Number of Questions: 33 multiple-choice

Directions: For each numbered word, select the closest synonym (the word that most closely suggests the underlined word's meaning) among the three answer choices. Click on the word to check its definition and for the correct answer.

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1.  abeyance

(A) recession
(B) dormancy
(C) compliance

2.  affable

(A) trivial
(B) tasty
(C) friendly

3.  asperity

(A) conviction
(B) harshness
(C) poverty

4.  blithe

(A) listless
(B) merry
(C) excessive

5.  chary

(A) hesitant
(B) brazen
(C) fresh

6.  conscript

(A) compel
(B) summarize
(C) erase

7.  contrite

(A) brief
(B) oppressive
(C) sorry

8.  dally

(A) frolic
(B) tighten
(C) err

9.  diatribe

(A) conspiracy
(B) reflection
(C) denunciation

10.  dote

(A) delay
(B) spoil
(C) blemish

11.  equable

(A) uniform
(B) just
(C) durable

12.  expostulate

(A) retrace
(B) theorize
(C) dissuade

13.  feckless

(A) useless
(B) consistent
(C) excellent

14.  furtive

(A) secret
(B) newborn
(C) vain

15.  goad

(A) guess
(B) prompt
(C) speculate

16.  imperious

(A) curious
(B) arrogant
(C) miserly

17.  inimical

(A) devilish
(B) unfavorable
(C) ultimate

18.  insolent

(A) puzzling
(B) rude
(C) private

19.  ire

(A) envy
(B) anxiety
(C) rage

20.  macerate

(A) dissolve
(B) scheme
(C) ponder

21.  obsequious

(A) attentive
(B) contorted
(C) flirtatious

22.  panegyric

(A) anecdote
(B) praise
(C) tyrant

23.  peruse

(A) inspect
(B) recycle
(C) experiment

24.  poignant

(A) focused
(B) practical
(C) moving

25.  proclivity

(A) outgrowth
(B) bias
(C) passage

26.  propriety

(A) selfishness
(B) decency
(C) support

27.  regale

(A) entertain
(B) bombard
(C) worship

28.  resplendent

(A) generous
(B) radiant
(C) pleased

29.  spurn

(A) confine
(B) label
(C) reject

30.  temporize

(A) tame
(B) overlook
(C) stall

31.  untenable

(A) exceptional
(B) impregnable
(C) fallacious

32.  vanquish

(A) defeat
(B) heal
(C) escape

33.  wield

(A) search
(B) utilize
(C) intersect

Answers and Definitions

1. (B)
   abeyance (n) a condition of suspended activity

   (A) recession
   (B) dormancy
   (C) compliance

2. (C)
   affable (adj) agreeable and good-natured

   (A) trivial
   (B) tasty
   (C) friendly

3. (B)
   asperity (n) roughness or bitterness, esp. regarding temper

   (A) conviction
   (B) harshness
   (C) poverty

4. (B)
   blithe (adj) lightheartedly joyful or cheerful

   (A) listless
   (B) merry
   (C) excessive

5. (A)
   chary (adj) cautious; circumspect

   (A) hesitant
   (B) brazen
   (C) fresh

6. (A)
   conscript (v) to select or enroll by compulsion, esp. for military service

   (A) compel
   (B) summarize
   (C) erase

7. (C)
   contrite (adj) repentant; regretful

   (A) brief
   (B) oppressive
   (C) sorry

8. (A)
   dally (v) to act playfully; to waste time

   (A) frolic
   (B) tighten
   (C) err

9. (C)
   diatribe (n) an angry or bitter attack in speech or writing

   (A) conspiracy
   (B) reflection
   (C) denunciation

10. (B)
    dote (v) to pamper adoringly and attentively; coddle

    (A) delay
    (B) spoil
    (C) blemish

11. (A)
    equable (adj) even-tempered; characterized by a lack of unpleasant extremes

    (A) uniform
    (B) just
    (C) durable

12. (C)
    expostulate (v) to reason with a person, esp. in order to dissuade (persuade against); remonstrate

    (A) retrace
    (B) theorize
    (C) dissuade

13. (A)
    feckless (adj) worthless or meaningless; ineffectual or weak

    (A) useless
    (B) consistent
    (C) excellent

14. (A)
    furtive (adj) sneaky or sly; stealthy; surreptitious

    (A) secret
    (B) newborn
    (C) vain

15. (B)
    goad (v) to urge; spur; prod

    (A) guess
    (B) prompt
    (C) speculate

16. (B)
    imperious (adj) domineering or overbearing; commanding or lordly

    (A) curious
    (B) arrogant
    (C) miserly

17. (B)
    inimical (adj) adverse or unfavorable; hostile or unfriendly

    (A) devilish
    (B) unfavorable
    (C) ultimate

18. (B)
    insolent (adj) showing disrespect or contempt through behavior or language

    (A) puzzling
    (B) rude
    (C) private

19. (C)
    ire (n) anger; wrath

    (A) envy
    (B) anxiety
    (C) rage

20. (A)
    macerate (v) to cause to waste away; to soften and break apart by moistening

    (A) dissolve
    (B) scheme
    (C) ponder

21. (A)
    obsequious (adj) humbly or overly attentive, as to a person in authority; fawning; sycophantic

    (A) attentive
    (B) contorted
    (C) flirtatious

22. (B)
    panegyric (n) an oration or writing of praise for a person (esp. a eulogy) or thing

    (A) anecdote
    (B) praise
    (C) tyrant

23. (A)
    peruse (v) to examine or study; scrutinize

    (A) inspect
    (B) recycle
    (C) experiment

24. (C)
    poignant (adj) deeply affecting (moving) the emotions; keenly distressing

    (A) focused
    (B) practical
    (C) moving

25. (B)
    proclivity (n) natural inclination of tendency; bent; disposition

    (A) outgrowth
    (B) bias
    (C) passage

26. (B)
    propriety (n) conformity to established standards of proper behavior or manners

    (A) selfishness
    (B) decency
    (C) support

27. (A)
    regale (v) to give lavish pleasure to; delight; amuse

    (A) entertain
    (B) bombard
    (C) worship

28. (B)
    resplendent (adj) shining brilliantly or brightly

    (A) generous
    (B) radiant
    (C) pleased

29. (C)
    spurn (v) to reject with disdain; shun

    (A) confine
    (B) label
    (C) reject

30. (C)
    temporize (v) to gain time by delaying with evasiveness or indecisiveness

    (A) tame
    (B) overlook
    (C) stall

31. (C)
    untenable (adj) indefensible, esp. an argument; unreasonable; unsupportable

    (A) exceptional
    (B) impregnable
    (C) fallacious

32. (A)
    vanquish (v) to conquer or subdue by superior force

    (A) defeat
    (B) heal
    (C) escape

33. (B)
    wield (v) to exercise or use, esp. a weapon or instrument; to gain control over

    (A) search
    (B) utilize