Synonyms - ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning

The word "exude" comes from roots that literally mean "to sweat out." The general idea of "exuding" is that something "oozes" or steadily releases something into its environment. The word can be used, however, to describe people in a metaphorical manner. Here the "oozing" is more like the idea of beaming or radiating some kind of character trait. For example, you could say, "Thomas was so sure of himself that he exuded confidence."

The word "chastise" most nearly means reprimand. If a parent chastises a child for his or her behavior, for example, they scold or discipline the child.

Since "wail" as a noun means a prolonged cry of pain, grief, or anger, or, as a verb, to make such a noise; we're looking for words that have to do with noises people make, specifically those they make when something bad is happening or has happened. Of the given answer choices, "whistle," "shriek," and "cheer" all refer to noises people can make; however, only "shriek," which as a noun means a high-pitched piercing cry or sound; a scream, or as a verb, to make such a noise, is the closest in meaning to "wail" and so is the correct answer.

Since "goad" is a verb that means provoke or annoy someone so as to simulate some action or reaction, we're looking for a verb that means something like provoke. While "ask" might seem like a good answer because asking someone to do something is one way to get them to do it, it is not a synonym of "goad," so it is not the correct answer. "Urge," on the other hand, means try earnestly or persistently to persuade someone to do something; since it is closest in meaning to "goad," it is the correct answer.

"Jeer" is a verb meaning "make rude and mocking remarks, typically in a loud voice," so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb and means something like "mock." "Ridicule," when used as a verb, means "subject someone or something to mockery and derision," and is the only answer choice that is close in meaning to "mock." So, "ridicule" is the correct answer.

While "ignore" might look like a potentially correct answer, "heed" actually means "pay attention to" or "take notice of," so "ignore" is actually an antonym of "heed" and cannot be the correct answer. "Pay attention to" is synonymous with "heed," so "pay attention to" is the correct answer.

"Ramble," when used as a verb, can mean either "walk for pleasure, typically without a definite route," when describing a plant, "put out long shoots and grow over walls or other plants," or "talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way." While all of the possible answer choices have to do with talking, only "drone," a verb that can mean "speak tediously in a dull monotonous tone," is a synonym of "ramble," so "drone" is the correct answer.

"Bamboozle" is a verb which can mean either "fool or cheat someone" or "confound or perplex," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "fool someone," "cheat someone," or "perplex." "Baffle," a verb that means "totally bewilder or perplex," is the answer choice closest in meaning to "bamboozle," so "baffle" is the correct answer.

"Exclude" means to deny someone access to something, or to keep them out of something.

"Spurn" means to reject with contempt.

"Harangue," when used as a verb, means "lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner." So, we need to pick out an answer that refers to speech and means something like "lecture someone aggressively." "Chat," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "chat," when used as a verb, means "talk in a friendly and informal way," making "chat" an antonym of "harangue." "Admonish," however, is a verb that means "warn or reprimand someone firmly," and because "admonish" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "harangue," "admonish" is the correct answer.

"Entreat" is a verb that means "ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something" or "ask earnestly or anxiously for (something). So, we need to pick out an answer that means something like "ask earnestly." While "treat" may seem like a potentially correct answer because the word "entreat" contains the word "treat," "treat" does not mean "ask earnestly," so "treat" cannot be the correct answer. "Beg," however, is a verb that can mean "ask (someone) earnestly or humbly for something" or "ask for (something) earnestly or humbly," and because "beg" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "entreat, "beg" is the correct answer.

"Solicit" is a verb that means either "ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone" or "ask (someone) for something," so we need to pick out an answer that means something like "ask (someone) for something." "Provide," then, cannot be the correct answer because "provide" is an antonym, not a synonym, of "solicit." "Request," however, is a verb that can mean "politely or formally ask for" or "politely ask (someone) to do something," and because "request" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "solicit," "request" is the correct answer.

“Empower” is a verb that can mean either “to give power to” or “make a person stronger and more confident.” That means that “prohibit” cannot be the correct answer, because “prohibit” means “formally forbid,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “empower.” “Authorize,” however, is a verb that means “give official permission,” and because “authorize” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “empower,” “authorize” is the correct answer.

"Profound" is an adjective meaning "having or showing great knowledge or understanding," "difficult to understand : requiring deep thought or wisdom," or "very strongly felt." "Earnest," which means "resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction," is the best answer because it is closest in meaning to "very strongly felt," and none of the answer choices are at all similar in meaning to any of the definitions of "profound."

"Onerous" is an adjective that means "involving an amount of effort or difficulty that is overly burdensome." Fun is clearly incorrect, as is talented. So scary sounds possible, since onerous looks a little like ominous, but just because something is challenging does not make it scary, so that's out. Rude is close, and onerous can certainly be used in a context that might mean rude, but ultimately, difficult is the closest synonym.

"Exhilarating" is an adjective that means "making one feel very happy, animated or elated." Tedious is an antonym, it has the opposite meaning, which is boring. Illuminating and interesting both sound similar to exhilarating, but they refer to growing lighter and gaining or seeking information. And when one is happy, animated or elated, one is not usually numb, but feels everything. So "thrilling" is the best answer, as it refers to happiness and excitement.

The root "mono"means one , and the "-ton-" in "monotonous" derives from "tone,"meaning sound, so it makes sense that “monotone” means producing one tone. However, it also means boringly uniform and uninteresting. "Uninteresting" is thus the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, "defiant" means rebellious; "convoluted" means complex or overly complex; "enervated" means having used up all of one's energy or exhausted; and "productive" means yielding useful results.

The best synonym is "break." Fracture comes from the Latin roots "fract" and _"_frangere," meaning to break (e.g. "fraction," "fracking," "fragile," "fragment").