Thesaurus Usage

A thesaurus would list 'ecstatic' and 'joyful' as synonyms for which word?

• Melancholy

• Elated

• Lethargic

• Mundane

Answer explanation

'Elated' means ecstatically happy. 'Ecstatic' and 'joyful' are both strong synonyms for 'elated.'

If you look up the word abundant in a thesaurus, which word would you most likely find listed as an antonym?

• Plentiful

• Scarce

• Verbose

• Concise

Answer explanation

An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning. 'Scarce' means in short supply, which is the opposite of 'abundant' (plentiful).

Match each word to its correct definition, which you could confirm in a dictionary after finding it in a thesaurus.

• Hardworking and careful

• Diligent

• Brief and to the point

• Indolent

• Wordy

• Concise

• Lazy

• Verbose

Answer explanation

Each word is matched to its correct definition. A thesaurus provides synonyms, but a dictionary confirms the precise meaning.

Sort these words into categories based on their general feeling or connotation.

Groups:

(a) Positive Connotation

,

(b) Negative Connotation

• Indolent

• Melancholy

• Elated

• Diligent

• Agile

• Lethargic

Answer explanation

Words are sorted based on whether they describe a positive quality (like being happy or hardworking) or a negative one (like being sad or lazy).

The artist used vivid colors to make the sunset in her painting look spectacular. Which word from a thesaurus would best replace vivid without changing the meaning of the sentence?

• Dull

• Bright

• Dark

• Mundane

Answer explanation

'Vivid' means producing a strong, clear image. 'Bright' is a good synonym in this context, while 'dull' and 'mundane' are antonyms.

Match each word on the left to its closest synonym on the right.

• Plentiful

• Mundane

• Sad

• Agile

• Nimble

• Abundant

• Dull

• Melancholy

Answer explanation

Each word is paired with a synonym, a word that has a very similar meaning.

Match each word on the left to its antonym (opposite) on the right.

• Depressed

• Concise

• Dull

• Elated

• Lazy

• Vivid

• Verbose

• Diligent

Answer explanation

Each word is paired with its antonym, a word that means the opposite.

After winning the championship game, the whole team felt (a)   .

• melancholy
• elated
• lethargic
• mundane

Answer explanation

'Elated' means extremely happy, which is the appropriate emotion for winning a championship. The other words describe sadness, sluggishness, or dullness.

Group the words below with their best synonym. Drag each word from the list into the box with its matching synonym.

Groups:

(a) Melancholy

,

(b) Abundant

,

(c) Verbose

,

(d) Sluggish

• Lethargic

• Wordy

• Plentiful

• Sad

Answer explanation

The words are grouped into pairs of synonyms. For example, 'melancholy' and 'sad' have similar meanings.

The instructions for the science project were so verbose that most students felt confused. What does verbose mean in this sentence?

• Too brief and unclear

• Too wordy and detailed

• Creative and interesting

• Difficult and challenging

Answer explanation

'Verbose' means using more words than necessary. In this context, it explains why the students were confused by the long instructions.