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

"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.

“Angular” is an adjective that refers to an object, outline, or shape, and means “having angles or sharp corners,” while “rounded” is an adjective that means “having a smooth, curved surface.” So, “angular” and “rounded” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “proud is to ashamed,” “archaic is to ancient,” and “formulaic is to conventional” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “formulaic” can mean “produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style; predictable” and “clichéd” means “showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions,” making the two words synonyms, not antonyms. So, “formulaic is to clichéd” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “archaic” is an adjective that means “very old or old-fashioned,” so it is a synonym, not an antonym, of “old,” and “archaic is to old” cannot be the correct answer either. “Proud,” however, is an adjective that means “feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated,” while “ashamed” means “embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations.” So, because “proud” is an antonym of “ashamed” just like “angular” is an antonym of “rounded,” “proud is to ashamed” is the correct answer.

“Ornate” is an adjective that means adorned with a complicated design, so “ornate” and “plain” are antonyms, or opposites, and we need to pick out an answer choice which also consists of two antonyms. While “conniving is to naive” and “dull is to uninteresting” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “dull” is an adjective that can mean boring, so it is a synonym, not an antonym, of “uninteresting,” and “dull is to uninteresting” cannot be the correct answer. “Conniving,” however, is an adjective that means conspiring to accomplish bad things, while “naive” can mean innocent when describing a person. So, because “conniving” is an antonym of “naive” just as “ornate” is an antonym of “plain,” “conniving is to naive” 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.

“Sparse” is an adjective that can mean scattered, while “dense” is an adjective that can mean compact or crowded together. So, “sparse” and “dense” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that is an antonym of “limited,” an adjective that means restricted. So, that means that “finite” cannot be the correct answer, because “finite” is an adjective that can mean having limits, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “limited.” “Endless,” however, is an adjective that can mean having no end or seeming to have no end. Because “limited” is an antonym of “endless” just like “sparse” is an antonym of “dense,” “endless” is the correct answer.

“Potent” is an adjective that means powerful or effective, so it is an antonym of “weak.” That means that we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “formal is to casual,” “unoriginal is to imitative,” and “silly is to goofy” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, “unoriginal” is an adjective that means not original, while “imitative” is an adjective that can mean imitating a previous work and therefore not original. The two words are synonyms, not antonyms, and “unoriginal is to imitative” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “silly” and "goofy" are adjectives that each mean foolish, so “silly” and “goofy” are also a pair of synonyms and “silly is to goofy” cannot be the correct answer either. “Formal,” however, is an adjective that can mean done according to rules or stately, while “casual” can mean in a manner that lacks formality. Because “formal” and “casual” are antonyms just as “potent” and “weak” are antonyms, “formal is to casual” is the correct answer.

"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.

"Recalcitrant" means unruly and disobedient, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available antonym for "pedantic." "Pedantic" means boring in paying too much attention to unimportant details, so the best antonym is "interesting." For clarification, someone who is "insightful" is discerning, someone who is "resourceful" is capable, and "delirious" means crazy or feverish.

"Corpulent" means fat, so it is an antonym of skinny. In order to solve this analogy you have to determine the best available antonym for comely. "Comely" means cute, so the best antonym is “ugly.”

"Penurious" means stingy or not very generous and is an antonym of "generous." To solve this analogy you have to identify the most accurate antonym for feral. "Feral" means wild, untamed, so the correct antonym is “domesticated,” which means house-trained; a dog is an example of a domesticated animal.