Synonyms: Nouns for Abstract Concepts - ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning

The prefix "brev-" comes from "brief" and means short or quick. “Brevity” means shortness, briefness. To provide further help, “pompous” means proud and arrogant; “preeminent” means highly regarded, in charge, most distinguished; “sanctimonious” and “pious” are synonyms of one another and both mean self-righteous.

An “epigram” is a concise, witty saying which is most similar in definition to “axiom.” To provide further help, a “motif” is a repeated design or theme; the “thesis” is where the main argument of an essay is stated; “sarcastic” means ironic, mocking; “dialogue” means conversation between two people.

"Epoch" means a period of time or era, so "era" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "epoch": "debris" means trash or wreckage; an "enigma" is a puzzle or riddle; "literacy" means the knowledge of how to read and write; and a "nomad" is a wanderer or vagrant.

A "prophesy" is a prediction or forecast of the future, so "prediction" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "prophecy": "domicile" means the location at which a person lives permanently; "reign" means the period during which a ruler rules; "obesity" means the medical condition of being overweight; and "insomniac" means someone who regularly has difficulty sleeping.

“Alacrity” means energetic enthusiasm or"eagerness." As for the other answer choices, “desperation” means reckless despair; “bewilderment” means confusion; “hospitality” means being welcoming to guests and treating them well; and “competition” means a game, often a serious one, in which only one person or team can win.

The "ambiance" of a place is its general look and character, or its "atmosphere." As for the other answer choices, an “entrance” is where you can walk into a place; “administration” means the people in charge of running a company or government or the task of keeping such a group running smoothly; a “delegation” is representatives from some group of people; and "horticulture” is the study of growing plants.

“Avarice” is wanting more material wealth than you need, or "greed." As for the other answer choices, “sloth” is laziness; “envy” is jealousy or wanting something that someone else has; “warmth,” when used to describe a person, means open-heartedness, kindness and affection; and “generosity” means kindness in giving liberally.

The Latin root "grat" means pleasing, so a “gratuity” is a “tip,”or money given to show you are pleased. A “hermit” is a recluse, someone who lives alone and avoids people; “vow” means promise; and an “outcast” is someone excluded from society.

An "accolade" is a noun used to describe an honor, tribute, or award. An "idea" that results in a discovery or invention might garner someone an "accolade," like the Nobel Prize, but is not directly synonymous. "Punishment" is an antonym to "accolade."

"Excess" is a noun describing an overabundance of something. The correct synonym is therefore "surplus," which also means an overabundance of a resource or trait.

"Valor" is an abstract noun describing courage. For example: "The rescuer displayed an act of VALOR when he jumped in front of a moving vehicle to save the dog."

"Peace" is an abstract noun describing a state of calm or the absence of violence. "Bitterness" is an abstract noun used to describe the property of bad feelings or a specific taste sensation. A "utopia" is an idealized place or society.

"Upheaval" is a noun meaning "a violent or sudden change or disruption to something," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "disruption." While "occurrence" may seem like a good answer choice because it means "an incident or event," "disturbance" is actually the better answer because it means "the interruption of a settled and peaceful condition." Because both "upheaval" and "disturbance" involve interruptions, but "occurrence" does not, "disturbance" is the correct answer.

A person of great "renown" is someone well-known for something. An actor or singer is "renowned" for their talent. This is the same thing as "fame." While "wealth" often accompanies "fame" or "renown," this is not always the case, it is very possible to be renowned without having any money at all, just ask any poet!

"Getaway" is a noun that means "an escape or quick departure, especially after committing a crime." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is a noun and means something like "escape." While "flee" may look like a potentially correct answer choice because "flee" and "escape" are synonyms when both words are used as verbs, "flee" cannot be used as a noun like "escape" can, so "escape" is the correct answer because it can be used as a noun and "getaway" is a noun.

"Mettle" is defined as strength of spirit, so "courage" is the best match. "Timidity," which means lack of courage, is the opposite.

"Epoch" means era or period of time, so "era" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "epoch": "riddle" means a verbal puzzle; "insomnia" means a condition in which one cannot sleep; "option" means choice or alternative; and "summit" means apex or the highest point of something.

"Apathy" is a lack of interest in something. The best choice is "disinterest" because it means a lack of interest. Considering the other choices, a "street" is a _roadway, "_apply" means make use of or submit a request,and "absent" means not present or gone.

An "adjunct" is something that is added on to something that already exists. The best choice is "addition" because something that is an "adjunct" is an "addition" to something else. Considering the other choices, a "division" is a separation, "junk" is something of little value or things of little value,and a "juncture" is a point at which two things are joined.

The word "persona" refers to a character. "Character" is the best choice because it is a part of the definition of "persona." Considering the other options, "people" does not work here because, although "persona" can refer to a person, it refers to just one person, while "people" refers to a group of persons. "Life" is unrelated to this word, and "ghost" refers to an animate spirit or soul of someone who is deceased.