apologist

/əˈpɒl.ə.dʒɪst/

Group 14Difficulty 2/3

Definition

(noun)
A person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial
GRE

Example in Context

Critics dismissed the historian as an apologist for the regime, arguing that his scholarship minimized documented atrocities.

Synonyms

defendersupporteradvocate

Etymology

One who speaks 'away' from the accusation with reasoned words.

  • apo- (Greek) — away from
  • logos (Greek) — word

Memory Aid

🗣️Sounds like “a polyglot

The POLYGLOT defended the controversial dish of fried tarantulas — he’s an APLOGIST for all things weird!

Visual Association

🛡️A hero standing in front of a burning village, passionately defending their controversial decisions to the townsfolk.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “apologist” mean on the GRE?

apologist (noun) means “A person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial”. Critics dismissed the historian as an apologist for the regime, arguing that his scholarship minimized documented atrocities.

How to remember “apologist” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “apologist” sounds like “a polyglot”. The POLYGLOT defended the controversial dish of fried tarantulas — he’s an APLOGIST for all things weird!

What are synonyms for “apologist”?

Common synonyms: defender, supporter, advocate.