Analogies - SSAT Upper Level Verbal

Burgeon means to grow or flourish and dwindle means to shrink or diminish. These are antonyms of one another, so to solve this analogy you need to find the best available antonym for erroneous. Erroneous means untrue or incorrect; so in this instance the best antonym is “correct.” For clarification, "invalid" and "mistaken" are both synonyms of "erroneous;" "forsaken" means abandoned; "laidback" means relaxed.

Erect means to build and demolish means to destroy. These definitions are antonyms of one another so to solve this analogy you have to find the best antonym for edify. To edify something means to build, but to edify a person means to teach or instruct so the most accurate expression of the antonym would be to “keep in the dark.” To keep someone in the dark is an expression that means to withhold information.

Feral means wild and is an antonym of domesticated which describes an animal accustomed to living with humans, like a dog or cat. So to solve this analogy you have to find the best antonym for desolate. Desolate means empty, abandoned or isolated so the best antonym is “populous” which means inhabited or crowded. For clarification, "inane" means pointless; "vociferous" means vocal and loud.

To be erudite is the opposite of being ignorant; it means to be smart and knowledgeable. In order to solve this analogy you have to identify the best antonym for palpable. Palpable describes something that can be felt and is distinctly present. Palpable is a synonym for tangible and is therefore an antonym for “intangible” which is the correct answer. For clarification, "incoherent" means not able to be understood; "illusory" means deceptive, not real.

Someone who is “voluptuary” is someone whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure. It is a synonym for hedonist or sybarite, but it is an antonym of ascetic which means characterized by the rejection of pleasure and comfort. So to solve this analogy you have to identify the best antonym of winsome. Winsome means charming so the correct antonym is “dull.” For clarification, "espy" means to suddenly see; "morose" means very sad.

An oration is a speech, often one given at a ceremony. It comes both from the Latin for to pray as well as more distantly from the word for mouth. (Think of words like “oral” and “adore.”) Thus, an oration is a type of spoken communication. We could write a bridge sentence like, “As an oration is something that is spoken, so is a transcript something that is X.” A transcript is a written version of some communication. For instance, a transcript of a television show is the written version made for people to read after the show has aired.

Someone who is “gauche” lacks social capacities and thus can be said to lack grace. Such a person is likely awkward in public, not knowing how to be subtle when he or she needs be or how to be polite in a tactful manner—though no harm is intended by their tactless actions. The bridge sentence could be constructed, “As someone who is gauche lacks grace, so does someone who is corrupt lack X.” A corrupt person is, among other things, likely to lack honesty—at least about reality itself, for he or she will try to twist and corrupt all things to his or her perverse will.

When someone is neglectful, they do not care or provide care where it is needed. The analogy could be expressed as a lack: “As something neglectful lacks care, so does something adulterated lack X.” Although we use the term “adultery” to describe someone who has committed an act against marriage, the word “adulterate” comes from the Latin meaning to corrupt, in the sense of to ruin the purity of. We could adulterate a sample of water by adding foreign elements (and so forth). Thus, something that is adulterated lacks its appropriate purity.

When something is "sterilized," it is completely clean and thus does not have any bacteria on or in it. (Something “sterile” is likewise so completely clean.) Thus, the analogy could be written, “As something sterilized has no bacteria, something disrobed has no X.” The word “disrobed” is as obvious as it appears. It merely means having taken off one’s clothes, meaning that such a person lacks clothes.

The word “immaculate” comes from the combination of the “i-” prefix used as a privation (i.e. not) to the root which means stained, spotted, or dirty. Thus, the word means not stained, and generally is used to mean completely clean. Thus, the analogy could be rewritten, “Just as something immaculate lacks any dirt, so does something innocent have no X.” An innocent person lacks guilt, which is the best answer among those provided.

A vacuum is a space lacking matter. Thus, the analogy could be rewritten as, “Just a vacuum lacks matter, so does something unintelligible lack X.” When something is unintelligible, it makes little or no sense and cannot be understood. It could thus be said to lack meaning for someone trying to understand it.

"Feral" means wild and untamed and is a quality generally associated with a wolf so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is generally associated with a dog. A dog is generally “domesticated” which means accustomed to living with or near people. For clarification, the other four answer choices are all loosely synonyms of feral.

Euphony is a pleasing sound, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is an unpleasant sound. The correct answer is “vociferous,” which means loud and unpleasant noise. For clarification, mellifluous is a synonym of euphony; adulation is praise; exalt means to praise or celebrate.

One might describe a cat as fast. Therefore, the correct answer will be a trait that a sloth has. Sloths do not move very much, and so they are "sedentary," which means lacking movement, stationary, or inactive.

A pedant is a person who shows a great deal of learning to the point of being tedious and boring—going through every detail almost in a ridiculous fashion. Thus, “tedious” is an adequate description for a pedant. Someone who “transgresses” goes beyond the boundaries of the law. The “trans-” prefix means across (as in “transfer,” meaning, to carry across), and the “-gress” comes from the Latin for to step. It is related to many words like “grade,” “gradual,” “progress,” and “digress.” The options “judged” and “sentenced” might apply to a transgressor after a court case that acknowledges the guilt. In any case, a transgressor in general can be said to be guilty even before this is acknowledged in a court. This is the best description among those provided.

To "spurn" someone is to reject that person completely. For instance, one could say, “Herbert spurned any contact with his poor relatives, for he thought them wholly worthless and unintelligent, unworthy of any time.” This is quite the opposite of “accept” and is thus an antonym to the latter. Thus, we are looking for an antonym of “hamper.” Now, you might use the word “hamper” in discussing a type of basket for storing dirty clothes; however, there is no such option among the words provided. (Even the case of “garbage” is not useful, as it is definitely not an antonym). The word “hamper” can also mean to obstruct or make difficult, as when one says, “Thomas decided to hamper the progress of the group by tying their legs together while they sleep. He did not want them to progress on the trip.” The best option among those given is thus “aid,” which is quite the opposite from obstructing or making difficult.

The word "nomadic" can be a characteristic of a tribe. Therefore, the correct answer will be an answer choice that can be described as "permanent." The word "permanent" is used as the opposite of "nomadic," so in this context it means non-moving or consistently located in the same location. The noun that is best described by this word is "city," which is therefore the correct answer.

The word "volatile" can be descriptive of a volcano's level of activity. Therefore, the correct answer will be able to describe a lake's level of activity. While the words "large" and "opaque" describe a lake's physical characteristics, they do not describe its level of activity. The words "predictable" and "commonplace" also fail to describe a lake's level of activity. The only word that does is "placid," the correct answer. Placid means calm.

When something is "comprehensible," it is understandable. You likely use the word “comprehend,” which is a related form of the same root. When someone “comprehends” something, he or she “grasps” it completely. The word “apprehend” can mean to understand, though it usually means to grasp a hold of in the physical sense. They come from the same general root. We can say that “unintelligible” and “comprehensive” are antonyms, so we must look for an antonym for “jocund.” The word generally means cheerful. Among the options, do not be fooled by “angry.” A jocund person is probably not angry, but more appropriately are they said to be without humor or humorless. This is the better answer.

The word “defensible” can be thought of as meaning something like defendable, though it specifically means able to be justified. For instance, we would speak of “a defensible thesis,” meaning thereby that some argument is coherent and able to be defended against objections. When something is “tenable,” it is able to be “held” against objections. Thus, something “untenable” cannot be upheld (and is thereby indefensible). Thus, this analogy is one of antonyms. In contrast to being “enraged,” the best opposed word would be “serene.” Someone who is “serene” is not agitated at all but instead is at peace and is calm. This is quite different from the state of being enraged.