Sagacious
hardPositive tonesuh-GAY-shus
adjective
Definition
Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wise
Memory hook
SAGE-acious: like a wise SAGE on a mountaintop - deep wisdom combined with practical judgment.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The sagacious leader anticipated future challenges.”
“Her sagacious advice helped him avoid costly mistakes.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ leader anticipated future challenges.”
Show answer
sagacious
Categories
GRE Tip
Sagacious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "wise" or "shrewd" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "foolish".
Related GRE Words
judicious
Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense
shrewd
Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute
discerning
Having or showing good judgment or understanding
astute
Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage
aphorism
A pithy observation that contains a general truth
credulous
Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things
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