Synonyms: Verbs About Physical Changes, Movement, or Location - SSAT Middle Level Verbal

"Jumble" means mix up. "Separate" means split or pull apart. "Identify" means single out or pick out. "Solve" means fix or answer. "Celebrate" means commemorate an event through enjoyable activities.

The verb "muster" means to gather, compile, assemble, bring together. Additionally, "allude" means hint at, suggest; "eradicate" means completely destroy; "deceive" means lie to and trick; "possess" means own, have.

The verb "truncate" means to shorten something, to make something shorter by finishing it early. Additionally, "elongate" means make or become longer; "supplant" means replace, take over from.

The verb "thaw" means to melt, to become no longer solid due to heat. Additionally, "shrivel" means become smaller, wrinkle and contract due to a loss of something; "leap" means jump high or far; "contend" means argue that something is true; "dread" means deeply fear some future event.

The verb "peruse" means to read carefully in an unhurried fashion. It can also mean to examine something carefully. Additionally, "pilot" means drive, operate a piece of machinery.

The verb "procrastinate" means to delay doing something, to stop doing what one is supposed to be doing and do something distracting. Additionally, "bolster" means reinforce, support , strengthen; "uproot" means force to move from one location to another.

The verb "manifest" means to exhibit, display, or show one's feelings through one's appearance. "Manifest" can also be used as an adjective in which case it means obvious, clear, easily noticed and acknowledged. Additionally, "renounce" means reject, declare that one has abandoned; "repudiate" means refuse to acknowledge or accept, argue against a claim; "dovetail" means fit together perfectly; "transcend" means go beyond.

To "thwart" most nearly means to prevent someone from undertaking an attempted action or to foil a plan.

The verb "ravage" means to cause extensive and long lasting damage to something, to completely destroy, lay waste to. Additionally, "cater" means provide for the needs of; "utter" means speak aloud; "trickle" means fall in small amounts; "lure" means entice and attract.

The verb "cultivate" is generally used to refer to tending one's crops, preparing one's land for the growth of crops and attending to those crops. It can also mean simply to "tend" to something more generally, like "I am trying to cultivate a better work ethic." Additionally, "lend" means allow someone to borrow and "mend" means fix, repair.

The verb "jeopardize" means endanger, to put someone in danger due to your actions. Additionally, "mar" means spoil, ruin; "linger" means hesitate, remain behind after others have left; "pelt" means throw things at with force; "indict" means formally accuse of committing a crime or other misdeed.

Align means to arrange in a line.

"Pilfer" means steal, so "steal" is the correct answer.

Forage means to scavenge.

One meaning of "fumble" is "to search for something by reaching or touching with your fingers in an awkward or clumsy way," we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "search for." While both "search blindly" and "look quickly" could mean "search for," "search blindly" is the better answer because "blindly" conveys the "awkward or clumsy way" of searching that "fumble" conveys.

"Mar" is a verb that means "to ruin the beauty or perfection of something" or "to hurt or damage the good condition of something," so we need to pick out a word that means something like "to ruin" or "to damage." Since one meaning of "spoil" is "to have a bad effect on something" or "to damage or ruin something," "spoil" is closest in meaning to "mar" of the given answer choices, so it is the correct answer.

"Encroach" is a verb that means "intrude on a person's territory or a thing considered to be a right," we need to pick out another verb that means "intrude on." While "enroll" sounds like "encroach," "enroll" means "officially register as a member of an institution or a student on a course"; since it does not mean the same thing as "encroach," it can't be the right answer. "Trespass," however, means "enter the owner's land or property without permission" or "commit an offense against (a person or a set of rules)." Since the first meaning of "trespass" is similar to the meaning of "encroach," "trespass" is the correct answer.

"Encumber" is a verb that means "restrict or burden someone or something in such a way that free action or movement is difficult," so we need to find another word that means something like "burden." While "restriction" might look like a good answer because "restriction" and "encumbrance" are synonymous, "restriction" is a noun and "encumber" is a verb, so "restriction" cannot be the right answer. However, "hamper," when used as a verb, means ": to slow the movement, progress, or action of someone or something." Because "hamper" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "encumber," "hamper" is the correct answer.

"Amble" is a word that means "walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace," so we need to pick out another word that means "walk," and more specifically, "walk at a relaxed pace." While "scamper," "run," and "dash" all refer to movement, they refer to quick movement, not a form of movement that is "at a slow, relaxed pace." Only "saunter," which means "to walk about in an idle or leisurely manner," means "to walk" and includes the connotation of the movement being relaxed and "leisurely." Because of this, "saunter" is closest in meaning to "amble" of the given answer choices, so "saunter" is the correct answer.