prevaricate
/pɹɪˈvaɹɪkeɪt/
Group 19Difficulty 2/3
Definition
- (verb)
- To speak or act in an evasive way GRE
Example in Context
The executive prevaricated when asked directly about the safety data, offering lengthy responses that carefully avoided answering the question.
Synonyms
liedeceiveevade
Etymology
To straddle the truth, speaking evasively.
- prae- (Latin) — before
- varicare (Latin) — to straddle
Memory Aid
🐐Sounds like “pre-very-cate”
A 'GOAT' that PRE-VARIATES — dodging questions like a pro at the Olympics!
Visual Association
🤥A sneaky fox with a grin, cleverly avoiding a question while dancing around a bush.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “prevaricate” mean on the GRE?
prevaricate (verb) means “To speak or act in an evasive way”. The executive prevaricated when asked directly about the safety data, offering lengthy responses that carefully avoided answering the question.
How to remember “prevaricate” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “prevaricate” sounds like “pre-very-cate”. A 'GOAT' that PRE-VARIATES — dodging questions like a pro at the Olympics!
What are synonyms for “prevaricate”?
Common synonyms: lie, deceive, evade.