The Great Gatsby Vocabulary | 10 Essential Words | F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby - Essential Vocabulary | CramBookNotes
CRAMBOOKNOTES Vocab Series

Essential Vocabulary

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

High School Grades 10-12 10 Key Words American Classic - 1925
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Word List

Word Part of Speech Definition Example from the Book
Ostentatious adjective Characterized by pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice "Gatsby's mansion was ostentatious - a tasteless imitation of a French chateau."
Extravagant adjective Lacking restraint in spending; exceeding what is reasonable or necessary "The parties at Gatsby's mansion were extravagant beyond reason - orchestras, catered food, and champagne all night."
Illusion noun A false idea or belief; something that produces a false impression of reality "Gatsby had thrown himself into the illusion with creative passion, adding to it all the time."
Careless adjective Not giving sufficient attention to avoiding harm; thoughtless about consequences "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated into their money."
Cynical adjective Believing people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of sincerity "Jordan Baker was cynical and dishonest - she moved through the world assuming everyone else was equally corrupt."
Decadence noun Moral or cultural decline through excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury "The Valley of Ashes existed as a counterpoint to the decadence of West Egg."
Nouveau Riche noun People who have recently acquired wealth but lack the refinement of old money "Gatsby lived in West Egg - marking him as nouveau riche, no matter how large his mansion."
Obsession noun An idea that continually preoccupies a person; an unhealthy fixation "Gatsby's obsession with Daisy had consumed five years of his life - every dollar earned was for her."
Corruption noun Dishonest conduct; the process by which something pure becomes morally degraded "Gatsby's wealth was built on corruption - bootlegging and connections to organized crime."
Disillusionment noun Disappointment from discovering something is not as good as one believed "Nick's disillusionment with the East drives him back to the Midwest at the novel's end."

Vocabulary Video

Watch - Essential Vocabulary from The Great Gatsby

Practice Quiz

The Great Gatsby - Vocabulary Quiz

Question 1 of 10

Gatsby's mansion was deliberately __________ - a tasteless imitation of a French chateau designed not for genuine enjoyment but to attract Daisy's attention.

Question 2 of 10

The parties at Gatsby's mansion were __________ beyond reason - orchestras, catered food, hundreds of uninvited guests, and champagne flowing all night.

Question 3 of 10

Gatsby's love for Daisy was built on __________ - he had fallen in love with an idealized version of her that no real person could ever match.

Question 4 of 10

Tom and Daisy were fundamentally __________ people - they destroyed lives and felt no responsibility for the wreckage they left behind.

Question 5 of 10

Jordan Baker was __________ and dishonest - she moved through the world assuming everyone else was as corrupt as she was.

Question 6 of 10

The Valley of Ashes exposes the moral cost of the __________ of the Jazz Age wealthy - it is the literal ash and waste produced by their extravagant lifestyle.

Question 7 of 10

Despite his enormous wealth, Gatsby was always marked as __________ - new money that could buy a mansion but could never purchase the social acceptance of old aristocracy.

Question 8 of 10

Gatsby's __________ with Daisy blinded him to reality - he could not accept that she had moved on and that his dream was already over.

Question 9 of 10

The irony of Gatsby's story is that his __________ - his criminal wealth - was built entirely in service of the most idealistic dream: winning back Daisy's love.

Question 10 of 10

Nick's final __________ with the wealthy class - embodied by Tom and Daisy's carelessness and Gatsby's destroyed dream - marks the novel's moral conclusion.

out of 10 correct

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