed
bedlam (n) : a scene of great confusion and wildness or great uproar
bedraggle (v) : to make wet, limp and dirty
befuddle (v) : to confuse someone
begrudge (v) : to feel ill will or to regard someone or something with displeasure or resentment
behest (n) : an order, a directive or a strong request
belie (v) : to tell lies, to misrepresent, or to prove false
bellicose (adj) : warlike, ready to attack or eager to fight
belligerent (adj) : hostile, inclined to fight, or aggressive
bemoan (v) : to express grief about someone or something
benediction (n) : a blessing or good wishes
beneficiary (n) : someone who benefits from something
benevolent (adj) : kind, good-hearted, or generous
benign (adj) : good-natured and kindly; causing no harm
bent (adj) : determined, committed and eager
bequeath (v) : to hand down or to leave to another through a last will and testament
berate (v) : to attack verbally, to criticize or scold strongly
berserk (adj) : in a state of violent or destructive rage
beset (v) : to cover, attack, or surround on all sides
besmirch (v) : to soil or to bring dishonor to someone or something
bestow (v) : to give or present as a gift
betray (v) : to help an enemy, to disclose secret information or reveal unknowingly
bias (n) : prejudice or tendency; it can also mean a diagonal direction
bicameral (adj) : a legislative body with two branches or houses
bicker (v) : to have a silly fight or to argue over unimportant things
bilious (adj) : being bad-tempered or feeling ill; it can refer to someone suffering from liver disease
bilk (v) : to cheat or to trick someone
bivouac (n) : a temporary encampment or shelter, often out in the open
blanch (v) : to whiten, to lose color or bleach
bland (adj) : pleasantly mild and soothing, not sharp or harsh; it also means tasteless or flavorless
blare (n) : a loud noise
blasphemy (n) : any disrespectful remark or action against god or religion
bleak (adj) : bare, cold, and gloomy
blithe (adj) : carefree, cheerful or showing no concern
bloated (adj) : swollen or puffed up; it can also refer to a swelling in the abdomen, usually due to liquid
bluff (adj) : bold, outspoken or blunt
blunder (n) : a clumsy or careless move or a foolish or stupid mistake
blurt (v) : to say something quickly without thinking
bode (v) : to predict or to be an omen of something: often used in conjunction with ?ill? or ?well.?
bogus (adj) : fake or not real
bolster (v) : to support or to strengthen
bombastic (adj) : to be characterized by grand, dramatic gestures, inflated and overblown
bon vivant (n) : someone who enjoys the good life, especially through good food and drink
booming (adj) : very active, busy or loud
boon (n) : something to be thankful for or something that is asked for
booty (n) : anything good taken by force or robbery
bountiful (adj) : unusually large, or giving freely and generously
bovine (adj) : like a cow; slow and dull
bowdlerize (v) : to cleanup or alter written work so as to make it less controversial
boycott (v) : to refuse to buy, sell, or use something as a means of punishment
brandish (v) : to wave, shake, or show in a challenging way
brawn (n) : strong, well-developed muscles
brazen (adj) : bold and unashamed, or extremely cocky
breach (n) : a break or tear; it also means failure to follow the terms of an agreement
breadth (n) : general size, scope, distance from side to side, or the extent of something
brindled (adj) : gray with dark spots, a spotty pattern
brittle (adj) : easily broken or shattered, or being hard and inflexible
broach (v) : to mention, to suggest or to introduce something as a topic of conversation
bromide (n) : a cliche, boring or ordinary statement that is repeated often
brooch (n) : a piece of jewelry that attaches to a shirt with a pin or a decorative clasp
brouhaha (n) : turmoil, heated confrontation or huge fight over something small
browbeat (v) : to bully, to pressure someone into doing something or to intimidate
browse (v) : to look casually at something, to look without a clear purpose
brusque (adj) : rough and abrupt in manner or speech
buffet (v) : to hit with violent blows, to punch or slap
buffoonery (n) : something that's ridiculous and funny but can be seen as rude or embarrassing
bullion (n) : gold or silver in the form of bars or coins
bulwark (n) : a structure that acts as a defense, something that protects from outside danger
bungalow (n) : a small, one-storey house
bungle (v) : to make a mess of something or to do something awkwardly and ineptly
buoyant (adj) : tending to float or rise in liquid or in air; it can also mean having a light and cheerful spirit
bureaucracy (n) : a group of administrative govt officials and departments
burlesque (v) : to imitate in a comical or mocking manner, or to parody
burly (adj) : large-bodied, big and husky
buttress (v) : to support or reinforce something, often with brick, wood, or stone
buxom (adj) : healthy, plump, and jolly
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
GRE and SAT Vocabulary Words