SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

A synonym of "mar" is __________.

Possible Answers:

jar

spoil

complement

whet

provide

Correct answer:

spoil

Explanation:

"Mar" is a verb that means "to ruin the beauty or perfection of something" or "to hurt or damage the good condition of something," so we need to pick out a word that means something like "to ruin" or "to damage." Since one meaning of "spoil" is "to have a bad effect on something" or "to damage or ruin something," "spoil" is closest in meaning to "mar" of the given answer choices, so it is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

A synonym of "encroach" is __________.

Possible Answers:

utter

enroll

glower

trespass

pacify

Correct answer:

trespass

Explanation:

"Encroach" is a verb that means "intrude on a person's territory or a thing considered to be a right," we need to pick out another verb that means "intrude on." While "enroll" sounds like "encroach," "enroll" means "officially register as a member of an institution or a student on a course"; since it does not mean the same thing as "encroach," it can't be the right answer. "Trespass," however, means "enter the owner's land or property without permission" or "commit an offense against (a person or a set of rules)." Since the first meaning of "trespass" is similar to the meaning of "encroach," "trespass" is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

A synonym of "amble" is __________.

Possible Answers:

saunter

dash

run

embark

scamper

Correct answer:

saunter

Explanation:

"Amble" is a word that means "walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace," so we need to pick out another word that means "walk," and more specifically, "walk at a relaxed pace." While "scamper," "run," and "dash" all refer to movement, they refer to quick movement, not a form of movement that is "at a slow, relaxed pace." Only "saunter," which means "to walk about in an idle or leisurely manner," means "to walk" and includes the connotation of the movement being relaxed and "leisurely." Because of this, "saunter" is closest in meaning to "amble" of the given answer choices, so "saunter" is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

A synonym of "wilt" is . . .

Possible Answers:

droop

pester

limp

frugal

resplendent

Correct answer:

droop

Explanation:

"Wilt" is a verb that refers to plants and means "become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease." So, we need to pick out another verb that means something like "become limp." While "droop" and "limp" might both look like potentially correct answers, "limp" cannot be the correct answer because while "wilt" means "to become limp," "limp" as a verb does not mean "become limp" - it means "walk with difficulty, typically because of a damaged or stiff leg or foot." So, "limp" cannot be the correct answer. "Droop," however, means "bend or hang downward limply," so "droop" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "wilt."

Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

Synonyms

Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

ABRIDGE

Possible Answers:

dam

censor

shorten

breach

cross

Correct answer:

shorten

Explanation:

"Abridge" means to shorten, as in a text.

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

Synonyms

Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

CAVORT

Possible Answers:

extort

poison

emptiness

frolic

steal

Correct answer:

frolic

Explanation:

"Cavort" means to frolic, to prance.

Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, Or Location

A synonym of "saturate" is __________.

Possible Answers:

drench

invent

stabilize

condense

calm

Correct answer:

drench

Explanation:

"Saturate" is a verb that means "cause something to become thoroughly soaked with liquid so that no more can be absorbed," so we need to pick out a verb that means something like "soak." While "condense" might look like a good answer choice because it is a verb that has to do with water, "condense" actually means "make something denser or more concentrated" or "change or cause to change from a gas or vapor to a liquid." Since "condense" is not synonymous with "saturate," it can't be the correct answer. "Drench," however, means "wet thoroughly; soak," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "saturate," "drench" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1721 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

A synonym of "splice" is __________.

Possible Answers:

cut

jump

near

deploy

interweave

Correct answer:

interweave

Explanation:

"Splice" is a verb that can mean "join or connect (a rope or ropes) by interweaving the strands," " join (pieces of timber, film, or tape) at the end," or in genetics, "join or insert (a gene or gene fragment)." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "join." "Cut," then, cannot be the correct answer because "cut" is an antonym of "splice." "Interweave," however, is a verb that means either "weave or become woven together" or "blend closely," and because "interweave" is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "splice," "interweave" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1722 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

A synonym of "course" is __________.

Possible Answers:

verify

track

absentminded

cleanliness

pause

Correct answer:

track

Explanation:

"Course" is a word that can take on a variety of meanings. As a verb, "course" means "move without obstruction; flow" when used of a liquid. As a noun, "course" has many different meanings, including "the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river," "the way in which something progresses or develops," "an area of land set aside and prepared for racing, golf, or another sport," "a dish, or a set of dishes served together, forming one of the successive parts of a meal," or "a series of lectures or lessons in a particular subject, typically leading to a qualification." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something similar to "route," "the way in which something progresses," "a dish or set of dishes served together," or "a series of lessons in a particular subject." "Track" is a word which as a noun can mean "a rough path or minor road, typically one beaten by use rather than constructed" or "a prepared course or circuit for athletes, horses, motor vehicles, bicycles, or dogs to race on"; "track" is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "course," so "track" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1723 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

A synonym of "dispel" is __________.

Possible Answers:

peruse

meander

mediate

banish

appropriate

Correct answer:

banish

Explanation:

"Dispel" is a verb that means "make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "make something disappear." So, "appropriate" cannot be the correct answer because "appropriate" means "take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission," not "make something disappear." "Banish," however, is a verb that means "forbid, abolish, or get rid of (something unwanted)," and because "banish" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "dispel," "banish" is the correct answer.

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