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 #601 : Synonyms

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

STEALTHY

Possible Answers:

Handsome

Slick

Daring

Swift

Bold

Correct answer:

Swift

Explanation:

The words "stealthy" and "swift" are synonyms describing something that is fast. The other words do not share this meaning. 

Example Question #602 : Synonyms

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

SWIFT

Possible Answers:

Booming

Stealthy

Sluggish

Slow

Loud

Correct answer:

Stealthy

Explanation:

The words "stealthy" and "swift" are synonymous. They both refer to something that is quick. The words "slow" and "sluggish" mean the same thing; they refer to something that is not fast. "Loud" and "booming" are synonymous; they refer to something very loud. Identifying this relationship between the answer choices will help you arrive at the correct answer.

Example Question #1241 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

A synonym of "solitary" is . . .

Possible Answers:

athletic

friendly

mean

unaccompanied

escorted

Correct answer:

unaccompanied

Explanation:

"Solitary" is an adjective that means "done or existing alone," or when describing a place, "secluded or isolated." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "done alone" or "secluded." "Escorted" may look like a good answer, but "escorted" means "accompanied somewhere, especially for protection or security, or as a mark of rank." Because "escorted" means the opposite of "solitary," it cannot be the correct answer. "Unaccompanied," however, means "having no companion or escort." Because "unaccompanied" is closest in meaning to "solitary," "unaccompanied" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1242 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

Which is a synonym for the word vast?

The vast prairie was full of flowers and wildlife.

Possible Answers:

None of the other answer choices

enormous

small

tiny

finite

Correct answer:

enormous

Explanation:

Enormous can be substituted in for vast to maintain a similar meaning.  

Example Question #1243 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

A synonym of "meager" is __________.

Possible Answers:

much

jumbled

grand

paltry

sufficient

Correct answer:

paltry

Explanation:

"Meager" is an adjective that means "lacking in quantity or quality," and used to refer to something provided or available. So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "lacking." While "sufficient" might look like a potentially correct answer, "sufficient" means "enough" or "adequate," "sufficient" is an opposite of "lacking," so it can't be the correct answer. "Paltry," however, is an adjective that means "small or meager" and is used to describe amounts. Since "paltry" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "meager," "paltry" is the correct answer.

Example Question #603 : Synonyms

A synonym of “uniform” is __________.

Possible Answers:

demonstrated

varying

consistent

gargantuan

potential

Correct answer:

consistent

Explanation:

“Uniform,” when used as an adjective, means “not changing in form or character; remaining the same,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “not changing” or “similar to others.” That means that “varying” cannot be the correct answer, because when used as an adjective, “varying” means “differing in size, amount, degree, or nature from something else of the same general class,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “uniform.” “Consistent,” however, is an adjective that refers to a person, behavior, or process, and means “unchanging over a period of time,” and because “consistent” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “uniform,” “consistent” is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quantity, Variety, Regularity, And Size

Which word could have a similar meaning to the underlined word?

The girl piled a substantial amount of potatoes onto her plate.

Possible Answers:

large

tiny

None of the above

medium

small

Correct answer:

large

Explanation:

"Large" could replace "substantial" to maintain the meaning of the sentence. 

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quantity, Variety, Regularity, And Size

Which word has a similar meaning to the underlined word?

I cannot believe he ate the entire pizza!

Possible Answers:

whole

portion

None of the other answers

sausage

part

Correct answer:

whole

Explanation:

"Whole" and "entire" have the same meaning. 

Example Question #1251 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

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

Enormous

Possible Answers:

Medium

Famous

Smooth

Large

Tiny

Correct answer:

Large

Explanation:

"Enormous" means extremely large.

Example Question #1252 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

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

Several

Possible Answers:

None

Too much

A few

Couple

One

Correct answer:

A few

Explanation:

"Several" means a number of, but more than a couple.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors