SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Synonyms, Antonyms, and Changes in Intensity
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Undulating is to wavy as fatigued is to ___________.
tired
night
awake
starved
breakfast
If something is “undulating,” it is wavy. If someone is “fatigued,” they are tired. To clarify, “starved” means very hungry.
Select the word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
AKIN
Similar
Different
Unique
Vie
Inspect
Akin means similar or comparable. For clarification, unique means distinct and original; vie means to compete or struggle.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
HORRID
Dreadful
Inappropriate
Horticultural
Honest
Homely
The words "horrid" and "dreadful" are synonymous. They refer to something that inspires fear. The other answer choices do not have this meaning. Words like "homely," "honest," and "horticultural" may seem to have similar prefixes, but they have completely unrelated meanings.
Synonyms: Select the word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
BEGUILE
Entice
Deride
Allow
Quell
Suggest
“Beguile” means to charm or entice someone, so the correct answer is “entice," which means to tempt someone. For clarification, "deride" means to mock, and "quell" means to suppress or subdue.
Synonyms: choose the word with the meaning closest to the word in question.
Miserable
Unhappy
Ecstatic
Cheap
Old
Meager
"Miserable" means sad and unhappy.
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
LUSH
Verdant
Profane
Explicit
Objective
Subjective
"Lush" means abundant or luxuriant and often refers to plants or foliage, so it is most similar in meaning to "verdant," which means either_of the color of grass_ or covered in green vegetation. For clarification, "profane" means rude and disrespectful or having to do with worldly things instead of spiritual things, "explicit" means clear and unambiguous, "subjective" means biased or based on personal opinion, and "objective" means not subject to personal opinion.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ELABORATELY
Complexly
Daringly
Quantitatively
Numerically
Algebraically
Something "elaborate" is complex or complicated. "Daringly" means boldly. "Algebraically," "numerically," and "quantitatively" are all math terms.
Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
CONSTRICTIVE
restrictive
liberating
hazardous
mean-spirited
snake-like
Constrictive means something is restrictive.
Complete this analogy.
Impartial is to __________ as assertive is to meek.
biased
hospitable
voluminous
ambivalent
noisome
"Assertive" means confident, demonstrating confidence in one's own opinions. "Meek" means lacking confidence, shy. These two words are antonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answers has the opposite meaning to "impartial." "Impartial" means objective, not biased, fair. The correct answer is therefore "biased," which means predisposed to preferring one thing over another, subjective. Additionally, "hospitable" means welcoming, able to be lived in; "voluminous" means large; "ambivalent" means not feeling strongly one way or another; "noisome" means possessing an unpleasant smell, smelling very badly.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
SPUN
Revolved
Handcrafted
Sardonic
Sarcastic
Narrative
Something that "revolves" spins around. "Handcrafted" means made by hand, and "narrative" is the adjective form of narration (storytelling). "Sarcastic" and "sardonic" are synonyms, and both indicate the use of irony in order to mock.