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Difficulty: Very hardAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with a word that is MOST NEARLY OPPOSITE in meaning to the capitalized word.

Answer:Known throughout his political career for his LACONIC responses during press briefings, the former statesman surprisingly delivered a 【verbose】 address that lasted for over three hours.

Answer

verbose (or garrulous, voluble, loquacious)
The capitalized word 'LACONIC' means using very few words or expressing much in few words (concise, terse). In contrast to a brief response, a speech lasting over three hours is excessively wordy. Therefore, words like 'verbose', 'garrulous', 'voluble', or 'loquacious', which denote wordiness or talkativeness, serve as exact opposites in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the contextual meaning of the capitalized word
The word 'LACONIC' means using very few words, concise, or terse.
Understanding the precise definition of the target vocabulary word in its sentence context is required before finding its antonym.
2
Analyze the sentence context for contrast clues
The sentence uses the contrast marker 'surprisingly' and describes an address lasting 'over three hours', indicating a shift from extreme brevity to excessive wordiness.
Contextual clues dictate that the missing word must describe someone who uses far too many words.
3
Identify the precise contextual antonym
The word 'verbose' (or 'garrulous', 'voluble', 'loquacious') means using far more words than necessary, serving as the exact antonym of 'laconic'.
These terms directly oppose conciseness and fit the elevated vocabulary register expected in the JAMB UTME exam.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual antonyms for advanced English lexis.
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Topics

Antonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

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