SSAT Elementary Level Verbal › Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Location, Context, Order, and Direction
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
UBIQUITOUS
Everywhere
Brilliant
Almost
Insertion
Clear
"Ubiquitous" is defined as present, appearing, or found everywhere; thus, "everywhere" is the best answer choice.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LOFTY
High
Narrow
Excessive
Soft
Serene
“Lofty” means high up when referring to physical location,or noble when referring to ideas, so "high" is the correct answer. To provide further help, “narrow” means thin in width; “excessive” means too much; and “serene” means quiet and peaceful.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
EXOTIC
Foreign
Minimal
Correct
Global
Federal
“Exotic” means coming from a distant place, so it is most similar in meaning to “foreign,” which means from a different country. To provide further help, “federal” means associated with a country's central government; “minimal” means of the least amount or an extremely small amount; “correct” means true and accurate; and “global” means something that is everywhere in the world.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INWARD
Inside
Outside
Open
Outdoor
Underground
The words "inward" and "inside" are synonymous; both words are used to describe a direction headed to the interior of something. "Underground" refers to something that is under the ground. The words "outside" and "outdoor" mean the same thing. And the word "open" refers to something that is "accessible."
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
URBAN
Metropolitan
Rural
Forest
Coast
Ocean
The word “urban” means having to do with the city or life in the city as opposed to the country and life in the country, so "metropolitan" is the correct answer, since it means having to do with a metropolis, or in other words, having to do with a large city. The word “rural,” on the other hand, means having to do with the countryside or life in the country. To provide further help, the “coast” is the border between the land and a large body of water or the area near this border.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PRIOR
Preceding
Following
Forgotten
Outdated
Simplistic
The adjective "prior" indicates that something comes before another thing. For instance, if you already have some knowledge of frog anatomy when your class begins to cover this subject, your biology teacher could say that you have "prior knowledge." The word "prior" is opposed to the word "posterior," which means coming after. A "prior commitment" is a commitment or meeting that you have scheduled at an earlier point in time. While things like "prior knowledge" might be simple in comparison with later developments of that knowledge, the best option among the answers is the one that draws attention to the general notion of being "before." Hence, "preceding" is the best option, for "preceding" means coming before.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
EXTERIOR
Outside
Inside
Underneath
Circular
Beyond
"Exterior" means outside.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
UNDERGROUND
Buried
Above
Heavenly
Angelic
Cosmic
The adjective "cosmic" refers to something in the sky. "Heavenly" and "angelic" are closely related in meaning. "Above" is the opposite of "under," which is the root of the word "underground." The word "underground" is closest in meaning to the word "buried."
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LAST
Final
First
Foremost
Quick
Speedy
We can arrive at the correct answer using process of elimination. The words "quick" and "speedy" both mean exactly the same thing. They refer to something that is fast. Both of these words cannot be the correct answer, so it is best to eliminate these two choices. The word "first" means the opposite of "last." The word "foremost also means first; consider the common expression "first and foremost." This only leaves the word "final." "Last" and "final" are synonymous.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
MARITIME
Nautical
Mountainous
Airborne
Secretive
Wet
"Maritime" is an adjective that means "connected with the sea, especially in relation to seafaring commercial or military activity," "living or found in or near the sea," "bordering on the sea," or "denoting a climate that is moist and temperate owing to the influence of the sea." While "wet" might look like the correct answer because both "wet" and "maritime" can be associated with water, "wet" does not mean the same thing as "maritime" and cannot be the correct answer. "Nautical," however, means "of or concerning sailors or navigation; maritime," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "maritime," "nautical" is the correct answer.