SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

Synonyms: Which word could have similar meaning to the one that is underlined in the sentence?

The ancient Spartans were known for their severe and laconic ways.

Possible Answers:

simple

easy

kind

talkative

concise

Correct answer:

concise

Explanation:

"Laconic" means concise and to the point, using few words.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

Synonyms: Select the word which is most similar to the word in capital letters.

NAÏVE

Possible Answers:

Easily earned

Easily fooled

Easily beaten

Easily learned

Easily controlled

Correct answer:

Easily fooled

Explanation:

“Naïve” means innocent, easily tricked and fooled by other people.

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

A synonym of "wily" is . . .

Possible Answers:

talkative

sly

sneak

oblivious

snarky

Correct answer:

sly

Explanation:

"Wily" is an adjective that means "skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully," so we need to pick out another word that means something like "sneaky." While "sneak" is a potential answer choice, it is a verb, so it can't be the correct answer, because we are looking for an adjective. While "snarky" may also look like a potentially correct answer, "snarky" means "sharply critical; cutting; snide." Since it doesn't mean the same thing as "wily," it can't be the correct answer either. "Sly," however, is an adjective that means "having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature," and because it is closest in meaning to "wily," "sly" is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

A synonym of "amiable" is . . .

Possible Answers:

intellectual

essential

cordial

mean

frugal

Correct answer:

cordial

Explanation:

"Amiable" is an adjective that means "having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner," so we need to pick out a word that means something like "friendly." Since "cordial" means "warm and friendly," "cordial" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "amiable," and the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

A synonym of “enchanting” is __________.

Possible Answers:

exact

large

scholarly

delightful

boring

Correct answer:

delightful

Explanation:

“Enchanting,” when used as an adjective, means “delightfully charming or attractive,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “charming.” That means that “boring” cannot be the correct answer, because “boring” means “not interesting,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “enchanting.” “Delightful,” however, is an adjective that means “causing delight; charming,” and because “delightful” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “enchanting,” “delightful” is the correct answer.

Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

A synonym of “squeamish” is __________.

Possible Answers:

hard to gross out

often misled

part of

hard to mislead

easily nauseated

Correct answer:

easily nauseated

Explanation:

“Squeamish” is an adjective that when being used to describe a person, can mean “easily made to feel sick, faint, or disgusted; having strong moral views.” So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “easily made to feel sick” or “having strong moral views.” That means that “hard to gross out” cannot be the correct answer, because “hard to gross out” means the opposite of “squeamish.” “Nauseated,” however, is an adjective that means “sickened; affected with nausea,” and because “easily nauseated, is the answer choice closest in meaning to “squeamish,” “easily nauseated” is the correct answer.

Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

A synonym of “stubborn” is . . .

Possible Answers:

persuasive

obedient

imaginative

dreary

difficult

Correct answer:

difficult

Explanation:

“Stubborn” is an adjective that can mean “having or showing dogged determination not to change one’s attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “determined not to change one’s attitude or position on something.” That means that “obedient” cannot be the correct answer, because “obedient” means “complying or willing to comply with orders or requests; submissive to another’s will,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “stubborn.” “Difficult,” however, is an adjective that means “not willing to help others by changing your behavior : stubborn or unreasonable,” and because “difficult” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “stubborn,” “difficult” is the correct answer.

Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

Which word has a similar meaning to the underlined word?

She is so smart that she gets straight A's.

Possible Answers:

None of the other answers 

stupid

intelligent

boring

dumb

Correct answer:

intelligent

Explanation:

"Smart" and "intelligent" both share similar meanings. 

Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

Loyal

Possible Answers:

Disloyal

Faithful

Weak

Annual

Large

Correct answer:

Faithful

Explanation:

Loyal means faithful.

Example Question #10 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Personality Traits

Sloppy

Possible Answers:

Messy

Clean

Polite

Cloudy

Deep

Correct answer:

Messy

Explanation:

Sloppy means messy.

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