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GRE vocabulary

idiosyncrasy

nounHigh-frequency wordMore I words

a peculiar habit or feature distinctive to an individual

Word origin: From Greek idios, own or personal, plus synkrasis, mixture.

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In a sentence

Idiosyncrasy in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing idiosyncrasy in a sentence.

Tapping his pen three times before speaking was one of his harmless idiosyncrasies.

Among his idiosyncrasies was a refusal to begin writing until every pencil on the desk was sharpened.

Synonyms
quirkeccentricitypeculiaritymannerism
Antonyms
normalityconformity

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Verbal · Text Completion

Although the senator's memoir was marketed as a frank reckoning with his failures, reviewers found it relentlessly blank, dwelling on grievances and recasting every setback as the fault of his adversaries.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “idiosyncrasy” well

An idiosyncrasy is a peculiar habit or trait distinctive to one individual. It is neutral to mildly affectionate, describing a personal quirk rather than a flaw.

Common questions

Questions about “idiosyncrasy”

Idiosyncrasy (noun) means a peculiar habit or feature distinctive to an individual
Here is idiosyncrasy used in an example sentence: "Tapping his pen three times before speaking was one of his harmless idiosyncrasies." Another example: "Among his idiosyncrasies was a refusal to begin writing until every pencil on the desk was sharpened."
Common synonyms for idiosyncrasy include quirk, eccentricity, peculiarity, mannerism.
Antonyms of idiosyncrasy include normality, conformity.
Clusters with quirk, eccentricity, and mannerism, opposed by normality and conformity. The GRE tests the sense of an individual peculiarity, distinct from a widely shared trait.
Yes. Idiosyncrasy is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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