ISEE Upper Level Verbal Reasoning › Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ELITIST
Snobbish
Apprehensive
Desirable
Nonplussed
Petrified
Someone who is "elitist" is arrogant and thinks they are better than other people. The closer answer choice to this definition is "snobbish." To provide further help, "petrified" means very scared; "apprehensive" means cautious and worried; "desirable" means wanted; "nonplussed" means confused.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
IRASCIBLE
Cantankerous
Tenacious
Wary
Opaque
Mirthful
"Irascible" means cantankerous or crabby. "Tenacious" means strong-willed or determined. "Wary" means careful or cautious . "Opaque" means clouded, muddy, or hard to understand. "Mirthful" means merry or playful.
Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
AFFABLE
genial
untrue
comical
wealthy
Someone who is "affable" is easy to talk with and pleasant to be around. "Genial" best conveys this sense (a likable pageant contestant might be named "Miss Congeniality"—a related word).
Choose the best synonym for the word in capital letters.
VULNERABLE
susceptible
veteran
painstaking
morose
Vulnerable means susceptible to physical or emotional harm.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
CAPRICIOUS
Fickle
Dreary
Ephemeral
Insolent
Reverent
"Capricious" means changing one's mood in a fickle, unpredictable manner, so the answer choice that is its best synonym is "fickle," or changing frequently.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INTRACTABLE
Umanageable
Complex
Indefatigable
Magnanimous
Strenuous
"Intractable" means difficult or burdensome; therefore, "unmanageable" is the best answer.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
RESOLUTE
Steadfast
Voted
Agreed
Tacit
Difficult
The word "resolute" comes from similar roots as "resolve" and "resolution." These words mean in general to come to a determined decision. The particular adjective "resolute" describes someone who has decided in a fixed and unchanging manner. Thus, the best answer is "steadfast," which describes someone in a similar manner.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
DILIGENT
Industrious
Devoted
Regular
Fixated
Delightful
When someone is "diligent," he or she is devoted to his or her work. Now, while this would likely make you think that "devoted" would be the best option, actually "industrious" is slightly better. When someone is "industrious," he or she is works with great care and devotion. This expresses the role of work in the devotion better than the simple word "devoted."
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LAX
Negligent
Odious
Prolific
Remorseless
Tedious
“Lax” means negligent, not giving enough attention to something, or not taking something seriously enough, so "negligent" is the best synonym amongst the answer choices. As for the other answer choices, “odious” means unpleasant, revolting, or disgusting; “prolific” means able to produce a large quantity of something quickly; “tedious” means dull and boring; and “remorseless” means not feeling guilty about one's actions.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
HAUGHTY
Conceited
Overstated
Wealthy
Affluent
Prosperous
While one might think that “haughty” is related to someone being wealthy, what it generally means is that someone has a “high opinion” of himself or herself. Such a person would judge others as being “beneath” him or her. An adequate description of such a “haughty person” would be “conceited,” which means “being very proud, judging one’s abilities to be great.”