ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Identifying Synonyms

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #481 : Identifying Synonyms

Select the synonym.

Enchanting

Possible Answers:

Dreadful

Delectable

Dueling

Confusing

Discouraging

Correct answer:

Delectable

Explanation:

Both enchanting and delectable can be defined as highly pleasing. 

Discouraging, dueling, and dreadful are antonyms to enchanting.

Something enchanting may or may not be confusing, so that does not work either.

 

Example Question #482 : Identifying Synonyms

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

HEINOUS

Possible Answers:

Benevolent

Benign

Generous

Evil

Correct answer:

Evil

Explanation:

"Heinous" means shockingly evil. "Benign" means harmless, while "generous" means giving, and "benevolent" means good. If you can figure out that "benign," "generous," and "benevolent" all have similar meanings and are not synonyms of "heinous," you can narrow down the answer to "evil."

Example Question #651 : Synonyms

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

CONTRARY

Possible Answers:

Similar

Wary

Opposite

Stubborn

Cooperative

Correct answer:

Opposite

Explanation:

"Contrary" means opposite or willfully refusing to agree, so "opposite" is the correct answer. You can also figure this out by thinking of the phrase "on the contrary," which is used to introduce information that considers the topic of conversation from an opposing viewpoint. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "contrary": "cooperative" means working together toward a common goal; "stubborn" means refusing to change one's mind even when given good evidence or reasons to do so; and "wary" means cautious or careful.

Example Question #652 : Synonyms

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

OMINOUS

Possible Answers:

Auspicious

Menacing 

Obnoxious 

Sorrowful

Correct answer:

Menacing 

Explanation:

The word "ominous" means threatening or suggesting that something bad is going to happen; therefore, "menacing," which also means threatening, is the word that most closely matches the definition of "ominous." "Auspicious," which means favorable or promising, is the opposite of "ominous," and therefore incorrect. "Sorrowful," which means feeling or showing sadness, and "obnoxious" are unrelated to the definition of "ominous" and therefore also incorrect.  

Example Question #653 : Synonyms

A synonym of "contrary" is . . .

Possible Answers:

surprising

similar

purposeful

opposite

judicious

Correct answer:

opposite

Explanation:

"Contrary" is an adjective that means "opposite in nature, direction, or meaning," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "opposite." "Similar" cannot be the correct answer because "similar" is an antonym of "opposite," but because "opposite" is one of the answer choices, and the answer choice closest in meaning to "contrary," "opposite" is the correct answer.

Example Question #654 : Synonyms

Synonyms: Choose the answer that most closely matches the word in capital letters.

DEFICIENT

Possible Answers:

Obsolete

Positive

Lacking 

Negative 

Courteous

Correct answer:

Lacking 

Explanation:

Deficient means lacking or missing something. To further help you, courteous means polite; obsolete means no longer useful or out of date; negative means bad; positive means good.

Example Question #655 : Synonyms

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

SUBLIME

Possible Answers:

Subordinate

Secondary

Last

Magnificent

Subsidiary

Correct answer:

Magnificent

Explanation:

"Sublime" means awe-inspiring or overwhelmingly magnificent. "Magnificent" is the best match because it means impressive or spectacular.

Example Question #656 : Synonyms

Synonyms: Choose the answer that most closely matches the word in capital letters.

CONTRARY

Possible Answers:

Diabolical 

Supporting 

Encouraging 

Manipulating

Opposing 

Correct answer:

Opposing 

Explanation:

“Contrary” is similar in meaning to "opposing." It is commonly heard in the expression, “on the contrary,” meaning in opposition to what someone is saying. To provide further help, “encouraging” means offering support; “manipulating” means controlling or tricking; “diabolical” means evil. You could say that someone who is always trying to “manipulate” others is very “diabolical.”

Example Question #657 : Synonyms

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

EQUIVALENT

Possible Answers:

Resembling

Judged

Related

Identical

Mathematical

Correct answer:

Identical

Explanation:

The word "equivalent" has a base that is certainly quite familiar to you: "equ-" as used in "equal," "equally," and so forth. When two things are "equivalent," they are the same, like 2 and 1 + 1.  Equivalence indicates a greater degree of correspondence than mere similarity. Two people might be similar in appearance, but equivalence is strict equality. Therefore, the best option among those given is "identical," which indicates such strict equivalence.

Example Question #658 : Synonyms

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

BIZARRE

Possible Answers:

unusual

familiar

crowded

common

Correct answer:

unusual

Explanation:

"Bizarre" means strange or unusual. This word is often used to describe appearances. "Common" and "familiar," which mean usual or encountered often, refer to things that you see often or have seen before, and are opposites of the answer we want. Finally, "crowded" might be used to describe an event packed with lots of people.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors