GRE Words for Bold vs. Cowardly: Etymology and Memory Hooks
Six GRE words about courage and fear — intrepid, audacious, dauntless, timorous, pusillanimous, and craven — explained through their roots with a hook for each.
2026-06-02 · 7 min read
Why learn the courage cluster together
Bravery and cowardice form a sharp antonym pair the GRE returns to often. Studying both ends of the spectrum at once makes the connotations easier to keep straight.
The bold words
Intrepid (fearless, adventurous). From Latin in- (not) + trepidus (alarmed, anxious). Hook: an intrepid explorer feels no trepidation.
Audacious (boldly daring; sometimes recklessly so). From Latin audere, "to dare." Hook: an audacious plan dares what others would not.
Dauntless (showing fearlessness; not intimidated). From "daunt," to discourage, plus -less. Hook: a dauntless leader cannot be daunted.
The cowardly words
Timorous (timid, fearful). From Latin timor, "fear" (the same timor in "timid"). Hook: a timorous person trembles with fear.
Pusillanimous (cowardly, faint-hearted). From Latin pusillus (very small) + animus (spirit). Hook: a pusillanimous person has a very small spirit — the opposite of magnanimous.
Craven (contemptibly cowardly). From Middle English, likely tied to "crashed" or "defeated." Hook: a craven retreat is a shamefully fearful one.
Seeing them in GRE context
A nice etymological link: pusillanimous (small spirit) is the direct opposite of magnanimous (great spirit), both built on animus. Spotting shared roots across word lists deepens recall.
Verbloom drills these in sentences and contrasts the bold group with the cowardly group, so each word's strength and connotation stay clear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between audacious and intrepid?
Both mean bold. Intrepid stresses fearlessness in the face of danger; audacious stresses daring boldness, which can sometimes carry a hint of recklessness or impudence.
How can I remember pusillanimous?
Break it into pusillus (very small) + animus (spirit): a very small spirit, the opposite of magnanimous, which is a great spirit.
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