HSPT Language Skills › Synonyms: Verbs About Communicating, Arguing, and Understanding
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
FATHOM
Understand
Bewilder
Satisfy
Pelt
Irritate
"Fathom" means comprehend or understand, so "understand" is the correct answer. "Bewilder" is an antonym of "fathom"; it means confuse. "Satisfy" means meet a certain condition or meet the expectations of someone. "Pelt" means bombard or attack someone or something with projectiles. "Irritate" means bother or annoy.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ELUCIDATE
Clarify
Strengthen
Undermine
Douse
Construct
"Elucidate" means to clarify; to strengthen is to make stronger; to undermine is to weaken; to douse is to drench; and to construct is to build.
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
CAJOLE
Persuade
Injure
Conciliate
Rejuvinate
Celebrate
"Cajole" means to persuade using coaxing and flattery.
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
COAX
Persuade
Buffet
Classify
Diminish
Withdraw
"Coax" means to convince or to "persuade." "Buffet" means to strike something, such as with a punch. "Classify" means to arrange into classes or groups usually based on similar or shared qualities. "Diminish" means to lessen or to decrease. "Withdraw" means to rescind, to remove, or to retreat.
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
BEMOAN
Lament
Devastate
Bewilder
Dispute
Pollute
"Bemoan" means show sadness about something, so "lament," a word that when used as a verb means grieve or wail, is the correct answer. "Devastate" means destroy or wreck. "Bewilder" means confuse or baffle. "Dispute" means to debate or to argue. "Pollute" means to contaiminate or to poison.
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
HEED
Obey
Hinder
Hoard
Abhor
Enliven
"Heed" can be used as both a noun and a verb. For example, as a noun: "He paid no heed to the warnings." As a verb, "He should heed the teacher's warning." The word closest in meaning to "heed" on this list is "obey."
"Hinder" means to create problems that result in delay.
"Hoard" means to stockpile. You might hoard all the chocolate in your house so that no one else can eat it.
"Abhor" means a deep revulsion. You might abhor the sight of blood.
"Enliven" means to make more lively.
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
OSTRACIZE
Exclude
Include
Birdlike
Craft
Burn
"Ostracize" means exclude or banish someone from something, so "exclude" is the correct answer. Considering the other answer choices, "include" cannot be the correct answer becuase "include" means accept or welcome into a group, making it an antonym of "ostracize" and "exclude." "Birdlike" means avian, "burn" means set on fire or injure with fire, and "craft," when used as a verb, means make or construct.
"Baffle" most nearly means _____________.
bewilder
determined
mythical
complete
crystal
As a verb, "baffle" means to confuse someone, or to be confused. An example is, "Walking through the maze, Diana was baffled about how to get out." If you're confused, you are "bewildered." Although "complete" is also a verb, it means to finish. None of the other words are verbs. "Determined" and "mythical" are adjectives. "Determined" means to have made a firm decision and "mythical" means having something to do with ancient myths or legends. "Crystal" is a noun and means a specific type of glass.
"Beguile" most nearly means __________.
manipulate
destroy
invest
disturb
intrude
"Beguile" means to charm, sometimes in a deceptive way. For instance, "The little boy beguiled his grandmother into giving him a cookie when he told her she was a wonderful cook." When you "manipulate" someone, you convince him or her to do something by tricking him or her or using his or her emotions against him or her. For example, "Mandy manipulated Mark into taking her to the dance by telling him she already had a dress but no one to go with."
Choose the best synonym for the word in capital letters.
PROPOUND
offer
condemn
choose
conciliate
proceed
"Propound"means to put forward or offer for consideration.