gauche, strident, precipitous, halting, egregious: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from GRE Vocabulary set 123. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. gauche · adjective/ɡoʊʃ/

   lacking social grace or acumen

   His gauche remarks at the dinner party made everyone feel uncomfortable.

   Synonyms: awkward, ungainly, clumsy

   Origin: French, meaning 'left' or 'left hand'

2. strident · adjective/ˈstraɪ.dənt/

   making or having a harsh sound or effect

   The strident tone of the alarm pierced through the quiet morning, rousing everyone from their slumber.

   Synonyms: shrill, raucous, piercing

   Origin: from Latin 'stridens', the present participle of 'stridere' meaning 'to creak, to make a harsh sound'

3. precipitous · adjective/prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/

   steep or steeply sloped

   The hikers cautiously navigated the precipitous cliffs, aware of the dangers that lurked along the steep trail.

   Synonyms: steep, sheer, abrupt

   Origin: from Latin 'praecipitous', which is derived from 'praeceps', meaning 'headlong' or 'precipitate'

4. halting · adjective/ˈhɔltɪŋ/

   stopping or pausing abruptly

   His speech was marked by a halting rhythm, as if he were carefully choosing each word before continuing.

   Synonyms: stopping, pausing, hesitating

   Origin: Originating from the Old English 'haltian,' meaning to stop or to impede.

5. egregious · adjective/ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/

   remarkably bad or shocking

   The company's decision to ignore safety regulations was an egregious violation that put employees at risk.

   Synonyms: outrageous, blatant, shocking

   Origin: The word 'egregious' comes from the Latin 'egregius' meaning 'eminent, distinguished' but evolved to have a negative connotation over time.