Acrimonious
hardNegative toneak-ruh-MOH-nee-us
adjective
Definition
Bitter and sharp in language or tone; caustic
Memory hook
ACRI-MONEY-ous: a bitter divorce fight over money — sharp, angry, and resentful.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The acrimonious divorce proceedings lasted for over two years.”
“What began as a civil discussion turned acrimonious.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ divorce proceedings lasted for over two years.”
Show answer
acrimonious
Categories
GRE Tip
Acrimonious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "caustic" or "vitriolic" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "amicable".
Related GRE Words
rancorous
Characterized by bitterness or resentment
vitriolic
Filled with bitter criticism or malice
aphoristic
Containing or characterized by aphorisms; concise and memorable
aver
to state or assert to be true confidently
baleful
Threatening harm; menacing; having a harmful or destructive effect
bellicose
Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight
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