SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms: Roots

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Upper Level Verbal

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Synonyms: Roots

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

IMPUGN

Possible Answers:

Consider

Lurk

Excel

Rent

Attack

Correct answer:

Attack

Explanation:

To "impugn" is to attack someone either verbally or physically. It also means to challenge someone's statements as false. The Latin root word, "pugnare," means to fight.

Example Question #2251 : Synonyms

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

AMBIGUOUS

Possible Answers:

Ambidextrous

Indubitable

Undeniable

Unclear

Pristine

Correct answer:

Unclear

Explanation:

If you don't recognize a word, it is almost always a good idea to try to use roots to figure out its meaning. You can break the word ambiguous into its component parts fairly easily ("ambi" + "guous").  "Ambi-" is a pretty common prefix, so you should recognize it even if you don't know what the whole word means. It's even in one of the other answer choices:  "ambidextrous." The prefix "ambi-" has to do with something that goes in two directions at once. "Ambidextrous," for instance, means able to use both hands to do tasks (e.g. to write). "Ambiguous" means unclear, or having an unclear or undecidable meaning—a meaning that is unclear because it is one among multiple possible meanings. The answer choices "pristine," "indubitable," and "undeniable" each have to do with either clearness or certainty, and we already know what ambidextrous means, so "unclear" is the only choice left.

Example Question #33 : Synonyms: Roots

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

ELUCIDATE

Possible Answers:

Lucid

Learn

Clarify

Intelligent

Read

Correct answer:

Clarify

Explanation:

The word "elucidate" means to clarify or to explain. The best answer choice is "clarify," which means to make clear or to explain. The word "lucid", though related to the verb "elucidate", is not itself a verb. It is an adjective which means clear or easily understood.

Example Question #34 : Synonyms: Roots

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

SIMILITUDE

Possible Answers:

Felicity

Ardor

Bastion

Resemblance

Pleasantry

Correct answer:

Resemblance

Explanation:

"Similitude" is a noun derived from the Latin root "similis", meaning similar. "Resemblance" is a noun meaning the state of being alike, so it is a synonym for "similitude."

Example Question #35 : Synonyms: Roots

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

FIDELITY

Possible Answers:

Ministry

Ennui

Inadequacy

Tint

Loyalty

Correct answer:

Loyalty

Explanation:

"Fidelity" is a noun derived from the Latin root fidelis meaning faithfulness. "Loyalty" is a noun meaning a strong feeling of allegiance or faithfulness, and is an appropriate synonym.

Example Question #3014 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Synonyms: choose the word closest in meaning to the word in question.

UNORTHODOX

Possible Answers:

Putrid

Pedestrian

Malevolent

Ordinary

Strange

Correct answer:

Strange

Explanation:

"Unorthodox" means unusual or strange or not traditional, so "strange" is the correct answer.

Example Question #2252 : Synonyms

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

SAVANT

Possible Answers:

Accumulation

Mirage

Irony

Scholar

Epicure

Correct answer:

Scholar

Explanation:

A "savant" is a person of extensive learning, so the best choice is the word "scholar." "Savant" is derived from the French word "savoir," which means to know.

Example Question #31 : Synonyms: Roots

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

AFOREMENTIONED

Possible Answers:

Aforesaid

Aforethought

Afore

Afoul

Afoot

Correct answer:

Aforesaid

Explanation:

These words all share an anglo-saxon root "afore-." The only two words with closely related meanings are "aforesaid" and "aforementioned," which refer to something that has previously come up in conversation. The other words are not synonymous with "aforementioned."

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors