abjure
/æbˈdʒʊɹ/
Group 3Difficulty 3/3
Definition
- (verb)
- To formally renounce a belief, cause, or claim GRE
Example in Context
The defector publicly abjured his former ideology, though skeptics questioned whether his conversion was genuine.
Synonyms
rejectrenounceabandon
Etymology
To swear away from a belief or cause.
- ab- (Latin) — away from
- jurare (Latin) — to swear
Memory Aid
👩⚖️Sounds like “a jury”
The jury ABJURED the evidence, saying, 'We swear it’s NOT true!' while dramatically waving their hands!
Visual Association
🚫A person dramatically tossing a book of beliefs into a fire, swearing to never return to those ideas.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Confusable Pairs
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “abjure” mean on the GRE?
abjure (verb) means “To formally renounce a belief, cause, or claim”. The defector publicly abjured his former ideology, though skeptics questioned whether his conversion was genuine.
How to remember “abjure” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “abjure” sounds like “a jury”. The jury ABJURED the evidence, saying, 'We swear it’s NOT true!' while dramatically waving their hands!
What are synonyms for “abjure”?
Common synonyms: reject, renounce, abandon.