SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Antonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Antonyms

Complete the analogy:

Scrupulous is to careless as _____________.

Possible Answers:

old is to wizened

naive is to wise

destitute is to impoverished

untenable is to flimsy

devious is to deceitful

Correct answer:

naive is to wise

Explanation:

"Scrupulous" and "careless" are antonyms. "Scrupulous" means careful, diligent and attentive to details. "Careless" means not giving sufficient attention to a task. Similarly, naive and wise are antonyms. "Naive" means lacking experience or wisdom, while "wise" means having experience, knowledge and good judgment. 

None of the other responses are antonyms of each other:

"Untenable" means a position that is unable to be defended or supported. "Flimsy" means something light, insubstantial and easily damaged.

"Devious" and "deceitful" are synonyms, and both mean untrustworthy.

"Destitute" and "impoverished" are both synonyms. "Impoverished" means exhausted of strength, vitality or wealth, and "destitute" means lacking a basic, minimal amount of money.

"Wizened" and "old" are synonyms. "Wizened" means wrinkled with age or shriveled, while "old" means advanced in age or no longer young.

Example Question #62 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy:

Borrow is to lend as __________.

Possible Answers:

beg is to steal

donate is to manipulate

brighten is to fade

clumsy is to crippled

steal is to make

Correct answer:

brighten is to fade

Explanation:

When you lend an object, you give it to someone temporarily, when you borrow an object, you take it temporarily. Thus, borrow and lend are antonyms. Similarly, brighten means to make brighter, while fade means to make less bright.

None of the other analogies have this relationship.

Steal means to illegally take an object, while make means to create something.

Donate means to provide something desirable free of charge, while manipulate means to either physically use one's hands on an object, or to influence a person or situation.

Beg means to ask for money or food, while steal means to illegally take something.

Clumsy means ungainly, or moving in an awkward uncontrolled manner, while crippled means unable to walk or unable to move, due to an ailment.

Example Question #63 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy:

Opulent is to impoverished as __________.

Possible Answers:

tidy is to broken

healthy is to sick

bent is to curved.

black is to blue.

naive is to gullible

Correct answer:

healthy is to sick

Explanation:

Opulent and impoverished are antonyms. Opulent means excessively wealthy and luxurious or flashy, while impoverished means very poor. Similarly, sick is the opposite of healthy.

None of the other analogies have this relationship:

Black and blue are both colors, and they are not opposites.

Tidy means neat, but tidy is not the opposite of broken. Broken means not whole, or damaged.

Bent and curved are synonyms, and mean not perfectly linear, such as the shape of a circle or an oval.

Naive means not wise, or not worldly, and gullible means easily tricked. People who are naive are often gullible. The two words are not opposites.

Example Question #64 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy:

Clean is to dirty as pure is to __________.

Possible Answers:

avian

messy

contaminated

complex

cure

Correct answer:

contaminated

Explanation:

Dirty and clean are considered to be opposites, so we must find the opposite of pure. Pure means devoid of contaminations, so the opposite of pure is "contaminated."

None of the other words are the opposite of pure.

Avian means related to birds. 

Complex means not simple.

Messy means not neat, which is related to the concept of impurity, but not exactly the opposite of pure.

Cure is a word that means to resolve a sickness. While it rhymes with pure, it is not the opposite.

Example Question #65 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Grievous is to trivial as __________ is to dull.

Possible Answers:

porous

enterprising

pious

vibrant

whimsical

Correct answer:

vibrant

Explanation:

"Grievous" means of great importance, serious and significant. As such it is an antonym of "trivial," which means not important, of lesser significance, irrelevant. So, to solve this analogy you need to figure out which of these words is opposite in meaning to "dull." "Dull" means lacking color, energy, or excitement, boring and uninteresting. The best available antonym is therefore "vibrant" which means colorful, energetic. Additionally, "pious" means devout, deeply religious; "enterprising" means hardworking and innovative, working hard to come up with new solutions; "porous" means filled with holes; "whimsical" means quirky, silly.

Example Question #66 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Benign is to dangerous as culpable is to __________.

Possible Answers:

innocent

insane

invalid

impulsive

intrepid

Correct answer:

innocent

Explanation:

"Benign" means not dangerous, harmless, not likely to cause harm. It is therefore an antonym of "dangerous." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an antonym of "culpable." Well, "culpable" means guilty, responsible for an offense, not innocent. So, the best possible antonym is "innocent." Additionally, "intrepid" means bold and adventurous; "insane" means crazy, not sane; "invalid" means not valid, not legitimate, not correct; "impulsive" means prone to making decisions without thinking about it.

Example Question #67 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Figurative is to __________ as empirical is to theoretical.

Possible Answers:

ambidextrous

rickety

literal

ailing

vital

Correct answer:

literal

Explanation:

"Empirical" means based on evidence, supported by observations, whereas "theoretical" means based on theory, not empirical. These two words have opposite meanings, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices is the best antonym for "figurative." Well, "figurative" means metaphorical, not meant to be taken literally but meant to be understood as an analogy or representation. This is opposite in meaning to "literal" which means not metaphorical, meant to be understood as it is directly stated. Additionally, "rickety" means shaky, unsteady; "vital" means essential, needed; "ailing" means sick, suffering; "ambidextrous" means equally capable with both hands.

Example Question #68 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Competent is to __________ as spirited is to lifeless.

Possible Answers:

incapable

jolly

youthful

hideous

dazzling

Correct answer:

incapable

Explanation:

"Spirited" means full of life and energy, so it is an antonym of "lifeless." To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is the best antonym for "competent." Well, "competent" means able to do something, capable, skilled. So, the best antonym is "incapable," which means not capable, not able to do something. Additionally, "jolly" means cheerful, happy; "youthful" means young; "hideous" means gross, disgusting, deeply unpleasant; "dazzling" means brilliant, shining, sparkling.

Example Question #69 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Priceless is to worthless as __________ is to ordinary.

Possible Answers:

blasé

peculiar

pristine

blissful

frank

Correct answer:

peculiar

Explanation:

"Priceless" means so precious and important to someone that it has no value, of great worth. This is an antonym of "worthless," so to solve this analogy you need to figure out which of these words is an antonym of "ordinary." Well, "ordinary" means normal, mundane, not weird, so the best available antonym is "peculiar" which means weird, unusual. Additionally, "frank" means honest to the point of being too honest; "blasé" means indifferent, not caring one way or the other; "pristine" means completely spotless, totally clean and without dirt; "blissful" means deeply happy.

Example Question #70 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Hysteria is to serenity as __________ is to joy.

Possible Answers:

envy

bliss

wrath

luxury

ecstasy

Correct answer:

wrath

Explanation:

"Hysteria" is exaggerated excitement and frenzy. This is an antonym of "serenity" which means a state of peace and calmness. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an antonym of "joy," which means great happiness. The correct answer is "wrath" which means anger and vengeance. Additionally, "bliss" and "ecstasy" are other synonyms for "joy"; "envy" means jealousy; "luxury" means living in great style and comfort.

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