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Vocabulary Builder Study Notes

Synonyms

📖Definition

A synonym is a word with the same or nearly the same meaning. In these questions, choose the option closest in meaning to the given word.

Knowledge Required

You need vocabulary knowledge, but also word class awareness. A verb should usually match with a verb, a noun with a noun, and an adjective with an adjective.

How To Answer

Say what the target word means in simple language.
Remove options that mean the opposite or belong to a different idea.
If two answers seem close, choose the one that could replace the target word in a sentence with the least change in meaning.

✏️Example

Select the word most similar in meaning to ABRIDGE. shorten, expand, decorate, admit, wander

Solution

Abridge means to shorten a text or speech. Shorten is the closest synonym. Expand is an antonym, and the other options are unrelated.

💡Multiple Choice Tip

Distractors may share a topic with the target word but not the meaning. For example, speech and admit both relate to talking, but admit does not mean abridge.

💡Tips/hints

Learn words in families: cautious, careful, wary; brave, bold, courageous.
Pay attention to intensity. Enormous is stronger than large; murmur is quieter than speak.