Solved Examples Set 1 (Antonyms)

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. CHIVALROUS

   1. gallant
   2. discourteous
   3. civilized
   4. armored
   5. vainglorious

   (B. discourteous.) Chivalrous means positive or high-minded. Choice A gallant means brave or courageous. Choice B discourteous means not courteous. Choice E vainglorious means marked by excessive pride and vanity.

4. 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.

5. REDUNDANT

   1. Insufficient
   2. Expanded
   3. Profound
   4. Numerous
   5. Verbose

   (A. Insufficient) Redundant means superfluous, extra, unneeded. But insufficient means not enough.

6. PRECURSOR

   1. sequel
   2. pointer
   3. tyro
   4. claimant
   5. afterthought

   (A. sequel) A precursor is a thing or person that precedes, but a sequel, choice A, is something that comes after. A tyro, choice C, is a novice or beginner. A claimant, choice D, is one who makes a claim.

7. EUPHORIA

   1. mandate
   2. intoxicant
   3. life
   4. euthanasia
   5. gloom

   (E. gloom.) Euphoria means a feeling of well-being or elation. Choice A mandate means an order or command. Choice B intoxicant means a mind-altering substance. Choice D euthanasia means mercy killing. Choice E gloom means sadness or depression.

8. 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.

9. IRONIC

   1. literary
   2. figurative
   3. analogous
   4. mysterious
   5. literal

   (E. literal) Ironic means using words to express the opposite of their literal meaning. Choice B figurative means metaphoric, a kind of literary comparison. Choice C analogous means a resemblance between two things that are otherwise unlike. Choice E literal means exact or verbatim.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. HIDEBOUND

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

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

15. REDUNDANT

    1. verbose
    2. irrelevant
    3. prosaic
    4. excessive
    5. insufficient

    (E. insufficient.) Redundant means superfluous, extra, unneeded. Choice A verbose means using too many words. Choice C prosaic means dull or ordinary. Choice E insufficient means not enough.

16. PRETERNATURAL

    1. customary
    2. naturalistic
    3. adventitious
    4. unnatural
    5. pernicious

    (A. customary) Preternatural means extraordinary. Customary means normal or regular. Naturalistic means based on natural desires or events. Adventitious means fortuitous. Unnatural means artificial or abnormal. Pernicious means harmful or wicked.

17. 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.

18. MATRICULATE

    1. articulate
    2. speculate
    3. divorce
    4. impart
    5. graduate

    (E. graduate) Matriculate means to sign up, to register for or join, especially for college. Choice A articulate means to express ideas clearly. Choice B speculate means to form opinions without definite knowledge. Choice E graduate means to be awarded a diploma for a course of study or to conclude school successfully.

19. 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.

20. ENIGMATIC

    1. explicit
    2. cryptic
    3. implicit
    4. syntactic
    5. impolitic

    (A. explicit) Enigmatic means puzzling, unclear, obscure. Explicit means clear and direct. Cryptic means puzzling. Implicit means indirect. Syntactic means having to do with sentence structure. Impolitic means unwise.

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