Study guides › Level 9 · College Prep

Test-style opposites

Level 9 · Meaning · for questions like “Which word means the opposite of ‘verbose’?”

💡 The idea

An antonym means the opposite. The trick: synonyms are planted among the choices. First say what the word means, then flip it.

🪜 The steps

1. Say the word’s meaning: verbose = wordy.
2. Flip it: short, to the point.
3. Find that word: concise. Ignore “wordy”, which means the same.

⚡ Handy ones

⚠️ Watch out

• bene- (good) and mal- (bad) often make opposite pairs: benevolent / malevolent.
• Half the choices may be synonyms. If two choices mean the same as the word, neither is the answer.

🎯 Try these

1. optimistic: hopeful · pessimistic · cheerful
2. ally: friend · partner · adversary

Answers: 1) pessimistic 2) adversary

This guide is also in the 10WordsQ app: tap “📖 Study guide” after a question.