"Intrepid" means fearless. The Latin root word, "trepidus," means fearful. The prefix "in" means not.

"Indelible" means permanent.  The prefix "in" means not, and the root "delere" means to destroy, so it makes sense that if something is "indelible," it is not be able to be destroyed, or permanent. So, "permanent" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "indelible."

"Circumvent" means to go around or to bypass, so "bypass" is the correct answer. The root word circum means around, and ven means to come. None of the other answers are close in meaning to "circumvent": "punch" means to hit; "confide" means to tell secrets to; "elevate" means to lift; and "line" means to mark.  

"Indistinct" means fuzzy or not clear. "Lucid" is the antonym; it means clear and easily distinguishable and seen. "Notorious" means well-known for bad qualities or manners. "Compliant" means obedient or submissive. "Pliable" means bendable and flexible.

"Misanthropic" means hating humankind. The root word "anthro" means human, and the prefix "mis-" means wrong or incorrect. "Hateful" is thus the answer choice closest in meaning to "misanthropic."

Although the word “pretentious” is related to the word “pretend,” do not be fooled. “Pretend” literally means to stretch forward in the sense of taking or claiming something. The “-tend” means stretch, as is found in “extend.” The “pre-” does not mean before in a temporal sense but instead in the physical sense—e.g. “he stood before the magistrate.” When someone is pretentious, he or she claims to be something that he or she is not, often doing so with much fanfare to draw attention. The word “ostentatious” means much the same, itself being derived from Latin roots meaning to stretch out to show.

The word “transition” is taken from two familiar components, though you might not see the second component at first sight. The prefix “trans-” means across. When someone “translates” something, he or she “carries” it from one language to another. Likewise, “transferring” is the sending or carrying of something “across from one person or place to another.” The “-ition” is related to the small “-it” in “exit.” It means to go, and “exit” means to go out. A “transition” is a going across from one place, quality, etc. to another. Better stated, it means a change from one thing to another. "Alteration" is thus the answer choice closest in meaning to "transition."

The word “ingress” is perhaps a bit strange looking, but you can infer its meaning from two relatively well known bases. The prefix “in-” merely means in or into. While the “-gress” may seem unknown, think of words like “progress” or “digress.” The “-gress” in these words comes from the Latin word for to step. The words “grade” and “gradual” both come from this same base. Literally speaking, an “ingress” is a “going in” or—more appropriate for our word choices—the means of going in. For this reason, it often means merely “door,” “entrance,” or “entryway.”

Among these options, “heal” and “recover” are attempting to get you to confuse this word with “convalesce,” which means to recover or to regain strength. The word “coalesce” comes from the prefix “co-,” meaning together or with, and “-alesce,” which is derived from the Latin for to nourish or to grow up. When things “coalesce,” they come together, forming a larger whole. For instance, one could say, “All of the ingredients cooked down and coalesced into a single, homogeneous stew.” The word “adolescence” means a stage of growing to maturity, and is related to the word “coalesce.”

The word “exhume” literally means to take out of the earth. The “-hume” portion of the word is the same as that which is found in “humility.” It comes from the Latin for ground or dirt. “Humility” is a disposition that makes one feel “lowly.” When combined with the prefix “ex-”, this root word makes the expression out of the earth.