Synonyms: Adjectives - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

Whenever we say that we "admire" someone, we mean that we have a very high opinion of that person. We respect such people for who they are and for what they do. Although such persons are sometimes famous, often they are not. We admire our grandparents, even if few people know them. This means that we respect them, and thus "respected" is the best option.

"Puny" means weak and small. To further help you, "dazed" means stunned, especially by a blow; "bemused" means confused and puzzled.

“Reluctant” means not willing, so "unwilling" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "reluctant": “cantankerous” means grumpy; “enthused” means excited; “demonic” means marked by qualities of the devil or of demons; “susceptible” means vulnerable or in danger from something specific.

“Deflated” means saddened and discouraged by some experience. To provide further help, “encouraged” means supported; “disposed” means got rid of; “imposed” means forced upon; “implied” means suggested.

"Furious"is an adjective meaning extremely angry. The only answer choice with a similar meaning is "enraged," which means very angry. The other words do not have similar meanings: "gruff"can mean no-nonsense or abrupt; "superb" means excellent; and "annoyed" means only slightly angry.

When something is "becoming scarce," it is decreasing in quantity. Indeed, a "scarce" supply is one that is scanty or small in quantity. If almost all the trees in a forest are cut down, we would say, "The trees have become scarce." Therefore, the word "scarce" at times is used to mean "rare" as well. If there are few trees, it becomes rare to see them. A "rare occurrence" is one that does not happen very frequently—it "scarcely happens."

Whenever something is "enormous," it is very big. This "very" is important. Several options, like "big" and "large," do not express this "very_._" Only "huge" is a word that means very big. Therefore, it is the best option among those provided.

A good example using the word primitive is to describe cooking tools used by early man. These tools were primitive and were originally used by man to cook.

For something to be incessant, it means that it is continual. For instance, an incessant noise indicates that the noise repeats itself.

"Nimble" means quick and agile. "Agile" is the best choice because it means easily able to move quickly and is part of the definition of "nimble." Considering the other choices, "robotic" means acting in an unchanging and unemotional manner, like a robot, "correct" means right or true , and "indifferent" means not caring.

"Idle" means unmoving or not active. "Stationary" is the best choice because it also means unmoving. Considering the other choices, "hidden" means not in plain sight, "deter" means restrain from doing, and "vex" means anger or annoy.

"Timely" is defined as done or occurring at a favorable or useful time. The best answer choice is "convenient," which means fitting in well with a person's schedule.

"Inevitable" means unable to be avoided or definitely bound to happen. "Unavoidable" is therefore the word choice that matches the definition. "Unpredictable," "unpleasant," and "incredible" are all unrelated to the definition.

Instantaneous means instant or occurring without any delay whatsoever. "Immediate" is the best answer choice because it also means instant.

"Wizened" means dry, shrunken, and wrinkled due to being old, so "gnarled," an adjective that means twisted and rough due to age, is the correct answer.

"Annual" means on a yearly basis, so "yearly" is the correct answer. "Kind-hearted" means nice and compassionate. "Difficult" means hard or tough to complete. "Stressful" means causing stress or anxiety. "Cooperative" means collaborative or working well with another person or others in a group.

“Abrupt” means sudden and unexpected. To provide further help, “outlandish” means bizarre, peculiar, or strange; “dogmatic” means bound by strict, inflexible rules; “miserable” means very sad; “circumstantial” means owed to circumstance, owed to chance.

“Sluggish” means tired, lethargic and lacking energy.

"Seldom" is an adverb that means not happening often. The best choice is "rarely" because it means infrequently and is a synonym of "seldom." Something that seldom happens rarely happens.

"Contrary" is an adjective that means "opposite in nature, direction, or meaning," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "opposite." "Similar" cannot be the correct answer because "similar" is an antonym of "opposite," but because "opposite" is one of the answer choices, and the answer choice closest in meaning to "contrary," "opposite" is the correct answer.