Question

Difficulty: MediumAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

Unlike his brother who was renowned for his courage in the face of grave danger, the young prince proved to be remarkably PUSILLANIMOUS during the siege of the kingdom. Which word is opposite in meaning to the capitalized word as used in the sentence?

  1. dauntlessAnswer
  2. B
    craven
  3. C
    prudent
  4. D
    audible

Answer

dauntless
In the given sentence, 'pusillanimous' describes someone who lacks courage or is cowardly, as contrasted with the brother's courage. The word 'dauntless' means brave and fearless, which is the precise contextual antonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual meaning of the capitalized word in the sentence.
The word 'PUSILLANIMOUS' is used to describe the prince in contrast to his brother's 'courage', indicating that 'pusillanimous' means lacking courage, fearful, or cowardly.
Contextual clues ('Unlike his brother who was renowned for his courage...') establish a clear contrast.
2
Identify the option that expresses the exact opposite meaning.
The word 'dauntless' means brave, courageous, and resolute, serving as the direct antonym to 'pusillanimous'.
A person who is dauntless possesses fearlessness, which directly contradicts being pusillanimous.

Key Concept

Identifying Contextual Antonyms
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