How the SSAT Verbal Section Works
The SSAT Verbal section contains two question types: synonyms and analogies. On the Upper Level SSAT, you'll face 30 synonym questions and 30 analogy questions in 30 minutes — that's 30 seconds per question. A strong vocabulary is the single most important preparation you can do.
Strategies for Synonyms
For synonym questions, the test gives you a word and asks which of the five answer choices is closest in meaning. Strategies:
- Define the word before looking at answers. Cover the choices and say the word's definition in your own words. Then find the answer that matches your definition.
- Use connotation when stumped. If you don't know the word, decide whether it feels positive or negative. Eliminate answers with the wrong connotation.
- Look for roots, prefixes, and suffixes. "Bene-" means good, "mal-" means bad, "-fy" means to make. These can unlock unknown words.
- Guess if you must. There is a quarter-point deduction for wrong answers on the SSAT — skip truly unknown words, but guess if you can eliminate even one choice.
Strategies for Analogies
For analogy questions, you see a pair of words and must find another pair with the same relationship. The secret: build a sentence describing the relationship first, then apply that sentence to the answer choices.
Example: DOCTOR : PATIENT :: TEACHER : ___. Sentence: "A doctor treats a patient." Apply: "A teacher treats a ___?" No. Better sentence: "A doctor provides professional services to a patient." So a teacher provides professional services to a student.
Common relationship types: function (X is used to Y), part/whole (X is part of Y), degree (X is a more intense form of Y), type (X is a type of Y), worker/tool (X uses Y to work), antonym, and characteristic (X is characterized by Y).
Group 1: Academic and Formal Words
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Abdicate | give up power or responsibility |
| Abstain | choose not to participate |
| Accolade | award or praise given publicly |
| Acute | sharp, intense, or perceptive |
| Advocate | publicly support a cause or person |
| Allude | refer to indirectly |
| Ambiguous | having more than one meaning; unclear |
| Amend | make changes to improve or correct |
| Annex | add territory or an attachment |
| Antiquated | outdated; no longer in use |
| Assert | state confidently and forcefully |
| Attribute | assign a quality or cause to something |
| Augment | make larger or supplement |
| Candid | truthful and straightforward |
| Chronicle | record events in historical order |
| Circumspect | cautious and considering all factors |
| Cite | quote as evidence or reference |
| Clarify | make clear or easier to understand |
| Collaborate | work together toward a shared goal |
| Comprehensive | covering all aspects; complete |
| Concise | brief and to the point |
| Contend | argue or compete for something |
| Controversial | causing strong disagreement |
| Convey | communicate or express an idea |
| Credible | believable; worthy of trust |
Group 2: Describing People and Character
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Affable | friendly and easy to talk to |
| Arrogant | excessively proud; dismissive of others |
| Astute | shrewd and perceptive |
| Benevolent | kind; well-meaning toward others |
| Boisterous | noisy, energetic, and cheerful |
| Callous | emotionally hardened; unfeeling |
| Compassionate | feeling concern for others' suffering |
| Cynical | distrustful of people's motives |
| Diligent | hard-working and persistent |
| Eccentric | unconventional; peculiar in behavior |
| Eloquent | fluent and persuasive in speech |
| Eminent | respected and distinguished in a field |
| Enigmatic | mysterious and hard to understand |
| Frugal | careful with money; avoiding waste |
| Gregarious | fond of company; sociable |
| Haughty | arrogantly superior; condescending |
| Humble | modest; not proud or arrogant |
| Impulsive | acting without thinking first |
| Inquisitive | curious; eager to investigate |
| Meticulous | extremely careful about details |
| Pensive | deeply thoughtful; often sad |
| Prudent | wise and careful in practical matters |
| Sarcastic | mocking with sharp irony |
| Tenacious | persistent; not giving up |
| Vivacious | lively; energetically cheerful |
Group 3: Describing Actions
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Abolish | formally put an end to something |
| Admonish | warn or reprimand firmly |
| Alleviate | make suffering or difficulty less severe |
| Bestow | give as a gift or honor |
| Chastise | scold or punish severely |
| Coerce | force someone by threats or pressure |
| Conceal | keep from being seen or known |
| Denounce | publicly condemn or criticize |
| Depict | represent in art or description |
| Deter | discourage from an action |
| Diminish | make or become smaller or less |
| Dispel | drive away or cause to vanish |
| Elaborate | develop an idea in more detail |
| Elude | escape cleverly; avoid being caught |
| Emulate | try to equal or surpass by imitation |
| Exacerbate | make a problem worse |
| Fabricate | invent falsely; construct something |
| Hamper | hinder or impede progress |
| Illuminate | light up; make clear or explain |
| Instigate | cause an action or event to happen |
| Mitigate | reduce severity or harshness |
| Nullify | make legally invalid; cancel |
| Persevere | continue despite difficulty |
| Procrastinate | delay action unnecessarily |
| Relinquish | give up or surrender willingly |
Group 4: Science and Nature
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Arid | dry; having little or no rain |
| Carnivore | animal that eats only meat |
| Catalyst | substance that speeds a reaction |
| Corrode | slowly destroy by chemical action |
| Diffuse | spread widely; scatter |
| Dormant | temporarily inactive; sleeping |
| Ecosystem | community of organisms and environment |
| Erosion | gradual wearing away by natural forces |
| Evolve | develop gradually over time |
| Fertile | capable of supporting growth |
| Fossil | preserved remains of ancient organism |
| Hibernate | pass winter in a sleep-like state |
| Inert | lacking ability to move or react |
| Luminous | giving off light; glowing |
| Microscopic | too small to see without aid |
| Migrate | move seasonally to another location |
| Mutation | change in genetic material |
| Nocturnal | active at night |
| Organism | individual living thing |
| Photosynthesis | plants converting light to energy |
| Predatory | preying on other animals |
| Replenish | restore a depleted supply |
| Soluble | able to dissolve in liquid |
| Temperate | mild climate; moderate temperatures |
| Volatile | easily evaporated; unstable |
Group 5: Conflict and Change
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Adversary | opponent in a conflict |
| Agitate | disturb or stir up strong feeling |
| Antagonize | cause hostility; provoke opposition |
| Capitulate | give in; stop resisting |
| Contend | struggle against; compete |
| Discord | disagreement; conflict between groups |
| Disrupt | interrupt or disturb the flow of |
| Dissent | holding or expressing a different opinion |
| Divisive | causing disagreement or hostility |
| Eradicate | destroy completely; wipe out |
| Feud | long-running bitter quarrel |
| Friction | conflict between opposing forces |
| Hostile | aggressive; unfriendly |
| Incite | encourage or stir up violent behavior |
| Insurgent | rebel fighting against established power |
| Mediate | help parties settle a dispute |
| Obstruct | block or hinder progress |
| Oppressive | harsh and unjust; keeping others down |
| Overturn | reverse a decision; knock down |
| Provoke | deliberately cause a reaction |
| Retaliate | return harm done to oneself |
| Revolt | rise in rebellion against authority |
| Subvert | undermine the power of; corrupt |
| Transgress | go beyond limits; break a rule |
| Volatile | liable to sudden change; explosive |
Group 6: Size and Degree
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Abundant | present in large quantities |
| Colossal | extremely large; enormous |
| Compact | small but efficient; closely packed |
| Diminutive | extremely small |
| Excessive | more than is necessary or reasonable |
| Expansive | covering a wide area; broad in scope |
| Feeble | lacking strength; weak |
| Immense | extremely large in size or extent |
| Imperceptible | too small to be noticed |
| Infinite | limitless; without end |
| Insignificant | too small or unimportant to matter |
| Intense | of extreme force or degree |
| Meager | lacking quantity; insufficient |
| Minimal | of the smallest possible amount |
| Moderate | neither extreme; average in amount |
| Monumental | great in importance or size |
| Negligible | too small to be worth considering |
| Overwhelming | very great in amount or intensity |
| Petite | small and delicate in build |
| Plentiful | large quantity available |
| Profound | very great or intense; deep |
| Scarce | insufficient for demand; rare |
| Sparse | thin; not dense or crowded |
| Substantial | of considerable importance or size |
| Trivial | of little value or importance |
Group 7: Positive Qualities
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Admirable | deserving respect and approval |
| Adroit | clever and skillful |
| Amicable | friendly and agreeable |
| Amiable | having a pleasant and friendly manner |
| Articulate | expressing ideas clearly and fluently |
| Auspicious | giving a promising sign of success |
| Benign | gentle; not harmful |
| Buoyant | cheerfully optimistic; able to float |
| Conscientious | careful and responsible about duties |
| Courageous | not deterred by danger or pain |
| Dexterous | skilled with hands; mentally agile |
| Earnest | sincere and intensely serious |
| Exemplary | serving as a model of excellence |
| Forthright | direct and outspoken; honest |
| Gallant | brave; chivalrous |
| Genuine | truly what it claims to be; sincere |
| Honorable | bringing or deserving honor |
| Impartial | treating all sides equally; unbiased |
| Ingenious | clever and original in design |
| Judicious | having or showing good judgment |
| Magnanimous | generous in forgiving; noble |
| Resilient | recovering quickly from difficulties |
| Sagacious | having keen judgment; wise |
| Steadfast | resolutely firm and loyal |
| Virtuous | having high moral standards |
Group 8: Negative Qualities
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| Abrasive | harsh; irritating in manner |
| Acrimonious | bitter and angry in manner |
| Belligerent | hostile; eager to argue or fight |
| Capricious | changing moods or minds suddenly |
| Corrupt | dishonest; willing to act immorally for gain |
| Cowardly | lacking courage; afraid |
| Cunning | sly and clever in deception |
| Deceitful | behaving in a misleading way |
| Defiant | openly resistant to authority |
| Desolate | empty; bleak; miserable |
| Devious | showing a willingness to use tricks |
| Erratic | unpredictable; irregular |
| Fallacious | based on false reasoning |
| Furtive | secretive; trying not to be noticed |
| Gullible | easily deceived or cheated |
| Indolent | wanting to avoid work; lazy |
| Insolent | rude and disrespectful |
| Malicious | intending or desiring harm |
| Manipulative | controlling others unfairly for gain |
| Mendacious | not telling the truth; dishonest |
| Nefarious | wicked or criminal |
| Obstinate | stubbornly refusing to change |
| Petulant | childishly sulky or bad-tempered |
| Treacherous | guilty of betrayal; hazardous |
| Vindictive | seeking revenge |
✅ Key Takeaways
- On synonym questions, define the word before looking at answer choices to avoid being pulled toward trap answers.
- On analogy questions, build a precise sentence describing the relationship, then apply it to find the matching pair.
- Use word roots, prefixes (bene-, mal-, anti-, pre-), and suffixes (-fy, -ous, -tion) to decode unfamiliar words.
- SSAT deducts a quarter-point for wrong answers — skip only if you can't eliminate any choices at all.
- Study words in thematic groups (as organized here) rather than random lists to build deeper associations.