Identifying Synonyms - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

When something is "tedious," it is very boring. Often, this is because it is a repetitive thing, like a task that we have to do over and over again. The main meaning, however, of "tedious" is dull or boring.

When someone is "weary," he or she is tired. Some times, we are tired because we have worked very hard physically. This might tempt you to pick "sore" or "aching," but "weariness" is tiredness. Therefore, the best option is actually "fatigued," which means very tired.

"Murky" is an adjective that means very dark or foggy or not completely understood; so, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like foggy or not understood. "Gloomy" means dark and depressing, so "gloomy" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "murky" and the correct answer.

A material like steel is inflexible and would be considered rigid. Thus, the best way to characterize something rigid is to term it as stiff.

"Hardy" is an adjective that means "robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions," or when used of a plant, "able to survive outside during winter." One might assume that "firm" is the best answer because "hardy" contains the word "hard," but "hardy" does not mean the same thing as "hard," so "firm" cannot be the correct answer. One meaning of "rugged," however, is " having or requiring toughness and determination." Because "rugged" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "hardy," "rugged" is the correct answer.

"Corrugated" is an adjective that refers to a material, surface, or structure and means "shaped into alternate ridges and grooves." So, "flat" cannot be the correct answer because it is an antonym, not a synonym, of "corrugated." "Grooved," however, is an adjective that means "provided with or having a groove or grooves," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "corrugated," it is the correct answer.

"Durable" is an adjective that means "able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "able to withstand wear." "Fragile" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "fragile" means the opposite of "durable," so it is an antonym, not a synonym, of "durable." "Hardy," however, is an adjective that means "robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions" and because "hardy" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "durable," "hardy" is the correct answer.

"Stout" means fat.

"Gorgeous" means beautiful.

"Firm" means hard.

"Hollow" means empty.

"Conspicuous" means standing out so as to be clearly visible. "Noticeable," which means able to be easily noticed, is the best synonym of "conspicuous," so "noticeable" is the correct answer.

Incorrect answers:

"Invisible" means not able to be seen. It is an antonym of "conspicuous," which means clearly visible, so it is incorrect.

"Ordinary" means having no special or unusual features or normal, as in the sentence, "My house looks ordinary and doesn't stand out among the other houses in my neighborhood."

"Terrifying" means causing a feeling of extreme fear, as in the sentence, "I have a fear of heights, so while I thought that the Grand Canyon was beautiful from a distance, I found it terrifying when I stood at the edge and looked down."

"Vacant" means empty. "Empty" is the best choice because it is a part of the definiton for "vacant." Considering the other choices, "lively" means energetic, "absent" means away or missing, and "evacuate" means to leave an area because it is dangerous. "Evacuate" is not as good a choice because it is a verb, while "vacant" is an adjective.

"Visible" means able to be seen. The best choice is "noticeable," which means able to be noticed. Something that is "noticeable" can be seen. Considering the other choices, "permeable" means full of small holes so certain things may pass through , "cloudy" means not clear, and "vision" is sight. Even though "vision" is related to "visible," it is a noun while "visible" is an adjective. Since "noticeable" is both close in definition to "visible" and an adjective, it is the best choice.

The word "audible" means able to be heard. "Loud and clear" is the best choice as it not only means able to be heard, but also is the only choice that refers to something that can be heard.

The word "permeable" means full of small holes that let liquids and objects of a certain size pass through . The best answer choice is "porous," which means full of small holes that allow air or liquids to pass through. Considering the other choices, a "sponge" is something that is permeable, "permanent" means lasting forever and unchanging, and "changing" is an antonym of permanent.

The word "vivid" means very bright or lively. "Bright" is the best choice because it is a part of the definition of "vivid." Considering the other choices, "new" is unrelated in meaning to "vivid," "sight" is a noun that means the ability to see, and "cloudy" means foggy or unclear.

The correct answer is "rough." Both "rough" and "jagged" mean having a coarse, uneven surface. The other words all mean smooth, so they are antonyms, or opposites, of "jagged."

The correct answer is "digestible." "Edible" and "digestible" both mean able to be eaten. The other words have to do with food, but do not have to do with the ability of something to be eaten.