Liberal
mediumPositive toneLIB-er-ul
adjective
Definition
Generous in giving; given freely; open to new ideas
Memory hook
LIBER-AL: LIBER means free — on GRE, liberal means generous and free-handed (not political).
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“She was liberal with her praise for students.”
“The recipe calls for a liberal amount of butter.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“She was ______ with her praise for students.”
Show answer
liberal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Liberal is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "generous" or "bountiful" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "stingy".
Related GRE Words
unstinting
Given or giving without restraint; very generous
munificent
Very generous; lavish in giving
profuse
Produced or given in large amounts; plentiful
bountiful
Large in quantity; abundant; giving generously
magnanimous
Very generous or forgiving; noble in spirit
plentiful
Existing in or yielding great quantities; abundant
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