Vituperate
hardNegative tonevy-TOO-per-ayt
verb
Definition
To blame or insult someone in strong or violent language
Memory hook
VITU-PERATE: preparing to point out someone's VICES violently — to berate with harsh language.
Word roots
vitium— fault(Latin)
parare— to prepare(Latin)
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The politician vituperated his opponents.”
“She vituperated him for his carelessness.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The politician ______ his opponents.”
Show answer
vituperated
Categories
GRE Tip
Vituperate is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "berate" or "castigate" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "praise".
Related GRE Words
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