Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Authenticity, Truth, Existence, and Understanding

Help Questions

HSPT Language Skills › Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Authenticity, Truth, Existence, and Understanding

Questions 1 - 10
1

"Cogent" most nearly means __________.

compelling

active

amazing

cultured

precarious

Explanation

The word "cogent" is generally used to describe an argument that someone might be making. It means logical or convincing. An example sentence would be, "After he presented the facts, his argument seemed to be quite cogent. Therefore, I agreed with his decision and followed his instructions." Such an argument is also "compelling," meaning something like irresistible—as though the argument is so strong that it cannot be "overcome."

2

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

MARGINAL

Negligible

Sharp

Crucial

Monumental

Frequent

Explanation

"Marginal" is an adjective that can besides meaning "of, relating to, or situated at the edge or margin of something," can also mean " of secondary or minor importance; not central." So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "of minor importance." Neither "crucial" nor "monumental" can be the correct answer, then, because each word is an antonym of "marginal," not a synonym. "Negligible," however, is an adjective that means "so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering; insignificant," and because it is the answer choir that is closest in meaning to "marginal," "negligible" is the correct answer.

3

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

UNWITTING

Inadvertent

Purposeful

Measured

Boastful

Forgetful

Explanation

"Unwitting" is an adjective that means either "not aware of the full facts" when referring to a person, or "not done on purpose; unintentional." So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "not aware of the full facts" or "unintentional." "Purposeful" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "purposeful" is an antonym of "unwitting," not a synonym. "Inadvertent," however, is an adjective that means "not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning," and because it is the answer choir that is closest in meaning to "unwitting," "inadvertent" is the correct answer.

4

"Intuitive" most nearly means __________.

instinctive

concluded

truthful

insane

uncontrolled

Explanation

The word "intuition" literally means to see into. It was originally used to describe the way that the senses are aware that something is present to us directly. It has come to mean something more like a non-conceptual understanding. To have an "intuition" is to have a "sense" that something is the case, even though you cannot put it into words. Therefore, the best synonym for "intuitive" is the word "instinctive," for an "intuitive" action is one that is almost by instinct (instead of thought).

5

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

IRREFUTABLE

Undeniable

Deniable

Rebuttable

Plausible

Implausible

Explanation

"Irrefutable" is an adjective meaning "impossible to deny or disprove." While "undeniable" and "implausible" may each look like a potentially correct answer because like "irrefutable," "undeniable" and" implausible" each begin with a negative prefix; however, "implausible" means "not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince," so it is actually an antonym of "irrefutable," and not the correct answer. "Undeniable," however, means "unable to be denied or disputed." Since "undeniable" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "irrefutable," so "undeniable" is the correct answer.

6

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

SPECIOUS

Misleading

Extended

Circumlocution

Rhetorical

Trivial

Explanation

The word “specious” comes from the Latin for “appearance” or “beautiful.” When something is “specious,” it appears to be correct but really is not. It is merely apparent. Therefore, it misleads the person who considers it. Often, one will speak of “specious reasoning,” describing thereby some argument that appears to be plausible when in fact it is really false.

7

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

DEMONSTRATIVE

Indisputable

Inconclusive

Participatory

Languishing

Near

Explanation

"Demonstrative" is an adjective that can mean openly demonstrating feelings or providing conclusive proof. We need to pick out an adjective that means something like showing feelings or providing proof. "Inconclusive" cannot be the correct answer because it is an antonym of the second meaning of "demonstrative," providing conclusive proof. "Indisputable," however, is an adjective that means unable to be disputed and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "demonstrative," "indisputable" is the correct answer.

8

"Imitation" most nearly means __________.

simulated

shoddy

uncreative

unoriginal

nugatory

Explanation

The word "imitation" is related to words like "mime" and "mimetic," both of which have base meanings of copy. To "imitate" something is to make a copy of that thing. We use the word "imitation" as an adjective to describe something that is a copy (or as some will say, quite negatively, a "knock-off".) At the store, we can buy "imitation vanilla," which is a kind of copy of vanilla used for cooking. A "simulation" is a copy of something else—think of related words like "similar" and "similitude." Therefore, something that is "simulated" is "imitated."

9

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

LEGITIMATE

Valid

Scholarly

Public

Political

Cultured

Explanation

When something is “legitimate” it is in accord with the laws that would pertain to that class of things. For example, one could speak of a “legitimate action” as being one that is legal. Also, in a more extended sense, it can indicate conformity to the general laws of rationality or that a given thing is rightfully done in a given circumstance. For instance, a “legitimate critique,” is one that is valid given the data of the original argument. Such a critique justly finds something wrong with the argument and is therefore called “valid” or “legitimate.”

10

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

FAR-FETCHED

Improbable

Expected

Proportionate

Languishing

Operational

Explanation

“Far-fetched” is an adjective that means implausible, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like unlikely. That means that “expected” cannot be the correct answer, because “expected” means thought of as likely to occur, making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “far-fetched.” “Improbable,” however, is an adjective that means either not likely to occur or be true, and because “improbable” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “far-fetched,” “improbable” is the correct answer.

Page 1 of 2
Return to subject