SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms, Antonyms, and Changes in Intensity

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #54 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Adulterate is to decontaminate as verify is to __________.

Possible Answers:

authenticate

debunk

endorse

vindicate

substantiate

Correct answer:

debunk

Explanation:

To "adulterate" something means to make something impure. To "decontaminate" something means to make something pure again, to make something no longer contaminated. As such, these two words are antonyms. Which of these answers is an antonym of "verify" (prove is true)? The correct answer is "debunk" which means prove is untrue. All of the other answer choices are all also antonyms of "debunk" and synonyms of "verify."

Example Question #55 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Maladroit is to deft as __________ is to immaterial.

Possible Answers:

blissful

opaque

pivotal

blithe

extenuating

Correct answer:

pivotal

Explanation:

To begin with "maladroit" means not skilled and "deft" means skilled, so these to words are antonyms. To solve this problem you therefore need to determine which of these answer choices is an antonym of "immaterial." "Immaterial" means unimportant, not significant given the circumstances. The correct answer is therefore "pivotal" because this word means of fundamental importance, of great significance. Additionally, "opaque" means not transparent, not allowing light to pass through; "extenuating" means excusable, (of circumstance) make seem less serious; "blissful" means very happy; "blithe" means indifferent, showing a casual and inappropriate lack of concern for something.

Example Question #56 : Antonyms

Complete this analogy.

Florid is to unadorned as salubrious is to __________.

Possible Answers:

unhealthy

thirsty

hungry

satiated

greedy

Correct answer:

unhealthy

Explanation:

To begin with "florid" means ornate, excessively decorated, adorned. So, "florid" and "unadorned" are antonyms of one another. The correct answer then must be an antonym of "salubrious" which means beneficial, healthy. So, the correct answer is "unhealthy." Additionally, "satiated" means satisfied.

Example Question #211 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to emotional as empirical is to theoretical.

Possible Answers:

Passionate

Stolid

Militant

Zealous

Fanatical

Correct answer:

Stolid

Explanation:

To begin with "empirical" means based on evidence or observation and "theoretical" means based on theory, not based on evidence. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices is an antonym of "emotional." The correct answer is "stolid" which means showing little emotion, impassive, dispassionate. All the other answer choices are very loosely synonyms, they all pertain to being overly emotional, enthusiastic, or invested in a cause. They are all antonyms of "stolid."

Example Question #212 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Slipshod is to meticulous as terminus is to __________.

Possible Answers:

autocrat

gala

genesis

megalomania

iota

Correct answer:

genesis

Explanation:

To begin with "slipshod" means careless, lacking attention or consideration. Whereas, "meticulous" means excessively careful, paying close attention to detail. These two words are antonyms because they have the opposite meaning. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words has the opposite meaning to "terminus." The "terminus" is where something ends, so you are looking for answer choice that means something like where something begins, the point of origin. The correct answer is therefore "genesis." Additionally, an "autocrat" is a ruler who has absolute power, a tyrant; "megalomania" is an obsession with power and control; a "gala" is a festival, a formal party; an "iota" is an exceedingly small amount of something.

Example Question #391 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Unsystematic is to orderly as fruitful is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cogent

domesticated

abortive

fecund

feral

Correct answer:

abortive

Explanation:

To begin with "unsystematic" and "orderly" are antonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices has the opposite meaning to "fruitful." "Fruitful" means productive, prolific, producing many things. So, the best available antonym is "abortive" which means not productive, not successful. Additionally, "cogent" means (of an argument) convincing and reasonable; "feral" means wild, untamed; "domesticated" means tamed, not wild, made into a pet; "fecund" means fertile, abundant, producing a lot of life.

Example Question #217 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Incisive is to vague as __________ is to composed.

Possible Answers:

irascible

obfuscating

alluring

outlandish

pretentious

Correct answer:

irascible

Explanation:

To begin with "vague" means hazy and unclear due to a lack of detail or analysis. And "incisive" means keen, astute, sharp-witted, able to penetrate to the most important point due to the right amount of detail and analysis. These two words are antonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices is the best available antonym for "composed" which means calm and under control in a potentially stressful situation. The correct answer is therefore "irascible" which means hot-tempered, quick to anger, neither calm nor composed, petulant, crabby. Additionally, "pretentious" means disingenuous and self-important; "alluring" means tempting, attractive; "obfuscating" means obscuring, confusing, designed to conceal the truth through confusion; "outlandish" means bizarre, weird, excessively eccentric and showy, idiosyncratic.

Example Question #392 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Bind is to separating as ________________.

Possible Answers:

banish is to returning

stir is to melting

reject is to seeming

surge is to failing

engulf is to covering

Correct answer:

banish is to returning

Explanation:

To "bind" is to tie together. If you "bind" something, you do  so to keep it from separating.

Do you "banish" something (or someone) to keep it from returning? Yes. To "banish" is to send something away or to force someone to leave a country.

If something "surges," is it to keep it from failing? No. And there really isn’t much of a connection. (You could say that if there is a power surge, your electrical items might fail to function, but that’s a long-shot and not the same connection as that of bind and separating.

If you "engulf" something, do you do it to keep it from covering? No. To "engulf" means to cover completely, as in “The house was engulfed in flames in a matter of moments.”

Do you stir something to keep it from melting? Probably not. You might stir something that is melting to keep it from burning or sticking.

Example Question #219 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Garrulous is to taciturn as ______________.

Possible Answers:

spontaneous is to whim

average is to standard

previous is to prior

impervious is to penetrable

excessive is to verbose

Correct answer:

impervious is to penetrable

Explanation:

"Garrulous" means very talkative,  while "taciturn" means saying few words. So these are antonyms (opposites).

Is impervious the opposite of penetrable? Yes. "Impervious" means not allowing entrance or passage, like a castle that is impervious to attack. "Penetrable" means allowing things to pass through or penetrate. So "impervious is to penetrable" is the answer.

Is "excessive" the opposite of "verbose"? No. There is a connection: "verbose" means using an excessive number of words to say what could be said in a simpler manner. But they aren’t antonyms.

Are "previous" and "prior" antonyms? No, they’re synonyms, both meaning happening at an earlier time.

Are "spontaneous" and "whim" antonyms? No. "Spontaneous" means occurring without previous thought or planning. ("Our last minute trip to the beach was a spontaneous decision.") A "whim" is a sudden desire or change of mind. (I planned to go shopping, but I had a whim to go to the beach so I changed my plans at the last minute.) "Spontaneous" and "whim" have a connection, but it isn’t that they’re opposites.

"Average" and "standard" are close in meaning, not opposites. 

Example Question #220 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Habitable is to __________ as opaque is to transparent.

Possible Answers:

menacing 

inhospitable

fragrant

tertiary 

drastic 

Correct answer:

inhospitable

Explanation:

"Opaque" means not transparent, not clear, and not allowing light to pass through. "Transparent" means see-through, or in other words, allowing light to pass through. These two words are therefore antonyms, and to solve this analogy, you need to determine which of these words has a meaning opposite that of "habitable." "Habitable" means able to be lived in or able to be inhabited. One might refer to undeveloped land that someone is considering building a house on as being habitable. Which of the answer choices has a meaning that is most clearly the opposite of this one? The correct answer is "inhospitable." You can figure out what this term means by considering its prefix, "in-," which means not. "In-hospitable" means not hospitable, or not welcoming and not able to be inhabited. You might refer to rugged terrain that offers little food, water, or shelter as being "inhospitable." Note that since "habitable" and "hospitable" are close in meaning, the "in-" in "inhospitable" is very helpful in identifying the term as an antonym of "habitable."

Additionally, "menacing" means threatening or suggesting danger; "fragrant" means having a scent that people find pleasant; "drastic" means extreme; and "tertiary" means coming third in a list of something, occurring third.

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