Vocabulary: Synonymous Expressions

Synonymous Expressions for Verbs and Adjectives

Synonymous expression questions for verbs and adjectives ask you to choose the word whose meaning is closest to the underlined word. First check the dictionary meaning, then also check whether each option fits the surrounding content when inserted into the sentence. Even the same word changes meaning depending on context, so if you memorize a word with only one meaning, you are likely to choose a wrong answer.

Words that express actions and attitudes are as follows:

• '삼가다' (to refrain from) means to be careful not to do a certain action. Ex) 밤늦은 시간에는 큰 소리를 내는 것을 삼가야 한다.
• '철저하다' (thorough) is an adjective meaning without gaps and complete. Ex) 공사 현장의 안전 점검은 철저하게 이루어져야 한다.
• '꼼꼼하다' (meticulous) means detailed and careful with no gaps, and its meaning is close to '빈틈없이' (thoroughly). Ex) 계약서의 금액 조항을 꼼꼼하게 비교했다.
• '소홀히 하다' (to neglect) means to do something carelessly without putting effort into it. It is used as the opposite of '정성껏 하다' (to do wholeheartedly). Ex) 건강검진을 소홀히 하면 병을 늦게 발견하기 쉽다.
• '만회하다' (to make up for) means to recover and set right something lost or a mistake, and its meaning is close to '보완하다' (to supplement). Ex) 지각한 시간을 만회하려고 일찍 출근했다.
• '단련하다' (to train) means to steadily train the body or an ability to make it strong, and its meaning is close to '기르다' (to cultivate). Ex) 매일 걷기 운동으로 체력을 단련했다.
• '챙기다' (to look after) means to care for and look after something. '몸을 챙기다' means to look after one's health, so it is close in meaning to '돌보다' (to take care of). Ex) 여행을 떠나기 전에 건강을 챙겨야 한다.
• '걱정하다' (to worry) means to feel anxious and not at ease, and has the same meaning as '염려하다' (to be concerned about). Ex) 부모님은 늦게 귀가하는 자녀를 늘 걱정하셨다.
• '당부하다' (to urge) means to earnestly ask someone to do something or to tell them in advance. Its meaning is close to '간곡히 부탁하다' (to earnestly request), and it differs from '금지하다' (to prohibit). Ex) 선배는 신입 사원에게 보고서를 기한 안에 내라고 당부했다.
• '근절하다' (to eradicate) means to completely eliminate something bad by its root. Ex) 해마다 병해충을 근절하기 위한 방제 사업이 이어진다.
• '도모하다' (to seek) means to think of a method or plan to achieve something, and has the same meaning as '꾀하다' (to plan). Ex) 상인들은 매출을 늘릴 방안을 도모했다.

Words that express change and state are as follows:

• '오르다' (to rise) means a price or level becomes higher, and it can be replaced with '올라가다' (to go up). Its antonym is '떨어지다' (to fall). Ex) 채소 가격이 오르면 외식 횟수를 줄이는 가정이 늘어난다.
• '줄이다' (to reduce) means to make an amount or degree smaller. When cutting costs or energy by saving, its meaning is close to '절감하다' (to cut down on). Ex) 난방 온도를 낮춰 가스 요금을 절감했다.
• '심해지다' (to worsen) means an illness or symptom becomes worse, and its meaning is close to '나빠지다' (to get worse). It is the opposite of '좋아지다' (to get better). Ex) 기침이 밤마다 심해지면 병원에 가야 한다.
• '늦어지다' (to be delayed) means to be pushed back later than the set time, and has the same meaning as '지연되다' (to be postponed). Ex) 폭설 때문에 공연 시작이 늦어졌다.
• '길다' (long) is also used to mean that a time or period continues for a long time; in this case its meaning is close to '오래 이어지다' (to continue for a long time). Its antonym is '짧다' (short). Ex) 공사 기간이 길어져서 주민들의 불편이 컸다.
• '미미하다' (negligible) means very small and slight. Ex) 이번 달 매출 변화는 미미한 수준이었다.
• '확인하다' (to check) means to examine something and find out whether there are any errors, and its meaning is close to '살펴보다' (to look over). Ex) 제품의 유통기한을 확인하고 구입했다.

Words that express movement, handling, and decision are as follows:

• '타다' (to take) means to use a means of transportation. Conversely, getting out of a vehicle is '내리다' (to get off). Ex) 출근할 때 지하철을 타면 시간을 아낄 수 있다.
• '가져다' (to bring) means to move an object to another place and deliver it, and has the same meaning as '날라 주다' (to carry over). Ex) 주문한 음료를 손님의 자리로 가져다 드렸다.
• '제출하다' (to submit) means to hand in a document or assignment to an organization or person, and has the same meaning as '내다' (to hand in). Ex) 입학 원서는 기한 안에 제출해야 한다.
• '발급받다' (to be issued) means to apply to an organization and receive a certificate, and has the same meaning as '신청하여 받다' (to apply for and receive). Ex) 여권을 새로 발급받으려면 사진이 필요하다.
• '정하다' (to decide) means to choose one among several possibilities and make it definite, and its meaning is close to '결정하다' (to determine). It must be distinguished from '바꾸다' (to change), which means revising something already decided. Ex) 여행 날짜를 정한 뒤에 숙소를 알아보았다.
• '미루다' (to postpone) means to push a task to a later time than scheduled. If deciding is making a decision firm, postponing is pushing back a decision or its execution. Ex) 시험 준비를 자꾸 미루면 시간이 모자라게 된다.
• '팔을 걷어붙이다' (to roll up one's sleeves) is an idiomatic expression from rolling up one's sleeves to get ready to work, and it means to actively take part in a task. Ex) 동네 주민들이 팔을 걷어붙이고 하천 정화에 나섰다.

Expressions of Change in Feeling

Questions on changes in feeling ask you to identify which expression reveals the writer's emotion. Rather than choosing an emotion word by its dictionary meaning alone, judge it by examining the situation in which the underlined expression appears. Feelings often shift within a passage, so you must also check where the underlined part sits in the flow before and after it.

Frequently appearing emotion expressions are as follows.

• '고개를 들 수 없다' (cannot hold one's head up) means being unable to look others directly in the eye out of shame or a lack of self-respect. It expresses an embarrassed and cowed state of mind, and it does not easily disappear even when others offer comfort.
• '뿌듯하다' (feeling proud and satisfied) means feeling content and satisfied with something one has accomplished. It is an emotion word used when a goal has been reached after long effort. Ex) 한 달 동안 준비한 전시회를 무사히 마치니 뿌듯했다.
• '웃음이 나오다' (a smile or laughter comes out) is an expression of joy shown through action. It conveys emotion without stating the joy directly. Ex) 합격 소식을 듣자 자기도 모르게 웃음이 나왔다.
• '고맙다' (grateful) and '감동하다' (to be moved) are feelings that arise from small kindnesses offered by others. Ex) 낯선 사람이 건넨 짧은 한마디에 마음이 따뜻해졌다.
• '안타깝다' (distressing, feeling for someone) expresses a wish for things to improve while feeling upset at a bad situation. In this case, the feeling is not resignation but appears together with hope.
• '허탈하다' (feeling drained and disheartened) means feeling as though one's strength has drained away and one's spirit has gone limp. It is the feeling that appears when one's sincere efforts seem to have been in vain.
• '짜증이 나다' (to be irritated) means a feeling of displeasure and annoyance. This feeling can change into gratitude or ease when the situation changes.
• '마음이 가라앉다' (one's mind settles down) means that a restless or troubled mind becomes calm. Ex) 긴 대화를 마치고 나니 마음이 한결 가라앉았다.
• '새삼 느끼다' (to feel anew) and '생각하게 되다' (to come to think) are expressions that show a changed way of thinking compared with before. They show the flow of moving away from an initial feeling toward a new realization.
• Expressions of shame such as '고개를 들 수 없다' and expressions of pride such as '뿌듯하다' point in opposite directions emotionally. To distinguish the two feelings, look at what triggered them.