ISEE Middle Level Verbal : Identifying Synonyms

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #121 : Identifying Synonyms

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

DELUSION

Possible Answers:

Satire

Deception

Credibility

Ridicule

Inconstant

Correct answer:

Deception

Explanation:

"Deception" is the act of purposely making something false appear to be true. Thus, the best answer choice is "deceit," as a "deceit" also means the act of purposely making something false appear to be true. "Satire" and "ridicule" both refer to the act of making fun of something or someone, and "inconstant" means ever-changing; these answer choices are not as close to "delusion" in meaning as is "deception."

Example Question #122 : Identifying Synonyms

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

TUMULT

Possible Answers:

Ratification

Prodigy

Uproar

Geologist

Disclaimer

Correct answer:

Uproar

Explanation:

"Tumult" means commotion or uproar, so "uproar" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "tumult": "ratification" is the approval of a suggested law; a "prodigy" is a young person with unexpectedly developed skills in some field; a "geologist" is a person who studies the matter that makes up Earth; and a "disclaimer" is a statement that says that someone or a group refuses to be responsible for something.

Example Question #123 : Identifying Synonyms

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

ZEST

Possible Answers:

Communication

Plague

Military

Enthusiasm

Collection

Correct answer:

Enthusiasm

Explanation:

"Zest" means great passion or enthusiasm, so "enthusiasm" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "zest": "collection" is a group of similar things that people keep; a "plague" is a widespread and contagious disease; "military" refers to a country's army or armed forces; and "communication" means the transmission of information.

Example Question #124 : Identifying Synonyms

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

DEADLOCK

Possible Answers:

Stalemate

Sovereign

Subsidy

Discount

Obsession

Correct answer:

Stalemate

Explanation:

A "deadlock" is a stalemate or a situation in which neither side in an argument, battle, or game can make progress, so "stalemate" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices is close in meaning to "deadlock": a "subsidy" is money given to a company so that prices can remain low; a "discount" is a reduction of an item's price; an "obsession" means the state of being fully absorbed with or nearly constantly thinking about a person or thing; and "sovereign," when used as a noun, means ruler or leader.

Example Question #125 : Identifying Synonyms

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

SYSTEM

Possible Answers:

Unit

Work

Disorganization

Method

Correct answer:

Method

Explanation:

A "system" is a set of formulas and procedures, so the answer choice closest in meaning to "system" is "method," a noun meaning procedure or techniques. Considering the other choices, "disorganization" is a noun and the antonym of "system"; it means a lack of organization. "Unit" is a noun meaning a single thing or person or a quantity by which something is measured, and "work" is noun meaning productive activity.

Example Question #126 : Identifying Synonyms

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

WEALTH

Possible Answers:

Abundance

Need

Lack

Portion

Correct answer:

Abundance

Explanation:

"Wealth" is a noun that means a large amount of money, or when referring to other things, plenty. That means that the answer choice closest in meaning to "wealth" is "abundance," which is a noun meaning a large quantity of something. Considering the other answer choices, none are close in meaning to "wealth": a "need" is a necessity, a "lack" is the absence of something; and a "portion" is a piece of a greater whole.

Example Question #127 : Identifying Synonyms

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

FLAIR

Possible Answers:

Gruffness

Inventiveness

Style

Neatness

Outspokenness

Correct answer:

Style

Explanation:

To have "flair" is to be suave and to have "style." The other incorrect answer choices mean the following: "outspokenness" is to be outgoing; "inventiveness" is creativity; and "gruffness" is having a harsh exterior.

Example Question #128 : Identifying Synonyms

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

OMISSION

Possible Answers:

Retention

Departure

Omniscient

Removal

Revival

Correct answer:

Removal

Explanation:

An "omission" is a removal of something; for instance, omitting text from a paper means taking out those words. That means that "removal" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, none are close in meaning to "omission": "omniscient" means all-knowing; "revival" means the act of coming back to conscious life or a comeback in popularity; and "retention" means the act of keeping something in a given place.

Example Question #129 : Identifying Synonyms

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

MORALE

Possible Answers:

Support

Approval

Intuition

Esteem

Fortification

Correct answer:

Esteem

Explanation:

"Morale" means self-confidence or self-esteem, so "confidence" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "morale": "fortification" means a structure like a wall or building built for defensive purposes; "intuition" means an internal sense of something that one has without being informed about it; "approval" means acceptance or endorsement, and "support," when used as a noun, means publicly conveyed approval or something that is integral to the stability of something else.

Example Question #130 : Identifying Synonyms

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

ANALOGY

Possible Answers:

distortion

replacement

equivalence

similarity

Correct answer:

similarity

Explanation:

An "analogy" can be a type of comparison drawn between two different things, often expressed in a proportion. For instance: "As the eye sees so does the ear hear." These are based upon a certain similarity. For example, the eye and the ear each have their own ways of sensing things—or at least that is implied in the analogy. Therefore, we can also speak of an "analogy" as being a type of similarity. For instance, you could say, "They eye has a certain analogy to the ear, in that they both are used in sensing." (Of course, there are more poetic uses of analogy than this.) The best option is "similarity." Do not be fooled into thinking "equivalence" is correct, for an analogy is precisely something that is not strictly equivalent.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors