Core CAT Vocabulary Words (50+)
A strong command of vocabulary is crucial for the CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section.
This handpicked list of 50 words is designed to challenge and prepare you for complex reading passages and tricky usage questions.
Each word includes its meaning, sense, examples, and a practice MCQ for retention.
abrogate
Example: The firm abrogated the outdated policy after the audit.
To 'abrogate' a rule is to:
attrition
Example: High attrition raised hiring costs across quarters.
In HR, 'attrition' refers to:
burgeon
Example: Demand for credit cards burgeoned after the festival season.
To 'burgeon' most nearly means to:
capricious
Example: Capricious consumer sentiment hurt quarterly forecasts.
A 'capricious' market is:
caveat
Example: The offer came with a caveat: prices may vary by region.
'Caveat' most nearly means:
cogent
Example: Her cogent pitch secured seed funding.
A 'cogent' argument is:
commensurate
Example: Compensation should be commensurate with experience.
'Commensurate' most nearly means:
conflate
Example: Don’t conflate correlation with causation in the report.
To 'conflate' two issues is to:
conundrum
Example: Pricing freemium tiers is a classic product conundrum.
A 'conundrum' is a:
dichotomy
Example: There’s a false dichotomy between growth and profitability.
'Dichotomy' most nearly means:
elucidate
Example: The appendix elucidates the assumptions behind the model.
To 'elucidate' is to:
empirical
Example: The strategy rests on empirical findings from A/B tests.
An 'empirical' claim is supported by:
unequivocal
Example: The board gave unequivocal approval to the merger.
An 'unequivocal' statement is:
frugal
Example: A frugal marketing plan can still deliver high ROI.
'Frugal' most nearly means:
gamut
Example: The survey covers the gamut of customer touchpoints.
The 'gamut' of options refers to the:
idiosyncrasy
Example: The founder’s idiosyncrasies shaped the firm’s culture.
An 'idiosyncrasy' is a:
impetus
Example: Regulatory pressure provided impetus for digital adoption.
'Impetus' most nearly means:
juxtapose
Example: The case study juxtaposes Indian and Southeast Asian markets.
To 'juxtapose' two charts is to:
myopic
Example: Cutting R&D may be myopic despite short-term gains.
A 'myopic' strategy is:
nascent
Example: Investors are watching the nascent EV infrastructure space.
'Nascent' most nearly means:
nefarious
Example: The regulator cracked down on nefarious insider trading.
A 'nefarious' act is:
nonplussed
Example: The CEO looked nonplussed at the analyst’s tough question.
If someone is 'nonplussed', they are:
obfuscate
Example: The vague language only served to obfuscate the true costs.
To 'obfuscate' is to:
panacea
Example: Technology is no panacea for poor management.
A 'panacea' is a:
parsimonious
Example: The parsimonious budget left little room for innovation.
A 'parsimonious' manager is:
pedantic
Example: His pedantic review delayed the report’s release.
A 'pedantic' person is:
perfunctory
Example: The perfunctory presentation failed to impress investors.
A 'perfunctory' attempt is:
phlegmatic
Example: Her phlegmatic reaction steadied the nervous team.
A 'phlegmatic' person is:
placate
Example: The manager placated staff with promises of bonuses.
To 'placate' someone is to:
pragmatic
Example: A pragmatic approach ensured the project stayed on track.
A 'pragmatic' decision is:
precipitous
Example: The stock saw a precipitous fall after the announcement.
'Precipitous' most nearly means:
prolific
Example: She is a prolific writer of case studies.
A 'prolific' researcher is:
quandary
Example: The team was in a quandary about choosing between speed and quality.
A 'quandary' is a:
recalcitrant
Example: The recalcitrant employee refused to follow guidelines.
A 'recalcitrant' student is:
rescind
Example: The company rescinded its job offer due to budget cuts.
To 'rescind' an offer is to:
salient
Example: The consultant highlighted the salient points of the report.
A 'salient' feature is:
sanguine
Example: Despite losses, investors remained sanguine about the IPO.
A 'sanguine' outlook is:
superfluous
Example: The report cut out superfluous details for clarity.
A 'superfluous' remark is:
tenuous
Example: The evidence was too tenuous to support the claim.
A 'tenuous' link is:
ubiquitous
Example: Mobile payments are becoming ubiquitous in urban India.
'Ubiquitous' most nearly means:
venerate
Example: Scholars venerate the philosopher for his groundbreaking ideas.
To 'venerate' someone is to:
verbose
Example: The verbose explanation confused rather than clarified.
A 'verbose' speaker is:
vicissitude
Example: Entrepreneurs face the vicissitudes of business cycles.
A 'vicissitude' is a:
vindicate
Example: The evidence helped vindicate the wrongly accused student.
To 'vindicate' someone is to:
vociferous
Example: The vociferous protest drew attention to the issue.
A 'vociferous' crowd is:
wary
Example: Investors are wary of unstable political climates.
If you are 'wary', you are:
zealous
Example: The zealous campaigner worked day and night for reform.
A 'zealous' supporter is:
abstruse
Example: The professor’s abstruse theory puzzled many students.
An 'abstruse' concept is:
alacrity
Example: She accepted the internship with alacrity.
If you show 'alacrity', you display:
aplomb
Example: He handled the tough interview with aplomb.
To act with 'aplomb' means to act with:
FAQ
Quick answers to common questions.