ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Synonyms: Adjectives

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Lower Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Identifying Synonyms

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

AFFECTIONATE

Possible Answers:

Helpful

Moody

Joyful

Bubbly

Caring

Correct answer:

Caring

Explanation:

When someone is "affectionate," he or she is very caring and loving toward other people. Now, while such a person might also tend to be helpful, joyful, or even bubbly, these meanings are not strict synonyms for "affectionate." Affection is, above all else, about love. Thus, the best synonym among those provided for "affectionate" is "caring." (The word "caring" means more than "helpful"—it indicates an emotional attachment. This makes it a better option.)

Example Question #42 : Identifying Synonyms

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

GLEEFUL

Possible Answers:

Willing

Friendly

Amazing

Energetic

Joyful

Correct answer:

Joyful

Explanation:

The word "glee" means a great amount of happiness. Thus, a gleeful person is very happy. We could say, "The baby was utterly gleeful while playing with the small dog, giggling and slapping playfully at the ground." The main thing that you want to express with the word "gleeful" is happiness.  (Often, this happiness comes with great energy too; however, gleefulness is about happiness.)  Thus, the best option is "joyful."

Example Question #43 : Identifying Synonyms

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

DEPRESSED

Possible Answers:

Concerned

Miserable

Fussy

Worried

Angry

Correct answer:

Miserable

Explanation:

The word "depressed" is used to describe someone who is very unhappy. When a person is "miserable," he or she is not happy or is very negative about life. Among the options given, this is the only one that closely matches "depressed".

Example Question #44 : Identifying Synonyms

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

FURIOUS

Possible Answers:

Enraged

Superb

Annoyed

Gruff

Correct answer:

Enraged

Explanation:

"Furious" is an adjective meaning extremely angry. The only answer choice with a similar meaning is "enraged," which means very angry. The other words do not have similar meanings: "gruff" can mean no-nonsense or abrupt; "superb" means excellent; and "annoyed" means only slightly angry.

Example Question #45 : Identifying Synonyms

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

ERRATIC

Possible Answers:

Predictable

Unpredictable

Lucky

Lazy

Organized

Correct answer:

Unpredictable

Explanation:

When someone behaves "erratically" they are acting in a way that is not expected, usual, nor even predictable. Therefore, "unpredictable" would be the word closest to this meaning and is a synonym for erratic.

Example Question #41 : Synonyms: Adjectives

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

FRAGILE

Possible Answers:

Stern

Breakable

Logical

Robust

Firm

Correct answer:

Breakable

Explanation:

“Fragile” means easy to break or "breakable." As for the other answer choices, “robust” means sturdy and strong; “stern” means enforcing the rules or strict; “firm” means strong or hard and not easily forced into a different shape; “logical” means rational or not breaking any of the rules of formal logic.

Example Question #42 : Synonyms: Adjectives

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

FIRM

Possible Answers:

Ignorant

Solid

Angry

Lively

Joyful

Correct answer:

Solid

Explanation:

The word "firm" is an adjective used to describe something that is physically solid. For example, a firm pillow is one that is somewhat hard—as opposed to a very soft pillow. Sometimes, too, this word is used to describe someone's actions. For example, to say, "He was firm about his wish to have at least eight hours of sleep," means that the person did not give up his desire for the sleep (even if others protested).

Example Question #43 : Synonyms: Adjectives

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

COMPACT

Possible Answers:

Pushy

Regular

Dense

Organized

Slippery

Correct answer:

Dense

Explanation:

The word "compact" comes from root words meaning joined together. When we compact our garbage, we compress it into a small space. When we describe the garbage as being "compact," we are indicating that it is very densely packed together. "Dense" things do not have much air space. The same is true for compact materials.

Example Question #44 : Synonyms: Adjectives

Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the one word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

COLOSSAL:

Possible Answers:

magnificent

immense

perilous

diminutive

beneficial

Correct answer:

immense

Explanation:

If something is colossal, it means that it is massive or immense. For example, a mistake can be colossal if it is large.

Example Question #45 : Synonyms: Adjectives

A synonym of "immense" is __________.

Possible Answers:

meddlesome

puny

quiet

gargantuan

excited

Correct answer:

gargantuan

Explanation:

"Immense" is an adjective that means "extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "very big." That means that "puny" can't be the correct answer, because "puny" means "small and weak" or "poor in quality, amount, or size," so "puny" is an antonym of "immense." "Gargantuan," however, is an adjective that means "enormous," so "gargantuan" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "immense."

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