HSPT Verbal : Antonyms: Verbs

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Antonyms: Verbs

An antonym of "alleviate" is __________.

Possible Answers:

gratify

torque

smite

exacerbate

condemn

Correct answer:

exacerbate

Explanation:

The word "alleviate" comes from Latin roots meaning light (in the sense of being not heavy). To alleviate something is to make it lighter or to reduce it. Related words are "levity" (meaning humor or light-heartedness) and "levitate." The best contrast among the options given is "exacerbate," meaning to make worse. It is related to "acerbic," which means biting and sharp—as in "acerbic wit."

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