ISEE Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms: Verbs

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

HINDER

Possible Answers:

Fight

Argue

Impede

Overcome

Reversed

Correct answer:

Impede

Explanation:

The word “hinder” can mean “behind” or “rear portion.” However, here it is being used in its more general sense of “to prevent something from acting fully.” A “hindrance” is like a “block” in the way of something’s activity. When one thing acts to “impede” another, it obstructs that thing’s action. The word “impede” literally means “to put something on the foot of (something else).” The “-pede” portion of the word is related to the English “pedal” and “biped.”

Example Question #42 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

RUFFLE

Possible Answers:

Creased

Tear

Raiment

Lacerate

Disorder

Correct answer:

Disorder

Explanation:

Sometimes, you might hear an expression like, “Don’t ruffle his feathers; he gets very angry easily.” The word “ruffle” literally means to cause disorder in some manner, often applying to hair or perhaps a bird’s feathers when they stand up for mating or as a sign of aggression. It can be used in the general sense, implying merely that something or someone is causing disorder something else.  Among the options provided, this is the sense to be chosen.

Example Question #43 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

RUFFLE

Possible Answers:

Disorder

Creased

Raiment

Lacerate

Tear

Correct answer:

Disorder

Explanation:

Sometimes, you might hear an expression like, “Don’t ruffle his feathers; he gets very angry easily.” The word “ruffle” literally means to cause disorder in some manner, often applying to hair or perhaps a bird’s feathers when they stand up for mating or as a sign of aggression. It can be used in the general sense, implying merely that something or someone is causing disorder something else.  Among the options provided, this is the sense to be chosen.

Example Question #44 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

SCAVENGE

Possible Answers:

Nibble

Gnaw

Rummage

Steal

Mortify

Correct answer:

Rummage

Explanation:

“Scavenging” animals are those that live on the dead bodies of other animals. More generally, “scavengers” are those animals and people that search for whatever they need by looking in the waste and garbage of others. When someone “rummages,” he or she searches in a manner that is rather disorganized, often paying little head to the mess they make when performing his or her search. When someone scavenges, this is likely to be the manner of searching. For this reason, “rummage” is often used as a synonym of scavenge.

Example Question #45 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

STAUNCH

Possible Answers:

Reek

Decomposition

Restrain

Spoilage

Olfaction

Correct answer:

Restrain

Explanation:

The word “staunch” has two meanings. On the one hand, it can mean “faithful” as in, “He was a staunch supporter to the cause, regularly donating time and money.” The word is derived from a base that means “watertight” or “dried up.” In English, it has thus come to mean “to stop the flow of blood” as in, “He staunched the wound with thick bandages.” When used figuratively, it can mean the more general “to stop the flow.” For this reason, “restrain” is the best option among those provided.

Example Question #46 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

DISSEMINATE

Possible Answers:

Demobilize

Crumble

Scatter

Pulverize

Atomize

Correct answer:

Scatter

Explanation:

The best answer choice is scatter since disseminate means to spread or disperse such as in the case of disseminating information.

Example Question #47 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

ABSCOND

Possible Answers:

Imply

Sate

Flee

Inhibit

Endure

Correct answer:

Flee

Explanation:

"Abscond" and "flee" both mean to run away or escape. "Endure" means to withstand or bear a hardship. "Imply" means to suggest or indicate. "Inhibit" means to restrict or prevent. "Sate" means to satisfy.

Example Question #48 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

MIGRATE

Possible Answers:

Invade

Relocate

Flee

Occupy

Retreat

Correct answer:

Relocate

Explanation:

The word “migrate” is derived from the Latin root word for “to move or transport.” Among the options given here, only “relocate” signifies this general sense of the word. This word can apply not only to humans but also to animals. For instance, consider the sentence, “George was quite knowledgeable about the migratory patterns of spotted geese, which relocated themselves to Mexico every winter.” The word “migrate” is related to “immigrate” and “immigrant.”

Example Question #49 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

DAWDLE

Possible Answers:

Draw

Linger

Harry

Incite

Proliferate

Correct answer:

Linger

Explanation:

“Dawdle” means delay, linger, or stay somewhere too long, or move too slowly, so "linger" is the best answer, as "linger" means remain in a place longer than one is expected to. As for the other answer choices, “Harry” means annoy or harass; "incite" means cause someone to feel strong emotions or act definitively, often in a negative way; "draw" means illustrate or sketch the image of; and "proliferate" means multiply in number.

Example Question #50 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

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

ASSIMILATE

Possible Answers:

Peak

Insist

Embarrass

Frequent

Incorporate

Correct answer:

Incorporate

Explanation:

To “assimilate” something means to take it over and add it to something else. It is very close in meaning to “incorporate,” which means take in and add into the whole. As for the other answer choices, to "insist" means to encourage someone forcefully to do something your way; "peak," when used as a verb, means to reach a high point; "embarrass" means cause someone to feel ashamed, often in front of others; and "frequent," when used as a verb, means patronize or visit a certain location or establishment often.

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