Synonyms and Antonyms — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The librarian asked us to whisper in the reading room rather than speak at normal volume.
Whisper is the most precise synonym because libraries demand the softest level of speech.
2. Coach told the runners to sprint the final 100 meters with everything they had left.
Sprint conveys maximum speed for a short distance, fitting the final stretch better than gallop or jog.
3. After the harvest festival, vegetables were so abundant that nothing went to waste.
Abundant precisely describes a generous, overflowing harvest where supply easily meets demand.
4. The two scientists reached the same conclusion and chose to concur in their joint report.
Concur fits the formal register of a scientific report better than casual synonyms like say yes.
5. When the desert went without rain for months, water became dangerously scarce.
Scarce captures the idea of dwindling, hard-to-find resources after a long drought.
6. Even though the storm was severe, Jordan stayed optimistic that the picnic could happen tomorrow.
Optimistic precisely captures Jordan's hopeful expectation despite the discouraging weather.
7. The ancient sequoia was so colossal that ten students could not link arms around its trunk.
Colossal carries a dramatic shade of meaning that fits a tree of breathtaking proportions.
8. Heat will cause the metal beams to expand, so engineers leave gaps in the bridge.
Expand precisely describes how heated metal grows in size, requiring expansion gaps in bridges.
9. The cottage sat proximate to the shoreline, just steps from the gentle morning waves.
Proximate emphasizes nearness in a more sophisticated register than simple words like close.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
whisper
→ speak very softly
agree formally
gallop
→ run swiftly
speak very softly
abundant
→ plentiful in supply
run swiftly
concur
→ agree formally
plentiful in supply
Pairing synonyms with definitions trains the ear for fine shades of meaning needed in nuanced writing.