Pedestrian
mediumNegative tonepuh-DES-tree-un
adjective
Definition
Lacking inspiration or excitement; dull
Memory hook
PED-estrian: On FOOT while everyone else flies -- ordinary, uninspired, stuck on the ground.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The movie received criticism for its pedestrian plot.”
“His pedestrian writing style failed to captivate readers.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The movie received criticism for its ______ plot.”
Show answer
pedestrian
Categories
GRE Tip
Pedestrian is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "unimaginative" or "mundane" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "imaginative".
Related GRE Words
prosaic
Lacking poetic beauty; commonplace or dull
insipid
Lacking flavor, zest, or interest; dull and unengaging
mundane
Lacking interest or excitement; dull; relating to ordinary life
banal
So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
trite
Lacking originality or freshness; overused and no longer interesting
adulterate
To make something poorer in quality by adding another substance
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