Synonyms: Nouns for People

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Synonyms: Nouns for People

Questions 1 - 10
1

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

MARAUDER

Plunderer

Jockey

Connoisseur

Exemplar

Offspring

Explanation

"Marauder" is a plunderer, or someone who raids people for profit.

"Offspring" means child of someone, or progeny.

"Connoisseur" means someone who is an expert in arts or matters of taste.

"Exemplar" is someone who is imitated.

"Jockey" is a professional horse racer.

2

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

RUFFIAN

Hoodlum

Cherub

Scribe

Pontiff

Spectator

Explanation

A "ruffian" is a "hoodlum," a troublemaker or a delinquent.

None of the other words are synonymous with ruffian:

"Spectator" means a bystander or someone who views an event or a spectacle.

"Pontiff" means the pope, or the leader of the Catholic Church.

A "scribe" is someone who makes hand-written copies of texts. Scribes still exist, but were more common in the time before the printing press was invented.

A "cherub" is a very cute baby, or a chubby angel child with wings.

3

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

FIREBRAND

Radical

Professor

Explorer

Voyage

Continent

Explanation

A "firebrand" is a person who incites a revolution or some great change, so "radical," which can mean a revolutionary, is the correct answer. A "professor" is a person who teaches students at a college or university. An "explorer" is a person who travels and discovers new lands. A "voyage" is a long trip, usually made by ship. A "continent" is a very large body of land.

4

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

CHEMIST

Alchemist

Celtic

Cavalier

Cellist

Calvinist

Explanation

"Chemists" and "alchemists" are people who work with chemical processes. Both words also share a root: chem-. The other words may also describe kinds of people, but they are not at all related to the word chemical.

5

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

ANTAGONIST

Adversary

Actress

Director

Producer

Hero

Explanation

"Antagonist" is an antonym of "protagonist." Whereas a "protagonist" is a hero, an "antagonist" is a villain. The answer choice that is closest in meaning to "villain" is “adversary," which means enemy or opponent.

6

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

BARD

Poet

Sharp

Craftsman

Mayor

Witty

Explanation

A "bard" is a poet.

7

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

PHYSICIAN

Doctor

Henchman

Queen

Churl

Rascal

Explanation

"Physician" means "a doctor."

"Henchman" means a ruthless subordinate, usually a criminal.

"Rascal" means a dishonest or unscrupulous person.

"Churl" means someone who is rude and surly.

"Queen" is a female monarch.

8

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

SURROGATE

Substitute

Protagonist

Adversary

Foe

Antagonist

Explanation

"Surrogate" means replacement or substitute, so "substitute" is the correct answer. For clarification, "protagonist" means hero in a story and is the antonym of "antagonist," which means villain in a story, while "adversary" means opponent and "foe" means enemy.

9

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

ANTAGONIST

Opponent

Ally

Supervisor

Follower

Comrade

Explanation

"Antagonist" is defined as an adversary, rival, or foe. Of the answer choices, "opponent" has the closest meaning.

10

Synonyms: choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the word in question.

Peasant

Worker

Royalty

Bird

Church

Sculpture

Explanation

"Peasant" means worker; Royalty usually refers to the King, his family, and his court; Bird is a type of animal; Church is a place of worship; and Sculpture is art usually carved out of a solid material.

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