Mendacious
hardNegative tonemen-DAY-shus
adjective
Definition
given to lying; dishonest
Memory hook
MENDACIOUS sounds like 'men day-shus' but think 'mend-a-cious': a liar who can never MEND the truth, patching reality with falsehoods.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The mendacious witness contradicted himself so often that the jury dismissed his entire testimony.”
“Reporters exposed the mendacious claims buried in the company's glossy annual report.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ witness contradicted himself so often that the jury dismissed his entire testimony.”
Show answer
mendacious
Categories
GRE Tip
Mendacious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "untruthful" or "deceitful" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "honest".
Related GRE Words
fraudulent
Obtained, done by, or involving deception; dishonest
perfidious
deceitful and treacherous; disloyal
underhanded
Acting or done in a secret or dishonest way
disingenuous
Not candid or sincere; pretending to know less than one does
abstemious
Moderate in eating and drinking; self-restrained
artifice
Clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially to deceive; trickery
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