Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, or Location - ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning

When something (like light) is "emitted," it means that it is given off. So, "give off" is the correct answer.

"Douse" means submerge briefly in water or throw liquid at, so "drench," which means soak, is the best match. "Drain" means remove liquid from something, making it an antonym, or opposite, of "douse."

"Expedite" means to speed up the process or progress of, so the best choice for a synonym is "hasten," which means speed up or go somewhere quickly.

"Impale" means pierce with something pointed, so "lance," which means pierce, is the best choice.

A "catapult" is an ancient war machine that throws or hurls large objects, like boulders. So, to "catapult" something means to hurl or throw it, and "hurl" is the correct answer.

"Raze" can be a tricky word because its homophone (a word that sounds the same but has a different meaning), "raise," means almost the exact opposite. To "raze" something means to destroy or demolish it. It is related to the word "razor," which means to remove by scraping.

"Melt" means to be liquified by heat. This is similar to "thaw."

"Linger" means remain or be present or last for a time. For example, one might write, "The scent of the perfume lingered in the air." So, "remain" is the correct answer.

"Cultivate" means develop, prepare or grow. Therefore, "develop" is the proper synonym.

"Taper" means to diminish or reduce in size or impact, to dwindle. To provide further help, "admonish" means yell at, scold; "shirk" means avoid a responsibility; "thrive" and "flourish" are synonyms, both words means to grow and develop very well.

Expedite most nearly means "advance." Typically the term is used in conjunction with speeding up a certain event. For example, "your assistance seemed to expedite the process."

The other words are all antonyms.

“Furl” means to fold up. It is commonly heard in the expression “to unfurl,” which means to unfold, to reveal. To provide further help, “confer” means award, bestow, give; “congeal” means thicken or come together; “foreign” means from another country; “fluctuate” means vary.

"Avert" is a verb meaning "turn away one's eyes or thoughts," or "prevent or ward off an undesirable occurrence." Neither "notice" nor "watch" can be the correct answer because "avert" specifically means to "turn away one's eyes or thoughts," and "bungle" ("mess up") has nothing to do with "avert." "Stop" might look like a good answer, but "avert" means "prevent," not "stop," so it cannot be correct either. "Avoid" is the closest synonym to "avert," as one meaning of "avoid" is "prevent from happening." So, "avoid" is the correct answer.

"Ebb," when used as a noun, means "the movement of the tide out to sea," and when used as a verb, it means "move away from land; recede" when referring to tides and "gradually lessen or reduce" when referring to emotions or qualities. Since none of our potential answer choices have to do with tides, we should pick one out that is a verb meaning something like "gradually lessen." While "increase" may have initially looked like a correct answer, "increase" means the opposite as "ebb," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Dwindle," however, means "diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength." Because "dwindle" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "ebb," "dwindle" is the correct answer.

"Flourish" can stand as either a noun or a verb, one meaning "an embellishment or decoration," the other meaning "to thrive or succeed." So, in this case, if one is not sure which part of speech this is, the answers can give a clue-- there are no nouns in the answers, only verbs and adjectives. Since flourish is never an adjective, flowery and old do not make sense. To overturn means exactly what it sounds like, which is not necessarily a successful or thriving event. Extend is close, but does not have any connotation, successful or otherwise. So grow is the best option.

"Deplete"means to use up or exhaust a supply of something.

"Withhold" is a verb that means either "refuse to give (something that is due to or is desired by another)" or "suppress or hold back (an emotion or reaction)," so we need to pick out an answer that means something like "refuse to give" or "suppress." "Proffer," then, cannot be the correct answer because "proffer" is a verb that means "hold out (something) to someone for acceptance; offer," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "withhold." "Retain," however, is a verb that can mean "continue to have (something); keep possession of," and because "retain" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "withhold," "retain" is the correct answer.

"Fortify" is a verb that can mean "strengthen (a place) with defensive works so as to protect it against attack" or "strengthen or invigorate (someone) mentally or physically," or "strengthen (a drink) with alcohol." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "strengthen." "Weaken," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "weaken" is an antonym of "strengthen." "Toughen," however, is a verb which means "make or become tougher," and because "toughen" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "fortify," "toughen" is the correct answer.

"Resuscitate" is a verb that means either "revive (someone) from unconsciousness or apparent death," or "make (something such as an idea or enterprise) active or vigorous again." So, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "revive" or "make active again." That means that "execute" cannot be the correct answer, because one meaning of "execute" is "carry out a sentence of death on (a legally condemned person)." So, "execute" is an antonym, not a synonym, of "resuscitate." "Revive," however, is a verb that means "restore to life or consciousness," and because "revive" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "resuscitate," "revive" is the correct answer.

To "recuperate" means to rest and recover from something like an illness. To provide further help, "uncover" means reveal, show; "discover" means find.