HSPT Verbal : Antonyms

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

Agile is the opposite of __________.

Possible Answers:

limber

athletic

frisky

lethargic

Correct answer:

lethargic

Explanation:

"Athletic," "frisky," and "limber" are synonyms of agile. "Agile" means to be quick and well coordinated in movement.

"Lethargic" means to be drowsy or slugglish.

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

Indolent is the opposite of __________.

Possible Answers:

lackadaisical 

energetic

inert

lethargic

Correct answer:

energetic

Explanation:

"Inert," "lethargic," and "lackadaisical" are synonyms of indolent. "Indolent" means slow or lazy, while "energetic" means full of energy.

Example Question #2 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

Lithe is the opposite of __________.

Possible Answers:

clumsy

agile

nimble

limber

Correct answer:

clumsy

Explanation:

"Nimble," "agile," and "limber" are synonyms of lithe. "Lithe" means moving or bending with ease, while "clumsy" means awkward in movement or action.

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for erratic is __________.

Possible Answers:

wrong

variable

steady

fickle

correct

Correct answer:

steady

Explanation:

Something that is erratic has no pattern and happens at unknown intervals. The word is related to the word “err” and “error,” as these words all come from a Latin base that means “to stray.” When we make an “error,” we “stray from the right path.” Something “erratic” strays from any pattern—which would be like a straight line. In contrast to something “erratic,” “steady” is an excellent antonym.

Example Question #2 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for fasten is __________.

Possible Answers:

couple

reluctance

fuse

unlatch

attend

Correct answer:

unlatch

Explanation:

To fasten something is to latch or attach it to something else. When you fasten a chest-strap on a book bag, you latch together two clips, joining them together at one connection point. The opposite of such an action of fastening is “unlatching,” which quite obviously means “to remove a latch or undo a latching.”

Example Question #3 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for haste is __________.

Possible Answers:

speed

obtuse

slack

sloth

delay

Correct answer:

delay

Explanation:

When someone is in haste, that person acts in a very speedy manner, often in an over-hurried manner. To “make haste” is to act rapidly to accomplish something. “To delay” is the opposite of making haste. While someone who is slothful or slacking might be less likely to make haste, the only direct antonym among the possible answers is “delay.”

Example Question #4 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for torrent is __________.

Possible Answers:

river

flow

illegal

licit

trickle

Correct answer:

trickle

Explanation:

A torrent is a very forceful movement of water. When something flows “torrentially,” it does so with great speed and quantity. In contrast to this, a trickle is a small flow of water—an apt antonym. The options “river” and “flow” mean to trap you by mere association with water. The options “illegal” and “licit” likewise are traps since the word “torrent” is associated with a type of computer file sharing method that is sometimes used in a legally questionable manner.

Example Question #1 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for variegated is __________.

Possible Answers:

iteration

monotonous

shelved

piney

misled

Correct answer:

monotonous

Explanation:

For this word, following your hunch likely will help if you do not know the vocabulary. The primary sense of the word “variegated” is “multicolored,” particularly meaning that those colors are arranged in an irregular pattern. This is often used to describe certain types of multicolored leaves.  If you saw the word “varied” in the word “variegated,” you would potentially be able to answer this without having direct knowledge of “variegated.” Only “monotonous” is sufficiently opposed to the notion of variety for our needs. Something monotonous has a single character—a single tone (color, sound, etc). It can describe a voice that does not change its pitch as well as a picture that has a single color.

Example Question #6 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for dormant is __________.

Possible Answers:

toxic

active

poisonous

medicinal

building

Correct answer:

active

Explanation:

When something is “dormant” it could be said to be “sleeping.” A closer meaning to the standard English usage of the word would be “inactive.” It does have a relation, however, to the notion of sleeping, as could be inferred by its relationship to the word “dormitory,” which means “sleeping room” or “building for sleeping.” In contrast with inactivity or “dormancy,” only “active” functions as an adequate antonym.

Example Question #7 : Antonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

An antonym for linger is __________.

Possible Answers:

annoy

dawdle

silence

depart

persist

Correct answer:

depart

Explanation:

When something lingers, it remains in a given area, as when a smell lingers in the kitchen after cooking or a guest lingers for some time after dinner, talking about many things and not leaving the house; therefore, in a very broad sense, you could say that “to linger” means “to stay.” The best contrast with this among the options provided is “depart,” meaning “to leave.”

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