Identifying Synonyms - SSAT Upper Level: Verbal

"Maudlin" means "sentimental," exaggeratedly and often tearfully so. "Naive" means innocent and childlike, while "painstaking" means very careful and thorough. "Chipper" means very cheerful.

Someone who is brash is reckless or heedless of danger, so "reckless" is the correct answer.

Someone who is "deft" is skilled, capable, or talented. (It usually refers to an action taken with the hands: "a deft carpenter").

Flamboyant means attracting attention because of exuberance.

Someone who is "discreet" is capable of keeping a secret; cautious, careful, and quiet. Don't mix this up with "discrete," meaning individual or separate.

Frugal and thrifty both mean not spending a lot of money.

Jaunty means cheerful, confident, and lively.

Charismatic describes a person who is charming, compelling, or has a magnetic personality.

"Destitute" means l_acking food, clothing, and shelter_. Thus, the best answer choice is the word "poor."

"Affable" means friendly. Aghast means to be struck by terror; diverse means varied; exorbitant means excessive; and mendacious describes someone who lies.

"Pugnacious" means belligerent or aggressive. Critical means important or describes someone who criticizes others; sanguine means optimistic or cheery; terrestrial is related to land; and charming describes someone who is pleasant or attractive.

"Perfidious"means deceitful, untrustworthy, or treacherous.

“Hidebound” means narrow-minded and prejudiced. For clarification, comely means cute; portly means big or fat; jaunty means cheerful or dashing; gregarious means outgoing and sociable.

“Captious” means overly-critical and argumentative. For clarification, deplorable means terrible, deserving of scorn.

"Provincial" means narrow-minded, unsophisticated, or of a province.

"Pragmatic" means sensible or practical.

"Ruthless" means merciless and cruel.

"Restive" means difficult to control, impatient, and unruly.

"Gauche" means lacking social grace, awkward, or tactless.