SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Synonyms

A synonym of "calamity" is . . .

Possible Answers:

inhabit

shoddy

catastrophe

remainder

terrible

Correct answer:

catastrophe

Explanation:

Since "calamity" is a noun that means "disaster," we need to find another noun that also means "disaster." While a calamity can be terrible, "terrible" does not mean the same thing as "calamity" does, so it can't be the answer. Two of the answer choices are nouns: "catastrophe" and "remainder." Since a "remainder" means "something that is left over" and "catastrophe" means "disaster," "catastrophe" is the right answer.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms

A synonym of "delight" is . . .

Possible Answers:

frown

joyful

face

happiness

emotion

Correct answer:

happiness

Explanation:

Since "delight" is a noun that means "joy," we need to find another noun that also means "joy." While "joyful" might look like a good answer, "joyful" is an adjective, not a noun, so it can't be the answer. (A person can be joyful, but delight is a thing. We're looking for another thing, not a word that describes things.) Since "happiness" also means "joy," "happiness" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms

Which word is a synonym for terror in the sentence above?

He was full of terror as he ran from the haunted house.

Possible Answers:

joy

horror

glee

None of the other answer choices

confidence

Correct answer:

horror

Explanation:

The words horror and terror allow the sentence to maintain a similar meaning.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms

Which is a synonym for the word desire?

His desire for ice cream intensified as they drove past the ice cream parlor. 

Possible Answers:

disgust

need

repulsion

hatred

None of the other answer choices

Correct answer:

need

Explanation:

The word need can be substituted into the original sentence to maintain its meaning.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms

A synonym of "mimicry" is . . .

Possible Answers:

impersonation

dreariness

wackiness

intelligence

individuality

Correct answer:

impersonation

Explanation:

"Mimicry" is a noun that means "the action or art of imitating someone or something, typically in order to entertain or ridicule," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "the action or art of imitating someone or something." "Individuality," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "individuality" means "the quality or character of a particular person or thing that distinguishes them from others of the same kind, especially when strongly marked." That means that "individuality" is closer to being an antonym of "mimicry" than a synonym. "Impersonation," however, is a noun that means "an act of pretending to be another person for the purpose of entertainment or fraud," and because "impersonation" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "mimicry," "impersonation" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms

A synonym of “suggestion” is __________.

Possible Answers:

problem

idea

luck

demand

emotion

Correct answer:

idea

Explanation:

“Suggestion” is a noun that means “something put forward for consideration,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “idea.” That means that “demand” cannot be the correct answer, because “demand,” when used as a noun, means “an insistent request,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “suggestion.” “Idea,” however, is a noun that means “a thought or suggestion,” and because “idea” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “suggestion,” “idea” is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Synonyms

A synonym of “dilemma” is . . .

Possible Answers:

worry

weakness

decision

travel

difficulty

Correct answer:

difficulty

Explanation:

“Dilemma” is a noun that means “a difficult situation or problem,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “problem.” That means that “decision” cannot be the correct answer, because “decision” means “a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration,” a definition quite far in meaning from “dilemma.” “Difficulty,” however, is a noun that can mean “a thing that is hard to accomplish, deal with, or understand” or “a situation that is difficult or dangerous,” and because “difficulty” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “dilemma,” “difficulty” is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Synonyms

Synonyms: choose the word that has the closest meaning to the word in question.

Distance

Possible Answers:

Length

Opponent

Car

Pounds

Tunnel

Correct answer:

Length

Explanation:

"Distance" means the full length of something; opponent is your competitor or rival; tunnel is usually an underground path in which cars pass through; a car is vehicle used for travel on land; and pounds is the unit for weight.

Example Question #6 : Synonyms

Synonyms: choose the word closest in meaning to the word in question.

Resistance

Possible Answers:

Opposition

Symbol

Budget

Summary

Expedition

Correct answer:

Opposition

Explanation:

"Resistance" means opposition; expedition means journey; summary means a statement of the main points; a symbol represents something; and a budget is a financial plan.

Example Question #652 : Ssat Elementary Level Verbal

Synonyms: choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the word in question.

Value

Possible Answers:

Worth

Reward

Glove

Behavior

Area

Correct answer:

Worth

Explanation:

"Value" means cost or worth.

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