Mendacity
hardNegative tonemen-DAS-ih-tee
noun
Definition
Untruthfulness; the tendency to lie
Memory hook
MEN-DA-CITY: a city of lying men. Mendacity = untruthfulness.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The politician's mendacity was eventually exposed.”
“His reputation for mendacity made him untrustworthy.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The politician's ______ was eventually exposed.”
Show answer
mendacity
Categories
GRE Tip
Mendacity is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "dishonesty" or "deceitfulness" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "veracity".
Related GRE Words
chicanery
The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
perfidy
Deliberate breach of faith or trust; treachery
disingenuous
Not candid or sincere; pretending to know less than one does
duplicity
Deceitfulness; double-dealing
guile
Sly or cunning intelligence; craftiness in deceiving others
fraudulent
Obtained, done by, or involving deception; dishonest
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