HSPT Verbal : Antonyms: Verbs

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #133 : Antonyms

An antonym of "alleviate" is __________.

Possible Answers:

condemn

gratify

torque

exacerbate

smite

Correct answer:

exacerbate

Explanation:

The word "alleviate" comes from Latin roots meaning light (in the sense of being not heavy). To alleviate something is to make it lighter or to reduce it. Related words are "levity" (meaning humor or light-heartedness) and "levitate." The best contrast among the options given is "exacerbate," meaning to make worse. It is related to "acerbic," which means biting and sharp—as in "acerbic wit."

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors