ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #333 : Identifying Synonyms

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

VITAL

Possible Answers:

Agreeable

Honest

Powerless

Superfluous

Necessary

Correct answer:

Necessary

Explanation:

Anything that is "vital" is absolutely required for a certain process or goal. For example, food and water are vital ingredients for human survival. "Necessary," or needed, is a strong synonym of "vital," while both "powerless" and "agreeable" are unrelated. Finally, perhaps you are unfamiliar with the final choice, "superfluous." This word simply means extra or unnecessary, which is the exact opposite of the choice we want to pick.

Example Question #334 : Identifying Synonyms

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

INTENSE

Possible Answers:

Effortless

Mediocre

Mild

Moderate

Extreme

Correct answer:

Extreme

Explanation:

“Intense” means to a great degree or "extreme." The word “moderate” means in the middle of two sides or poles, whereas “mediocre” means of average quality when higher quality was expected. Something that is “effortless” does not require effort or work or is extremely easy to do, and something that is "mild" is not very strong or serious.

Example Question #335 : Identifying Synonyms

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

VITAL

Possible Answers:

Fatal

Passive

Needed

Aggressive

Extraneous

Correct answer:

Needed

Explanation:

"Vital" derives from the Latin "vita," life, so it makes sense that something that is “vital” is very important to keeping life going, or more generally, necessary and very important. "Necessary" is thus the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “extraneous” means not needed or part of an amount that is more than what is needed; “aggressive” means angry and violent or intense; “passive” means not doing anything in response to something; and “fatal” means deadly.

Example Question #334 : Identifying Synonyms

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

TRIFLING

Possible Answers:

Petty

Difficult

Detailed

Important

Extended

Correct answer:

Petty

Explanation:

"Trifling," when used as an adjective, means "unimportant or trivial." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "unimportant." "Important" is the opposite of "unimportant," so it can't be the correct answer, but "petty" means "of little importance; trivial," "characterized by an undue concern for trivial matters, esp. in a small-minded or spiteful way" when used to describe behavior, or "of secondary or lesser importance, rank, or scale; minor." Because "petty" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "trifling," "petty" is the correct answer.

Example Question #335 : Identifying Synonyms

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

HEARTY

Possible Answers:

Malevolent

Benevolent

Wise

Strong

Visible

Correct answer:

Strong

Explanation:

Hearty means strong and healthy. To further help you, wise means very smart, able to make good decisions; benevolent means good-natured; malevolent means wicked-natured; benevolent and malevolent are antonyms of one another; visible means able to be seen.

Example Question #336 : Identifying Synonyms

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

EXTREME

Possible Answers:

Enormous

Insane

Excited

Distant

Passionate

Correct answer:

Enormous

Explanation:

Something "extreme" is something that exists to a high degree. For example, extreme heat is very hot—at a high degree of heat. Extreme anger is a large amount of anger. The general idea of being extreme is this kind of largeness or greatness of amount. Thus, the best option is "enormous." None of the other options are synonymous with the idea of being of a large size or to a great degree.

Example Question #337 : Identifying Synonyms

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

VIRULENT

Possible Answers:

Beneficial

Obsolete

Toxic

Uncaring

Loose

Correct answer:

Toxic

Explanation:

"Virulent" means strong, extremely lethal and poisonous. The closest answer then is "toxic" which means poisonous. To provide further help, "beneficial" means helpful; "obsolete" means no longer used, no longer needed.

Example Question #31 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Degree, Intensity, Power, And Importance

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

IMPROVED

Possible Answers:

Looser

Worse

Calmer

Friendlier

Better

Correct answer:

Better

Explanation:

When you "improve" something you make that thing "better." So these two words are clearly synonyms. "Worse" is an antonym to improved. "Friendlier" and "calmer are both statements of improvement but apply only to a person's (or animal's) disposition.

Example Question #32 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Degree, Intensity, Power, And Importance

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

INFINITE

Possible Answers:

Cosmic

Massive

Limitless

Large

Stellar

Correct answer:

Limitless

Explanation:

The word "infinite" actually means not finite. Now, if something is called "finite" it is measurable. In other words, it "comes to an end." Thus, even though a billion is a large number, a billion dollars is finite. You can eventually "come to an end" when counting it; however, something "infinite" is endless. For example, there are an infinite number of numbers when you count. You can always keep counting one number higher. Thus, the best option is "limitless" meaning "having no limit" or "having no endpoint."

Example Question #171 : Synonyms: Adjectives

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

INTENSE

Possible Answers:

Kind

Hateful

Extreme

Able

Rude

Correct answer:

Extreme

Explanation:

The word "intense" is used to describe something that is very strong or very extreme. For example, "intense anger" is a lot of anger, "intense heat" is very hot, and an "intense smell" is one that is very strong and smelly. Thus, the best option among the options provided is "extreme." This word also means a lot. It is fair to say that "intense heat" is also "extreme heat."

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors