SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Synonyms: Adjectives and Adverbs

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

GRUESOME

Possible Answers:

Controlling

Unruly 

Mysterious

Pleasant 

Horrific 

Correct answer:

Horrific 

Explanation:

“Gruesome” means unpleasant, horrific, or disgusting, so "horrific," which means horrifying and shocking, is the correct answerTo provide further help, "pleasant" means friendly or enjoyable; "mysterious" means not fully understood and difficult to understand; "controlling" means attempting to take charge of situations one has not been put in charge of; and "unruly" means badly behaved and not following rules or directions.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "plain" is . . .

Possible Answers:

stubborn

unadorned

suave

ornate

delicious

Correct answer:

unadorned

Explanation:

"Plain" is an adjective that means "not decorated or elaborate; simple or ordinary in character." So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "simple" or "ordinary." "Ornate," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "ornate" means "made in an intricate shape or decorated with complex patterns," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "plain." "Unadorned," however, is an adjective that means "not adorned; plain," and because "unadorned" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "plain," "unadorned" is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives

Synonyms: select the word that most closely matches.

Gentle

Possible Answers:

Unkind

Violent

Sleepy

Soft

Healthy

Correct answer:

Soft

Explanation:

Gentle and soft both relate to ones having a mild or kind nature.  They also can relate to being careful with ones touch. 

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives

Synonyms: select the word that most closely matches.

Active

Possible Answers:

Quiet

Still

Focused

Moving

Lazy

Correct answer:

Moving

Explanation:

Active and moving both relate to being in motion. 

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "drastic" is __________.

Possible Answers:

moderate

energetic

extreme

clear

tired

Correct answer:

extreme

Explanation:

"Drastic" is an adjective that means "severe or serious," so we need to pick out another adjective that means "severe or serious." While "moderate" also has to do with degrees of seriousness, "moderate" means "not serious." Because "moderate" means the opposite of "drastic," it can't be the right answer. "Extreme," on the other hand, means "very serious or severe," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "drastic," it is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "complex" is __________.

Possible Answers:

youthful

boisterous

quiet

simple

intricate

Correct answer:

intricate

Explanation:

The word "complex," when used as an adjective, means "having parts that connect or go together in complicated ways," or "not easy to understand or explain: not simple." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "having many connected parts" or "not simple." Since "intricate" means "having many parts" or "very complicated or detailed," "intricate" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "complex," so "intricate" is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "ravenous" is __________.

Possible Answers:

raven-like

fowl

migratory

satiated

famished

Correct answer:

famished

Explanation:

"Ravenous" is an adjective that means "extremely hungry," so we need to pick out an answer choice that also means "extremely hungry." While "raven-like" might look like the correct answer because "ravenous" contains the word "raven," the meaning of "ravenous" doesn't have to do with ravens, so "raven-like" can't be the correct answer. "Famished," however, means "extremely hungry," so it is the correct answer.

Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "precise" is __________.

Possible Answers:

crude

forgetful

exact

prepared

early

Correct answer:

exact

Explanation:

"Precise" is an adjective meaning "marked by exactness and accuracy of expression or detail," or "exact, accurate, and careful about details" when referring to people, or "used to emphasize that one is referring to an exact and particular thing" (such as in "at that precise location"). So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "exact," or is used to indicate particular things. Since "exact" is a synonym of "precise," "exact" is the correct answer.

Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "treacherous" is __________.

Possible Answers:

wonderful

surprising

perceptive

loud

dangerous

Correct answer:

dangerous

Explanation:

"Treacherous" is an adjective with two different meanings: "guilty of or involving betrayal or deception," or "hazardous because of presenting hidden or unpredictable dangers," which is used to describe things like ground, water, or conditions. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "hazardous." Since "dangerous" means the same thing as "hazardous," "dangerous" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "treacherous" and the correct answer.

Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Adjectives And Adverbs

A synonym of "extraneous" is __________.

Possible Answers:

accidental

unrelated

bendable

probable

necessary

Correct answer:

unrelated

Explanation:

"Extraneous" is an adjective meaning "irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with," "of external origin," or "separate from the object to which it is attached." Since "unrelated" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "extraneous," "unrelated" is the correct answer.

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