HSPT Verbal : Antonyms: Verbs

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #591 : Hspt Verbal Skills

An antonym of "waver" is __________.

Possible Answers:

persist

belittle

bemoan

militate

straighten

Correct answer:

persist

Explanation:

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 #31 : Antonyms: Verbs

An antonym of "impede" is __________.

Possible Answers:

destroy

facilitate

diminish

crescendo

accept

Correct answer:

facilitate

Explanation:

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 #32 : Antonyms: Verbs

An antonym of "sanction" is ___________.

Possible Answers:

proscribe

reduce

corrupt

levy

incarcerate

Correct answer:

proscribe

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #33 : Antonyms: Verbs

An antonym of "transfer" is __________.

Possible Answers:

retain

grant

convey

relocate

disdain

Correct answer:

retain

Explanation:

The word "transfer" literally means to carry across (as in carrying across a border). When someone transfers goods or money, he or she sends them to someone else (or to another place). In contrast to such conveyance, we could consider an antonym to be "to hold on to." The word "retain" means just this, namely to keep something in someone's own possession (instead of giving it).

Example Question #34 : Antonyms: Verbs

An antonym of "subsist" is ___________.

Possible Answers:

burgeon

survive

meander

accede

obscure

Correct answer:

burgeon

Explanation:

When someone is said to "subsist" on something, he or she barely survives—only well enough to keep together his or her physical being. This comes from the old philosophical notion of subsistence, which indicates the basic existence of a being—though not necessarily implying any great flourishing. In contrast to this, "burgeoning" growth is great, fruitful growth. When something or someone is burgeoning, that thing is greatly flourishing. This is a good contrast to merely "subsisting."

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Other Verbs

An antonym of "extol" is __________.

Possible Answers:

neglect

laud

acclaim

deride

disclaim

Correct answer:

deride

Explanation:

The word "extol" means to praise. Several options among the answers are synonyms for this—"laud" and "acclaim". The word "disclaim" is not an antonym. It means to deny. This is not the opposite of praising, however. The word "deride" means to show contempt about something. It is related to "ridicule" and "ridiculous"—the idea being that "deriding" means to make fun of something.

Example Question #2 : Antonyms: Other Verbs

An antonym of "jeopardize" is __________.

Possible Answers:

miscalculate

preserve

reckon

support

estimate

Correct answer:

preserve

Explanation:

When we put something "into jeopardy," we put that thing at risk. The verb "jeopardize" merely signifies the act of putting something into such a risky situation. The best contrast to this is to protect the thing. Among the options provided, only "preserve" has this sense of protecting in contrast to endangering the thing in question.

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Other Verbs

An antonym of "corroborate" is __________.

Possible Answers:

correct

pity

contradict

defame

fulminate

Correct answer:

contradict

Explanation:

The most frequent use of "corroborate" is probably in the sense of a courtroom testimony "corroborating" the truth or falsity of some claim. Such corroboration helps to support the claim being made. Such evidence is the opposite of contradicting evident—i.e. evidence that seems to speak against the claim being made.

Example Question #3 : Antonyms: Other Verbs

An antonym of "divulge" is __________.

Possible Answers:

collaborate

apprehend

heal

accuse

conceal

Correct answer:

conceal

Explanation:

We often speak of divulging in the context of secrets that are divulged. This means that they were revealed. Surprisingly the word is related to "vulgar" which means the masses or the common people. When you divulge something, you tell it to everyone—even the "commoners." In contrast to this, when we conceal something, we "cover it up" or keep it from being known or seen.

Example Question #4 : Antonyms: Other Verbs

An antonym of "accost" is __________.

Possible Answers:

reduce

complain

evade

pardon

alleviate

Correct answer:

evade

Explanation:

The word "accost" does not have to do with the price of goods. Strangely enough, it comes from the Latin that literally means to be at the side of someone or something else. In English, it means to speak to in a strong and vigorous manner. Often, it is an aggressive kind of speech, confrontational in nature. The point for this question is that accosting is directly addressing something. In contrast to this, evading something is avoiding it, quite the opposite of dealing with something "head on."

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