Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Emotional States - ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning

"Energetic" means lively or exuberant, so "exuberant" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "energetic": "concise" means short and to the point; "timid" means fearful or easily scared; "diligent" means industrious or hard-working; and "courageous" means brave and bold.

This question is very easy, so long as you don't get tripped up. All of these words are roughly synonymous; however, there is one important thing to note: the word "elated" means overjoyed or very joyful. Therefore, the best option will be the one that expresses this idea of being overjoyed. Only "thrilled" does this.

If something is sullen, it means it is gloomy. For instance, teenagers are quite sullen and moody to the dismay of their parents.

"Nonchalant" is an adjective that refers to a person or manner and means "feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "not worried" or "not interested." While "irresponsible" may look like a potentially correct answer choice simply because both "nonchalant" and "irresponsible" begin with negative prefixes, "irresponsible" means "not responsible" and is not similar in meaning to "nonchalant," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Unconcerned," however, means "showing a lack of worry or interest, especially when this is surprising or callous." Because "unconcerned" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "nonchalant," "unconcerned" is the correct answer.

"Indignant" is an adjective that means angry or outraged because of not being treated fairly. "Ignorant" means not knowledgeable about or aware of something, "native" means indiginous, "reluctant" means unwilling to do something, and "petty" means trivial, so none of these potential answer choices can be correct because none of them mean angry. "Irate" is the only word that means angry, so "irate" is the correct answer.

"Acrid" is an adjective that can mean either "having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell" or "angry and bitter." While "sweet" can also describe the taste of something, it has positive connotations and does not mean the same thing as "acrid," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Bitter," however, can men "having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet" or "angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment." Because the meanings of "acrid" and "bitter" are synonymous on multiple levels, "bitter" is the best answer choice.

"Crestfallen" is an adjective that means downhearted, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like sad. "Cheerful" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "cheerful" means happy, so it is an antonym of sad. "Dejected," however, is an adjective that means sad, and because it is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "crestfallen," "dejected" is the correct answer.

"Irate" is an verb that means "feeling or characterized by great anger." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "angry." "Furious" is an adjective that means either "extremely angry" or "full of anger or energy; violent or intense," and because it is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "irate," "furious" is the correct answer.

"Exuberant" is an adjective that means"filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "energetic" or "excited." While "morbid," like "exuberant," describes an emotional state, it cannot be the correct answer because "morbid" means "characterized by or appealing to an abnormal and unhealthy interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects, especially death and disease." "Ebullient," however, is an adjective that means "cheerful and full of energy," and because "ebullient" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "exuberant," "ebullient" is the correct answer.

"Glum" is an adjective that means "looking or feeling dejected; morose." So, we need to pick out a answer choice that means something like "morose." While "quiet" might look like a potentially correct answer because someone who is morose might also be quiet, "morose" does not mean the same thing as "quiet," so "quiet" cannot be the correct answer. "Melancholy," however, when used as an adjective, means either "having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive" or " causing or expressing sadness; depressing." Because "melancholy" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "glum," "melancholy" is the correct answer.

"Turbulent" is an adjective that can mean either "characterized by conflict, disorder, or confusion; not controlled or calm," or when speaking of air or water, "moving unsteadily or violently." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "characterized by disorder" or "moving violently." "Orderly," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "orderly," which means "neatly and methodically arranged" or "of a person or group: well behaved; disciplined," is an antonym of "turbulent," not a synonym. "Tumultuous," however, is an adjective that means either "making a loud, confused noise; uproarious," or "excited, confused, or disorderly." Because "tumultuous" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "turbulent," "tumultuous" is the correct answer.

"Aghast" is an adjective that means shocked or horrified. For example, one might write, "They were aghast when they heard the news of the deadly train crash."

If someone is "livid," they are extremely angered by a situation or person in particular. So, "angered" is the correct answer.

“Agape” means astonished or amazed, so "amazed" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "agape": "forgiven" means no longer blamed for something; "cancerous" means harmful or damaging; "hollow" means empty or void; and when you are "suspicious" you are tending to believe that something or someone is wrong or doing something bad without evidence proving that this is the case.

"Irate" is an adjective that means enraged, so the answer closest in meaning to "irate" is "angry," which is an adjective that means showing strong resentment. Considering the other answer choices, none are as close in meaning to "irate" as is "angry": "delighted" is an adjective meaning very pleased; "worried" is adjective meaning concerned; and "wonderful" is an adjective meaning great or marvelous.

"Somber" is an adjective meaning dull, depressing, and/or dark, so the answer closest in meaning to "somber" is "sad," which is an adjective meaning unhappy and sorrowful. Considering the other answer choices, none are close in meaning to "somber": "happy" means pleased and glad; "tired" means somewhat exhausted; and "irritated" means annoyed.

The word "melancholic" means saddened or depressed. The best choice is "saddened" because it is a part of the definition of "melancholy." Considering the other choices, "harmonious" means peaceful, "contrary" means opposite, and "persistent" means tenacious or lasting.

"Poignant" means evoking a keen emotion. Therefore, something that is "poignant" is "memorable," as it has the ability to evoke keen emotions. "Pointed" means sharp or filed and is not a synonym of "poignant." "Distorted" means warped, which is also not a synonym of "poignant." While something that is "hurtful" might have the potential to be "poignant," the words are not synonyms because they do no mean the same thing. "Poignant" refers to evoking emotions, while something that is "hurtful" alludes to physical or emotional pain.

An "ebullient" individual is wildly energetic or enthusiastic about something. Since "exuberance" is a word that means great excitement and eagerness to do something, "exuberant" is our synonym in this case. "Common," which is synonymous with ordinary, and "lethargic," which means tired or apathetic, are incorrect choices. "Pallid" means pale and is usually used to describe someone's appearance; for example, you likely appeared pallid the last time you were sick.

"Gloomy" means sad and depressed, so "depressed" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "gloomy": "jubilant" means extremely happy and joyful; "passionate" means having strong feelings and great energy; "compatible" means able to work together, able to get along, or able to coexist peacefully; and "argumentative" means inclined to fight or disagree.