Words starting with N & O | Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) for GRE PDF Download

narcissistic: egotistical; self-centered; self-love, excessive interest in ones appearance, comfort, abilities, etc.

The narcissistic actor was difficult to get along with.

nascent: starting to grow or develop

The nascent rage of in-line skating began on the West Coast.

nautical: of the sea; having to do with sailors, ships, or navigation

The coastal New England town had a charming nautical influence.

nebulous: unclear or vague

The ten page directions were a collection of nebulous words and figures.

nefarious: morally bad; wicked

The nefarious criminal was the scourge of the local police force.

nefariousness: being villainous or wicked

The nefariousness of the ruler was apparent when he hoarded all of the food.

negligence: carelessness

Negligence contributed to the accident: She was traveling too fast for the icy conditions.

nemesis: a person who inflicts just punishment; retribution; a rival

The criminal was killed by his nemesis, the brother of the man he murdered.
The football team plays its nemesis on Saturday.

neologism: giving a new meaning to an old word

Bad is a neologism for good.

neophyte: beginner; newcomer

Critics applauded the neophyte's success and speculated how much better he would get with age and experience.
The neophyte dancer was overcome by the fast tempo and exotic rhythms.

nettle: annoy; irritate

The younger brother nettled his older sister until she slapped him.
The boy will nettle the father into agreeing.

neutral: impartial; unbiased

The mother remained neutral regarding the argument between her two children.

nexus: a connection

The nexus between the shuttle and the space station was successful.

noisome: harmful to health; having a foul odor

The noisome food was the cause of their illness.
The family was forced from the home by a noisome odor.

nostalgic: longing for the past; filled with bittersweet memories

She loved her new life, but became nostalgic when she met with her old friends.

nostrum: a questionable remedy for difficulties

The doctor's prescription was so unusual that it could be seen as a nostrum.
The nostrum of pine leaves and water did not seem to cure the illness.

notorious: infamous; renowned; having an unfavorable connotation

Discovering that her new neighbor was notorious for thievery, she decided to purchase an alarm system for her home.
The criminal had a notorious reputation.

novel: new

It was a novel idea for the rock group to play classical music.

noxious: harmful to one's health

The noxious fumes caused the person to become ill.

nugatory: trifling; futile; insignificant

Because the problem was nugatory it was not addressed immediately.

nullify: cancel; invalidate

Drinking alcohol excessively will nullify the positive benefits of eating well and exercising daily.

oaf: a clumsy, dumb person

The waiter has been called an oaf ever since he dropped the tray.

obdurate: stubborn

The obdurate child refused to go to school.
The obdurate youngster refused to eat the Brussels sprouts.

obeisance: a gesture of respect or reverence

As an obeisance, the man took off his hat as the funeral procession drove past him.

obfuscate: to darken, confuse, bewilder

The lunar eclipse will obfuscate the light of the sun.

objective: open-minded; impartial; goal

It's hard to set aside your biases and be objective.
The law student decided that her primary objective after graduation was to pass the Bar examination.

objurgate: to chide vehemently

The girls disliked those boys who objurgated the group.

obligatory: mandatory; necessary; legally or morally binding

In order to provide a reliable source of revenue for the government, it is obligatory for each citizen to pay taxes.

obliterate: destroy completely

Poaching nearly obliterated the world's whale population.

obloquy: widespread condemnation or abuse; disgrace or infamy resulting from this.

The child suffered quite an obloquy at the hands of his classmates.
Lawyers must face frequent obloquy with their reputation as "ambulance chasers."

obscure: not easily understood; dark

The orchestra enjoys performing obscure American works, hoping to bring them to a wider audience.

obsequious: servilely attentive; fawning

The man's attraction to the woman would be obvious if his obsequious behavior could be noted.
The princess only seemed to encourage the obsequious behavior of her court to enhance her own feeling of superiority.

obsolete: out of date; pass'

Computers have made many formerly manual tasks obsolete.

obstinate: stubborn

Her father would not allow her to stay out past midnight; she thought he was obstinate because he would not change his mind.

obtrude: to force oneself or one's ideas upon another; to thrust forward; to eject

The inquisitive coworker obtrudes into the conversation often.

obtuse: dull; greater than 90± but less than 180±; slow to understand or perceive

The man was so obtuse, he even made the dog yawn.
The textbook problem asks the reader to solve for the obtuse angle.
He's obtuse when it comes to abstract art.

obviate: to make unnecessary

The invention of cars has obviated the use of horse and carriage.
A cure for the common cold would obviate the need for shelf after shelf of cold remedies.

occult: hidden; beyond human understanding; mystical; mysterious

The occult meaning of the message was one of dislike for the authorities.
Some spend years pursuing the occult, only to find themselves no closer to the answer.
Relating to the occult world means entering a new realm.

odious: hateful; disgusting

Having to chaperone her brother was an odious chore for the girl.

odium: a hate; the disgrace from a hateful action

Odium could be felt for the man who destroyed the school.

oligarchy: form of government in which the supreme power is placed in the hands of a small, exclusive group.

The oligarchy took control after the king was overthrown.

ominous: threatening

Seeing ominous clouds on the horizon, the street fair organizers decided to fold up their tent and go home.

omniscient: having knowledge of all things

The future can be told by the omniscient woman.

opalescent: iridescent

Her new nail polish was opalescent making her finger tips look like pearls.

opaque: dull; cloudy; non-transparent

Not having been washed for years, the once beautiful windows of the Victorian home became opaque.
They chose an opaque shade of green for their bathroom walls.

opprobrious: abusive

Nobody liked working for him because he was so opprobrious.

optimist: person who hopes for the best; sees the good side

He's ever the optimist, always seeing the glass as half full.

opulence: wealth; fortune 

A 40-room mansion on 65 wooded acres is only the most visible sign of her opulence.

ornate: elaborate; lavish; decorated

The courthouse was framed by ornate friezes.

orthodox: traditional; accepted

The gifted child's parents concluded that orthodox methods of education would not do their son any good, so they decided to teach him at home.

oscillate: to move back and forth; to have a wavering opinion

The oscillating sprinkler system covered the entire lawn.
The couple often oscillates between going out and staying home.

ossify: to turn to bone; to harden

Over time, the plant matter has ossified.
The tablet will ossify when left in the sun.

ostensible: apparent

The ostensible reason for choosing the girl was for her beauty.

ostentatious: being showy

Sure he'd won the lottery, but coming to work in a stretch limo seemed a bit ostentatious 

ostracize: to exclude

The students tend to ostracize the children they dislike from their games.

oust: drive out; eject

The dictator was ousted in a coup detect.