HSPT Verbal : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, and Progress
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
Abstemious means the opposite of __________.
frugal
gluttonous
abstinent
restrained
gluttonous
"Frugal," "constrained," and "abstinent" mean the same as abstemious. "Abstemious" means sparing or moderate in eating and drinking. "Gluttonous" means tending to eat or drink excessively.
Example Question #2 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
Accede is the opposite of __________.
subscribe
acquiesce
disallow
endorse
disallow
"Acquiesce," "endorse," and "subscribe" are all synonyms of "accede." "Accede" means to give consent, approval, or adherence.
"Disallow" means to refuse to permit, or reject.
Example Question #3 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
An antonym for tame is __________.
terror
frightening
wild
carnivorous
caged
wild
A number of the options provided for answers are likely tempting. When something is not tame, it likely must be caged. Similarly, it is a terror and frightening. Indeed, something “carnivorous” (meat eating) might be thought not to be tame; however, in all of these cases, the words do not directly oppose the notion of being tame. Only “wild” adequately opposes the notion of being “tame” in the sense of being “domesticated,” that is, “house broken” (like a pet). While the others are not unrelated, they are not sufficient antonyms either.
Example Question #4 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
An antonym of "corrupt" is __________.
approve
exalt
misuse
ameliorate
distance
ameliorate
We tend to think of corruption in terms of moral decay. This is a true use of the word, but it is a restricted meaning. Primarily, the term indicates the deterioration of something from a state of purity. In contrast to such corruption, the "bettering" of something would be an excellent antonym. The word "ameliorate" indicates just such improvement. It comes from the Latin "melior," meaning better. It literally means to make better.
Example Question #5 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
An antonym of "waver" is __________.
bemoan
straighten
militate
belittle
persist
persist
The word "waver" is derived from the physical act of moving in a wave pattern. However, it most often indicates the psychological state of going "back and forth" between two options without being able to make a decision. Often too, a wavering person is filled with doubt. In contrast to this, a person who persists shows a sureness that is quite the opposite of the phenomenon of wavering. Among the options provided, this is the best option for an antonym.
Example Question #6 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
An antonym of "impede" is __________.
crescendo
destroy
diminish
accept
facilitate
facilitate
When something is impeded, it is prevented from doing its activity. The word literally comes from the Latin roots meaning to place something on the foot. (The word "pedestrian" has the same "pede" in it.) An antonym for impede would express the activity of helping something on its way. Among the options provided, the best such word is "facilitate," meaning to make easier. The "facil-" prefix means easy, as in "facile."
Example Question #7 : Antonyms: Verbs About Rules, Decisions, And Progress
An antonym of "sanction" is ___________.
incarcerate
corrupt
proscribe
reduce
levy
proscribe
The word "sanction" can have two meanings when it is used as a verb. On the one hand, it can mean to threaten with a penalty. On the other hand, it can also mean to approve. Luckily, none of the wrong answers are an antonym for the meaning of threatening with a penalty. Therefore, we must assume that it means to approve. In contrast to this, to "proscribe" can mean to outlaw or to forbid.
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