Synonyms and Antonyms
Vernon e. Reyes
2012
Difference?
Synonyms
• Words with the same
meaning
Antonyms
• Words with different
meaning
In tests, it is difficult because:
1. You need to have a a relatively large vocabulary
2. You have only choices and no sentences to get context
clues
3. You can usually determine the word through its root
word
E.g. Cred = trust or believe: incredible, sacred, credit
4. Thus you need the process of elimination
5. Look at prefixes and suffixes
Let’s Practice
1. proactive
a. After
c. Toward
b. forward
d. behind
2. inscribe
a. Confine
c. Perform
b. see
d. write
3. congregation
a. With
c. Apart
b. over
d. time
Let’s Practice
4. etymology
a. state of
c. Study of
b. prior to
d. quality of
5. wisdom
a. a state of being
c. a property
b. a relationship
d. an action
Answers
1. b. The prefix pro- means for. If someone is proactive, they
are forward thinking and take action
or initiative to make things happen.
2. d. The word root scribe means to write; to engrave on a
surface.
3. a. The prefix con- means to be together with. A
congregation would gather together with each other.
4. c. The suffix -ology means the study of. Etymology is the
study of word origins.
5. a. The suffix -dom is a state of being. Someone who has
wisdom is someone who is wise enough to discern or judge
what is right, true, or lasting.
Synonym Practice
1. a partial report
a. Identifiable b. incomplete
c. Visible
d. Enhanced
2. a substantial report
a. Inconclusive b. weighty
c. Proven
d. alleged
Synonym Practice
3. corroborate the statement
a. Confirm
b. negate
c. Deny
d. challenge
4. manufactured goods
a. Reverted
b. transgressed
c. Regressed
d. processed
Synonym Practice
5. an incoherent answer
a. not understandable
c. Undeniable
b. not likely
d. challenging
6. covered with debris
a. good excuses
b. transparent material
c. scattered rubble d. protective material
Synonym Practice
7. inadvertently left
a. Mistakenly
b. purposely
c. Cautiously
d. carefully
8. compatible workers
a. Gifted
b. competitive
c. Harmonious
d. experienced
Synonym Practice
7. inadvertently left
a. Mistakenly
b. purposely
c. Cautiously
d. carefully
8. compatible workers
a. Gifted
b. competitive
c. Harmonious
d. experienced
Answers:
1. b. Partial means incomplete. The root of the word here
is part. A partial report is only part of the whole.
2. b. A substantial report is extensive. The key part of the
word substantial is substance. Substance means
something that has significance.
3. a. To corroborate is to confirm. Notice the prefix co-,
which means with or together. Some related words are
cooperate, coworker, and collide. Corroboration means
that one statement fits with another.
4. d. Manufactured goods are those that are made or
processed from raw material into a finished product.
Facer—the word root—means to make or do.
Answers:
5. a. Incoherent means not understandable. To
cohere means to connect. A coherent answer
connects or makes sense. The prefix in means
not.
6. c. Debris is scattered fragments or trash.
7. a. Inadvertently means by mistake. The key
element in this word is the prefix in, which means
not.
8. c. Compatible means capable of existing or
performing in harmony.
Antonym Practice
9. prompt payment
a. Punctual
b. slack
c. Tardy
d. regular
10. delay the decision
a. Slow
b. Hasten
b. c. Pause
d. desist
Antonym Practice
11. moderate work flow
a. Original
b. average
c. Final
d. excessive
12. initial impression
a. First
b. crisis
c. Final
d. right
Antonym Practice
13. capable employee
a. Unskilled
b. absurd
c. Apt
d. able
14. zealous pursuit
a. Envious
c. Idle
b. eager
d. comical
Antonym Practice
15. exorbitant prices
a. Expensive
b. unexpected
c. Reasonable
d. outrageous
16. belligerent attitude
a. Hostile
b. appeasing
c. Instinctive
d. ungracious
Answers:
9. c. The key here is to remember not to choose
the synonym. Context clues are important as
well. You may have seen this sentence on one
of your bills: Prompt payment is appreciated.
Prompt means punctual; tardy means late.
10. b. To delay is to postpone. If a decision is
delayed, it will happen more slowly. To delay is
to slow; to hasten is to hurry.
Answers:
11. d. Something that is moderate is not subject to extremes.
Moderate means average; excessive means extreme.
12. c. An initial impression is one that comes first. Initial
means first; final means last.
13. a. The suffix -able tells you that a capable employee is one
who has ability. Capable means able; unskilled means
unable.
14. c. Zealous means eager, so idle is most nearly the
opposite. You may have heard the word zeal before, which
might give you a clue about the meaning of the word. One
other precaution is to be careful and not be misled by the
similar sounds of zealous and jealous. The other trick is not
to choose the synonym, eager, choice b.
Answers:
15. c. The best clue in this word is the prefix ex,
which means out of or away from. Exorbitant
literally means exceeding the bounds of what is
fair or normal; very high. The opposite of an
exorbitant or outrageous price would be a
reasonable one.
16. b. The key element in this word is the root belli-,
which means warlike. The synonym choices—
hostile and ungracious—are incorrect. The
antonym would be appeasing.