ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Identifying Synonyms

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Lower Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #921 : Identifying Synonyms

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

FRAIL

Possible Answers:

Failed

Subtle

Weak

Small

Undiscovered

Correct answer:

Weak

Explanation:

Something that is "frail" is easily broken. Something that is "weak" is lacking strength, and therefore also breaks very easily. Given the similarities between these two words, "weak" is the best synonym for "frail."

Example Question #922 : Identifying Synonyms

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

UNKEMPT

Possible Answers:

Forceful

Tidy

Mistaken

Disheveled

Prodigious

Correct answer:

Disheveled

Explanation:

A person who appears "unkempt" looks messy, as if he or she has not groomed themselves, and generally lacking in personal maintenance. Have you ever left for school in a hurry, perhaps with unbrushed hair or wrinkled clothes? You likely seemed unkempt. Now that we know the meaning of the given term, let's examine the choices. "Tidy" means neat and organized, so it cannot be our answer. "Forceful," which means powerful, and "mistaken," which means incorrect, are not related to an untidy appearance. We are left with "disheveled," which means physically messy or out of order. We have found our synonym!

Example Question #923 : Identifying Synonyms

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

COMPRESSED

Possible Answers:

Boiled

Squishy

Shortened

Condensed

Disguised

Correct answer:

Condensed

Explanation:

Something that is "compressed" is forced into a smaller space. Something that is "condensed" is reduced from a larger size into a smaller size while still holding the same amount of material. Given the similarities between these two words, they are synonyms.

Example Question #924 : Identifying Synonyms

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

VIVID

Possible Answers:

Sight

New

Confusing

Cloudy

Bright

Correct answer:

Bright

Explanation:

The word "vivid" means very bright or lively. "Bright" is the best choice because it is a part of the definition of "vivid." Considering the other choices, "new" is unrelated in meaning to "vivid," "sight" is a noun that means the ability to see, and "cloudy" means foggy or unclear.

Example Question #925 : Identifying Synonyms

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

BLARING

Possible Answers:

Deafening

Bright

Loud

Noisy

Annoying

Correct answer:

Deafening

Explanation:

The word "blaring" is used to describe a very loud sound. Notice that several options have to do with being loud—"loud," "noisy," and "deafening." It is only the last option that is acceptable. When something is "deafening," it is so loud that it makes you lose your ability to hear. This is much better than the rather standard "loud" and "noisy." If there were no other options, these would be fine; however, it is best to match the intensity and pick "deafening."

Example Question #926 : Identifying Synonyms

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

ILLUSION

Possible Answers:

Transcription

Appearance

Viewpoint

Copy

Replica

Correct answer:

Appearance

Explanation:

Whenever something is an "illusion," it appears one way, though the reality is really something else. For example, you could say, "Peter's many books gave the illusion that he was very intelligent, when he in fact did not know much at all!" The only option that expresses this idea is "appearance." This is not always going to be a synonym for illusion, but in this case, it functions well enough, given that no other options are as good as this one.

Example Question #927 : Identifying Synonyms

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

TIMID

Possible Answers:

Aggressive

Angry

Shy

Tired

Noisy

Correct answer:

Shy

Explanation:

"Timid" means showing a lack of confidence or courage, therefore "shy" would be the word most like "timid."

Example Question #928 : Identifying Synonyms

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

VISIBLE

Possible Answers:

Vision

Noticeable

Cloudy

Eyesight 

Permeable

Correct answer:

Noticeable

Explanation:

"Visible" means able to be seen. The best choice is "noticeable," which means able to be noticed. Something that is "noticeable" can be seen. Considering the other choices, "permeable" means full of small holes so certain things may pass through"cloudy" means not clear, and "vision" is sight. Even though "vision" is related to "visible," it is a noun while "visible" is an adjective. Since "noticeable" is both close in definition to "visible" and an adjective, it is the best choice.

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