SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Antonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Saintly is to impious as tame is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

feral

castigate 

effusive 

erratic 

berate 

Correct answer:

feral

Explanation:

Saintly means religious or pious, and as such, is an antonym of "impious," which means not pious, as you may have been able to infer from the word's use of the negative prefix "im-," which means not. To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best antonym of "tame." "Tame" means domesticated, so "feral," which means living in the wild, especially after being previously domesticated is the correct answer. For clarification, "erratic" means unpredictable or unreliable, "effusive" means talkative or fulsome, and "berate" and "castigate" both mean to scold or to tell-off.

Example Question #32 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Tardy is to early as industrious is to __________.

Possible Answers:

virulent

guilty 

lazy 

jolly 

deadly

Correct answer:

lazy 

Explanation:

"Tardy" means late and as such is an antonym of "early." To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available antonym of "industrious." "Industrious" means hard-working, so the best antonym is “lazy.” For clarification, "jolly" means happy or good-humored, and "virulent" means strong or powerful.

Example Question #33 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Demonstrative is to stoic as trivial is to __________.

Possible Answers:

unknown

unique 

lacking 

important 

deficient 

Correct answer:

important 

Explanation:

Demonstrative can mean indicative, or expressing emotions, and as such is an antonym of "stoic," which means not expressing emotions. To solve this analogy, you have to identify which of the answer choices is the best antonym of "trivial." "Trivial" means insignificant or not important, so the best antonym is “important.” For clarification, "deficient" means lacking, and "unique" means original.

Example Question #34 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Prudent is to foolish as frivolous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sensible

momentous

incidental

foolish

comedic

Correct answer:

sensible

Explanation:

"Prudent" and "foolish" are antonyms. (Prudent means using good judgement.) Therefore, you are looking for an antonym of "frivolous" or a synonym of "prudent." "Sensible" fits! None of the other answer selections work.

Example Question #32 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Garner is to scatter as confiscate is to __________.

Possible Answers:

return

sedative

outdoors

commandeer

skiing

Correct answer:

return

Explanation:

“Garner” means to gather or collect. "Scatter” means to spread out and is the opposite of “garner.” If you “confiscate” something, you take something away, especially as punishment. The opposite of this would be to “return” something that you took. To clarify, “commandeer” is similar in meaning to “confiscate” and means taking over something large, like a vehicle or building, using force; a “sedative” is a medicine or drug which makes you calm or sleepy.

Example Question #33 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Muster is to demobilize as camp is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cabin

tent

fancy

decamp

mountain

Correct answer:

decamp

Explanation:

If you “muster” or rally troops, you gather them together and mobilize them for battle. If you “demobilize” troops you relieve them of their duties. So you need to look for the antonym of “camp.” If you “decamp” then you break camp which is the opposite of “to camp” or setting up camp. A “tent” is a part of a camp and can be seen as different to a “cabin” but these answers do not fulfil the analogy. “Fancy” means expensive or posh.

Example Question #37 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Angular is to rounded as __________.

Possible Answers:

sweet is to dessert

proud is to ashamed

archaic is to old

formulaic is to clichéd

frozen is to ice

Correct answer:

proud is to ashamed

Explanation:

“Angular” is an adjective that refers to an object, outline, or shape, and means “having angles or sharp corners,” while “rounded” is an adjective that means “having a smooth, curved surface.” So, “angular” and “rounded” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “proud is to ashamed,” “archaic is to ancient,” and “formulaic is to conventional” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “formulaic” can mean “produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style; predictable” and “clichéd” means “showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions,” making the two words synonyms, not antonyms. So, “formulaic is to clichéd” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “archaic” is an adjective that means “very old or old-fashioned,” so it is a synonym, not an antonym, of “old,” and “archaic is to old” cannot be the correct answer either. “Proud,” however, is an adjective that means “feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated,” while “ashamed” means “embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations.” So, because “proud” is an antonym of “ashamed” just like “angular” is an antonym of “rounded,” “proud is to ashamed” is the correct answer.

Example Question #31 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Potent is to weak as __________.

Possible Answers:

start is to begin

formal is to casual

unoriginal is to imitative

silly is to goofy

electricity is to light bulb

Correct answer:

formal is to casual

Explanation:

“Potent” is an adjective that means powerful or effective, so it is an antonym of “weak.” That means that we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “formal is to casual,” “unoriginal is to imitative,” and “silly is to goofy” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, “unoriginal” is an adjective that means not original, while “imitative” is an adjective that can mean imitating a previous work and therefore not original. The two words are synonyms, not antonyms, and “unoriginal is to imitative” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “silly” and "goofy" are adjectives that each mean foolish, so “silly” and “goofy” are also a pair of synonyms and “silly is to goofy” cannot be the correct answer either. “Formal,” however, is an adjective that can mean done according to rules or stately, while “casual” can mean in a manner that lacks formality. Because “formal” and “casual” are antonyms just as “potent” and “weak” are antonyms, “formal is to casual” is the correct answer.

Example Question #34 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Sparse is to dense as limited is to __________.

Possible Answers:

endless

finite

fortunate

sordid

morbid

Correct answer:

endless

Explanation:

“Sparse” is an adjective that can mean scattered, while “dense” is an adjective that can mean compact or crowded together. So, “sparse” and “dense” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that is an antonym of “limited,” an adjective that means restricted. So, that means that “finite” cannot be the correct answer, because “finite” is an adjective that can mean having limits, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “limited.” “Endless,” however, is an adjective that can mean having no end or seeming to have no end. Because “limited” is an antonym of “endless” just like “sparse” is an antonym of “dense,” “endless” is the correct answer.

Example Question #35 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Rise is to fall as facilitate is to __________.

Possible Answers:

boast

pardon

adorn

hinder

encourage

Correct answer:

hinder

Explanation:

“Rise” and “fall” are antonyms, so we need to pick out an answer choice which means the opposite of “facilitate,” a verb that means make a process easier. That means that “encourage” cannot be the correct answer, because "encourage" means helpsupport, or inspire, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “facilitate.” “Hinder,” however, is a verb that means create delays in some process, and because “hinder” is an antonym of “facilitate” just as “rise” is an antonym of “fall,” “hinder” is the correct answer.

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