Partisan
mediumNegative tonePAR-tih-zun
noun
Definition
a strong, often blindly biased supporter of a party or cause
Memory hook
PARTISAN contains 'PART': someone who takes one PART's side completely, blind to the other. A fan painted entirely in one team's colors.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“As a fierce partisan, she dismissed any criticism of her party outright.”
“The bill failed along partisan lines, with no member crossing the aisle.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“As a fierce ______, she dismissed any criticism of her party outright.”
Show answer
partisan
Categories
GRE Tip
Partisan is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "supporter" or "adherent" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "neutral".
Related GRE Words
insurgent
rising in active revolt against authority
antipathy
a deep, settled feeling of dislike or aversion
appease
To pacify or placate someone by acceding to their demands
belligerent
Hostile and aggressive; engaged in war or conflict
conformist
A person who conforms to accepted behavior or established practices
discord
Disagreement between people; lack of harmony
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