Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Appearance and Sensory Imagery - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

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 hea_r. 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."

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.

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

"Corrugated" is an adjective that refers to a material, surface, or structure and means "shaped into alternate ridges and grooves." So, "flat" cannot be the correct answer because it is an antonym, not a synonym, of "corrugated." "Grooved," however, is an adjective that means "provided with or having a groove or grooves," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "corrugated," it is the correct answer.

"Durable" is an adjective that means "able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "able to withstand wear." "Fragile" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "fragile" means the opposite of "durable," so it is an antonym, not a synonym, of "durable." "Hardy," however, is an adjective that means "robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions" and because "hardy" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "durable," "hardy" is the correct answer.

"Stout" means fat.

"Gorgeous" means beautiful.

"Firm" means hard.

"Hollow" means empty.

"Audible" means able to be heard. To further help you, able to be seen can be expressed using the word “visible.” Able to be eaten can be expressed using the word “edible.”

"Edible" means able to be eaten. Notice the suffix "-ible," which suggests that a word means able to be something. Watch for suffix and prefix patterns in English, as they can help you figure out the meanings of words you have not seen before.

Something that is "vivid" is very colorful or noticeable. To further help you, "intermediate" means middle level, medium; "mediocre" means average or not very good; "approximate" means guess.

Don't get this word confused with "horse," the animal! "Hoarse" means raspy or rough-sounding, especially when describing someone's voice. You've probably had a hoarse voice after getting a sore throat. "Smooth" means even or free of bumps; "artistic" means talented at art or creative activities, and "mountainous" refers to areas of land and means containing mountains.

"Ravishing," an adjective that is usually used to describe a person, means gorgeous or enchantingly lovely in appearance. So, "stunning," which implies that something or someone is surprisingly beautiful, is the best choice here. "Homely" and "hideous" both refer to the opposite situation: something that is "homely" is plain in an unattractive way, and a "hideous" object is very ugly or gross-looking. "Bland," which means tasteless or boring, is also very different from "ravishing."

"Delectable" and "delicious" are synonyms, each meaning pleasant-tasting. "Unpalatable," "disgusting," and "putrid" are antonyms, or opposites, of "delectable" and "delicious."

"Exquisite" and "stunning" mean beautiful, or beautifully made. "Crude" and "rough" can mean vulgar or badly made. "Grotesque" means ugly. If you can figure out that "crude" and "rough" are synonyms and "grotesque" means ugly, you should be able to deduce that "stunning" is a synonym of "exquisite," even if you don't know what "exquisite" means.

"Tepid" means moderately warm. The best choice is "lukewarm" because it also means moderately warm. Considering the other choices, "scold" means find fault with angrily and verbally , "clever" means intelligent or witty, and "deep" means extending far beneath the surface.

The word "blunt" means not sharp. "Dull" is the best choice because it also means not sharp. Considering the other choices, "acute" means sharp, "tepid" means lukewarm, and "significant" means important.

"Dry" is defined as without moisture or liquid. Since "arid" climates are characterized as dry and having little rain, "arid" is the best answer choice. "Moist" is an antonym of "dry."

"Fragile" means easy to damage or break. "Delicate" is the word choice that most closely matches this definition. "Sturdy," which is a synonym of strong, is the opposite of "fragile," and "dangerous" and "pure" are both unrelated words.