Synonyms: Nouns for People - ISEE Middle Level: Verbal Reasoning

"Scholar" is a noun meaning an academic or an educated person, so the answer choice closest in meaning to "scholar" is "intellectual," a word that when used as a noun means an academic or a very intelligent person. Considering the other answer choices, "novice" is noun that means beginner, a "school" is a place where students go to be taught by teachers, and "fervor" means zeal or passion.

A "nemesis" is an opponent, enemy, or adversary, so "opponent" is the correct answer. An "archaeologist" is a person who studies prehistoric people and their lifestyles. A "candidate" is a person who applies for a job or is nominated for a position. An "occurrence" is an event or happening. A "receipt" is a document that shows that a bill has been paid.

A “turncoat” is a traitor; someone who betrays his allies and helps his former enemies. Almost every American school child has heard of Benedict Arnold, the famous turncoat from the Revolutionary War. To provide further guidance, an "ally" is someone on your side; an "enemy" is someone who you are fighting against; a "supporter" is a fan; a "financier" is someone who provides the money to make something happen.

"Progeny" is another word for offspring or someone's children. To provide further help, a "professional" is someone paid for their work, whereas an "amateur" is someone not paid for work. We call the people that came before us our "ancestors," so for example, your grandfather is one of your ancestors.

A "culprit" is the person responsible for doing something wrong or the guilty person. So, "guilty person" is the correct answer.

"Posterity" refers to future generations of something. The best choice is "lineage," as it means the descendants or future generations of a particular thing or person.

A "buffoon" is someone who makes a fool of themselves. To help you, "youthful" means young, "ancient" means very old, and a "miser" is someone who saves all the money that they can.

A "quack" is someone who is not genuine, a fake, a phony. To further help you, "genuine" means real; a "scribe" is someone who writes information; a "creditor" is someone who lends money under the expectation that it is favorably paid back.

"Novice" means beginner or learner, so "beginner" is the correct answer.

"Tyrant" is a noun that means either "a cruel and oppressive ruler" or "a person exercising power or control in a cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary way," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "a cruel ruler." While "king" may seem like a good answer choice because a king is a kind of ruler, a king is not necessarily a cruel ruler like a tyrant is. "Despot," however, means "a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way." Because "despot" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "tyrant," "despot" is the correct answer.

"Buffoon" is a noun meaning "a ridiculous but amusing person; a clown," so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a noun and means "a ridiculous, but amusing person." Of the possible answer choices, "erudite" is not a noun but an adjective, so it cannot be the correct answer. Picking between "fool," "liberator," "patriarch," and "chaperone," "fool" is the best answer choice because "fool" means "a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person," or "a jester or clown, especially one retained in a noble household."

"Rabble" is a noun that means "a disorderly crowd; a mob," or when used as "the rabble," "ordinary people, especially when regarded as socially inferior or uncouth." While "rabble" may sound like "rubble," a noun that "rocks" or "debris" could be considered synonyms of, "rubble" does not mean the same thing as "rabble," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Crowd," however, when used as a noun, is the answer choice closest in meaning to "rabble," so it is the correct answer.

"Insurgent" is a word that when used as an adjective, means "rising in active revolt" or "of or relating to rebels" and when used as a noun, means "a rebel or revolutionary." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "rebel." "Loyalist" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "loyalist" means "a person who remains loyal to the established ruler or government, especially in the face of a revolt," so it is an antonym of "rebel." "Rebel" is an available answer choice, and because it is the answer choice that is closest in meaning to "insurgent," "rebel" is the correct answer.

A glutton is someone who eats or consumes too much, so "overeater" is the correct answer. "Curmudgeon" means a grumpy or bad-tempered person, "benefactor" means donator, and "abstainer" means someone who holds themself back from doing something.

"Monarch" means ruler or king, so "king" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "monarch": a "narrator" is a person who tells a story; an "achievement" is the completion of a task or goal; a "document" is a paper with written material on it; and a "protagonist" is the main character in a novel or movie.

A "guerrilla" is a soldier who uses surprise tactics, not to be confused with "gorilla," the animal. So, "soldier" is the correct answer.

A "scribe" is a professional record keeper or copyist. The best choice is "clerk," as one of the jobs of a clerk is to copy and record documents. Considering the other choices, "scribble" means write carelessly, "written" means formed by characters visible on a surface, and a "scripture" is a religious text.

A "nominee" is a candidate or a person being considered for a job or position. A "physician" is a doctor. A "monopoly" is the situation that occurs when one company or person controls an entire industry or sector and has power to extract above market prices. "Perjury" is the act of lying under oath. "Inquiry" is the act of asking questions and attempting to obtain information.

A "despot" is a tyrant. The best choice is "tyrant," which means an oppressive or unjust ruler. Considering the other choices, a "store" is a place where people go to make purchases, "list" means a group of things that are written down, and a "depot" is a warehouse.