Antonyms: Adjectives and Adverbs - HSPT Language Skills

The prefix "post-" comes from the Latin meaning after. A "post-mortem" investigation is one that happens after death, and a "post-prom party" is one that happens after the prom itself. Something that is "posterior" comes after something else. For example, we could say, "The night class was posterior to a much more interesting class that Tom took in the morning." The prefix "ante-" means before. Something that "antecedes" comes before another thing.

The "prox-" in "proximate" comes from Latin roots for close or near. When things are in proximity, they are close to each other. When we "approximate" a number, we try to find a number that is "close" to the actual value needed. Something that is "proximate" is close. A "proximate cause" is a cause that is very close to the effect. The electric stove burner is the proximate cause of the heat in the kettle. In contrast to this, the dead matter making up the coal that is used in the power plant is a "remote" cause—one that is distant and somewhat "removed" from the direct causal situation.

Something that is "superior" is above another thing. The prefix "super-" or "supra-" means above—either physically or metaphorically. A "superior" can be a person who is placed "above" another person in rank. When something is "subordinate," it is below something or someone else. The prefix "sub-" means under (as in "submarine," "subconscious," and "subpar"). To be "subordinate" is literally to be ordered below. Its general English meaning is lower in position.

When things are strewn, they are spread apart or scattered. We rarely use the verb "strew," but the participial adjective "strewn" is much more common. For instance, we say, "The papers were strewn all over the floor," meaning "The papers were spread all over the floor." The opposite of being "strewn" is being gathered up. This is the case with an "accumulation," literally meaning, a gathering together. An "accumulation" of snow is so called because of the gathering of the snowflakes together.

When someone "plods along," he or she moves at a slow speed, often as though he or she has a heavy burden on his or her back. Do not be tempted to pick an answer like "joyous." Just because someone is plodding, he or she does not necessarily do this because of being depressed or sad. The best antonym is "expeditious," meaning done quickly and efficiently. To "expedite" a process is to make it happen more quickly.

The word "senescent" is related to roots from which we get words like "senior" and "senator," the latter really describing a person who is supposed to be old and wise. To be "senescent" is to be aged, often with the effects of deterioration that come with the passage of time. Although the word "adolescent" can be a bit negative, it does not have to be such. It can merely mean that someone is in the period of youth in which he or she is passing to adulthood. Among the options provided, this is the best temporal contrast to "senescent."

The word "inanimate" comes from the Latin root meaning to have a soul. We generally refer to things as being "animated" when they move, seeming to have self-motion. An "animate" being is one that is living. The most tempting wrong answer given for this question is "biotic," which means relating to living things; however, this does not describe the living thing itself. The best answer—as homely as it might seem—is "living."

The word "precipitate" is most often associated with the phenomenon of meteorological precipitation—as when it rains or snows. This is a specific case of the more general process of something falling out of solution or suspension. We can say that a person makes a "precipitate decision" when he or she makes a quick and unmeasured decision—proceeding as quickly as the dry skies begin to fill with rain. Thus, such a hasty decision is well contrasted one that is thought out and measured—i.e. to a prudent decision.

Something that is protracted is drawn out or lasting for too long of a time. Do not associate this word with the mathematical/geometrical options given in the question—all of these are trying to get you to make a false association. In contrast to being "protracted," "brief" is an excellent antonym. A "protracted affair" is one that is too long, but one that is brief is quite short in contrast.

The adjective "elementary" means simple or pertaining to the elements (i.e. the basic parts). We call the first stage of education "elementary school" because it represents the place where beginning concepts are taught. In contrast to such simple matters, an "intricate" problem or affair is something that is complex and difficult.

When something is trite, it is overused or repeated to the point of being of little worth or help. For instance, a trite expression is one that is so common that everyone knows it; therefore, it helps very little even to repeat it. In contrast to this, something that is "consequential" is important—as though it were something "having great consequences".

We create a monument to remember some kind of great event or person. When something is described as being "monumental," that thing is being noted for its importance. In contrast to this, "trifling" means trivial or unimportant. "Trifles" are small and unimportant matters.

Most of the wrong answers are trying to make you think that the "ver-" at the beginning of "veracious" is the same as "very." However, this comes from the Latin for truth. Someone is called "veracious" when he or she is truthful. (Likewise, words are called "veracious" when they are truthful.) The best contrast to this is "deceitful," which is quite opposed to being truthful.

When something is authentic, it is accepted as being genuine—not judged as being a fake version of something. Sometimes, people will speak of a person as being "authentic," implying that he or she is not fake in his or her self-presentation; however, for this question, the general sense is "authentic" as genuine. A forgery is far from being a genuine version—it is a faked version meant to trick people. (Think of a forged signature.)

The word "nascent" comes from roots similar to those of "natal" and "nativity." These words all have to do with birth or coming to birth. Here, the sense is of something that is coming into existence—a nascent idea or a nascent personality trait (or something else of the like). In contrast to this, something dying is ending its time of existence and development.

"Illiterate" means not literate or able to read. Since literacy is a basic part of education, an illiterate person is almost certain to be uneducated. None of the other words are relevant to the idea of literacy.

When someone is fastidious, that person pays attention to details with great care. For instance, a "fastidious dresser" is someone who likely cleans, presses, and matches his or her clothes very well—down to the last detail. In contrast to such a personality, we can consider someone who is lax with such details. We would describe such a person as being "heedless." If we heed something, we pay attention to it. To be "heedless" is to give no such "heed"—i.e. attention—to matters.

The character trait "industry" means diligence. To be industrious is to be very careful and strenuous about the needs of work to be done. In contrast to this, the vice "sloth" indicates a kind of laziness and unwillingness to work. Someone who is "slothful" is quite the opposite of an "industrious" person.

The word "loquacious" comes from a rich family of words related to the Latin root for to talk. Such related words are "colloquy," "eloquent," "locution," and "grandiloquent." To be "loquacious" is to be talkative. In contrast to this, a person who is "taciturn" is quiet, speaking few words. A "tacit" agreement is one that is assumed without anything being said explicitly. The words "prolix" and "voluble" are both relatively good synonyms for "loquacious."

The word "gregarious" comes from the Latin for a flock—as in a flock of animals. When we say that someone is gregarious, we mean to say that the person is friendly—capable of being in the "flock" of other people. In contrast to this, an "aloof" person is distant and not very friendly.