Solved Examples Set 3 (Antonyms)

1. CHAOTIC

   1. Immersive
   2. Orderly
   3. Hectic
   4. Nervous
   5. Embarrasing

   (B. Orderly) Chaotic is a negative word that means in a state of complete confusion or disorder. Orderly is the positive word that is the best opposite.

2. PURITANIC

   1. controlled by hand
   2. making fast
   3. imposing
   4. freewheeling
   5. obtuse

   (D. freewheeling) The adjective puritanic means excessively strict in morals. The most nearly opposite choice here is choice D freewheeling. Choice E obtuse means dull-witted, dense, or ignorant.

3. OVERWROUGHT

   1. relaxed
   2. restrained
   3. underutilized
   4. flawed
   5. underestimated

   (A. relaxed.) Overwrought means overcome by nervous agitation or being overexcited. Choice A relaxed means an absence of tension or tightness.

4. HUGGER-MUGGER

   1. incarcerate
   2. eat heartily
   3. dance wildly
   4. keep watch
   5. publicize

   (E. publicize) As a verb, hugger-mugger means to hush up. Choice E publicize means to announce, promote, or advertise. To incarcerate, choice A, is to imprison.

5. IRASCIBLE

   1. iridescent
   2. cooperative
   3. irregular
   4. commensurate
   5. devilish

   (B. cooperative) Irascible means quarrelsome or hot-tempered. Choice A iridescent means giving off a rainbow glow. Choice B cooperative means agreeable or easygoing. Choice D commensurate means proportionate. Choice E devilish means evil or sinister.

6. APPROBATION

   1. probation
   2. guilt
   3. disapproval
   4. disavowal
   5. disaffected

   (C. disapproval) Approbation means approval. Choice A probation is a period of time for examination or evaluation. Choice C disapproval means objection, and is the opposite of approbation. Choice D disavowal means a denial of responsibility. Choice E disaffection means discontent.

7. INDIGENT

   1. inconsequential
   2. nonnative
   3. extraterrestrial
   4. affluent
   5. compliant

   (D. affluent) Indigent means needy, poor. Choice D affluent means rich, wealthy, or prosperous. Choice E compliant means obliging.

8. NOVEL

   1. fictional
   2. poetic
   3. ordinary
   4. narrative
   5. peerless

   (C. ordinary) Novel means new or unique. Fictional means made up or fabricated. Poetic means elegant or musical. Ordinary means common or everyday. Narrative means related to a story. Peerless means unique.

9. LOUCHE

   1. inflexible
   2. manifest
   3. reputable
   4. wolflike
   5. gloomy

   (C. reputable) Louche means shady, disreputable. Choice B manifest means evident. Choice C reputable means having a good reputation.

10. PUNGENT

    1. acrid
    2. piquant
    3. harmonious
    4. untenable
    5. insipid

    (E. insipid) Pungent means sharply affecting the organs of taste, or a strong sour or bitter taste. Choice E insipid means tasteless. Choices A and B are synonyms of pungent. Choice D untenable means implausible or unreasonable.

11. ABSTEMIOUS

    1. self-indulgent
    2. on the dole
    3. self-sacrificing
    4. off the mark
    5. self-satisfied

    (A. self-indulgent) Abstemious means self-denying, temperate.

12. MANDATORY

    1. dispassionate
    2. obligatory
    3. voluntary
    4. inveterate
    5. disconsolate

    (C. voluntary) Mandatory means obligatory, ordered. Choice A dispassionate means impartial. Choice D inveterate means deep-seated. Choice E disconsolate means cheerless, unhappy.

13. ORNERY

    1. with many faults
    2. odorless
    3. agreeable in disposition
    4. fetid
    5. highly decorated

    (C. agreeable in disposition) Ornery means disagreeable, mean, crotchety. The adjective fetid, choice D, means noisome, stinking.

14. ALTRUISTIC

    1. selfish
    2. below sea level
    3. interdisciplinary
    4. nonalcoholic
    5. self-reliant

    (A. selfish) Altruistic means benevolent, generous, or unselfishly concerned for others. Choice A is the best opposite.

15. ELEVATED

    1. Suspended
    2. Moody
    3. Subterranean
    4. Grounded
    5. Excited

    (C. Subterranean) Elevated means above the ground. "Grounded" means connected to the earth. "Subterranean" means beneath the surface.

16. PROFUNDITY

    1. depth
    2. shallowness
    3. profanity
    4. perfidy
    5. complexity

    (B. shallowness) Profundity means having great depth of understanding or importance. Choice B shallowness means not deep, or an incapability of having deep feelings. Choice C profanity means coarse or irreverent speech. Choice D perfidy means treachery.

17. SUCCULENT

    1. harshly astringent
    2. axiomatic
    3. quietly reclusive
    4. parched
    5. highly spiced

    (D. parched) Succulent means full of juice, juicy. Choice D parched means dried out. Choice B axiomatic means self-evident.

18. LABYRINTHINE

    1. flowery
    2. direct
    3. amazing
    4. dark
    5. towering

    (B. direct) Labyrinthine means mazelike. The best opposite is direct, which means straightforward.

19. EXHUME

    1. expel
    2. exit
    3. infer
    4. refer
    5. inter

    (E. inter) Exhume means to remove from the grave. Expel means to force out, eject. Exit means to depart. Infer means to conclude or deduce. Refer means to relate. Inter means to bury a dead body.

20. UBIQUITOUS

    1. obsequious
    2. cantankerous
    3. rare
    4. intermittent
    5. omnivorous

    (C. rare) Ubiquitous means omnipresent, everywhere. Choice A obsequious means excessively or sickeningly respectful. Choice B cantankerous means bad-tempered. Choice C rare means seldom found or occurring. Choice D intermittent means occurring at intervals, not continuous. Choice E omnivorous means feeding on both plants and animal flesh.

Solved Examples Set 1
Solved Examples Set 2
Solved Examples Set 3