SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #331 : Synonyms

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

HORRIFY

Possible Answers:

Melt

Toss

Inspire

Petrify

Depict

Correct answer:

Petrify

Explanation:

"Horrify" means scare greatly and make very afraid. "Petrify" can mean turn something to stone over a long period of time (like "petrified wood") or scare greatly to the point where someone cannot move, so "petrify" is the correct answer.

Example Question #332 : Synonyms

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

ADMIRE

Possible Answers:

Divide

Respect 

Encourage

Demand

Despise 

Correct answer:

Respect 

Explanation:

"Admire" means respectlook up to, or view as a role model, so "respect" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "admire": "demand" means forcefully order someone to give you something; "divide" means split into two groups or parts, "despise" means greatly dislike or hate, and "encourage" means motivate or hearten.

Example Question #333 : Synonyms

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

FATHOM

Possible Answers:

Understand

Consider

Wonder

Intend

Deplore

Correct answer:

Understand

Explanation:

“Fathom” means understand or know how something works. To provide further help, “intend” means mean to do something; “wonder” means think about something you'd like to know more about; “consider” means think about or think about another option; and “deplore” means hate.

Example Question #334 : Synonyms

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

ENRAGED

Possible Answers:

Angered

Saddened

weakened

Excited

Correct answer:

Angered

Explanation:

To be "enraged" means to be very angry. You can see the base word, "rage" within it. You could say, "It enraged my mother when I failed to clean my room." "Saddened" means to be made sad. "Excited" means to be interested or made animated.

Example Question #335 : Synonyms

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

ACKNOWLEDGE 

Possible Answers:

Confuse 

Educate

Admit 

Deny 

Complicate 

Correct answer:

Admit 

Explanation:

To "acknowledge" most closely means to admit or recognize something. "Knowledge" is a root word; however it should not be confused with educate or other words dealing with the acquisition of knowledge. "Deny" is an antonym to "acknowledge"

Example Question #336 : Synonyms

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

GROW

Possible Answers:

Float

Become

Are

Levitate

Awake

Correct answer:

Become

Explanation:

"Grow" and "become" are synonyms. They can both be used to refer to emotional changes  and other conditions; for example, "They grow tired." "They become annoyed." The other words do not share this meaning or function.

Example Question #337 : Synonyms

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

SULK

Possible Answers:

Giggle

Laugh

Mope

Clean

Sling

Correct answer:

Mope

Explanation:

The problem presents several verbs. The verb closest in meaning to "sulk" is "mope." To "sulk" or "mope" means to behave in a way that clearly displays sadness: "After his dog disappeared, he would mope around the house, sulking." "Giggle" and "laugh" are antonyms of "sulk," while "sling" means to throw something.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Other Verbs

A synonym of "select" is . . .

Possible Answers:

consider

move

pick

reject

break

Correct answer:

pick

Explanation:

"Select" is a word that can be used as a verb or an adjective, but because all of the answer choices are verbs, we will need to consider it as a verb. When used as a verb, "select" means "carefully choose as being the best or most suitable." So, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "carefully choose." "Reject" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "reject" is a word that when used as a verb, means "dismiss as inadequate, inappropriate, or not to one's taste," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "select." "Pick," however, is a verb that can mean "choose (someone or something) from a number of alternatives, typically after careful thought," and because "pick" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "select," "pick" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Other Verbs

Synonyms: choose the answer with the meaning closest to the word in question.

Cheer

Possible Answers:

to enjoy

to play

to encourage

to block

to oppose

Correct answer:

to encourage

Explanation:

"Cheer" means to encourage.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Other Verbs

Which word can replace the underlined word?

My sister used to love to annoy me.

Possible Answers:

compliment

help 

pinch

bother

None of the above

Correct answer:

bother

Explanation:

"Bother" can replace "annoy" to maintain the same meaning of the sentence. 

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors