ISEE Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #271 : Identifying Synonyms

GERMINATE

Possible Answers:

Reinforce

Relish

Renounce

Quell

Sprout

Correct answer:

Sprout

Explanation:

Germinate means to grow or sprout. "Relish" means to enjoy or take delight in doing something. "Quell" means to subdue or put down. "Reinforce" means to support or strengthen. "Renounce" means to abandon or reject.

Example Question #501 : Synonyms

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

TAINT

Possible Answers:

Restrain

Hold

Elixir

Puncture

Adulterate

Correct answer:

Adulterate

Explanation:

The word “taint” comes distantly from the Latin word for “to dye” and is likewise related to the English “tinge,” meaning, “to give a slight coloration to something.” The general idea expressed by “taint” is that something is being polluted or contaminated by another thing. One could say, “The water was tainted with fish blood, making it impossible to drink.” Likewise, one could use the term in a metaphoric sense like, “Ronald’s negative attitude tainted the positive spirits of the entire group, reducing everyone’s enjoyment.”  When something is “adulterated,” it is corrupted, generally by adding something of worse quality to something of better quality.

Example Question #502 : Synonyms

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

VACATE

Possible Answers:

Shun

Leave

Forget

Eschew

Relax

Correct answer:

Leave

Explanation:

The word “vacate” is related to vacuum, as it comes from the Latin for “to leave empty.” When someone vacates an area, he or she leaves it. For instance, you likely have heard the expression “vacate the premises.” This expression means, “to leave the building or property.” The word is distantly related to “vacation,” which can merely mean “to be unoccupied,” as though you had “empty time on your hands.”

Example Question #281 : Identifying Synonyms

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

OCCLUDE

Possible Answers:

Assuage

Impede

Facilitate

Castigate

Enervate

Correct answer:

Impede

Explanation:

"Occlude" and "impede" both mean to hinder or block a process. "Facilitate" means to assist the progress of. "Enervate" means to tire or wear out. "Castigate" means to criticize severely. "Assuage" means to soothe or relieve

Example Question #282 : Identifying Synonyms

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

OSCILLATE

Possible Answers:

Abdicate

Refuse

Levitate

Fluctuate

Bungle

Correct answer:

Fluctuate

Explanation:

"Oscillate" means to fluctuate or change back and forth; think of an oscillating fan. "Levitate" means to rise into the air. "Abdicate" means to give up a right, position, or power. "Bungle" means to blunder or mess up. "Refuse" means to deny or say no.

Example Question #503 : Synonyms

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

TRUNCATE

Possible Answers:

Reserve

Accumulate

Shorten

Luggage

Storage

Correct answer:

Shorten

Explanation:

The word “truncate” comes from Latin roots for “to maim” (to wound by causing a body part to become useless). This word is generally applied metaphorically to mean “to cut short.” For instance, one can say, “The message was truncated unexpectedly, sending only the first half of the contents.”

Example Question #284 : Identifying Synonyms

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

CONJURE

Possible Answers:

Vanish

Judgment

Witchcraft

Produce

Fasten

Correct answer:

Produce

Explanation:

We might often think of “conjuring” in terms of magical tricks. The word actually can mean “to bring to mind,” as in, “The smell of pumpkin pie conjures images of Thanksgiving Day dinner for many American adults.” Likewise, it can have the more general meaning of “to produce unexpectedly,” as in, “I was always amazed that my mother could conjure up the most beautiful Christmas decorations in spite of our dire poverty.” For this reason, “produce” is the best option among those provided.

Example Question #285 : Identifying Synonyms

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

ENERVATE

Possible Answers:

Recite

Dash

Fortify

Enfeeble

Time

Correct answer:

Enfeeble

Explanation:

"Enervate" is a verb that means "cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "weaken." "Fortify" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "fortify" can mean "strengthen or invigorate (someone) mentally or physically," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "enervate." "Enfeeble," however, is a verb that means "make weak or feeble," and because "enfeeble" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "enervate," "enfeeble" is the correct answer.

Example Question #121 : Synonyms: Verbs

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

REFINE

Possible Answers:

Powdery

Dusted

Adjudicate

Small

Purify

Correct answer:

Purify

Explanation:

When something is refined, it is cleansed of any impurities. For instance, one might say, “The water is refined so as to contain no solids by boiling the fluid and capturing only the vapor that rises from it.”

Example Question #286 : Identifying Synonyms

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

ADULTERATE

Possible Answers:

Corrupt

Vex

Simmer

Matriculate

Purify

Correct answer:

Corrupt

Explanation:

The word "adulterate" is a verb that means to corrupt the purity of by adding an impure element to something. The best choice is "corrupt," since it is a part of the definition of "adulterate." Considering the other choices, "purify" is an antonym of "adulterate" that means to remove impurities or corruption, "matriculate" means to register at a college or university, "vex" means to annoy, and "simmer" means heat to a temperature just below boiling.

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