SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Antonyms

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Happy is to sad as greedy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

envious 

smiling 

jealous 

generous 

laughing 

Correct answer:

generous 

Explanation:

"Happy" is the opposite of "sad," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out which of these answer choices is an opposite of "greedy." To be greedy means selfish and keeping things for oneself instead of sharing them, so "generous" has the opposite meaning and is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, "envious" and "jealous" both mean desiring something that belongs to someone else.

Example Question #12 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dead is to alive as awake is to __________.

Possible Answers:

asleep 

daytime 

lonely 

awaken 

nighttime 

Correct answer:

asleep 

Explanation:

"Dead" is the opposite of "alive," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out which of these answer choices is an opposite of "awake." The opposite of awake is “asleep," so "asleep" is the correct answer. For clarification, "lonely" is a feeling of sadness caused by being alone and desiring to be around other people.

Example Question #13 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Wet is to dry as hot is to __________.

Possible Answers:

temperature

warm 

cold 

boiling 

wetter

Correct answer:

cold 

Explanation:

"Wet" is the opposite of "dry," so "wet" and "dry" are antonyms. So, to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "hot." "Cold" is the answer choice that is the best opposite of "hot, "so "cold" is the correct answer. To help you, "warm" means slightly elevated in temperature, and "boiling" means very hot.

Example Question #236 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Easy is to difficult as attack is to __________.

Possible Answers:

permit 

prohibit 

allow 

protect 

pursue 

Correct answer:

protect 

Explanation:

"Easy" is an opposite, or antonym, of "difficult," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "attack." The answer is “protect.” To help you, "pursue" means to chase after, "permit" means allow, and "prohibit" means forbid or outlaw and is an antonym, or opposite, of "permit."

Example Question #14 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Up is to down as __________.

Possible Answers:

legend is to map

ground is to sky

left is to right

music is to headphones

cloud is to water

Correct answer:

left is to right

Explanation:

Up and down are polar opposite directions, just like left and right are, so "left is to right" is the correct answer.

Example Question #15 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Certain is to unsure as pointless is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hopeless 

insignificant 

futile 

despondent 

crucial

Correct answer:

crucial

Explanation:

If you are "certain" of something, you are sure of it, while if you are "unsure" about something, you are not sure or not certain about it. So, "certain" and "unsure" are antonyms of one another, and to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym, or opposite, of "pointless." Something "pointless" is futilehopeless, or purposeless, so the answer choice that is opposite in meaning to "pointless" is "crucial," which means very important or necessary. To help you, "insignificant" and "futile" are both loose synonyms of "pointless," and "despondent" is a synonym of "hopeless."

Example Question #16 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Native is to foreign as distant is to __________.

Possible Answers:

attached 

nearby 

distinct 

separate 

aloof 

Correct answer:

nearby 

Explanation:

Someone who is "native" to a place was born there; on the other hand, "foreign" means from another country. They are antonyms, or opposites, of one another, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best antonym of "distant." "Distant" means far away, so the best antonym is “nearby,” which means close by. To help you, "aloof" means distant; "attached" means connected to something; and "distinct" is a synonym of "separate."

Example Question #17 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Gorgeous is to unattractive as excellent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

terrible 

weird 

unusual 

perfect 

fragile 

Correct answer:

terrible 

Explanation:

"Gorgeous" is an antonym, or opposite, of "unattractive," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "excellent." Something that is "excellent" is really great, so the best antonym is “terrible," which means very bad. To help you, "unusual" means weird, and "fragile" means easily broken.

Example Question #18 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Heavy is to light as dangerous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hopeful 

persistent

harmless 

hopeless 

harmful 

Correct answer:

harmless 

Explanation:

"Heavy" is an antonym, or opposite, of "light," so to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that is an antonym, or opposite, or "dangerous." "Harmless" is an opposite of "dangerous," so "harmless" is the correct answer.

Example Question #19 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Satisfied is to dissatisfied as tall is to __________.

Possible Answers:

short

ruler

height

taller

towering

Correct answer:

short

Explanation:

"Satisfied" means happy with something, and "dissatisfied" means unhappy with something, so the two words are antonyms, or opposites. To solve this analogy, you have to find the best antonym of "tall." "Short" is an opposite of "tall," so "short" is the correct answer.

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