Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Appearance and Sensory Imagery

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ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning › Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Appearance and Sensory Imagery

Questions 1 - 10
1

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

EDIBLE

Digestible

Delicious

Nutritious

Decadent

Explanation

The correct answer is "digestible." "Edible" and "digestible" both mean able to be eaten. The other words have to do with food, but do not have to do with the ability of something to be eaten.

2

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

DELECTABLE

Delicious

Unpalatable

Disgusting

Putrid

Explanation

"Delectable" and "delicious" are synonyms, each meaning pleasant-tasting. "Unpalatable," "disgusting," and "putrid" are antonyms, or opposites, of "delectable" and "delicious."

3

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

EXQUISITE

Stunning

Crude

Rough

Grotesque

Explanation

"Exquisite" and "stunning" mean beautiful, or beautifully made. "Crude" and "rough" can mean vulgar or badly made. "Grotesque" means ugly. If you can figure out that "crude" and "rough" are synonyms and "grotesque" means ugly, you should be able to deduce that "stunning" is a synonym of "exquisite," even if you don't know what "exquisite" means.

4

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

SLENDER

Slim

Clever

Resolute

Dreary

Pointed

Explanation

“Slender” means skinny or"slim." As for the other answer choices, the word “clever” means quick-witted; “resolute” means determined; "dreary” means drab in appearance and causing sadness; and "pointed" means coming to a sharp, narrow tip.

5

Synonyms: Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

DRY

Arid

Feisty

Daring

Moist

Explanation

"Dry" is defined as without moisture or liquid. Since "arid" climates are characterized as dry and having little rain, "arid" is the best answer choice. "Moist" is an antonym of "dry."

6

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

VACANT

Empty

Lively

Absent

Evacuate

Explanation

"Vacant" means empty. "Empty" is the best choice because it is a part of the definiton for "vacant." Considering the other choices, "lively" means energetic, "absent" means away or missing, and "evacuate" means to leave an area because it is dangerous. "Evacuate" is not as good a choice because it is a verb, while "vacant" is an adjective.

7

A synonym of "durable" is __________.

hardy

fragile

meager

exact

ominous

Explanation

"Durable" is an adjective that means "able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "able to withstand wear." "Fragile" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "fragile" means the opposite of "durable," so it is an antonym, not a synonym, of "durable." "Hardy," however, is an adjective that means "robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions" and because "hardy" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "durable," "hardy" is the correct answer.

8

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

ILLUSION

Appearance

Replica

Copy

Transcription

Viewpoint

Explanation

Whenever something is an "illusion," it appears one way, though the reality is really something else. For example, you could say, "Peter's many books gave the illusion that he was very intelligent, when he in fact did not know much at all!" The only option that expresses this idea is "appearance." This is not always going to be a synonym for illusion, but in this case, it functions well enough, given that no other options are as good as this one.

9

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

HOARSE

Raspy

Smooth

Artistic

Mountainous

Explanation

Don't get this word confused with "horse," the animal! "Hoarse" means raspy or rough-sounding, especially when describing someone's voice. You've probably had a hoarse voice after getting a sore throat. "Smooth" means even or free of bumps; "artistic" means talented at art or creative activities, and "mountainous" refers to areas of land and means containing mountains.

10

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

MURKY

Dark

Clear

Mighty

Sore

Intentional

Explanation

Something that is “murky” is dismal and dark, so "dark" is the correct answer. So, water might be “murky” if it were very dirty. “Murky” is also the opposite of “clear,” which means transparent and unclouded. “Sore” means in pain due to overexertion of muscles; “intentional” means done on purpose; and “mighty” means strong.

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