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The Great Gatsby vocabulary list

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel is full of rich, precise language describing wealth, longing, and disappointment. This list gathers vocabulary that appears throughout the book, giving readers the words to discuss Gatsby's parties, Nick's narration, and the novel's themes of illusion and ambition.

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The Great Gatsby vocabulary list

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
opulencenounGreat wealth or luxury, especially as shown through lavish possessions or surroundings.The hotel lobby's marble floors and gold fixtures radiated opulence.
extravagantadjectiveSpending much more money than necessary, or excessively elaborate and lavish in style.They threw an extravagant party with fireworks, a live band, and an ice sculpture.
disillusionmentnounA feeling of disappointment that follows discovering something is not as good as previously believed.His disillusionment with politics grew after years of broken promises.
elusiveadjectiveDifficult to find, catch, achieve, or fully understand, despite repeated attempts.Lasting peace between the two nations remained elusive despite years of negotiation.
incorruptibleadjectiveUnable to be bribed or morally corrupted, or not subject to decay.The auditor was known as incorruptible, refusing every offer of money or favors.
aristocracynounA class of people holding hereditary titles and high social rank, often with political power.The aristocracy once controlled most of the nation's land and political influence.
bootleggernounA person who makes, transports, or sells illegal alcohol or other goods, especially during Prohibition.During Prohibition, bootleggers smuggled whiskey across the border in hidden truck compartments.
decadencenounMoral or cultural decline caused by excessive indulgence in luxury and pleasure.Historians often point to decadence as one cause of the empire's decline.
melancholynounA deep, thoughtful sadness, often without an obvious cause.A gentle melancholy settled over her as she packed up her childhood home.
wistfuladjectiveFeeling or showing a vague longing, often tinged with sadness, especially for something in the past.She gave a wistful smile as she looked through her old photographs.
unattainableadjectiveNot able to be reached, achieved, or obtained, no matter how much effort is made.Critics said the company's growth targets were simply unattainable within a single year.
facadenounThe front exterior of a building, or a false, misleading appearance someone presents to others.Workers spent months restoring the crumbling facade of the old theater.
hedonismnounThe pursuit of pleasure and self-indulgence as the most important goal in life.Critics accused the resort's advertising of celebrating pure hedonism over rest or culture.
ambitionnounA strong desire to achieve success, power, or a particular goal.Her ambition was to open her own bakery before turning thirty.
ostentatiousadjectiveDesigned to impress others by showing off wealth, knowledge, or possessions in an obvious way.The couple's ostentatious mansion had gold fixtures in nearly every room.
gaudyadjectiveExtremely showy or bright in a tasteless, overdone way.The hotel lobby was decorated with gaudy gold fixtures and flashing neon lights.
languidadjectiveLacking energy or vitality; moving or acting in a slow, relaxed way.They spent a languid afternoon lying in hammocks by the lake.
superciliousadjectiveBehaving as though one is superior to others; arrogantly contemptuous.The waiter's supercilious tone made the diners feel quite unwelcome.
fastidiousadjectiveVery attentive to detail and difficult to please, especially about accuracy, cleanliness, or correctness.The fastidious editor caught every small typo before the article went to print.
recklessadjectiveActing without thinking about the danger or harmful consequences of one's actions.The reckless driver sped through the red light without slowing down.
longingnounA strong, persistent feeling of wanting someone or something, often something distant or unattainable.He felt a deep longing for his hometown after years abroad.
nostalgianounA sentimental longing for the past, especially for a happy time or place remembered fondly.The old song filled her with nostalgia for summers at her grandmother's house.
turbulentadjectiveMarked by conflict, disorder, or sudden violent movement, whether in weather, water, or events.The plane shook violently as it flew through turbulent air over the mountains.
corruptadjectiveWilling to act dishonestly, especially by abusing power or accepting bribes, in exchange for personal gain.Investigators uncovered a corrupt official who had been accepting bribes for years.
idealizeverbTo regard or represent something or someone as perfect or better than it actually is.It is easy to idealize your childhood home once you have moved far away from it.
symbolismnounThe use of symbols or images to represent ideas, qualities, or feelings beyond their literal meaning.The novel is full of religious symbolism, especially in its final chapter.
ironynounA situation or expression in which the intended or actual meaning is the opposite of what is said or expected.It was pure irony that the fire station burned down during a fire safety inspection.
unreliableadjectiveNot able to be trusted to behave, perform, or produce results consistently as expected.The old car was too unreliable to drive on a long road trip.
narratornounA person who tells or reads aloud the story or events in a book, film, or performance.The narrator's calm voice guided listeners through the documentary's tragic history.
carelessadjectiveNot giving enough attention or thought to what one is doing, resulting in mistakes or harm.A careless mistake in the calculations caused the bridge design to fail inspection.

Words about wealth and illusion

Gatsby's world runs on appearances, and the novel's vocabulary keeps pointing that out. Opulence and extravagant describe the surface of his parties, while facade and ostentatious hint that the display is hiding something. Words like disillusionment, wistful, and unattainable describe what happens once the characters look past that surface toward what they actually want.

Frequently asked questions

What vocabulary appears in The Great Gatsby chapter 1 vocabulary lists?

Early chapters lean on words describing wealth and social class, such as aristocracy and opulence, along with narration-focused terms like unreliable and narrator as Nick introduces the story.