Solved Examples Set 3 (Antonyms)

1. EMPATHY

   1. compassion
   2. lack of feeling for others
   3. lack of religious certainty
   4. lack of credit
   5. recalcitrance

   (B. lack of feeling for others) Empathy means feeling for others, sympathy. Choice E recalcitrance means disobedience, noncompliance.

2. DETACH

   1. Separate
   2. Pack
   3. Bottom line
   4. Scratch
   5. Ambulatory

   (B. Pack) Detach means to separate or unfasten. The best opposite is choice Pack.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. AFFECTION

   1. love
   2. aversion
   3. disaffection
   4. purity
   5. effect

   (B. aversion.) Affection means love or liking. Choice B aversion means strong dislike. Choice C disaffection means alienation or resentment. Choice D purity means cleanness, freedom from physical or moral pollution.

7. HIDEBOUND

   1. liberal
   2. dishonorable
   3. honorable
   4. conservative
   5. leathery

   (A. liberal) Hidebound means narrow-minded. Choice A liberal means openminded.

8. DOWDY

   1. slovenly
   2. out of date
   3. stylish
   4. above average
   5. seasonal

   (C. stylish) Dowdy means drab or out of date. Choice A slovenly means untidy.

9. NEBULOUS

   1. astronomical
   2. distinct
   3. eccentric
   4. hopeful
   5. moribund

   (B. distinct) Nebulous means vague or hazy. Choice B distinct means clear, single, particular, or discrete. The adjective moribund, choice E, means dying.

10. SCRUTINIZE

    1. skim
    2. devour
    3. elaborate
    4. comprehend
    5. question

    (A. skim.) Scrutinize means to examine something thoroughly and carefully. Choice A skim means to glance at or read quickly. Choice B devour means to hungrily or greedily consume.

11. INTERCEDE

    1. intercept
    2. disrupt
    3. supersede
    4. intervene
    5. question

    (B. disrupt) Intercede means to mediate, to help two sides reach an agreement. Choice A intercept means to take something away. Choice B disrupt means to push apart. Choice C supersede means to replace or overrule. Choice D intervene means to intercede.

12. ELEVATED

    1. grounded
    2. raised
    3. excited
    4. subterranean
    5. moody

    (D. subterranean.) Elevated means above the ground. Choice A grounded means connected to the earth. Choice D subterranean means beneath the surface.

13. INFIRM

    1. ailing
    2. hospitalized
    3. robust
    4. recovering
    5. firm

    (C. robust.) Infirm means weak, especially from illness or old age. Choice C robust means very healthy.

14. FERVOR

    1. an unfortified place
    2. patriotism
    3. drollery
    4. merrymaking
    5. nonchalance

    (E. nonchalance) Fervor means zeal or warmth of feeling, and choice E nonchalance is cool indifference. Choice C drollery is something amusing.

15. PROFUSE

    1. extravagant
    2. antinatural
    3. immodest
    4. sparse
    5. refutable

    (D. sparse) Profuse means lavish, lush, or abundant. Choice A extravagant means going beyond what is reasonable. Choice B antinatural means against nature. Choice C immodest means lacking in modesty or indecent. Choice D sparse means not thickly grown. Choice E refutable means able to be proved wrong.

16. 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.

17. CONFIDANT

    1. assurance
    2. acquaintance
    3. enemy
    4. confession
    5. ally

    (C. enemy.) Confidant means a friend, a person you can confide in. Choice C enemy is the opposite of friend.

18. PALPABLE

    1. pliable
    2. facetious
    3. evident
    4. intangible
    5. careful

    (D. intangible) Palpable means easily perceived, obvious, tangible. Choice A pliable means flexible, easily influenced. Choice B facetious means intending to be funny. Choice D intangible means not tangible.

19. 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.

20. TRUMPET

    1. fetch
    2. glut
    3. hone
    4. idle
    5. veil

    (E. veil) The verb trumpet means to announce loudly, to proclaim. The opposite is veil, which means to cover or conceal.

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