Antonyms: Nouns for Abstract Concepts - HSPT Language Skills

"Equity" describes the character of someone who does not show favorites and is just in his or her actions. It is clearly related to words like "equality" and "equal." When someone is "impartial," he or she does not favor someone in an inequitable way. "Partiality," in contrast, is the character trait describing someone who does show such favoritism. It is therefore an excellent contrast to "equity."

The word "filial" means related to or due from a son or daughter. Filial piety is the kind of respect that a child should have for his or her parents. To "affiliate" is to gather together into a group, as though one party is adopting another as its child. The opposite of an affiliation would then be the breaking apart of a group. To "sever" two things is to divide them. "Severance" describes the process of dividing in this way.

A number of the incorrect answers are trying to lead you to interpret "generic" in the sense of the kinds of store brands of food that are called "generic." In the past, you could buy such non-brand-name foods in containers that had no real labels on them—only the words naming the contents, all in black on a white background. These items are called "generic" because they fit the general description of the item—they are indeed "flakes of corn," as the box might say. The opposite of something "generic" is something that is "specific." This is the actual meaning of the word, for the pair "generic" and "specific" come from the logical notions of genus and species, as in: homo (genus) sapiens (species).

The word "loyalty" is quite easy and well known. Do not, of course, answer "fidelity," for this is a synonym—which we are not looking for at all! The word "rebel" and "scalawag" both describe people who are not very loyal. However, we are looking for a word that is an abstract concept that is opposed to loyalty. To be treacherous is to be someone who betrays the trust that someone else puts in him or her. This is the opposite of being loyal; hence, this is an excellent option for an antonym.

Historically, the Renaissance was a period of cultural rebirth, generally associated with the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. (There were also smaller renaissances in the middle ages—very important ones too!) The word comes from the literal roots meaning rebirth. The "-naissance" section of the word is related to other such words like "natal," "nativity," and "nascent." The idea of a renaissance in general is one of rebirth and cultural growth. In contrast to this, a period of degeneration is one in which things are falling apart and getting worse. Literally, the word "degeneration" means growing or developing downward.

We generally think of barbarians when we hear the word "barbarity." This word originally came from the ancient Greek prejudice against other people. They seemed uncivilized to the ancient Greeks, who though that the "barbarians'" language sounded like "bar bar bar." The word now has come to mean someone or something that is lacking cultural development and often also indicates cruelty. Among the options provided, "civility" is the best option. Civility refers to the manners and courtesy of someone who, generally speaking, lives in society. It comes from roots that are related to city life—as in "civilian" and "civil service."

First of all, note well that the word is "immortality,"not "immorality"! This mistake could lead you to pick one of the wrong answers, especially the seemingly simple "morality" but also "uprightness." An "immortal" thing is one that is undying. Often, we will use this to speak of divinities—immortal gods. It can also refer to ideas that are unchanging or undying. Thus, in contrast to this, transient things are ones that are passing. Transience describes the state of being passing in such a manner.

"Abasement" means humiliation or degradation. You might abase a fellow student by bullying them. The opposite meaning would be to "honor" someone. "Humiliation" is a synonym of abasement, not an antonym. Although "abasement" sounds like the word "basement," they do not have similar meanings, so "dungeon" and "fort" should be eliminated. "Creation" is also not an antonym of "abasement."

"Equity" describes the character of someone who does not show favorites and is just in his or her actions. It is clearly related to words like "equality" and "equal." When someone is "impartial," he or she does not favor someone in an inequitable way. "Partiality," in contrast, is the character trait describing someone who does show such favoritism. It is therefore an excellent contrast to "equity."

The word "filial" means related to or due from a son or daughter. Filial piety is the kind of respect that a child should have for his or her parents. To "affiliate" is to gather together into a group, as though one party is adopting another as its child. The opposite of an affiliation would then be the breaking apart of a group. To "sever" two things is to divide them. "Severance" describes the process of dividing in this way.

A number of the incorrect answers are trying to lead you to interpret "generic" in the sense of the kinds of store brands of food that are called "generic." In the past, you could buy such non-brand-name foods in containers that had no real labels on them—only the words naming the contents, all in black on a white background. These items are called "generic" because they fit the general description of the item—they are indeed "flakes of corn," as the box might say. The opposite of something "generic" is something that is "specific." This is the actual meaning of the word, for the pair "generic" and "specific" come from the logical notions of genus and species, as in: homo (genus) sapiens (species).

The word "loyalty" is quite easy and well known. Do not, of course, answer "fidelity," for this is a synonym—which we are not looking for at all! The word "rebel" and "scalawag" both describe people who are not very loyal. However, we are looking for a word that is an abstract concept that is opposed to loyalty. To be treacherous is to be someone who betrays the trust that someone else puts in him or her. This is the opposite of being loyal; hence, this is an excellent option for an antonym.

Historically, the Renaissance was a period of cultural rebirth, generally associated with the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. (There were also smaller renaissances in the middle ages—very important ones too!) The word comes from the literal roots meaning rebirth. The "-naissance" section of the word is related to other such words like "natal," "nativity," and "nascent." The idea of a renaissance in general is one of rebirth and cultural growth. In contrast to this, a period of degeneration is one in which things are falling apart and getting worse. Literally, the word "degeneration" means growing or developing downward.

We generally think of barbarians when we hear the word "barbarity." This word originally came from the ancient Greek prejudice against other people. They seemed uncivilized to the ancient Greeks, who though that the "barbarians'" language sounded like "bar bar bar." The word now has come to mean someone or something that is lacking cultural development and often also indicates cruelty. Among the options provided, "civility" is the best option. Civility refers to the manners and courtesy of someone who, generally speaking, lives in society. It comes from roots that are related to city life—as in "civilian" and "civil service."

First of all, note well that the word is "immortality,"not "immorality"! This mistake could lead you to pick one of the wrong answers, especially the seemingly simple "morality" but also "uprightness." An "immortal" thing is one that is undying. Often, we will use this to speak of divinities—immortal gods. It can also refer to ideas that are unchanging or undying. Thus, in contrast to this, transient things are ones that are passing. Transience describes the state of being passing in such a manner.

"Abasement" means humiliation or degradation. You might abase a fellow student by bullying them. The opposite meaning would be to "honor" someone. "Humiliation" is a synonym of abasement, not an antonym. Although "abasement" sounds like the word "basement," they do not have similar meanings, so "dungeon" and "fort" should be eliminated. "Creation" is also not an antonym of "abasement."

"Equity" describes the character of someone who does not show favorites and is just in his or her actions. It is clearly related to words like "equality" and "equal." When someone is "impartial," he or she does not favor someone in an inequitable way. "Partiality," in contrast, is the character trait describing someone who does show such favoritism. It is therefore an excellent contrast to "equity."

The word "filial" means related to or due from a son or daughter. Filial piety is the kind of respect that a child should have for his or her parents. To "affiliate" is to gather together into a group, as though one party is adopting another as its child. The opposite of an affiliation would then be the breaking apart of a group. To "sever" two things is to divide them. "Severance" describes the process of dividing in this way.

A number of the incorrect answers are trying to lead you to interpret "generic" in the sense of the kinds of store brands of food that are called "generic." In the past, you could buy such non-brand-name foods in containers that had no real labels on them—only the words naming the contents, all in black on a white background. These items are called "generic" because they fit the general description of the item—they are indeed "flakes of corn," as the box might say. The opposite of something "generic" is something that is "specific." This is the actual meaning of the word, for the pair "generic" and "specific" come from the logical notions of genus and species, as in: homo (genus) sapiens (species).

The word "loyalty" is quite easy and well known. Do not, of course, answer "fidelity," for this is a synonym—which we are not looking for at all! The word "rebel" and "scalawag" both describe people who are not very loyal. However, we are looking for a word that is an abstract concept that is opposed to loyalty. To be treacherous is to be someone who betrays the trust that someone else puts in him or her. This is the opposite of being loyal; hence, this is an excellent option for an antonym.