Suffix -ery Vocabulary: Synonyms Quiz
Practice Suffix -ery vocabulary with this 23-word synonyms quiz. For each word, choose the synonym—the option with the same or most similar meaning.
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Synonyms quiz: choose the closest meaning
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A main road or highway that connects different regions, cities, or areas together.
Such arteries play a crucial role in facilitating transportation and commerce, as they provide a fast and efficient means of travel and transport of goods. Arteries are usually characterized by having multiple lanes and being designed to handle a large volume of traffic. They often serve as the main highways for a particular region, providing access to other roads and highways that lead to smaller towns and communities. Arteries play a key role in supporting economic development and growth, as they allow people and goods to move quickly and easily from one place to another, helping to foster trade, investment, and tourism. In this sense, an artery can be seen as a vital part of the transportation infrastructure that helps to sustain a region and its communities.
An artery is also a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to various parts of the body. Arteries are part of the circulatory system and are responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to organs and tissues throughout the body. The largest artery in the body is the aorta, which originates from the left ventricle of the heart and branches out to distribute blood to the rest of the body. Arteries have thick, muscular walls that help regulate blood flow and maintain blood pressure. When arteries become narrow or blocked due to the buildup of plaque, it can lead to serious health problems such as heart attack or stroke.
Complete Vocabulary List for Suffix -ery with Meanings, Synonyms, Examples, and Quiz Questions
artery (noun) /ˈɑːt(ə)ri/
Meaning: Such arteries play a crucial role in facilitating transportation and commerce, as they provide a fast and efficient means of travel and transport of goods.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to artery?
Options: main road; alley; side street; path
Answer: main
Synonyms: avenue; boulevard; carriageway; expressway; freeway; passage; route; street; thoroughfare
Example: "The congested artery was a major traffic bottleneck during rush hour."
battery (noun) /ˈbæt ə ri/
Meaning: A battery typically consists of several cannons, howitzers, or other artillery pieces, along with the necessary equipment and personnel to operate and support them.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to battery?
Options: artillery; disarmament; defenselessness; vulnerability
Answer: artillery
Synonyms: armament; artillery; barrage; bombardment; cannonade; firepower; guns; munitions; ordnance; salvo; shelling
Example: "The enemy's artillery battery launched a fierce bombardment on our positions."
chicanery (noun) /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/
Meaning: The word is often in the context of legal or political matters.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to chicanery?
Options: trickery; honesty; integrity; straightforwardness
Answer: trickery
Synonyms: trickery; deception; duplicity; subterfuge; scheming; craftiness; cunning; artifice; guile; ruse
Example: "His chicanery in the stock market earned him a hefty prison sentence."
debauchery (noun) /dɪˈbɔːtʃ(ə)ri/
Meaning: It can also describe a lifestyle or a pattern of behavior that is characterized by excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures or in activities that are considered immoral or depraved.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to debauchery?
Options: excess; morality; virtue; restraint
Answer: excess
Synonyms: carousing; decadence; depravity; dissipation; excess; hedonism; immorality; intemperance; lechery; lewdness; libertinism; licentiousness
Example: "The party was a night of debauchery, with alcohol flowing freely and people engaging in various forms of excess."
doddery (adjective) /ˈdɒdəri/
Meaning: When describing a person, it suggests advanced age and frailty, often accompanied by trembling or difficulty in movement.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to doddery?
Options: unstable; steady; stable; firm
Answer: unstable
Synonyms: doddering; faltering; feeble; frail; quivery; rickety; shaky; tottering; trembling; unsteady; weak; wobbly
Example: "She carefully helped her doddery grandmother up the stairs."
drudgery (noun) /ˈdrʌdʒəri/
Meaning: It typically involves routine chores, laborious duties, or uninteresting responsibilities that require significant effort but offer little intellectual or creative stimulation.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to drudgery?
Options: toil; pleasure; enjoyment; leisure
Answer: toil
Synonyms: chore; effort; exertion; graft; grind; labor; skivvying; slog; struggle; tedium; toil; travail
Example: "She had been working in the factory for years, and the drudgery of the job was taking a toll on her mental health."
effrontery (noun) /ɪˈfrʌnt(ə)ri/
Meaning: It is characterized by a lack of respect or disregard for social norms and conventions, and is often accompanied by audacity, nerve, or cheekiness.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to effrontery?
Options: audacity; deference; respect; humility
Answer: audacity
Synonyms: arrogance; audacity; brazenness; cheek; gall; insolence; nerve; presumption; temerity
Example: "The thief's effrontery in attempting to steal from the museum was bold."
forgery (noun) /ˈfɔr dʒə ri/
Meaning: It involves imitating or replicating an existing object, document, or artwork, often with the purpose of passing it off as genuine.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to forgery?
Options: counterfeit; authenticity; original; genuineness
Answer: counterfeit
Synonyms: copy; counterfeit; deception; fabrication; fake; falsification; fraud; hoax; imitation; replica; reproduction; sham
Example: "The forger was skilled at creating fake passports and identification documents."
imagery (noun) /ˈɪm ɪdʒ ri/
Meaning: Imagery seeks to engage the reader's senses by appealing to sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell, enabling them to immerse themselves in the world being depicted.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to imagery?
Options: symbolism; plainness; dullness; blandness
Answer: symbolism
Synonyms: depictions; evocation; illustrations; pictures; portrayal; representation; visualizations; visuals
Example: "The poet's vivid imagery painted a breathtaking sunset in the reader's mind."
jittery (adjective) /ˈdʒɪt ə ri/
Meaning: When someone is jittery, they often exhibit signs of trembling, fidgeting, or having an overall sense of anxiety.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to jittery?
Options: anxious; calm; composed; relaxed
Answer: anxious
Synonyms: agitated; anxious; edgy; fidgety; jumpy; nervous; restless; tense; twitchy; uneasy; unsettled
Example: "She felt jittery before her big presentation, her hands shaking slightly."
jobbery (noun) /ˈdʒɒb(ə)ri/
Meaning: This type of jobbery involves exploiting a public office or position of trust to serve one's own interests, rather than those of the public or the organization they represent.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to jobbery?
Options: nepotism; meritocracy; fairness; integrity
Answer: nepotism
Synonyms: bribery; crime; crookedness; exploitation; extortion; fraud; malfeasance; nepotism
Example: "The politicians were accused of jobbery and corruption in the allocation of government contracts."
leery (adjective) /ˈlɪər i/
Meaning: When someone is leery, they approach a situation or person with caution and skepticism, often due to a sense of distrust or uncertainty.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to leery?
Options: suspicious; trusting; gullible; naive
Answer: suspicious
Synonyms: apprehensive; cautious; distrustful; doubtful; dubious; guarded; hesitant; skeptical; suspicious; uncertain; wary
Example: "The detective remained leery of the suspect's alibi, sensing something was amiss."
livery (noun) /ˈlɪvəri/
Meaning: It can also refer to a particular type of uniform worn by horseback riders, such as jockeys or riders in formal equestrian events.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to livery?
Options: uniform; plainclothes; casual; informal
Answer: uniform
Synonyms: apparel; attire; clothing; costume; dress; garb; guise; habit; raiment; regalia
Example: "The royal coach was adorned with a magnificent livery of gold and crimson."
misery (noun) /ˈmɪz ə ri/
Meaning: It encompasses deep emotional or physical pain, sorrow, or anguish.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to misery?
Options: suffering; joy; happiness; contentment
Answer: suffering
Synonyms: affliction; agony; anguish; despair; distress; hardship; pain; sorrow; suffering; torment; tribulation; woe
Example: "She couldn't escape the misery of her broken heart after the breakup."
mockery (noun) /ˈmɒk ə ri/
Meaning: It involves using contempt, derision, or scorn to belittle, mimic, or imitate in a mocking or sarcastic manner.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to mockery?
Options: ridicule; respect; admiration; esteem
Answer: ridicule
Synonyms: belittlement; contempt; derision; jeering; parody; ridicule; sarcasm; scoffing; scorn; sneering; taunting; teasing
Example: "The students burst into laughter, turning his mistake into a mockery."
periphery (noun) /pəˈrɪf ə ri/
Meaning: It represents the outermost or surrounding area of a central point or core.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to periphery?
Options: edge; center; core; middle
Answer: edge
Synonyms: border; borderland; boundary; brink; circumference; edge; fringe; hem; limit; margin; outskirts; rim
Example: "The periphery of the forest was teeming with wildlife."
raillery (noun) /ˈreɪləri/
Meaning: When people engage in raillery, they are typically poking fun at each other or making clever and humorous comments without any intent to offend or harm.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to raillery?
Options: jesting; criticism; condemnation; disapproval
Answer: jesting
Synonyms: badinage; jesting; joking; joshing; kidding; mockery; persiflage; repartee; ribbing; ridicule
Example: "Their playful raillery added a lighthearted atmosphere to the gathering."
skullduggery (noun) /skʌlˈdʌɡ(ə)ri/
Meaning: It describes actions that are considered underhanded or sneaky, and is often used to describe behavior that is illegal or unethical.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to skullduggery?
Options: trickery; honesty; integrity; straightforwardness
Answer: trickery
Synonyms: deceit; trickery; fraud; chicanery; deception; duplicity; cheating; slyness; guile
Example: "The company was accused of skullduggery in their business practices."
snobbery (noun) /ˈsnɒb ə ri/
Meaning: It embodies a disdainful and elitist mentality, where individuals display an arrogant belief in their own superiority while looking down upon those they consider inferior.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to snobbery?
Options: elitism; humility; egalitarianism; modesty
Answer: elitism
Synonyms: affectation; arrogance; condescension; disdain; elitism; haughtiness; loftiness; pomposity; pretension; snobbishness; snootiness; superiority
Example: "His snobbery was evident in the way he scoffed at people who couldn't afford designer clothes."
sorcery (noun) /ˈsɔr sə ri/
Meaning: It is often associated with the casting of spells, the invocation of spirits, or the use of rituals and incantations.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to sorcery?
Options: magic; science; reality; rationality
Answer: magic
Synonyms: conjuring; enchantment; magic; mysticism; necromancy; occult; spellcasting; thaumaturgy; witchcraft; witchery; wizardry
Example: "The ancient tome revealed the secrets of sorcery, unlocking a world of arcane power."
treachery (noun) /ˈtrɛtʃ ə ri/
Meaning: It involves intentionally breaking trust, usually for personal gain or to harm someone else.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to treachery?
Options: betrayal; loyalty; faithfulness; allegiance
Answer: betrayal
Synonyms: backstabbing; betrayal; deception; disloyalty; duplicity; faithlessness; infidelity; perfidy; treason; trickery; unfaithfulness
Example: "The knight was executed for his act of treachery against the kingdom."
trickery (noun) /ˈtrɪk ə ri/
Meaning: It involves employing sly and deceptive tactics with the intention of gaining an advantage, achieving a specific outcome, or misleading someone.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to trickery?
Options: deceit; honesty; integrity; sincerity
Answer: deceit
Synonyms: artifice; chicanery; cunning; deceit; deception; duplicity; fraud; guile; manipulation; scheming; subterfuge; treachery
Example: "The magician amazed the audience with his clever trickery."
upholstery (noun) /ʌpˈhoʊl stə ri/
Meaning: It involves the process of adding padding, springs, and a durable fabric covering to furniture frames.
Find the synonym: Which option is closest in meaning to upholstery?
Options: fabric; bare; uncovered; unadorned
Answer: fabric
Synonyms: covering; cushioning; decoration; drapery; fabric; furnishing; lining; material; padding; textile; trim
Example: "She hired a professional to reupholster her worn-out sofa."