Closest in meaning: verbal reasoning questions with answers

Eight closest in meaning questions

1. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (gentle savage clean) (accurate valuable ferocious)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A gentle
   • B savage
   • C clean

   • X accurate
   • Y valuable
   • Z ferocious
   Show the answer to question 1

   Answer: B, Z · savage, ferocious

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Savage" and "ferocious" mean nearly the same: both mean wild and ready to attack. "Gentle" is the opposite of "ferocious", which is not the same. The others: "clean", with no dirt on it; "accurate", matching the facts; "valuable", worth a lot.

2. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (silky excited rapid) (incomplete obscure speedy)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A silky
   • B excited
   • C rapid

   • X incomplete
   • Y obscure
   • Z speedy
   Show the answer to question 2

   Answer: C, Z · rapid, speedy

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Rapid" and "speedy" mean nearly the same: both mean moving at great speed. The others: "silky", with no bumps or lumps; "excited", full of eager feeling; "incomplete", only in part; "obscure", not known by many people.

3. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (clean uncommon dangerous) (phoney hazardous safe)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A clean
   • B uncommon
   • C dangerous

   • X phoney
   • Y hazardous
   • Z safe
   Show the answer to question 3

   Answer: C, Y · dangerous, hazardous

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Dangerous" and "hazardous" mean nearly the same: both mean likely to cause harm. "Safe" is the opposite of "dangerous", which is not the same. The others: "clean", with no dirt on it; "uncommon", not found often; "phoney", made to look real, but not.

4. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (arid hushed loud) (deafening phoney inexpensive)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A arid
   • B hushed
   • C loud

   • X deafening
   • Y phoney
   • Z inexpensive
   Show the answer to question 4

   Answer: C, X · loud, deafening

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Loud" and "deafening" mean nearly the same: both mean making a lot of noise. "Hushed" is the opposite of "deafening", which is not the same. The others: "arid", with no water in it; "phoney", made to look real, but not; "inexpensive", costing little money.

5. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (terrified vacant phoney) (neat fearful courageous)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A terrified
   • B vacant
   • C phoney

   • X neat
   • Y fearful
   • Z courageous
   Show the answer to question 5

   Answer: A, Y · terrified, fearful

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Terrified" and "fearful" mean nearly the same: both mean full of fear. "Courageous" is the opposite of "terrified", which is not the same. The others: "vacant", with nothing inside; "phoney", made to look real, but not; "neat", arranged in good order.

6. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (laugh demolish buy) (stare believe ruin)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A laugh
   • B demolish
   • C buy

   • X stare
   • Y believe
   • Z ruin
   Show the answer to question 6

   Answer: B, Z · demolish, ruin

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Demolish" and "ruin" mean nearly the same: both mean to damage so badly it cannot be used. The others: "laugh", to make the sounds of finding something funny; "buy", to get by paying; "stare", to turn your eyes towards; "believe", to accept as true.

7. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (orderly stingy happy) (small disloyal tidy)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A orderly
   • B stingy
   • C happy

   • X small
   • Y disloyal
   • Z tidy
   Show the answer to question 7

   Answer: A, Z · orderly, tidy

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Orderly" and "tidy" mean nearly the same: both mean arranged in good order. The others: "stingy", not wanting to give or spend; "happy", feeling pleased and full of joy; "small", not big; "disloyal", turning against the people who trust you.

8. Which two words, one from each group, are closest in meaning?

   (real silent trivial) (disorganised elderly authentic)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A real
   • B silent
   • C trivial

   • X disorganised
   • Y elderly
   • Z authentic
   Show the answer to question 8

   Answer: A, Z · real, authentic

   Why:

   Take each word in the first group in turn, and look in the second group for a word that means the same, or nearly the same.

   "Real" and "authentic" mean nearly the same: both mean truly what it seems. The others: "silent", making little or no noise; "trivial", small and not important; "disorganised", not in order, all over the place; "elderly", old (of a person).