Verbal Analogies

GRE TEST PREPARATION - VERBAL ANALOGIES

1. PHILATELIST : STAMPS a. philanthropist : loves b. philologist : languages c. numismatist : coins d. philistine : seals e. philosopher : wisdom

8. FROWN : DISAPPROBATION a. chortle : sorrow b. glower : anger c. snicker : respect d. whisper : confidentiality e. guffaw : circumlocution

2. EXPEDITION : PURPOSE a. voyage : discovery b. examination : score c. archery : target d. wrongdoing : punishment e.  journey : destination

9. HOURGLASS : CHRONOMETER a. parachute : helicopter b. month : almanac c. watch : clock d. sand : wheel e. abacus : calculator

3. DRY : SOAKED a. desert : oasis b. air : moisture c. arid : parched d. anhydrous : saturated e. teetotal : alcohol

10. ISLET : CONTINENT a. pond : ocean b. aiglet : lace c. agnail : nail d. excessive : restrained e. water : land

4. HISTRIONIC : THEATER a. olden : drama b. forensic : court c. harmonic : orchestra d. halcyon : opera e. dramatic : stage

11. EPHEMERAL : ETERNITY a. perfunctory : superficiality b. scrupulous : punctilio c. apocryphal : authenticity d. ubiquitous : omnipresence e. pusillanimous : permanence

5. HANDS : CLUTCH a. throat : cough b. feet : accelerate c. speech : stammer d. tongue : swallow e. eyes : blink

12. INNOCUOUS : HARMLESS a. deleterious : healthy b. incongruous : harmonious c. indolent : assiduous d. insipid : tasteful e. ingenuous : artless

6. THESIS : PROPOSITIONS a. book : chapters b. encyclopedia : premises c. composition : paragraphs d. poem : verses e. dissertation : ideas

13. FOND : DOTING a. tender : loving b. ingenious : silly c. omnipotent : feeble d. moist : drenched e. fanatic : zealous

7. OPHTHALMOLOGIST : EYES a. psychologist : brain b. archaeologist : man c. dermatologist : skin d. optometrist : ears e. orthodontist : bones

14. CARAVAN : TRAVELERS a. company : merchants b. train : wagons c. fleet : ships d. band : musicians e. cavalcade : pilgrims 1

15. DISLIKE : ANTIPATHY a. empathy : apathy b. disavowal : aversion c. hate : sympathy d. fear : phobia e. abhorrence : mania

22. BIGOT : PREJUDICED a. zealot : fanatical b. adversary : pessimistic c. braggart : rash d. recluse : lazy e. ascetic : indulgent

16. POUND : WEIGHT a. crush : shape b. money : load c. ounce : time d. light year : distance e. scale : mass

23. TRUNCATE : CONE a. circumscribe : pyramid b. behead : person c. hibernate : animal d. disseminate : seed e. rotate : cylinder

17. SURVEYOR : TRANSIT a. artist : studio b. astronomer : kaleidoscope c. druggist : pharmacy d. surgeon : syringe e. butcher : cleaver

24. PEAK : MOUNTAIN a. vertex : triangle b. length : wave c. slope : valley d. apex : cone e. edge : plateau

18. RUNG : LADDER a. alarm : clock b. flight : floor c. stair : step d. link : chain e. ascent : mountain

25. ITINERARY : TRAVELER a. logbook : orator b. voyage : astronaut c. expedition : explorer d. excursion : tourist e. diary : scientist

19. CELLAR : WINE a. ocean : water b. kernel : corn c. refinery : oil d. silo : grain e. husk : rice

26. SMELL : OLFACTORY a. movement : voluntary b. hearing : tympanic c. touch : parietal d. taste : gustatory e. vision : astigmatic

20. EMPLOYEE : WAGES a. composer : symphony b. worker : jobs c. negotiator : conflicts d. scholar : books e. entrepreneur : profits

27. IMPECCABLE : FAULT a. implacable : attack b. implausible : money c. impregnable : cause d. immutable : change e. impecunious : passion

21. SYLLABLE : ELISION a. note : music b. key : piano c. number : division d. letter : contraction e. word : clause

28. LABYRINTH : MAZE a. dilemma : hypothesis b. heresy : mystery c. passage : doctrine d. enigma : riddle e. experiment : network

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29. EMBEZZLE : TRUST a. admonish : caution b. plagiarize : right c. adjudge : belief d. adulterate : faith e. perjure : oath

36. SCULPTOR : ATELIER a. miner : mineral b. lawyer : agreement c. lyrist : lyric d. physician : infirmary e. painter : easel

30. VEIN : BLOOD a. duct : water b. pump : heart c. kidney : urine d. compressor : air e. liver : bile

37. COVEY : PARTRIDGES a. gander : geese b. pride : lions c. aviary : birds d. cote : pigeons e. twitter : swallows

31. SHOAL : FISH a. apiary : bees b. aerie : eagles c. gaggle : geese d. drake : ducks e. gobble : turkeys

38. URSINE : BEAR a. porcine : porcupine b. vulpine : vulture c. equine : endure d. asinine : yield e. aquiline : eagle

32. LAMENTATION : KILLJOY a. abandonment : diehard b. sophistication : scarecrow c. disloyalty : turncoat d. accusation : scapegoat e. caution : daredevil

49. SONNETEER : SONNETS a. author : pages b. mason : bricks c. choreographer : ballets d. architect : maps e. cartographer : buildings

33. DOVE : PEACE a. eagle : war b. insignia : nation c. flag : victory d. laurel : liberty e. scale : justice

50. URBANE : SUAVE a. tempestuous : calm b. pedestrian : prosaic c. rustic : sophisticated d. boorish : courteous e. urban : rural

34. IMPETUOUS : CAUTION a. arduous : action b. impassive : respect c. excessive : moderation d. ingenuous : trust e. fatuous : inanity

51. WHIMPER : WHINE a. scream : shout b. strut : walk c. wail : cry d. murmur : speak e. mumble : talk

35. ELEGY : PAEAN a. lamentation : joy b. euphemism : expression c. eulogy : praise d. benediction : blessing e. threnody : song

42. BAROMETER : PRESSURE a. tachometer : tension b. barrator : urgency c. barretter : intensity d. odometer : distance e. chronometer : degree

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43. INCANDESCENT : GLOW a. evanescent : fade b. amorphous : heat c. iridescent : disappear d. stagnant : move e. ephemeral : persist

50. SOUND : DECIBEL a. energy : power b. angle : degree c. heat : temperature d. waves : volume e. chord : vocal

44. EFFUSIVE : DEMONSTRATIVE a. downcast : dejected b. gushing : throttled c. pouring : choked d. theoretical : experimental e. effective : defective

51. SIDEREAL : STAR a. arboreal : asteroid b. apocryphal : planet c. ephemeral : meteor d. surreal : sun e. terrestrial : earth

45. BRITTLE : BREAK a. pliable : compress b. futile : separate c. fertile : crush d. flexible : bend e. ductile : divide

52. RETICENCE : RESERVED a. opulence : impoverished b. loquacity : silent c. integrity : mendacious d. corpulence : stout e. penury : wealthy

46. SPEECH : ORATOR a.  journal : librarian b. sermon : minister c. evidence : case d. alibi : criminal e. lecture : subject

53. FELDSPAR : MINERAL a. geognosy : rock b. cumulonimbus : cloud c. magma : lava d. chemical : crystal e. road : tar

47. SANCTUARY : PROTECTION a. hospice : storage b. fortress : defense c. receptacle : treatment d. asylum : distribution e. reservoir : shelter

54. EXTRICATE : FREE a. hone : sharp b. acclaim : independent c. abridge : long d. expedite : slow e. debilitate : strong

48. ELEPHANT : HERBIVOROUS a. vegetarian : omnivorous b. dog : canine c. tiger : carnivorous d. quadruped : proboscis e. snail : mollusc

55. APATHY : INDIFFERENCE a. reticence : verbosity b. vacillation : steadfastness c. anathema : curse d. penury : opulence e. indolence : industry

49. EXTEMPORE : PREPARATION a. permeable : readiness b. expert : practice c. offhand : proliferation d. fluent : eloquence e. impromptu : rehearsal

56. NULLIFY : INVALID a. vilify : famous b. rectify : right c. exemplify : happy d. mollify : model e. gratify : possible

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57. HAUGHTY : ARROGANCE a. dauntless : cowardice b. spiteful : malice c. mendacious : honesty d. fastidious : bravery e. impecunious : benevolence

64. PARASITE : MISTLETOE a. aerie : eagle b. saprophyte : mallard c. marsupial : kangaroo d. scavenger : carrion e. fungus : marigold

58. TERRESTRIAL : LAND a. aerial : gas b. aquatic : liquid c. sidereal : banks d. arboreal : trees e. amphibious : shores

65. CALF : VEAL a. deer : venison b. muscle : horn c. cub : fox d. sheep : ram e.  joey : kangaroo

59. PRIDE : LIONS a. aviary : birds b. gander : geese c. cote : pigeons d. covey : partridges e. twitter : swallows

66. BURROW : RABBIT a. nest : thrush b. cage : bird c. desert : camel d. shell : snail e. shed : cow

60. KILN : BRICKS a. extruder : plastics b. oven : cakes c. silo : crops d. factory : tiles e. furnace : metals

67. BOTANIST : PETUNIA a. biologist : energy b. geologist : gypsum c. physicist : matter d. numismatist : coin e. zoologist : periwinkle

61. SIEVE : SIFT a. crowbar : pry b. needle : separate c. mortar : pestle d. spanner : sever e. chisel : hammer

68. PHILANTHROPIST : BENEVOLENCE a. misogynist : blasphemy b. philatelist : benediction c. altruist : generosity d. optimist : quintessence e. pessimist : providence

62. COTE : PIGEON a. eyrie : eagle b. shoal : fish c. peace : dove d. apiary : bird e. aviary : bee

69. RIVER : SILT a. glacier : detritus b. rain : acid c. volcano : magma d. stream : salt e. geyser : steam

63. RIBALD : DECENT a. equivocal : ambiguous b. ingenious : clever c. deleterious : harmful d. parsimonious : magnanimous e. ephemeral : fleeting

70. SOLO : MUSIC a. sonata : opera b. monopoly : trade c. monologue : drama d. soliloquy : parade e. sonnet : poem

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ANSWER KEY 1. A philatelist collects stamps and a numismatist collects coins. 2. An expedition is a journey or voyage with a definite purpose. 3. Dry and soaked are opposite in meaning. Anhydrous and saturated are also antonyms. Importantly, anhydrous means "lack of water" or dry, where assaturated means "soaked". 4. Histrionic means "suitable for acting or the theater." Similarly, forensic means "suitable to debate or a court of law." 5. Here, it is the relationship between the body part and the action it can perform. With your hands, you can clutch. With your eyes, you can blink. 6. A thesis is based on propositions that one attempts to formally prove. A dissertation is based on ideas that one attempts to formally convey. 7. The relationship here is about doctors and what they specialize in. The ophthalmologist treats disorders of the eyes and the dermatologist treats diseases of the skin. 8. Frown implies knitting the brows to express disapprobation (or disapproval). Glower implies scowling to express anger. Note that whisper, chortle, snicker and guffaw all involve sounds. 9. The hourglass was used for measuring time in olden days, whereas a chronometer (watch / clock) is used today. Similarly, the abacus was used for calculations in olden days, whereas a calculator is used today. 10. An islet is a small piece of land (surrounded by water) and a continent is a large mass of land. Similarly, a pond is a small body of water and an ocean is a large mass of water. 11. Ephemeral is an adjective meaning "short-lived." Eternity is a noun meaning "infinite time." We are seeking opposites in meaning. Apocryphal is an adjective meaning "not genuine."

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Authenticity is a noun meaning "genuine." Innocuous and harmless are synonyms. Similarly, ingenuous and artless are synonyms. Doting is "passionately fond," and thus differs from fond in its degree of intensity. Similarly, drenched is "totally wet," and thus differs from moist in terms of degree of wetness. A caravan of travelers signifies humans moving together in a procession. A similar relationship exists in the case of a cavalcade of pilgrims. A strong dislike is termed antipathy. Similarly, an extreme irrational fear is termed phobia. Pound is a measure of weight. Similarly, light year is a measure of distance (typically, astronomical distances). A light year is the distance light travels in one year, which is about six million million miles. A surveyor uses a transit (measuring instrument) as a tool. A butcher uses a cleaver (chopping instrument) as a tool. Just as a rung (crossbar) is a part of a ladder, a link (loop or ring) is a part of a chain. A cellar is a room for storing wine. Similarly, a silo is a chamber for storing grain. An employee works for wages. Similarly, an entrepreneur works for profits. The suppression of a syllable during the pronunciation of a word is termed elision. The suppression of a letter during the writing of a word is termed contraction. A bigot is a person who is prejudiced and intolerant to differing views. Similarly, a zealot is a person who is fanatical in support of a cause. When you truncate a cone, you cut the end off. When you behead a person, you cut the head off.

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24. Peak is the pointed top of a mountain. Similarly, apex is the pointed tip of a cone. 25. Itinerary of a traveler maintains a record of the places on a journey. Diary of a scientist maintains a record of the experiments during the research. 26. Olfactory is the adjective that means "concerned with sense of smell." Gustatory is the adjective that means "concerned with sense of taste." 27. Impeccable means without fault. Immutable means without change. 28. A labyrinth is a maze or a network of winding passages. An enigma is a riddle or puzzle. 29. Embezzle is to appropriate fraudulently when holding in trust. Similarly, perjure is to testify falsely when under oath. 30. Just as a vein carries blood, a duct carries water. 31. Shoal is the collective noun for fish. Similarly, gaggle is the collective noun for geese. Note that aerie (also spelt aery) is the nest that eagles build high up. Apiary is the place where bees are kept. Drake is the masculine of duck. Gobble refers to the gurgling sound that turkeys make. 32. Lamentation (or expression of grief) is characteristic of a killjoy (a depressing person). Similarly, disloyalty (or betrayal) is characteristic of a turncoat (a person who changes sides). 33. Dove symbolizes peace. Similarly, scales symbolize justice. 34. Impetuous implies "tending to act without caution." Similarly, excessive implies "tending to act without moderation." 35. Elegy is a song of lamentation, whereas paean is a song of joy. 36. A sculptor works in an atelier (or studio). Similarly, a physician works in an infirmary (or hospital). 37. Covey is the collective noun for partridges. Similarly, pride is the collective noun for lions. Note that cote is the shelter for pigeons. Aviary is a large cage where birds are kept. Gander

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is the masculine of goose, and geese is the plural of goose. Twitter refers to the succession of sounds that birds like swallows utter. Just as ursine means "like a bear", aquiline means "like an eagle". Note that equine means "like a horse". Asinine means "like an ass", vulpine means "like a fox", and porcine means "like a pig." Just as a sonneteer (poet) is a composer of sonnets (rhymed verse of fourteen lines), a choreographer is a designer of ballets. Note that an architect is a designer of blueprints for buildings, and a cartographer is a person who draws maps. Urbane and suave are synonyms meaning "refined and courteous." Similarly, pedestrian and prosaic are synonyms meaning "dull and unimaginative." Whimper is to whine softly. Similarly, murmur is to speak softly. Note that mumble is to talk indistinctly. Just as a barometer is an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, an odometer is an instrument for measuring distance. Note that a chronometer is used for measuring time and a tachometer is used for measuring angular speed. Something that is incandescent tends to glow with heat. Something that is evanescent tends to fade from sight. Effusive (or not restrained emotionally) and demonstrative are synonyms. Downcast and dejected are the only pair of synonyms. A thing that is brittle is apt to break, and a thing that is flexible is apt to bend. A speech is delivered by an orator (skillful speaker who delivers public lectures). Similarly, a sermon (talk on moral or religious subject) is delivered by a minister. A sanctuary provides protection. Similarly, a fortress (or military stronghold) provides defense. 7

48. An elephant is a herbivorous (grasseating) animal. A tiger is a carnivorous (flesh-eating) animal. 49. Just as extempore means "without preparation" or "offhand", impromptu means "without rehearsal". Extempore and impromptu are synonyms. 50. Sound (loudness) is measured in decibels. Similarly, an angle (in geometry) is measured in degrees. 51. Sidereal by definition means related to the stars. Terrestrial by definition means related to the earth. 52. Reticence is the state of being reserved in speech and not revealing one's thoughts or feelings. Corpulence is the state of being stout and bulky in body. 53. Feldspar is a kind of mineral (crystalline white or flesh-red). Cumulonimbus is a kind of cloud.4. 54. When you extricate something, you make it free (from an entanglement or difficulty). When you hone something, you make it sharp. 55. Apathy (lack of concern or interest) and indifference are synonyms. Similarly, anathema and curse are synonyms. The other four options are essentially pairs of opposites. 56. Nullify by definition is "to make invalid or ineffective." Rectify by definition is "to make right or correct." 57. Someone who is haughty possesses arrogance. Someone who is spiteful possesses malice. 58. Terrestrial by definition implies living on land. Arboreal by definition implies living on or in trees. 59. Pride is the collective noun for lions. Similarly, covey is the collective noun for partridges. Note that cote is the shelter for pigeons. Aviary is a large cage where birds are kept. Gander is the masculine of goose, and geese is the plural of goose. Twitter refers to the succession of sounds that birds like swallows utter. 60. A kiln is used for baking bricks. Similarly, an oven is used for baking cakes. Note a

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furnace is used for melting metals. A silo is used for storing crops. A sieve (with a mesh through which liquids or fine particles can pass) is used to sift or strain materials. A crowbar (metal bar with a bent end used as a lever) is used to pry things apart. Cote is the shelter for pigeons. Eyrie (also spelt aery or aerie) is the shelter (nest built high up) for eagles. Aviary is a large cage where birds are kept. Apiary is the place where bees are kept. Shoal (or school) refers to a large number of fish swimming together. Ribald (vulgar) is the opposite of decent. Similarly, parsimonious (stingy) is the opposite of magnanimous (generous). The other four options are pairs of synonymous words. An example of a parasite (organism living in or on another) is the mistletoe. An example of a marsupial (animal that carries its young in a pouch) is the kangaroo. Calf's flesh as food is veal. Deer's flesh as food is venison. A burrow is a dwelling (hole) made by a rabbit. Similarly, a nest is a shelter made by a thrush (bird). A botanist studies plants, and petunia is an example of a plant (with funnelshaped flowers). A geologist studies the earth, rocks and minerals. Gypsum is an example of a mineral (from which plaster of Paris is made). A philanthropist, being a lover of mankind, is characterized by his benevolence. In the same way, an altruist being interested in helping others is characterized by his generosity. A river deposits silt (sediment) as it flows, whereas a glacier deposits detritus (worn-down matter like rock debris) as it moves. Solo is the piece in which only one person sings or plays in a musical performance. Monologue (or soliloquy) is the part in which only one person speaks in a drama. 8