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Difficulty: MediumAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

In the sentence below, which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to the capitalized word?

While most board members expressed deep anxiety over the sudden drop in quarterly revenue, the chief executive officer remained remarkably SANGUINE about the company's long-term prospects.

  1. pessimisticAnswer
  2. B
    optimistic
  3. C
    ruddy
  4. D
    sanguinary

Answer

The word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'sanguine' is 'pessimistic'.
In the sentence, 'sanguine' describes the CEO's buoyant and confident outlook despite revenue drops. The exact opposite of being optimistic or hopeful is being pessimistic.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the contextual meaning of the capitalized word 'SANGUINE'.
In the context of maintaining confidence during financial anxiety, 'sanguine' means cheerful, optimistic, or hopeful.
Understanding the exact contextual meaning is essential before identifying its opposite.
2
Identify the word among the choices that expresses the antonym (opposite meaning) of 'sanguine'.
'Pessimistic' means expecting the worst outcome, which directly contradicts 'sanguine' (optimistic).
Antonym questions require choosing the option with the inverse contextual meaning.

Key Concept

Contextual Antonyms
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Antonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

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