Question

Difficulty: MediumSynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

The investigative panel concluded that the claims made against the agency were spurious and lacked any factual foundation. Which word is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as used in the sentence?

  1. falseAnswer
  2. B
    genuine
  3. C
    damaging
  4. D
    confidential

Answer

The word nearest in meaning to 'spurious' in this context is 'false'.
The word 'spurious' means fake, deceitful, or not genuine. In the context of the sentence, the claims lacked factual foundation, making 'false' the choice nearest in meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual clues in the sentence
The phrase 'lacked any factual foundation' indicates that the claims were unverified, baseless, or fake.
Contextual clues define the specific meaning required for the target word.
2
Evaluate the word 'spurious'
'Spurious' is an adjective meaning not being what it purports to be; false or fake.
Matching the definition of the target word with the context confirms its precise synonym.
3
Compare with the option choices
'False' directly corresponds to the meaning of 'spurious' in this administrative panel context.
The correct choice must capture the concept of lacking truth or authenticity.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual synonyms
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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