What the question looks like
Synonym questions live in the Verbal Skills section, which is the very first section of the HSPT. You get 60 questions in 16 minutes, so this is the fastest-moving part of the whole test.
A synonym question gives you one word and asks you to find the choice that is closest in meaning. The wording is always the same pattern:
"Steadfast most nearly means:"
Then you see four choices, A through D. Only one of them is a true match. The phrase "most nearly" matters. The test is not promising a perfect twin for the word. It is asking which choice is the best fit out of the four you are given.
Synonym questions do not come with a sentence for context. You get the word by itself, so you have to know it or work it out from its parts.
Several synonym questions usually appear together as a block, mixed in with the other four Verbal Skills types.
How to solve it
- Define the word in your own head before you look at the choices. Even a rough definition helps. If the word is "frugal," think "careful with money" before reading A through D.
- Scan the choices for your definition. If one choice matches what you already thought, pick it and move on. Do not talk yourself out of a clear match.
- If nothing matches, cross out the choices you know are wrong. Antonyms and words from a totally different topic go first.
- Use word parts when you are unsure. A prefix like "un-" or "mis-" and a root like "bene" (good) or "dict" (say) can point you toward the right meaning.
- Pick the best of what is left and move on. Every second you spend on one hard word is a second taken from an easier one later.
Worked examples
Example 1
Cordial most nearly means:
- A.cold
- B.friendly
- C.formal
- D.quiet
Show answer
Answer: B: friendly
Cordial describes a warm and polite manner, so friendly is the closest match. Cold is the opposite and is placed there to catch students who confuse the word with something chilly. Formal is the trap for students who know cordial belongs to polite settings; polite and warm is not the same as stiff. Quiet has no connection to the meaning.
Example 2
Abundant most nearly means:
- A.scarce
- B.heavy
- C.plentiful
- D.empty
Show answer
Answer: C: plentiful
Abundant means present in large amounts, which is exactly what plentiful means. Scarce is the antonym and is the trap choice for anyone who half-remembers the word. Heavy is about weight, not amount, and empty is another opposite.
Example 3
Reluctant most nearly means:
- A.eager
- B.unwilling
- C.careful
- D.angry
Show answer
Answer: B: unwilling
A reluctant person does not want to do something, so unwilling is the answer. Eager is the direct opposite and tempts anyone who has heard the word without knowing its meaning. Careful is about how a task is done, not whether someone wants to do it, and angry is a different feeling altogether.
Example 4
Fatigue most nearly means:
- A.hunger
- B.strength
- C.weariness
- D.boredom
Show answer
Answer: C: weariness
Fatigue is deep tiredness, and weariness means the same thing. Hunger is tempting because both are things your body feels, but they are different feelings. Strength is closer to an antonym than a synonym, and boredom is a mood, not a physical state.
Traps to watch for
- The antonym is almost always one of the choices. If you know the word is negative and a choice is clearly positive, cross it out immediately rather than pausing on it.
- Sound-alike words. A choice that looks or sounds like the given word is often wrong. "Ingenious" and "ingenuous" are not the same thing.
- Part-of-speech switches. If the given word is an adjective, the answer is an adjective. A noun that is related in topic is not a synonym.
- The perfect-match hunt. Students sometimes reject every choice because none is a flawless twin. The question says "most nearly," so choose the closest and keep going.
Pacing
You have about 16 seconds per question across the whole Verbal Skills section, and synonyms should take less than that so you can bank time for analogies and logic. If you do not know the word and word parts do not help, cross out what you can, pick one, and move on. There is no guessing penalty on the HSPT, so a blank answer can only hurt you.
Practice
Try a timed set of synonym questions inside our free practice test and see how your pace compares to the real test.
Build the word bank behind these questions with the HSPT word list, the roots and prefixes, and the ten-minute study method.