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GRE vocabulary

nadir

nounHigh-frequency wordMore N words

the lowest or most unsuccessful point of something

Word origin: From Arabic nazir, opposite, as in opposite the zenith.

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In a sentence

Nadir in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing nadir in a sentence.

The collapse of the company marked the nadir of the founder's career.

The company reached its nadir when bankruptcy rumors wiped out two-thirds of its market value in a week.

Synonyms
bottomrock bottomlow point
Antonyms
zenithpeakapex

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Verbal · Text Completion

The novelist's late style is admired precisely for its blank: every superfluous phrase has been pared away, leaving prose of startling economy.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “nadir” well

Nadir names the lowest or most unsuccessful point of something, originally an astronomical term for the point directly below an observer. It is used figuratively for the depths of a career, fortune, or mood.

Common questions

Questions about “nadir”

Nadir (noun) means the lowest or most unsuccessful point of something
Here is nadir used in an example sentence: "The collapse of the company marked the nadir of the founder's career." Another example: "The company reached its nadir when bankruptcy rumors wiped out two-thirds of its market value in a week."
Common synonyms for nadir include bottom, rock bottom, low point.
Antonyms of nadir include zenith, peak, apex.
Nadir clusters with bottom, rock bottom, and low point. Its direct antonym zenith, along with peak and apex, makes a classic GRE contrast pair.
Yes. Nadir is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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