Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Authenticity, Truth, Existence, and Understanding - SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

Since "absurd" is an adjective that means "silly," we need to pick out another adjective that means "silly." While "serious" may look like the correct answer, it actually means the opposite of "silly." However, "ridiculous" is an adjective that means "extremely silly or unreasonable," so "ridiculous" is the correct answer.

"Candid" is an adjective meaning truthful and holding no information back, so we need to pick out another adjective that means something like truthful. Since "honest" means sincere or virtuous, "honest" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "candid," so "honest" is the correct answer.

“Fundamental” is an adjective that means “forming a necessary base or core; of central importance,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “important.” That means that “trivial” cannot be the correct answer, because “trivial,” is an adjective that means “of little value or importance,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “fundamental.” “Crucial,” however, is an adjective that means either “decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something” or “of great importance,” and because “crucial” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “fundamental,” “crucial” is the correct answer.

“Legitimate” is a word that can be used as an adjective or as a verb, but because all of the answer choices are adjectives, that means that we will need to consider “legitimate” as an adjective. When used as an adjective, “legitimate” can mean “conforming to the law or to rules” or “able to be defended with logic or justification,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “legal,” “logical,” or “justifiable.” That means that “doubtful” cannot be the correct answer, because “doubtful” is an adjective that can mean “not established as genuine or acceptable,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “legitimate.” “Valid,” however, is adjective that can mean “having a sound basis in logic or fact; reasonable or cogent,” when used of an argument or a point, or “legally and officially acceptable.” “Valid” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “legitimate,” so “valid” is the correct answer.

"Latent" means dormant or hidden.

"Unbelievable" means incredible.

"Artificial" and "fake" both have a similar meaning.

"Essential" is an adjective that means necessary, so "necessary" is the correct answer.

"Real" can replace "genuine" to maintain the same meanining in the sentence.

Someone who is "oblivious" is not aware of what is going on, so the correct answer is “unaware,” a word that means not aware, as you may have inferred from the word's use of the negative prefix "un-," which means not. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "oblivious": "susceptible" means vulnerable or in danger; "unusual" means not normal or weird; and "creative" means imaginative.

Aimless means pointless or without a purpose; you might be able to infer this because the word is a combination of "aim," which can mean purpose or goal, and the suffix "-less," which means without. So, "pointless" is the correct answer becuase it means without a point or purpose. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "aimless": "meaningful "means important; "hopeful" means optimistic, and "helpless" means pitiful or incapable of defending oneself.

Something that is "authentic" is genuine and real, so "real" is the correct answer. "Authentic" is an opposite, or antonym, of "fake," which means not genuine. To help you, "disparate" means different, "distinct" means easily recognizable due to differences from something or someone else, and "commonplace" means ordinary.

"Blunt" means expressing things clearly and honestly, which is also the definition of “straightforward.” So, "straightforward" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "blunt": "stubborn" means not changing one's mind or plan even when urged to; "calculating" means cunning; "sympathetic" means thinking about other people’s feelings, and "silent" means making no noise.

Someone who is "deceptive" is sneaky and trying to trick someone, so "tricky" is the correct answer. To help you, "mediocre" means average in a bad way, and "fantastic" means very good, so good it is hard to believe, or unbelievable.

Biased means unfair, or based on one person’s opinion. To help you youthful means young; calculated means thought about.

"Accurate" means without mistakes, so "correct" is the best match. "General" means not specific, and "carefree" is defined as free from care. "Frequent" means happening often, and "routine" is the regular way of doing something.

“Extinct” means wiped out, died out, no longer around. As in, the dinosaurs are “extinct.”

“Authentic” means real or genuine. To provide further help, “phony” means the same thing as “fake," and “unsuccessful” means not completed or failed.

“Straightforward” can mean honest when used to describe a person, or simple and easily accomplished when used to describe a task. To provide further help, “deceitful” means dishonest; “comely” means cute; “savage” means wild and vicious; and “furious” means very angry.