Synonyms
College-level vocabulary — selecting the most precise synonym
Explanation
College-Level Words
Upper Level synonyms include SAT/college-level vocabulary. Encountering unfamiliar words is expected — use every strategy available.
Example:
PERFIDIOUS
(A) loyal (B) treacherous (C) indifferent (D) aggressive
→ perfidious = deceitful/untrustworthy → (B) treacherous
Advanced Roots
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| fid | faith/trust | perfidious, fidelity, confide |
| equi | equal | equivocal, equitable, equilibrium |
| capit | head/chief | decapitate, captain, recapitulate |
| plac | please/calm | placid, complacent, implacable |
| loqu/loc | speak | eloquent, loquacious, elocution |
| ten/tin | hold | tenacious, retain, abstain |
Tips
- Use elimination aggressively: even eliminating one wrong answer improves your odds.
- Determine part of speech: all answer choices will be the same part of speech as the stem.
- Identify positive/negative charge and match it to the stem word.
- Read at least one challenging book per month to build vocabulary naturally.
Practice Questions
Test your knowledge of Synonyms with a timed quiz.
Take Quiz →Topics in Verbal Reasoning