Synonyms, Antonyms, and Changes in Intensity - SSAT Middle Level Verbal

"Congenial" means agreeable, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available antonym of "debilitating." "Debilitating" means greatly weakening, so the best antonym is “strengthening.” For clarification, "diabolical" means evil.

"Merge" and "blend" are synonyms of one another, so to solve this analogy you have to determine the best available synonym for condone. To "condone" something means to allow it. For clarification, "despise" means hate; "remedy" means to fix; "allude" means to hint at something.

Abominable and offensive are synonyms, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is the best synonym for contradict. "Contradict" means to argue with, to oppose. For clarification, "pacify" means to make calm or better; "admonish" means to criticize or rebuke.

"Languid" is a synonym of "slow," so to solve this analogy you have to determine the best available synonym for choleric. To be "choleric" is to be bad-tempered or easily irritated, so the correct answer is “irritable.”

"Argue" and "debate" are synonyms of one another, so to solve this analogy you have to determine the best synonym for candid. "Candid" means frank or honest.

If a leader is “draconian,” his laws and rules are “severe.” The meanings of the words are the same, so they are synonyms. Your “preference” can be described as your "taste" in something, so we can also say that "preference" and "taste" are synonyms.

"Voracious" means greedy, having a large appetite. "Voracious" and "greedy" are synonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices is a synonym of "slovenly." The correct answer is "messy." "Slovenly" means having a messy and dirty appearance.

"Pristine" means completely spotless, immaculate, totally clean without any mess. So, "pristine" and "clean" are synonyms. Which of these words is a synonym of "parched?" The correct answer is "dry," because "parched" means dried out due to heat and lack of water.

Since one meaning of "prone" is "lying flat, especially face downward," the first pair of words is a pair of antonyms, since "lying flat" and "standing" are opposites. We need to pick out another pair of words that form a pair of opposites. Since "up is to down" is the only answer choice that consists of a pair of opposites, it is the correct answer.

"Colossal" is an adjective that means "very big," and "minuscule" an adjective that means "very small," so the two words are antonyms, or opposites, and we need to pick out another pair of words that are also antonyms. Because "night is to day" is the only answer choice in which the two words are opposites, "night is to day" is the correct answer.

Since "novelty" means "the quality or state of being new, different, and interesting," and "outdatedness" means "the quality of no longer being useful, acceptable, modern, or current," "novelty" and "outdatedness" are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that is the opposite of "dull." While "ennui" may look like a good answer choice, "ennui" means "a lack of spirit, enthusiasm, or interest," so while one might feel ennui at the prospect of doing something dull, "ennui" does not mean the opposite of "dull," so it can't be the correct answer. "Sharp," however, is an antonym of "dull" when "dull" is used to mean "having an edge or point that is not sharp," so "sharp" is the correct answer.

Since someone who is generous is not miserly ("hating to spend money"), the two words are antonyms, so we need to pick out a word that means the opposite of "incorrigible." "Incorrigible" is an adjective that refers to people or their tendencies, and means "not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed." While "corrugated" sounds somewhat like "incorrigible," "corrugated" means "shaped into alternate ridges and grooves" and is used with materials, surfaces, and structures. Since "corrugated" is not an opposite of "incorrigible," it can't be the correct answer. "Correctable," however, means the opposite of "incorrigible," so "correctable" is the correct answer.

Since "ravenous" means very hungry and "satiated" means very full, the two words are antonyms. So, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the two words are opposites. While "nimble is to spry" might look like a good answer, "nimble" means agile and "spry" means lively and agile, the two words are synonyms, so "nimble is to spry" cannot be the correct answer. "Facetious is to serious," however, consists of a pair of antonyms: "facetious" means flippant and not treating important issues seriously. Because "facetious" is an antonym of "serious" just as "ravenous" is an antonym of "satiated," "facetious is to serious" is the correct answer.

"Surge" is a verb that can mean a large and sudden increase while "plummet" is verb that can mean a large and sudden decrease. So, "surge" and "plummet" are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a pair of words that are antonyms. Because "catch" and "release" are the only pair of antonyms listed as a possible answer choice, "catch is to release" is the correct answer, because just as "surge" is the opposite of "plummet," "catch" is the opposite of "release."

"Candor" is a noun that means "the quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness," so it is an antonym of "falsehood." That means that we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a pair of antonyms. While "anger is to fury" might look like a potentially correct answer, "anger" and "fury" are synonyms, not antonyms, so it cannot be the correct answer. "Happiness is to misery," however, is the correct answer, because just as "candor" is an antonym of "falsehood," "happiness" is an antonym of "misery."

"Hazy" and "clear" are antonyms, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is an antonym of "livid." "Livid" is an adjective that means "furiously angry." So, "mad" cannot be the correct answer, because while "mad" and "livid" are synonyms, we are not looking for synonyms, but antonyms. "Pleased," however, is an adjective that means "feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction, esp. at an event or a situation," and because "pleased" is the answer choice that is most nearly an antonym of "livid," "pleased" is the correct answer.

“Incriminate” is a verb that means make someone appear guilty of committing a crime, and “vindicate” is a verb that can mean remove blame or suspicion from someone. “Incriminate” and “vindicate” are thus antonyms, or opposites, and we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two verbs which are antonyms of each other. That means that neither “frighten is to terrify” nor “help is to assist” can be the correct answer, because each of those answer choices consists of a pair of synonyms, not antonyms. “Leave” is an antonym of “remain,” however, just as “incriminate” is an antonym of “vindicate,” so “leave is to remain” is the correct answer.

“Knockoff” is a noun that means a less-expensive imitation of a specific product,so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes someone who is an imitator of an innovator. While both “fan” and “copycat” might look like potentially correct answers, “fan” in this context means admirer or devotee , and makes no mention of the fan copying the person they admire, whereas “copycat,” when used as a noun, means a person who copies something, especially someone else's mannerisms. So, because a copycat imitates an innovator just as a knockoff is an imitation of a product, “copycat” is the correct answer.

“Rise” and “fall” are antonyms, so we need to pick out an answer choice which means the opposite of “facilitate,” a verb that means make a process easier. That means that “encourage” cannot be the correct answer, because "encourage" means help, support, or inspire, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “facilitate.” “Hinder,” however, is a verb that means create delays in some process, and because “hinder” is an antonym of “facilitate” just as “rise” is an antonym of “fall,” “hinder” is the correct answer.

“Doubt” is a word that when used as a verb can mean “ feel uncertain about,” “question the truth or fact of (something),” or “disbelieve (a person or their word).” “Trust,” on the other hand, when used as a verb, means “believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of.” So, “doubt” and “trust” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice which consists of a pair of antonyms. While “hurry is to hustle” might look like a potentially correct answer choice, “hurry” means “move or act with haste; rush” when used as a verb, and “hustle” can be used as a verb that means “hurry; bustle,” so the two words are synonyms, not antonyms, and “hurry is to hustle” cannot be the correct answer. “Heal is to wound,” however, consists of a pair of antonyms, because “wound” can mean “inflict an injury on (someone)” whereas heal can mean “cause (a wound, injury, or person) to become sound or healthy again” when used of a person or treatment. So, because “heal” and “wound” are opposites just as “doubt” and “trust” are opposites, “heal is to wound” is the correct answer.