ISEE Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Verbs

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

CADGE

Possible Answers:

confound

incite

bungle

scrounge

antagonize

Correct answer:

scrounge

Explanation:

"Cadge" and "scrounge" both mean to beg. "Antagonize" means to cause a problem or oppose. "Bungle" means to blunder or mess up. "Confound" means to confuse or astonish. "Incite" means to encourage or provoke.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Verbs

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

FEIGN

Possible Answers:

laud

oscillate

juxtapose

bluff

pacify

Correct answer:

bluff

Explanation:

"Feign" and "bluff" both mean to pretend or fake. "Juxtapose" means to place side by side for comparison. "Laud" means to give acclaim or praise. "Oscillate" means to move in a side-to-side motion. "Pacify" means to calm or soothe

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Verbs About Communicating, Arguing, And Understanding

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

CAPITULATE

Possible Answers:

concede

disentangle

callous

disdain

censure

Correct answer:

concede

Explanation:

"Capitulate" and "concede" both mean to surrender or give in. "Disdain" means hate or indifference. "Disentangle" means to unwind or disconnect"Callous" means to make cruel or insensitive. "Censure" means to condemn or criticize severely

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Verbs About Communicating, Arguing, And Understanding

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters. 

ACCENT

Possible Answers:

disabuse

cadge

emphasize

disavow

lambaste

Correct answer:

emphasize

Explanation:

"Accent" and "emphasize" both mean to place importance or significance. "Disavow" means to reject or contradict. "Lambaste" means to punish or beat. "Cadge" means to beg or scrounge. "Disabuse" means to free from belief

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Verbs About Communicating, Arguing, And Understanding

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

MINCE

Possible Answers:

exact

misconstrue

reveal

flounce

disabuse

Correct answer:

flounce

Explanation:

"Mince" and "flounce" both mean to pose or put on airs. "Reveal" means to disclose or tell. "Disabuse" means to free from belief. "Misconstrue" means to get a wrong or false impression. "Exact" means to demand or call for.

Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Verbs

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

FULMINATE

Possible Answers:

laud

vivify

berate

conciliate

dupe

Correct answer:

berate

Explanation:

"Fulminate" and "berate" both mean to criticize harshly. "Laud" means to give acclaim or praise. "Dupe" means to fool someone. "Conciliate" means to placate or appease. "Vivify" means to enliven or animate

Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Verbs

Answer the following question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.

ASSAY

Possible Answers:

condescend

perjure

appraise

garble

ramble

Correct answer:

appraise

Explanation:

"Assay" and "appraise" both mean to analyze or assess. "Ramble" means to wander about aimlessly. "Condescend" means to stoop or humble oneself. "Perjure" means to lie or obscure the truth. "Garble" means to mix up or misrepresent

Example Question #11 : Synonyms: Verbs About Communicating, Arguing, And Understanding

ENTICE

Possible Answers:

Lure

Suppress

Revolve

Err

Mourn

Correct answer:

Lure

Explanation:

"Entice" means to attract or to lure. "Err" means to make a mistake. "Suppress" means to crush or quell. "Mourn" means to lament or to grieve. "Revolve" means to orbit or to circle.

Example Question #171 : Identifying Synonyms

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

FATHOM

Possible Answers:

comprehend

dark

obscure

perplex

investigate

Correct answer:

comprehend

Explanation:

The word “fathom” has an interesting derivation. It comes from the measurement of someone’s arms being stretched outward (like “foot” was originally designated to measure the “standard foot size”). It now is used to measure the depth of water and is equal to about six feet per unit. Since it is associated with being “deep,” the verb form of “fathom” means to understand something difficult or deep; therefore, it can mean to comprehend.

Example Question #172 : Identifying Synonyms

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

BESEECH

Possible Answers:

Decline

Beg

Well up

Describe

Evacuate

Correct answer:

Beg

Explanation:

"Beseech" is a verb that means implore or entreat. "Decline," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "decline" means refuse in a polite way, making "decline" an antonym of "beseech," not a synonym. "Beg," however, is a verb that means ask in a humble manner, and because "beg" is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "beseech," "beg" is the correct answer.

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