Identifying Synonyms

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Identifying Synonyms

Questions 1 - 10
1

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.

2

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

COMBATIVE

Aggressive

Filthy

Excessive

Broken

Romantic

Explanation

Combative means aggressive, eager to engage in combat, and ready to fight. Excessive means too much. Filthy means very dirty or grimy. When it's not capitalized, romantic means loving or characterized by love. Broken means not working or functioning.

3

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

PRECISE

Specific

Vague

Interesting

Slow

Open

Explanation

"Precise" means strictly stated or defined; therefore, "specific" is the best answer, as it means explicit or definite.

4

A synonym of “ingrained” is                     .

entrenched

transient

gregarious

pungent

superb

Explanation

“Ingrained” is an adjective that can mean either “firmly fixed or established; difficult to change” when referring to a habit, belief, or attitude, or “deeply embedded and thus difficult to remove” when referring to dirt or a stain. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “difficult to change” or “deeply embedded.” That means that “transient” cannot be the correct answer, because “transient” means “lasting only for a short time; impermanent,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “ingrained.” “Entrenched,” however, is an adjective that is used of an attitude, habit, or belief and means “firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained.” Because “entrenched” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “ingrained,” “entrenched” is the correct answer.

5

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

CONGENIAL

Agreeable

Disagreeable

Avaricious

Generous

Portentous

Explanation

"Congenial" means agreeable or friendly, so "agreeable," which means pleasant or amenable to something, is the correct answer. For clarification, "avaricious" means greedy, "portentous" means self-important or ominous, "generous" means liberal in giving, and "disagreeable" means not agreeable or unpleasant, as one might be able to infer from the word being a combination of the negative prefix "dis-" and the word "agreeable."

6

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

PRECISE

Specific

Vague

Interesting

Slow

Open

Explanation

"Precise" means strictly stated or defined; therefore, "specific" is the best answer, as it means explicit or definite.

7

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

DASHINGLY

Stylishly

Unattractively

Patronizingly

Condescendingly

Clumsily

Explanation

"Dashing" means lively, spirited, stylish, or attractive. It is a near antonym of "unattractive." "Clumsy" means awkward or uncoordinated. To "patronize" someone is to treat him or her condescendingly or look down on him or her.

8

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.

9

Synonyms: choose the word with a meaning most similar to the word in question.

Transgression

Sin

Nook

Verity

Apparel

Witticism

Explanation

A "transgression" is a sin or a violation of a law.

10

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

Rural

Countryside

Suburban

Urban

Mountainous

Arid

Explanation

"Rural" means countryside; Suburban means residential; Urban means city-like; Mountainous means having many mountains; and Arid means dry.

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