Skip to content
GREMockTests
GRE vocabulary

gravity

nounHigh-frequency wordMore G words

extreme seriousness or importance of a situation or matter

Word origin: From Latin gravis, heavy or serious.

In a sentence

Gravity in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing gravity in a sentence.

The gravity of the medical diagnosis silenced the entire room.

Only when the surgeon described the risks did the family grasp the gravity of the diagnosis.

Synonyms
seriousnesssolemnityweightmagnitude
Antonyms
levityfrivolitytriviality
Usage & nuance

Using “gravity” well

Beyond the physical force, gravity means the serious or grave importance of a situation, and also a solemn dignity of manner. The GRE tests these figurative senses, not the scientific one.

Common questions

Questions about “gravity

Gravity (noun) means extreme seriousness or importance of a situation or matter
Here is gravity used in an example sentence: "The gravity of the medical diagnosis silenced the entire room." Another example: "Only when the surgeon described the risks did the family grasp the gravity of the diagnosis."
Common synonyms for gravity include seriousness, solemnity, weight, magnitude.
Antonyms of gravity include levity, frivolity, triviality.
Clusters with seriousness, solemnity, and weight, opposed by levity, frivolity, and triviality. The antonym levity is a favorite GRE pairing, marking the contrast between seriousness and lightheartedness.
Yes. Gravity is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.