Synonyms: Verbs - SSAT Middle Level Verbal

Relinquish means give up control of, so "renounce" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "relinquish."

Elicit means to draw out.

Compensate, is a verb that means "to give someone something." Of the answer choices, the word with the closest definition is "reward".

The definition of interpolate is "to insert something between fixed points." Of the words, "insert" has the closest meaning to interpolate.

"Alleviate" is a verb that means to make something bad less intense. Of the answer choices, "ease" has the closest meaning.

"Eradicate" is a verb defined as "to remove or destroy completely." Of the answer choices, "destroy" has the closest meaning.

"Heed" means pay attention to or obey, so "notice" is the correct answer.

Persevere means to persist.

"Expedite" is a verb that means make something occur or be accomplished more quickly, so we need to pick out another verb that also means speed up. While both "hasten" and "decelerate" have to do with speed, "decelerate" means make something moving slow down, whereas "hasten" means cause something to speed up. Because "hasten" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "expedite," it is the correct answer.

"Obtain" is a verb that means "to gain or get something, usually by effort," we need to pick out another word that means "to get something." While both "procure" and "retrieve" involve getting something, "retrieve" means "to get and bring something back from a place," whereas "procure" means "to get something by some action or effort." Since "procure" is closer in meaning to "obtain" than is "retrieve," "procure" is the correct answer.

"Behoove" is a verb that means "to be necessary, proper, or advantageous for," so we need to pick out another word or phrase that has a similar meaning. While "decorous" might look like a good answer choice because "decorous" means "proper," "decorous" is an adjective while "behoove" is a verb, so "decorous" cannot be the correct answer. Because "be proper for" is closest in meaning to "behoove" of the given answer choices, "be proper for" is the correct answer.

"Dovetail" is a verb that means "to fit together in a pleasing or satisfying way," so we need to pick out another word that means "to fit together well." While "combine" means "unite" or "merge," it does not include the positive connotation that "dovetail" does in that "merge" does not necessarily entail two things combining "in a pleasing or satisfying way." "Harmonize," however, besides meaning "to play or sing different musical notes that sound pleasing together," also means "to be combined or go together in a pleasing way." Because "harmonize" not only means "combine" but also includes the positive connotation of "in a pleasing way," "harmonize" is the best answer.

"Enroll" is a verb that means "to become a member of or a participant in," so we need to pick out another word that means "to become a member of." While "enroll" sounds like "roll" and "roll" and "spin" are close in meaning, "enroll" does not mean the same thing as "roll," so "spin" cannot be the correct answer. "Matriculate," however, means "to enroll as a member of a body, especially of a college or university." Since "matriculate" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "enroll," "matriculate" is the correct answer.

"Falter" is a verb that means "to being to fail or weaken," "to begin to walk or move in an unsteady way," or "to feel doubt about doing something." Since "waver" means "to go back and forth between choices or opinions; to be indecisive," "to move back and forth in an unsteady way," or "to become unsteady because of weakness, emotion, or tiredness," "waver" is closest in meaning to "falter" of the given answer choices, so "waver" is the correct answer.

"Transpire" is a verb that means "happen," so we need to pick out another word that means "happen." While "transpire" sounds like "perspire," which means "to sweat," "sweat" is not the answer because while "transpire" and "perspire" sound alike, they have very different meanings. "Occur," however, means "happen; take place," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "transpire," it is the correct answer.

"Abduct" means to kidnap.

"Redress" most nearly means remedy (as a verb), as in "The prisoners were seeking to have their false convictions redressed."

"Hoard" is a word that can be used as a noun or a verb; as a noun, it means "a stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded," and as a verb, it means "amass (money or valued objects) and hide or store away." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is either a verb that means means something like "amass money," or a noun that means "a stock or store of money or valuable objects." While "debt" is a noun that is often associated with money, "debt" means "something, typically money, that is owed or due," so "debt" is an antonym of "horde." "Stockpile," however, is a word that when used as a noun, means "a large accumulated stock of goods or materials, especially one held in reserve for use at a time of shortage or other emergency," and when used as a verb, means "accumulate a large stock of (goods or materials)." No matter whether we view "stockpile" and "hoard" as nouns or verbs, they are synonymous, and because "stockpile" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "hoard," "stockpile" is the correct answer.

"Enumerate" is a verb that means "mention (a number of things) one by one," or, formally, "establish the number of." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "mention one by one" or "establish the number of." "Summarize" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "summarize" means "give a brief statement of the main points of (something)," not "mention (a number of things) one by one." "Itemize," however, is a verb that can mean "present as a list of individual items," and because "itemize" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "enumerate," "itemize" is the correct answer.

“Transact” is a verb that means “conduct or carry out (business),” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “carry out.” That means that “neglect” cannot be the correct answer, because “neglect” can mean “fail to do something” when used with an infinitive, making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “transact.” “Perform,” however, is a verb that means “carry out, accomplish, or fulfill (an action, task, or function),” and because “perform” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “transact,” “perform” is the correct answer.