SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) Verbal Reasoning: Synonyms and Vocabulary Syllabus

What does the Greek root 'phobia/phob' mean?

'Phob' means 'fear' (claustrophobia, xenophobia, hydrophobia).

What does the Greek root 'chron' mean, and give examples?

'Chron' means 'time' (chronology, chronic, synchronize, anachronism).

What does the Greek root 'graph/gram' mean?

'Graph/gram' means 'to write/draw' or 'written/drawn' (autograph, telegram, paragraph, graphic).

What does the Greek root 'phon' mean?

'Phon' means 'sound/voice' (telephone, symphony, phonics, cacophony).

What does the Greek root 'bio' mean, and 'anthropo'?

'Bio' means 'life' (biology, biography, antibiotic); 'anthropo' means 'human/mankind' (anthropology, philanthropy, misanthrope).

How does the prefix 'a-/an-' change a word's meaning? Give examples.

'A-/an-' means 'without/not', reversing meaning: atypical (not typical), amoral (without morals), anonymous (without a name).

What do the prefixes 'mis-' and 'dis-' signal in vocabulary?

'Mis-' means 'wrong/badly' (misjudge, misfortune); 'dis-' means 'not/apart/opposite of' (disagree, disperse, dishonest). Both typically push meaning negative.

What do the prefixes 'pre-', 'post-', and 'ante-' indicate?

'Pre-' = before (preview, predict); 'post-' = after (postpone, postwar); 'ante-' = before (antecedent, antechamber).

What do the prefixes 'sub-', 'super-', and 'trans-' mean?

'Sub-' = under/below (submarine, subordinate); 'super-' = above/over (superior, supervise); 'trans-' = across/through (transport, transparent).

How do the prefixes 'bene-' and 'mal-' help decide between a positive and negative synonym choice?

'Bene-' marks a positive meaning (benevolent = kindly), 'mal-' marks a negative one (malevolent = wishing harm). Matching the stem's charge to a choice's prefix speeds elimination.

What part of speech do the suffixes '-tion', '-ment', '-ness', and '-ity' typically create?

They form nouns (creation, judgment, kindness, clarity), usually naming an action, state, or quality.

What part of speech do the suffixes '-ous', '-ful', '-ive', and '-al' typically create?

They form adjectives (joyous, beautiful, attractive, natural), describing nouns.

What part of speech do the suffixes '-ize', '-ate', and '-ify' typically create?

They form verbs meaning 'to make/cause' (modernize, activate, simplify).

How do part-of-speech signals from suffixes help in SSAT synonym matching?

A correct synonym matches the stem's part of speech. Suffix patterns (e.g., -ly for adverbs, -tion for nouns) let you eliminate choices whose form can't match the stem's role.

Define 'denotation' versus 'connotation' with an example.

Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional/associative coloring it carries. 'Thrifty' and 'cheap' share a denotation (spending little) but 'thrifty' is positive and 'cheap' is negative in connotation.

Why does connotation matter when choosing among near-synonyms on the SSAT?

The best answer matches both the stem's denotation and its emotional charge. Two choices may mean roughly the same thing, but the one matching the stem's positive or negative tone is correct.

Give a positive, neutral, and negative word for the idea of being 'confident/sure of oneself.'

Positive: self-assured/confident. Neutral: certain. Negative: arrogant/cocky. Same denotation core, different connotations.

What does 'degrees of intensity among synonyms' mean for picking the best answer?

Synonyms vary in strength; the best choice matches the stem's intensity, not just its general meaning. For HOT, 'warm' is too weak and 'scorching' may be too strong relative to a moderate stem.

Rank these synonyms for displeasure from mild to intense: furious, annoyed, irritated, enraged.

Annoyed (mildest) < irritated < furious < enraged (most intense).

Rank these 'liking' words from mild to intense: adore, like, love, appreciate.

Like / appreciate (mild) < love < adore (most intense).

What is the difference between 'formal' and 'informal' register in vocabulary?

Formal register uses elevated, academic words appropriate for essays and tests (e.g., 'assist', 'purchase', 'reside'); informal register uses casual, conversational words (e.g., 'help out', 'buy', 'live'). The SSAT tests largely formal vocabulary.

Give the formal synonym for each informal word: 'kids', 'get', 'ask for', 'show up'.

Kids -> children; get -> obtain/acquire; ask for -> request; show up -> arrive/appear.

Why must you consider register when matching an SSAT synonym?

The correct synonym usually matches the stem's level of formality. A formal stem pairs with a formal answer, helping you eliminate slangy or overly casual distractors.

What is a 'multiple-meaning word,' and how do you handle one as an SSAT stem?

A word with more than one distinct meaning (e.g., 'novel' = new, or = a book). With no sentence context, consider the most common/tested meaning and the part of speech, and look for the choice that fits a real meaning of the stem.

Give three meanings of the word 'check' to illustrate a multiple-meaning word.

'Check' can mean: (1) to verify/inspect, (2) to stop or restrain, (3) a payment slip, and also a pattern of squares. Context or answer choices reveal which sense is intended.

Define the academic noun 'ambiguity.'

Ambiguity is the quality of having more than one possible meaning; being open to multiple interpretations or unclear.

Define the academic nouns 'candor' and 'prudence.'

Candor is honesty and frankness in expression; prudence is careful good judgment and caution in practical matters.

Define the descriptive adjectives 'benevolent,' 'meticulous,' and 'arid.'

Benevolent: kind and well-meaning. Meticulous: extremely careful about details. Arid: extremely dry, lacking moisture.

Define the descriptive adjectives 'transparent,' 'reluctant,' and 'abundant.'

Transparent: see-through, or easily understood/obvious. Reluctant: unwilling or hesitant. Abundant: existing in large quantities, plentiful.

Define the precise verbs 'mitigate,' 'scrutinize,' and 'fabricate.'

Mitigate: to make less severe or lessen. Scrutinize: to examine closely and critically. Fabricate: to make up/invent (often falsely) or to construct.

What is the most effective spaced-repetition method for building SSAT vocabulary with flashcards?

Study words on flashcards in short daily sessions, reviewing each card at increasing intervals (e.g., 1 day, then 3, then a week). Move mastered cards out and bring missed cards back sooner; include the word, definition, part of speech, and a sample sentence to deepen memory.