Stoic
mediumNeutral toneSTOH-ik
adjective
Definition
showing endurance of hardship without complaint or visible emotion
Memory hook
STOIC: picture a STONE statue standing in a hailstorm, taking every blow without flinching or a single expression.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“She remained stoic throughout the grueling treatment, never once letting the pain show.”
“His stoic acceptance of the verdict surprised everyone in the courtroom.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“She remained ______ throughout the grueling treatment, never once letting the pain show.”
Show answer
stoic
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Stoic is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "impassive" or "unflinching" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "emotional".
Related GRE Words
phlegmatic
having an unemotional, stolidly calm disposition
stolid
showing little or no emotion; impassive
unruffled
Not agitated or disturbed; calm
impassive
showing no emotion or expression
sanguine
Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation
saturnine
gloomy, sullen, or grimly serious in temperament
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