Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Appearance, Materiality, and Sensory Imagery

Help Questions

SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Appearance, Materiality, and Sensory Imagery

Questions 1 - 10
1

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

DRAB

Dull

Tiny

Vigorous

Corrugated

Minuscule

Explanation

"Drab" means dreary, dull, and/or uninteresting. "Tiny" and "minuscule" both mean very small. "Corrugated" describes a ridged or grooved material. "Vigorous" means strong and energetic.

2

Select the word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters

TORRID

Stifling

Dispute

Mediocre

Frigid

Whimsical

Explanation

"Torrid" means scorching hot or extremely challenging. In this instance the best synonym for one of those meanings is “stifling” which means uncomfortably hot. For clarification, a dispute is an argument or disagreement; mediocre describes something that is average in a negative way; whimsical means silly and quirky; frigid means very cold, and is an antonym of stifling and torrid.

3

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

VORACIOUS

Ravenous

Enticing

Delicious

Alluring

Tempestuous

Explanation

“Voracious” means extremely hungry or desiring or consuming great quantities. The only answer which means extremely hungry is “ravenous”; the words are linked by their suffix "-ous" which means characterized by. To help you, “tedious” means tiring or boring due to repetition, and “tempestuous” means stormy. “Alluring” and “enticing” both mean tempting.

4

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

EMACIATED

Gaunt

Destroyed

Sad

Sensitive

Fibrous

Explanation

If someone or something is “emaciated” they are very thin and bony. For example, one could write, "After the famine, the farm animals were “emaciated.” “Gaunt” means thin and bony and usually pale. If you say, "His face looked gaunt," you mean it was thin, pale, and bony. To further help you ,“fibrous” means stringy or made of fibres, so chewy meat is “fibrous.” “Sensitive” means easily offended or sympathetic to other people’s feelings.

5

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

INTACT

Complete

Broken

Spoiled

Social

Accurate

Explanation

"Intact" means complete. "Broken" is an antonym of "intact" and means smashed or shattered. "Spoiled" means coddled. "Social" can mean having to do with society. "Accurate" means correct or precise.

6

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

SOUR

Tart

Swarthy

Husky

Sweet

Quizzical

Explanation

"Sour" and "tart" both describe a mouth-puckering taste. "Swarthy" means dark-skinned, "husky" means strong and robust, and "quizzical" means puzzled. "Sweet" and "sour" are generally considered antonyms.

7

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

OVERT

Apparent

Disguised

Askew

Tilted

Pudgy

Explanation

"Overt" means "apparent" or undisguised.

"Pudgy" means fat, overweight or chubby.

"Tilted" means leaned or slanted.

"Askew" means crooked or not straight.

"Disguised" means hidden by a false appearance or unrecognizable.

8

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

FRIGID

Chilly

Damp

Moist

Wet

Humid

Explanation

"Frigid" and "chilly" are synonyms adjectives describing the state of being cold. The other answer choices are synonymous with each other, and all refer to the state of being wet, but only "chilly" means the same thing as "frigid." Someone might be "frigid" because their clothes are "damp," but these adjectives are not in and of themselves synonymous.

9

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

HORRID

Dreadful

Inappropriate

Horticultural

Honest

Homely

Explanation

The words "horrid" and "dreadful" are synonymous. They refer to something that inspires fear. The other answer choices do not have this meaning. Words like "homely," "honest," and "horticultural" may seem to have similar prefixes, but they have completely unrelated meanings.

10

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

STRIKING

Astonishing

Unremarkable

Unimportant

Unimpressive

Stalwart

Explanation

"Striking" and "astonishing" are synonyms which can be used to praise someone or something's appearance. The other answer choices do not share this meaning.

Page 1 of 10
Return to subject