Word Knowledge

280 Word Knowledge practice questions, each with the correct answer and the method behind it.

Practice tests Practice test 1 Practice test 2 Practice test 3 Practice test 4 Practice test 5 Practice test 6 Practice test 7 Practice test 8

Vivid most nearly meansbright
Conceal most nearly meanshide
Sturdy most nearly meansstrong
Peril most nearly meansdanger
Brittle most nearly meansfragile
Assemble most nearly meansgather
Vacant most nearly meansempty
Weary most nearly meanstired
Halt most nearly meansstop
Ambiguous most nearly meansunclear
Diminish most nearly meansdecrease
Prudent most nearly meanscautious
Adequate most nearly meanssufficient
Deteriorate most nearly meansworsen
Comply most nearly meansobey
Tedious most nearly meansboring
Substantiate most nearly meansprove
Meticulous most nearly meanscareful
The sergeant gave a concise briefing before the patrol moved out. Concise meansbrief
Heavy rain will impede the convoy's progress through the valley. Impede meanshinder
The mechanic's diagnosis of the engine fault proved accurate. Diagnosis meansidentification of a problem
She was reluctant to sign the contract without reading it. Reluctant meansunwilling
The old footbridge is in a precarious condition and should not be crossed. Precarious meansunstable
The instructor tried to alleviate the recruits' anxiety before the first jump. Alleviate meansease
Salt spray will corrode the exposed metal fittings within a season. Corrode meanseat away
The report gave a candid assessment of what went wrong during the exercise. Candid meanshonest
He offered a plausible explanation for the delay, though no one could confirm it. Plausible meansbelievable
All personnel must adhere to the posted safety regulations. Adhere meansstick to
Which word is most opposite in meaning to scarce?abundant
Which word is most opposite in meaning to expand?contract
Which word is most opposite in meaning to temporary?permanent
In words such as malfunction and malpractice, the prefix mal- meansbad or faulty
In words such as audible and auditorium, the root aud relates tohearing
In words such as circumference and circumvent, the prefix circum- meansaround
Adding the suffix -ous to the noun peril produces perilous, which isan adjective meaning dangerous
Hasty most nearly meanshurried
Mend most nearly meansrepair
Stern most nearly meansstrict
Grasp most nearly meansseize
Summit most nearly meanspeak
Feeble most nearly meansweak
Vanish most nearly meansdisappear
Clutter most nearly meansmess
Blunt most nearly meansdull
Dread most nearly meansfear
Subsequent most nearly meansfollowing
Obsolete most nearly meansoutdated
Arbitrary most nearly meansrandom
Verify most nearly meansconfirm
Allocate most nearly meansdistribute
Novice most nearly meansbeginner
Rigorous most nearly meansthorough
Futile most nearly meanspointless
Depict most nearly meansportray
Exemplary most nearly meansoutstanding
The beam must sustain the weight of the entire roof. Sustain meanssupport
The form must be completed in legible handwriting. Legible meansreadable
The solvent is volatile and must be kept in a sealed container. Volatile meansquick to evaporate
Officers apprehended the suspect two blocks from the scene. Apprehend meansarrest
The shaft tapers toward its outer end. Tapers meansnarrows gradually
He had only a rudimentary knowledge of the language. Rudimentary meansbasic
Crews will divert traffic around the work zone. Divert meansredirect
Metal fatigue caused the bracket to crack after years of vibration. Fatigue meansweakening from repeated stress
Any member who prefers not to take a side may abstain. Abstain meansrefrain
The maintenance contract proved lucrative for the small firm. Lucrative meansprofitable
Tests showed the soil was deficient in nitrogen. Deficient meanslacking
The climb was arduous, but the crew reached the ridge before dark. Arduous meansdifficult
Which word is most opposite in meaning to ascend?descend
Which word is most opposite in meaning to obscure?obvious
Which word is most opposite in meaning to surplus?shortage
In words such as submerge and subordinate, the prefix sub- meansunder or below
In words such as eject, inject, and project, the root ject meansto throw
In words such as antifreeze and antiseptic, the prefix anti- meansagainst
In words such as geology and biology, the suffix -ology meansthe study of
In words such as transport, portable, and export, the root port meansto carry
Sever most nearly meansseparate
Tidy most nearly meansneat
Gloomy most nearly meansdismal
Swift most nearly meansquick
Harsh most nearly meanssevere
Idle most nearly meansinactive
Scorch most nearly meansburn
Murky most nearly meanscloudy
Quench most nearly meansextinguish
Wary most nearly meansdistrustful
Innate most nearly meansinborn
Curtail most nearly meansshorten
Tenacious most nearly meanspersistent
Ubiquitous most nearly meanswidespread
Mitigate most nearly meanslessen
Discern most nearly meansdetect
Austere most nearly meansplain
Pragmatic most nearly meanspractical
Inherent most nearly meansbuilt-in
Scrutinize most nearly meansexamine
The frost rendered the road impassable by morning. Rendered meansmade
The patient reported acute pain in the joint. Acute meansintense
Overnight rain saturated the ground around the foundation. Saturated meanssoaked
The board voted to rescind the order issued last spring. Rescind meanscancel
Warm, damp conditions are conducive to rapid corrosion. Conducive meansfavourable
The dealer charged only a nominal fee for the inspection. Nominal meansvery small
Two hours elapsed before the recovery crew arrived. Elapsed meanspassed
The stripped threads preclude any reuse of the bolt. Preclude meansprevent
The defect remained latent until the bracket was placed under load. Latent meanshidden
The commander chose to defer the decision until the survey was complete. Defer meanspostpone
Inspectors gauge the depth of the tread on every tire. Gauge meansmeasure
Stringent limits apply to the coolant temperature in this system. Stringent meansstrict
Which word is most opposite in meaning to commence?conclude
Which word is most opposite in meaning to amplify?reduce
Which word is most opposite in meaning to rigid?flexible
In words such as transmit and transatlantic, the prefix trans- meansacross or through
In words such as inspect and spectator, the root spect meansto look
In words such as portable and readable, the suffix -able meansable to be
In words such as benefit and benevolent, the prefix bene- meanswell or good
In words such as predict, dictate, and verdict, the root dict meansto say
Vast most nearly meansimmense
Fierce most nearly meanssavage
Nudge most nearly meanspush
Sly most nearly meanscunning
Brisk most nearly meanslively
Damp most nearly meansmoist
Coherent most nearly meanslogical
Redundant most nearly meansunnecessary
Explicit most nearly meansdefinite
Diligent most nearly meanshardworking
Ambivalent most nearly meansundecided
Succinct most nearly meansterse
The cleaner is a potent solvent and should be used sparingly. Potent meanspowerful
The pressure gauge gave erratic readings throughout the test. Erratic meansirregular
The depot will dispatch the replacement parts this afternoon. Dispatch meanssend
Exert steady pressure on the lever until it releases. Exert meansapply
The swelling should subside within a day or two. Subside meansdecrease
The coolant pump is vital to the engine's operation. Vital meansessential
The clerk compiled the shift reports into a single record. Compiled meansgathered
The team tried a novel approach to the drainage problem. Novel meansnew
Which word is most opposite in meaning to transparent?opaque
In words such as preheat and prewar, the prefix pre- meansbefore or earlier
In words such as visible, evidence, and vision, the root vis meansto see
In words such as cooperate, connect, and combine, the prefix co- or con- meanstogether with
In words such as harmless and wireless, the suffix -less meanswithout
Brave most nearly meanscourageous
Calm most nearly meanspeaceful
Clumsy most nearly meansawkward
Cozy most nearly meanssnug
Dim most nearly meansfaint
Eager most nearly meansenthusiastic
Faint most nearly meansweak
Gentle most nearly meansmild
Hollow most nearly meansempty
Lazy most nearly meansidle
Plain most nearly meanssimple
Shabby most nearly meansworn
Whisper most nearly meansmurmur
Wander most nearly meansroam
Scold most nearly meansreprimand
Mimic most nearly meansimitate
Hesitate most nearly meanswaver
Boast most nearly meansbrag
Flee most nearly meansescape
Soothe most nearly meanscalm
Provoke most nearly meansincite
Endure most nearly meanswithstand
Waver most nearly meansfalter
Plunge most nearly meansdive
Chore most nearly meanstask
Glimpse most nearly meanspeek
Hazard most nearly meansdanger
Remedy most nearly meanscure
Blunder most nearly meansmistake
Uproar most nearly meanscommotion
Refuge most nearly meansshelter
Chaos most nearly meansdisorder
Triumph most nearly meansvictory
Ordeal most nearly meanshardship
Knack most nearly meansskill
Feasible most nearly meansworkable
Viable most nearly meansworkable
Constitute most nearly meanscompose
Integral most nearly meansessential
Notion most nearly meansidea
Contingent most nearly meansconditional
Implicit most nearly meansunstated
Dubious most nearly meansdoubtful
Coincide most nearly meansalign
Converge most nearly meansmeet
Integrity most nearly meanshonesty
Resilience most nearly meanstoughness
Autonomy most nearly meansindependence
Consensus most nearly meansagreement
Discrepancy most nearly meansinconsistency
Aptitude most nearly meanstalent
Adversity most nearly meanshardship
Credibility most nearly meansbelievability
Facilitate most nearly meansease
Ascertain most nearly meansdetermine
Deduce most nearly meansinfer
Refute most nearly meansdisprove
Corroborate most nearly meansconfirm
Undermine most nearly meansweaken
Delegate most nearly meansassign
Expedite most nearly meansspeed up
Reconcile most nearly meansharmonize
Reconnaissance most nearly meanssurveillance
Logistics most nearly meanssupply coordination
Calibrate most nearly meansadjust precisely
Deploy most nearly meansposition
Fortify most nearly meansstrengthen
Breach most nearly meansgap
Terrain most nearly meanslandscape
Munitions most nearly meansammunition
The captain remained resolute even as the storm worsened. Resolute meansdetermined
There was ample time to complete the inspection before the convoy departed. Ample meanssufficient
The recruits marched through dismal, rain-soaked fields for hours. Dismal meansgloomy
The suspect managed to elude the patrol for nearly a week. Elude meansescape
Bad weather threatened to thwart the rescue mission. Thwart meansblock
New recruits arrived to bolster the weary garrison. Bolster meansstrengthen
As daylight began to wane, the patrol hurried back to base. Wane meansfade
A single spark was enough to kindle the dry brush. Kindle meansignite
The commander paused to ponder the risks before giving the order. Ponder meansconsider
The unit could not afford to squander its remaining fuel. Squander meanswaste
After hours of pleading, the officer finally relented and granted leave. Relent meansgive in
The instructor had to coax the nervous recruit onto the rope bridge. Coax meanspersuade gently
He tried to feign illness to avoid the early formation. Feign meansfake
The veterans gathered each year to lament the friends they had lost. Lament meansmourn
The sergeant ordered the platoon to muster on the parade ground at dawn. Muster meansassemble
Thick mud began to hamper the vehicles' progress. Hamper meanshinder
The team continued to forge ahead despite the setback. Forge meansadvance
The unit managed to retain control of the bridge overnight. Retain meanskeep
Divers worked for days to salvage cargo from the sunken ship. Salvage meansrecover
She had to stifle a laugh during the formal inspection. Stifle meanssuppress
He agreed to waive his right to a delay and proceed immediately. Waive meansgive up
The guard began to brandish his rifle at the approaching stranger. Brandish meanswave threateningly
The crew had to contend with high winds throughout the crossing. Contend meansstruggle against
The wounded soldier was sent home to recuperate for several months. Recuperate meansrecover
The pilot began to bank the aircraft sharply to the left. Bank meanstilt
A cold draft crept in through the gap under the door. Draft meanscurrent of air
The swimmer was pulled off course by a strong current. Current meansa flow of water
The doctor's expression turned grave as she read the test results. Grave meansserious
The council voted to sanction the new trade agreement. Sanction meansapprove
The committee voted to table the motion until next month. Table meanspostpone
The new fertilizer helped the field yield a much larger crop. Yield meansproduce
The guards patrolled the perimeter of the walled compound. Compound meansenclosed area
The general's exploits during the campaign became the subject of legend. Exploit meansdaring feat
The driver was ordered to pay a fine for the parking violation. Fine meanspenalty payment
The engineer remained skeptical of the vendor's claims and asked for test data. Skeptical meansdoubtful
He grew envious of his colleague's quick promotion. Envious meansresentfully wanting
The intersection was notorious for accidents long before the light was installed. Notorious meansknown for something bad
The unit had to survive on meager rations for the final week. Meager meansscanty
The new supervisor's brusque replies left the team feeling dismissed. Brusque meanscurtly rude
The hikers were surprised to find the trail's final stretch still pristine. Pristine meansuntouched
They reached a tentative agreement that still needed final approval. Tentative meansprovisional
She remained a staunch supporter of the program even when funding was cut. Staunch meanssteadfastly loyal
Which word is most opposite in meaning to generous?stingy
Which word is most opposite in meaning to humble?arrogant
Which word is most opposite in meaning to opaque?transparent
Which word is most opposite in meaning to lenient?strict
Which word is most opposite in meaning to tranquil?turbulent
Which word is most opposite in meaning to robust?frail
Which word is most opposite in meaning to accelerate?decelerate
Which word is most opposite in meaning to conserve?squander
Which word is most opposite in meaning to dismantle?assemble
Which word is most opposite in meaning to encourage?discourage
In words such as conduct and induce, the root duc/duct relates toleading or guiding
In words such as describe and manuscript, the root scrib/script relates towriting
In words such as reverse and convert, the root vert/vers relates toturning
In words such as factory and manufacture, the root fac/fact relates tomaking or doing
In words such as telephone and symphony, the root phon relates tosound
In words such as photograph and biography, the root graph relates towriting or recording
In words such as telescope and telegraph, the prefix tele- meansfar or distant
In words such as biology and biography, the root bio relates tolife
In words such as disconnect and disagree, the prefix dis- meansnot or apart
In words such as unlock and unhappy, the prefix un- meansnot or reverse of
In words such as nonfiction and nonstop, the prefix non- meansnot
In words such as impossible and impatient, the prefix im- meansnot
In words such as international and interstate, the prefix inter- meansbetween or among
In words such as supervise and superior, the prefix super- meansabove or beyond
In words such as semicircle and semiannual, the prefix semi- meanshalf
Adding the suffix -ify to the adjective pure produces purify, which isa verb meaning to make pure
Adding the suffix -ness to the adjective kind produces kindness, which isa noun meaning the quality of being kind
Adding the suffix -ive to the verb act produces active, which isan adjective meaning tending to act