SSAT Analogy Upper level: Synonyms

1. HAVOC : DEVASTATION A. CLARIFICATION : MYSTIFICATION B. SURPLUS : SHORTAGE C. FARCE : SHAM D. TURMOIL : ORDER E. TIMIDITY : AUDACITY

1. C: Havoc and devastation are synonyms meaning chaos or destruction. Farce and sham likewise are synonyms, meaning travesty, fake, or trick. Clarification (making clear) and mystification (making mysterious or unclear) are antonyms (A). Surplus is too much; shortage is too little; so these are antonyms (B). Turmoil is disturbance or turbulence, the opposite/antonym of order (D). Timidity, or fearfulness; and audacity, or boldness, are antonyms (E).

1. DRIP : GUSH A. CRY : LAUGH B. CURL : ROLL C. STREAM : TRIBUTARY D. DENT : DESTROY E. BEND : ANGLE

1. D: Denting is minor damage and destroying is major; dripping is minor liquid flow and gushing is major. Cry and laugh (A) are antonyms. Curl and roll (B), stream and tributary (C), and bend and angle (E) are all pairs of synonyms.

10. PLAGUE : MALADY A. BYSTANDER : PARTICIPANT B. TIMIDITY : COWARD C. ANECDOTE : NARRATIVE D. EMBLEM : DIALOGUE E. PERJURY : HOMICIDE

10. C: Plague (epidemic) is a type of malady (illness), as anecdote (C) is a type of narrative (story). Bystander and participant (A) are opposites. Timidity (fearfulness) is a characteristic of cowards (B), not a type of coward. An emblem is a symbol or insignia, unrelated to dialogue (conversation or dramatic lines). Perjury is lying/falsifying courtroom testimony; homicide is murder.

10. CHRONOLOGICAL : TIME A. VIRTUAL : TRUTH B. ABNORMAL : VALUE C. MARGINAL : KNOWLEDGE D. ORDINAL : PLACE E. COINCIDENTAL : HEALTH

10. D: Chronological means in order of time, as ordinal means in order in place. Virtual means essential, implicit, practical, or almost; not in order of truth (A). Abnormal means not normal and not in order of value (B). Marginal means minimal or peripheral, not in order of knowledge (C). Coincidental means by chance/occurring together, not in order of health (E).

11. SOOT : GRIMY A. FROST : TRANSPARENT B. SUNSHINE : FRUITLESS C. RAIN : SODDEN D. PALL : GAUDY E. DUST : RADIANT

11. C: Soot (ash/carbon) makes things grimy (dirty) as rain makes things sodden (soaked). Frost does not make things transparent (A) or clear. Sunshine does not make things fruitless (B) or useless/unproductive. A pall or cloud of gloom does not make things gaudy (D) or bright. Dust does not make things radiant (E) or glowing.

11. SHERIFF : POSSE A. PAINTER : EASEL B. STUDENT : TEACHER C. MASCOT : TEAM D. SERGEANT : REGIMEN E. FOREMAN : JURY

11. E: A sheriff leads a posse; a foreman leads a jury. Painters do not lead easels (A), which hold the canvases whereon they paint. Students do not lead teachers (B) but are instructed and/or led by teachers. Mascots do not lead teams (C) but represent them. A sergeant may lead a regiment (military unit), but not a regimen (D), a regulated course of action as with medication/treatment, exercise, diet, or lifestyle.

12. GIGANTIC : SIZE A. SUBSTANTIAL : MASS B. MARGINAL : VOLUME C. BANKRUPT : MONEY D. DESPONDENT : CHEERFULNESS E. HEARTRENDING : HUMOR

12. A: Gigantic is great in size; substantial is great in mass. Marginal means minimal or peripheral, not great in volume (amount) (B). Bankrupt means having little or no money, not great amounts (C). Despondent means depressed, not great in cheerfulness (D). Heartrending means emotionally moving or upsetting, not great in humor (E).

12. MORBID : UNFAVORABLE A. REPUTABLE : FAVORABLE B. MATERNAL : UNFAVORABLE C. DISPUTATIOUS : FAVORABLE D. VIGILANT : UNFAVORABLE E. LAX : FAVORABLE

12. A: Morbid and unfavorable are "bad" synonyms, as reputable and favorable are "good" synonyms. Maternal refers to motherhood and is not unfavorable (B). Disputatious means argumentative and is not favorable (C). Vigilant means watchful and is not unfavorable. Lax means slack or remiss and is not favorable (E).

13. DRUGGIST : PHARMACY A. BALLERINA : TUTU B. HAND : GLOVE C. WAITER : RESTAURANT D. COACH : TEAM E. CHILD : FATHER

13. C: A druggist works in a pharmacy, a waiter in a restaurant-both business places or buildings. A ballerina works in a dance studio and/or theater (business place/building) but wears a tutu (dance garment) (A); as a ballerina is clothed in a tutu, a hand is clothed in a glove (B); a coach teaches and guides a team (D); and a child is the offspring of a father (E). None of the incorrect answers represents WORKER: BUSINESS PLACE/BUILDING.

13. SULLEN : BROOD A. LETHARGIC : CAVORT B. REGAL : CRINGE C. DOCILE : OBEY D. POISED : BLUNDER E. DESPONDENT : LAUGH

13. C: One who is sullen (morose) will brood (mope), as one who is docile (compliant) will obey. One who is lethargic (A) lacks energy/motivation and will not cavort (frolic). One who is regal (royal/noble) is proud and will not cringe (B), i.e. cower/recoil. One who is poised is self-assured and socially adroit, hence unlikely to blunder (D), i.e. commit a social error/faux pas. One who is despondent is depressed/despairing and unlikely to laugh (E).

14. AUTHOR : LITERATE A. CYNIC : GULLIBLE B. HOTHEAD : PRUDENT C. SAINT : NOTORIOUS D. JUDGE : IMPARTIAL E. DOCTOR : FALLIBLE

14. D: An author is expected to be literate, i.e. well-read, as a judge is expected to be impartial, i.e. objective. A cynic is NOT expected to be gullible (A), i.e. easily fooled. A hothead acts rashly, not prudently (B) or judiciously. A saint is highly reputable, not notorious (C), i.e. disreputable. A doctor is not expected to be especially fallible (E), i.e. prone to error.

14. SKI : SNOW A. DRIVE : CAR B. GOLF : PUTT C. DANCE : STEP D. SKATE : ICE E. RIDE : HORSE

14. D: We ski on snow and skate on ice. We drive with/in a car (A), not on it. A putt is one action in golf (B), not a surface/green for playing golf. A step is one piece of a dance (C), not a dance floor. People do ride on horses (E), but the horse, like the car (A) is the means of conveyance, not the surface we travel over as snow and ice are skiing and skating surfaces.

15. VERIFY : TRUE A. SIGNIFY : CHEAP B. PURIFY : CLEAN C. TERRIFY : CONFIDENT D. RATIFY : ANGRY E. MORTIFY : RELAXED

15. B: To verify is to prove true; to purify is to make clean. To signify is to represent or show, not make cheap (A). To terrify is to frighten, not make confident or assured/certain (C). To ratify is to confirm or approve, not make angry (D). To mortify is to shame, not make relaxed (E).

15. MASSIVE : BULK A. ULTIMATE : MAGNITUDE B. TRIVIAL : IMPORTANCE C. ANONYMOUS : LUSTER D. INTERMINABLE : LEGACY E. GIGANTIC : SIZE

15. E: As something massive has great bulk, something gigantic has great size. Ultimate means final or extreme; magnitude means large amount or importance. Trivial means unimportant/having the opposite of importance (B). Anonymous means unknown, while luster means shine or brilliance. Interminable means unending; legacy means inheritance or heritage (D).

16. ENTICE : REPEL A. GERMINATE : SPROUT B. FLOURISH : FADE C. OFFICIATE : PRESIDE D. LUBRICATE : GREASE E. IMPLORE : ENTREAT

16. B: Entice, meaning attract or allure, is an antonym of repel, meaning reject or repulse; flourish, meaning thrive or be plentiful, is an antonym of fade, meaning deteriorate or diminish. Germinate and sprout (A), officiate and preside (C), lubricate and grease (D), and implore and entreat (E) are all pairs of synonyms.

16. TARANTULA : SPIDER A. MARE : STALLION B. MILK : COW C. FLY : PARASITE D. SHEEP : GRASS E. DRONE : BEE

16. E: A tarantula is a type of spider, a drone a type of bee. A mare is a female, a stallion a male, horse-two types of one animal, not types of two different animals. Milk is not a type of cow (B) but (noun) the cow's product, or (verb) an action performed on cows. A fly is a type of insect, not a type of parasite (C). A sheep eats grass, but is not a type of grass (D).

17. RATIFY : YES A. LOOM : NO B. ERADICATE : YES C. VETO : NO D. STIFLE : YES E. GOAD : NO

17. C: To ratify is to say yes; to veto, to say no (typically to legislation). To loom is to appear/arise largely, like thunderclouds; to be impending, as an event; or to weave, as fabric (A). Eradicate means to eliminate/remove/erase (B). Stifle means to suppress, smother, or forcibly end (D). Goad means to urge or prod (E). None of the incorrect choices means to say yes, or no, to anything.

17. HUMDRUM : BORE A. GRIM : AMUSE B. NUTRITIOUS : SICKEN C. STODGY : EXCITE D. HEARTRENDING : MOVE E. PENDING : WORRY

17. D: Humdrum means boring, from the verb to bore; heartrending means (emotionally) moving, from the verb to move. Both adjectives come from synonymous verbs. Grim, meaning gloomy or terrible, would not amuse (A). Nutritious or wholesome foods/things would not sicken (B). Someone/something stodgy, i.e. dull, would not excite (C). Something pending is upcoming; it might worry or gladden one, or do neither, but would not necessarily worry one (E).

18. GAUDY : TASTEFUL A. MASSIVE : VOLUME B. MEAGER : ABUNDANCE C. IMPARTIAL : OBJECTIVITY D. CHRONOLOGICAL : TIME E. NUTRITIOUS : HEALTH

18. B: Gaudy means tasteless/flashy; tasteful is an antonym. Meager means sparse; abundance means plenty. Impartiality, the noun corresponding to the adjective impartial, means objective (C); these are synonymous. Chronological means related to time (D); these are related but not opposites. Nutritious means promoting health (E); these are related but not antonyms.

18. HOSPITABLE : COURTESY A. MORBID : CHEERFULNESS B. VINDICTIVE : SPITE C. LEISURELY : HASTE D. INFAMOUS : HONOR E. DESPONDENT : GLEE

18. B: Hospitable is a synonym of courteous (noun = courtesy); morbid, i.e. unhealthy, disease-related, gloomy, or gruesome, is an antonym of cheerful (noun = cheerfulness) (A). A vindictive act is motivated by spite (synonymous). Leisurely means not done in haste (C) (antonymous). Someone/something infamous is notorious, the opposite/antonym of [receiving] honor (D). One who is despondent is experiencing depression or despair, not its opposite/antonym glee, i.e. joy or delight.

19. RITE : CEREMONY A. MAGNITUDE : SIZE B. AFFLICTION : BLESSING C. CLAMOR : SILENCE D. PALL : CLARITY E. AGITATION : CALM

19. A: Rite and ceremony are synonyms, as are magnitude and size. Affliction-distress or misery-is an antonym of blessing (B). Clamor, or noise, and silence (C) are antonyms. Pall, a shroud of darkness or gloom, is an antonym of clarity or clearness. Agitation, i.e. restlessness or (unpleasant) excitation, is an antonym of calm (E).

19. REINFORCE : STRONGER A. ABOUND : LESSER B. DISMANTLE : LONGER C. WILT : HIGHER D. SHIRK : GREATER E. ERODE : WEAKER

19. E: To reinforce is to make stronger; to erode is to make weaker. To abound is to be plentiful, while lesser means a smaller amount or number (A). To dismantle means to take apart; longer means a larger distance or time (B). To wilt means to droop, fade, or wither; higher means at a greater physical elevation or figurative level (C). To shirk is to evade; greater means more or larger (D).

2. INFAMOUS : UNFAVORABLE A. MELLOW : FAVORABLE B. HOSPITABLE : UNFAVORABLE C. VINDICTIVE : FAVORABLE D. GIGANTIC : UNFAVORABLE E. LAX : FAVORABLE

2. A: Infamous means notorious or disreputable, which is unfavorable; mellow means serene or calm, which is favorable. Hospitable means courteous and is not unfavorable (B). Vindictive means spiteful or vengeful and is not favorable (C). Gigantic means huge or enormous and is not unfavorable (D). Lax means slack or remiss and is not favorable (E).

2. WALK : LEGS A. GLEAM : EYES B. CHEW : MOUTH C. DRESS : HEM D. COVER : BOOK E. GRIND : NOSE

2. B: Walking is a movement of the legs and chewing is a movement of the mouth. Eyes may gleam (A), but this is not a movement. Dress (C) is a whole, of which hem is part; Cover (D) is part of the whole, book. There is an expression, "Keep your nose to the grindstone;" but grind is not a movement of/upon the nose (E).

20. BRAGGART : MODESTY A. FLEDGLING : EXPERIENCE B. EMBEZZLER : GREED C. WALLFLOWER : TIMIDITY D. INVALID : MALADY E. CANDIDATE : AMBITION

20. A: A braggart lacks modesty; a fledgling (neophyte or inexperienced individual) lacks experience. An embezzler, who steals money from an employer or client, does not lack greed (B). A wallflower or shy person does not lack timidity (fearfulness or shyness). An invalid or ill person does not lack a malady, i.e. illness. A candidate or competitor does not lack ambition (E).

3. ENFRANCHISE : SLAVERY A. EQUATION : MATHEMATICS B. LIBERATE : CONFINE C. BONDAGE : SUBJUGATION D. APPEASEMENT : UNREASONABLE E. ANATOMY : PHYSIOLOGY

3. B: Enfranchise is to set free/liberate, and slavery is the opposite-i.e. to enslave/confine. Both sets are antonyms. Equation is part of mathematics (A). Bondage and subjugation (C) are synonyms (for each other and slavery). Appeasement and unreasonable (D) are unrelated. Anatomy and physiology (E) are related subjects.

3. LETHARGIC : ENERGY A. DESPONDENT : MELANCHOLY B. LEISURELY : RELAXATION C. NOTORIOUS : INFAMY D. MELLOW : WRATH E. LAVISH : EXTRAVAGANCE

3. D: Lethargic means without energy: these are antonyms. Likewise, mellow means good-humored; wrath means anger/ire, an opposite. One who is despondent is depressed and feels melancholy (A); these are synonyms. Relaxation is a leisurely state (B); these are synonyms. Someone/something notorious has infamy, i.e. ill repute; these are synonyms. Someone/something doing something lavish, i.e. abundant or excessive, displays extravagance (E), i.e. indulgent and/or excessive/wasteful expense.

4. UNION JACK : VEXILLOLOGY A. TOAD : ORNITHOLOGY B. TURTLE : MICROBIOLOGY C. GYMNOSPERMS : BOTANY D. FRIEND : HOME ECONOMICS E. ALGAE : ZOOLOGY

4. C: The Union Jack (British flag) is part of vexillology, the study of flags; gymnosperms are part of botany, the study of plants. Toad is not part of ornithology (A), the study of birds. Turtle is not part of microbiology (B), the study of microscopic organisms. Friend is not part of home economics (D), the study of cooking, sewing, and other home skills. Algae, plants, are not part of zoology (E), the study of animals.

4. BELLOW : FURY A. SNICKER : HATRED B. HISS : JOY C. GIGGLE : DREAD D. YAWN : EXCITEMENT E. GASP : SURPRISE

4. E: One may bellow, i.e. roar or yell, with fury (rage), as one may gasp with surprise. One would snicker (chuckle) mockingly, but not with hatred (A). One might smile, laugh, or jump, but not hiss, with joy (B). One would giggle with amusement, but not with dread (fear) (C). One would yawn with boredom or fatigue, but not with excitement (D).

5. DISMANTLE : ASSEMBLE A. SHIRK : MALINGER B. PAMPER : MISTREAT C. MAR : DISFIGURE D. RANT : RAVE E. ABOUND : TEEM

5. B: Dismantle (take apart) and assemble (put together) are antonyms, as are pamper (indulge or spoil) and mistreat (abuse or harm). Shirk and malinger (A) are synonyms meaning to evade work. Mar and disfigure (C) are synonyms meaning to deface or damage. Rant and rave (D) are synonyms meaning to yell or talk on wildly. Abound and teem (E) are synonyms, meaning to be abundant or plentiful.

5. TOPAZ : YELLOW A. DIAMOND : CARAT B. JEWELER : CLARITY C. SAPPHIRE : RED D. AMETHYST : PURPLE E. AMBER : BLUE

5. D: Topazes are yellow and amethysts are purple. Carats (A) are measures of the weight of diamonds, not their color. Jewelers (B) inspect gems for clarity, a quality other than color. Sapphires (C) are blue, not red. Amber and blue (E) are two different colors; neither is a gem.

6. DIALOGUE : PLAYWRIGHT A. FARCE : BUFFOON B. NARRATIVE : CHARACTER C. OVERTURE : COMPOSER D. PACT : HUMORIST E. CLARIFICATION : BENEFICIARY

6. C: Dialogue is written by playwrights, overtures by composers. A farce (humorous/ nonsensical play/skit) is not written by a buffoon but contains one (A). A narrative is not written by a character but contains one (B). A pact is an agreement or alliance, written by a diplomat, politician, etc., not a humorist (D) or comedian. A clarification is written by an author or editor, not a beneficiary (E) or recipient of benefits, as from a will or insurance policy.

6. LUMEN : BRIGHTNESS A. CANDLE : LIGHT B. DENSITY : DARKNESS C. NICKEL : METAL D. INCHES : LENGTH E. COLOR : HUE

6. D: Lumens measure brightness and inches measure length. Candles do not measure light (A) but emit it. Density does not measure darkness (B) but may create it. Nickel does not measure metal (C) but is a type of metal. Color does not measure hue (E); these are synonyms.

7. FLU : MALADY A. FINALE : OVERTURE B. FELONY : MISDEMEANOR C. FUN : FARCE D. FLEA : PARASITE E. FIRE : HEARTH

7. D: Flu is a type of malady (illness) as flea is a type of parasite (opportunistic organism). Finale and overture (A) are respectively the last/ending and first/opening movements of a musical composition. Felony and misdemeanor (B) are crimes of respectively greater and lesser severity. Fun is something one might have attending a humorous play/skit or farce (C). A fire burns in a fireplace; a hearth is in front of a fireplace (E). All incorrect choices are not TYPE: CATEGORY.

7. MACERATION : LIQUID A. SUBLIMATION : GAS B. EVAPORATION : HUMIDITY C. TRAIL : PATH D. EROSION : WEATHER E. DECISION : DISTRACTION

7. D: Liquid causes maceration as weather causes erosion: both break things down. Gas does not cause sublimation (A) but is subject to it, as humidity is subject to evaporation (B). Trail and path (C) are synonyms. Distraction interferes with a decision (E), rather than causing it.

8. MEDLEY : MISCELLANEOUS A. TRUCE : HOSTILE B. LUSTER : DULL C. FLEDGLING : EXPERIENCED D. REMNANT : COMPLETE E. MALADY : FATAL

8. E: A medley is a combination of things, which may be miscellaneous (various/assorted), as a malady, or illness, may be fatal (deadly). A truce is an agreement to stop war or hostilities and hence is not hostile (A). Luster is shine and hence not dull (B). A fledgling is a beginner who is not experienced (C). A remnant is a small remaining part of something and hence is not complete (D).

8. CLUMSY : BOTCH A. WICKED : INSINUATE B. STRICT : PAMPER C. WILLFUL : HEED D. CLEVER : ERADICATE E. LAZY : SHIRK

8. E: One who is clumsy may botch a job; one who is lazy may shirk work. One who is wicked may or may not necessarily insinuate (A); a better adjective for insinuating something might be sly or subtle. One who is strict does not pamper (B), but the opposite. One who is willful does not heed (C) warnings/directions. Clever, i.e. ingenious or smart, is unrelated to eradicate (D), to eliminate.

9. FUGITIVE : FLEE A. PARASITE : FOSTER B. BRAGGART : BOAST C. SAGE : STIFLE D. BYSTANDER : PROCURE E. FIREBRAND : QUIBBLE

9. B: A fugitive flees; a braggart boasts/brags. A parasite does not foster (A) or promote anything, but lives off another. A sage is one who is wise, not one who stifles (C), i.e. suppresses, anything. A bystander does not procure (D) or obtain anything, but stands by and may observe an event. A firebrand incites others to action but does not quibble (E), i.e. dispute, anything.

9. BASKETBALL : HOOP A. POOL : CUE B. CROQUET : WICKET C. HOCKEY : PUCK D. TENNIS : NET E. BASEBALL : BAT

9. B: In basketball, one throws a ball through a hoop; in croquet, one hits a ball through a wicket. In pool, one knocks balls into pockets-not into the cue, but using the cue (stick) (A). In hockey, one hits a puck into a goal, not into a puck (C). In tennis, one hits a ball over, not into (one hopes!) a net (D). In baseball, the ball is hit with the bat, not into it (E).