HSPT Verbal : Synonyms, Antonyms, and Changes in Intensity
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal
All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #343 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Disturbed is to pacific as troubled is to __________.
prudent
sarcastic
delinquent
enraged
tranquil
tranquil
"Disturbed" and "troubled" are both antonyms of "pacific" and "tranquil."
Example Question #212 : Analogies
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Arid is to moist as fertile is to __________.
lush
barren
abundant
lurid
fetid
barren
"Arid" and "moist" are antonyms; therefore the strongest opposite of "fertile" is "barren."
Example Question #341 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Serene is to agitated as violent is to __________.
deadly
dessicated
pacific
foreign
uncontrollable
pacific
"Serene" and "agitated" are opposites; therefore "violent" and "pacific" are antonyms.
Example Question #342 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Traditional is to irregular as occupied is to __________.
oceanic
liberated
ghostly
fallow
busy
liberated
"Traditional" and "irregular" are strong antonyms; therefore "occupied" and "liberated" have opposite definitions.
Example Question #343 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Perfunctory is to thorough as hardy is to __________.
strong
virulent
meaty
cancerous
frail
frail
When something is done in a “perfunctory” manner, it is done with little thought, meaning, and / or effort. For instance, someone could say, “Please do not give me a perfunctory phone call. If you want to talk to me call me. Otherwise, don’t even bother.” In comparison with “thorough,” we could consider the meaning of “perfunctory” as being used in the sense of “doing with little effort.” This is the opposite of doing something in a thorough manner. Given the potential answers, this is best understood as an analogy that expresses a pair of antonyms. The word “hardy” is best opposed to “frail.” All of the other options are either distant synonyms or unrelated words that are only tempting if you over-think the question. Thus, we can say, “As something done in a perfunctory manner is not done in a thorough manner, so too is something that is hardy not frail.”
Example Question #344 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Tepid is to enthusiastic as formidable is to __________.
humanitarian
astounded
fortunate
informal
unimpressive
unimpressive
"Tepid" and "enthusiastic" are strong antonyms, much like "formidable" and "unimpressive" are opposite in meaning.
Example Question #345 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Astounded is to unimpressed as hopeful is to __________.
knowledgable
desperate
fortuitous
curious
obscure
desperate
"Astounded" is the opposite of "unimpressed," much like "hopeful" and "desperate" are antonyms.
Example Question #218 : Analogies
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Scrutinize is to skim as absorb is to __________.
swallow
eject
sponge
chemistry
water
eject
"Scrutinize" and "skim" are opposites, just as "absorb" and "eject" are antonyms.
Example Question #221 : Analogies
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Sharp is to dull as broken is to __________.
hollow
wrecked
complete
deadpan
busted
complete
"Sharp" and "dull" are strong antonyms, just as "broken" and "complete" are opposites.
Example Question #111 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Choose the best answer that completes the comparison.
Artficial is to genuine as basic is to __________.
language
rudimentary
complex
simple
understanding
complex
"Artificial" and "genuine" are both antonyms; therefore the opposite of "basic" is "complex."
All HSPT Verbal Resources
