Synonyms: Verbs About Emotional Changes - SSAT Upper Level: Verbal

If you “abhor” something than you strongly disapprove or reject it. Of the five answer choices only “detest” matches this definition. Detest means to hate or strongly reject something.

Since to placate someone means _to soothe or appease him or he_r, we're looking for a verb that means to appease or to soothe. While "quench" does mean to appease thirst, it does not refer to people and is thus not a synonym of "placate." "Conciliate," on the other hand, means stop someone or something from being angry or discontented; "to placate, appease, or pacify," it is the best answer choice.

"Relish" means enjoyment, or "delight."

"Vex" means to annoy or irritate, so "irritate" is the correct answer.

"Daunt" means to make someone feel apprehensive, or to intimidate.

To “assuage” means to provide relief from something uncomfortable or distressing. You often hear it used to describe “assuaging guilt,” which means to make someone feel less guilty. The only answer choice that matches this definition is “allay.” Allay means to relieve or calm the severity of something. Both words describe the relieving of an unpleasant sensation.

To quench is to satisfy.

To vex is to annoy or to confuse.

To placate is to soothe or to pacify.

To “mollify” someone means to calm them down or to placate them. For clarification, "ministration" means to provide support; "congenial" means friendly.

“Pique” is generally used in the phrase “to pique someone’s interest,” which means to provoke interest. The correct answer is “provoke.” For clarification, "embroider" means to decorate with needlework; "possess" means own; and "pacify" means to make calm.

To "appease" is to calm or to bring to a state of peace.

"Brood" means to worry or to fret.

To "abhor" something is to hate it, so the synonym is "detest," which also means to hate or dislike something strongly.

To "alleviate" a condition is to relieve it or make it better.

A “lull” can be a verb or a noun but in either instance is a synonym for calm. It can be used either to describe a calm, as in “there was a lull in the storm . . .” or to calm, as in “he helped lull the restless animal . . .” For clarification, perceive means detect or identify some characteristic;constrain means to forcibly restrict somebody or something.

“Appease” means to calm someone or make something better, so the correct answer is “pacify,” which means to bring peace and calm. For clarification, secede means to break away; idolize means worship; atrophy refers to the wasting away of some part of the body, like muscle; jaunty means cheerful.

“Placate” means to calm down, and is therefore most similar in meaning to conciliate, which means to make peace, to bring calm. For clarification, implore and urge are synonyms; antagonize is loosely an antonym of placate and conciliate.

To "assuage" is to relieve, to soothe, or to make less severe.