Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, and Variety - SSAT Upper Level: Verbal

"Execrable" means detestable or very bad.

"Insipid" means dull or bland.

"Excessive" means too much.

"Diverse" means varied.

"Myriad"means too numerous to be counted, or "countless."

"Sparse"means scattered, meager, or infrequent.

"Impeccable" means faultless or flawless.

Diverse means showing variety, or varied.

Something that is "dilapidated" is worn out, rickety, and rundown.

"Tantamount" is an adjective that means "equal in seriousness to; virtually the same as," so we need to pick out another word that means "equal." While "indifferent" may look like a good answer choice because it looks like "in-" ("not") and "different," "indifferent" actually doesn't mean "not different," but instead means "having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned," or "neither good nor bad; mediocre," so it's not the word we're looking for. "Equivalent," however, means "equal in value, amount, function, or meaning," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "tantamount," it is the correct answer.

"Meager" means l_acking in regard to a requirement_, or "inadequate."

Clichéd means overused.

“Banal” means unoriginal and boring, so "unoriginal" is the correct answer. For clarification, "unseemly" means unpleasant or undesirable; "determined" means motivated; "shallow" describes someone who is not thinking or feeling deeply; and "notorious" means infamous.

“Insipid” is used to describe something unexciting. For clarification, "intrepid" means adventurous; "mournful" means full of sadness after a loss; "derisive" means disdainful or contemptuous.

“Trite” is used to describe something unoriginal. For clarification, "scornful" means mocking or derisive.

“Prosaic” describes something ordinary or commonplace. You might have thought the correct answer is “rhetorical” because of the relationship between “prose” and “rhetoric,” but “prosaic” is unrelated to “prose.” For clarification, "rhetorical" means relating to the skill of persuasive language, and "diction" means spoken clarity or choice of words.

“Immaculate” means flawless or perfect and usually relates to the cleanliness or goodliness of something_._ For clarification, "iniquitous" means wicked or sinful; "deplorable" means worthy of contempt or hatred; malleable means movable or flexible.

“Vapid” is an adjective that means “offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; empty” so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like “not stimulating or challenging.” That means that “intriguing” cannot be the correct answer, because “intriguing” means “arousing one’s curiosity or interest; fascinating,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “vapid.” “Insipid,” however, is an adjective that means either “lacking flavor” or “lacking vigor or interest,” and because “insipid” is the answer choice closest in meaning to “vapid,” “insipid” is the correct answer.

“Rife” means common or found frequently. Usually you will hear as part of the expression something was rife with something. For example, her hair was rife with lice. The correct synonym is “common.”