Antonyms - SSAT Upper Level Verbal

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.

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.

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.

Someone who is “inept” lacks skill or is without abilities (if the word is taken in its most negative sense). The word “aptitude” means natural ability in some regard or for some task. Thus, the word “capable” is an antonym to “inept,” meaning that this analogy requires you to find an antonym for “literal.” When something is described or interpreted in a literal manner, it is understood in its most basic sense without adding additional interpretation (such as symbolic or allegorical interpretations). Thus, the best option for an antonym among those provided is “symbolic,” which is quite opposite to a literal interpretation.

“Pragmatic” is an adjective that means sensible and prudent while “idealistic” is an adjective that means unrealistic in one's goals. So, “pragmatic” and “idealistic” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “dolorous is to ecstatic” and “serene is to calm” might both look like a potentially correct answer, “serene” is an adjective that means peaceful, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “calm.” So, “serene is to calm” cannot be the correct answer. “Dolorous,” however, is an adjective that means sorrowful, while “ecstatic” is an adjective that can mean extremely happy. Because “dolorous” is an antonym of “ecstatic” just as “pragmatic” is an antonym of “idealistic,” “dolorous is to ecstatic” is the correct answer.

"Impudent" means disrespectful and rude which are both antonyms of respectful; therefore in order to solve this analogy you must identify the best antonym for lachrymose. Lachrymose means tearful or very sad, so the correct antonym is “joyful.”

Dutiful means loyal or dedicated and is an antonym of disobedient which means not obedient or loyal. To solve this analogy then you have to determine the best available antonym for despondent. Despondent means without hope, depressed and pessimistic so the best antonym is ”hopeful.” For clarification, menacing means threatening; frantic means anxious.

"Puerile" means immature and is therefore an antonym of mature so to solve this analogy you must identify the best available antonym for quotidian. Quotidian means every-day or ordinary so the correct antonym is “extraordinary.” For clarification, the other four answer choices are all loosely synonyms of quotidian.

Someone who is swarthy has dark complexion and someone who is fair has light complexion. So swarthy and fair are antonyms whereby swarthy matches with “dark” and fair matches with “light.”

Pliant means flexible which is an antonym of inflexible, so to solve this analogy you must identify the best available antonym for haughty. Haughty means proud or arrogant, so the correct antonym is “ashamed.” For clarification, lethargic means exhausted or tired; dominant means in control.

Abhor means detest or hate and is an antonym of love; therefore, in order to solve this analogy you must determine the best available antonym for "vengeful." This should lead you to the correct answer, which is “forgiving.”

"Mitigate" means improve, while "exacerbate" means make worse. So, "mitigate" is an antonym of "exacerbate." "Lengthen" is an antonym of "shorten," so "lengthen is to shorten" is the correct answer. "Blade" can mean a leaf of grass. "Edify" means educate. "Yell" and "scream" both mean to cry out with a loud voice. A "warlord" is a military leader. "Command" means order.

The best choice is "mean." The relationship between "grandiloquent" and "simple" is that they are antonyms. The word "grandiloquent" means speaking in a lofty or pompous style. Grandiloquence typically involves complex language. "Simple" is the opposite of "complex." Likewise, "mean" is the opposite of "nice."

Since a fortune is a lot of money and a pittance is "a very small or inadequate amount of money paid to someone as an allowance or wage," "fortune" and "pittance" are opposites, and we need to pick out a word that is an opposite of "excess." Since "excess" means "an amount of something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable," we should pick out a word that has to do with not having enough of something. While "paucity" and "decline" may both look like correct answers, decline is a verb, so it can't be the correct answer, as we need a noun. Since "paucity" means "the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity," "paucity" is the answer choice that is closest to being an antonym of "excess," so "paucity" is the correct answer.

"Ebullience" is a noun that means "the quality of being cheerful and full of energy; exuberance," and "lassitude" is a noun that means "a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy." Since the two words are antonyms, we need to pick out another pair of words that are also opposites. Since "ennui" means "a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement," "interest" is its opposite. Since "ennui is to interest" is the only answer choice whose words are antonyms, "ennui is to interest" is the correct answer.

"Deter" is a verb meaning discourage or prevent. Since "deter" is an antonym of "encourage," we need to pick out an answer choice which includes two words that have opposite meanings. While "condone is to approve" might look like a good answer choice, "condone" actually means accept and support. Since "condone" and "allow" are synonyms, "condone is to allow" cannot be the correct answer. The answer choice "cease is to start," however, includes a pair of antonyms: "cease" is a verb meaning end, making it an antonym of "start." Because "cease" and "start" are antonyms just like "deter" and "encourage" are antonyms, "cease is to start" is the correct answer.