Synonyms: Other Adjectives

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ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning › Synonyms: Other Adjectives

Questions 1 - 10
1

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

APT

Appropriate

Application

Inappropriate

Fit

Explanation

The word "apt" means appropriate or very intelligent. The best choice is "appropriate," as it is a part of the definition of the word "apt." Considering the other options, an "application" is a request, "inappropriate" means not suitable, and "fit" means in good physical condition.

2

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

ORNATE

Decorated

Plain

Empty

Full

Explanation

"Ornate" is an adjective that means elaborate, so the answer choice closest in meaning to "ornate" is "decorated," an adjective meaning attractive or ornamental. Considering the other answer choices, none are close in meaning to "ornate": "plain" means clear; "empty" means vacant or not containing anything; and "full" means complete or containing as much as a container can.

3

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

LABORIOUS

Difficult

Mediocre

Simple

Mundane

Overt

Explanation

"Labor" means work, so it makes sense that “laborious” means involving hard work, or "difficult." “Mundane” means boring or ordinary; “mediocre” means average when higher quality was expected; and "overt" means obvious or easy to notice.

4

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

PAINSTAKING

Careful

Careless

Helpful

Helpless

Hapless

Explanation

"Painstaking" means done with great care and patience, meticulous and careful. To provide further help, "hapless" means hopeless, unfortunate, unlucky.

5

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

PARTICULAR

Distinct

Dirty

Incomplete

Lazy

Achieving

Explanation

For the word particular, do not be confused by the "part" portion of the word. The word "particular" is not primarily concerned with being a part (in contrast to being a whole). Instead, something is particular when it is specific. For example, whenever you say, "I have a particular color in mind," this means that you actually have a specific color picked out. You are not undecided. Thus, the best option given here is "distinct." Something that is particular is also distinct. The word can also be used to describe someone who is very picky. A person who is "very particular" is very picky—he or she wants something very distinct.

6

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

APPROPRIATE

Suitable

Casual

Severe

Intense

Mediocre

Explanation

"Appropriate" means fitting, right, or suitable. To help you, "severe" and "intense" are synonyms of one another; they both describe something that is extreme. Also, "mediocre" means average when better-than-average was expected.

7

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

HYPNOTIC

Mesmerizing

Deceptive

Magical

Distorted

Strange

Explanation

"Hypnotic" means to have the effect of fixating one's attention. "Mesmerizing" also means this, so "mesmerizing" is the correct answer.

8

A synonym of "conventional" is __________.

standard

novel

unusual

perceptive

moving

Explanation

"Conventional" is an adjective meaning "used and accepted by most people: usual or traditional," "of a kind that has been around for a long time and is considered to be usual or typical," or "common and ordinary: not unusual." So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "usual" or "ordinary." "Novel" and "unusual" are antonyms of "conventional," so neither can be the correct answer, but "standard," when used as an adjective, means "used or accepted as normal or average." Because "standard" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "conventional," "standard" is the correct answer.

9

Which of the following is a synonym of "impervious?"

Resistant

Susceptible

Exposed

Sensitive

Nervous

Explanation

Resistant. Impervious most nearly means, impenetrable and impassable. Something that is "impervious" is resistant to certain or all things. For instance, a sentence using the word would be "He was impervious to her reasoning."

Most of the other choices are antonyms, with the exception of "nervous" which is unrelated.

10

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

AMBIGUOUS

Imprecise

Dexterous

Able

Argumentative

Mammalian

Explanation

When something is ambiguous, it is not distinct. For example, someone might shrug his or her shoulders. This action may indicate either not caring or meaning that the person is okay with what was said (or perhaps something entirely different). Such a gesture is thus said to be "ambiguous," for its meaning can go many different ways. (The word comes from roots that mean driving or going both ways at once. You might know the ambi- prefix, which means both. It is related to the word ambidextrous, which means using both hands ably.) Thus, the best option among those provided is imprecise. When something is "precise," it is exact. The "im-" prefix here is what is called a "privitive prefix." It is a prefix that means not. Therefore, "imprecise" means not precise—quite like being ambiguous!

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