Question

Difficulty: HardAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

Read the sentence below carefully and complete the blank with a word that is strictly OPPOSITE in meaning to the emphasized target word.

Answer:Despite the chairman's PARSIMONIOUS management style when funding departmental operations, the newly appointed director proved remarkably 【munificent】 in allocating resources for staff development.

Answer

The blank is correctly filled by 'munificent' (or accepted variants such as 'generous', 'lavish', or 'extravagant'), which serves as the exact contextual antonym for 'PARSIMONIOUS'.
The emphasized word 'PARSIMONIOUS' means excessively frugal or stingy. The introductory transition 'Despite' signals that the missing word must represent the polar opposite trait. Terms such as 'munificent', 'generous', or 'lavish' accurately convey bountiful giving and financial liberality, making them precise antonyms in this sentence context.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the meaning of the emphasized word 'PARSIMONIOUS' in the context of the sentence.
'PARSIMONIOUS' describes someone who is extremely frugal, stingy, or unwilling to spend money.
Identifying the baseline definition of the target word is necessary before finding its contextual opposite.
2
Identify the structural contrast established by the preposition 'Despite'.
The word 'Despite' introduces a direct opposition between the chairman's stingy approach and the new director's behavior.
The contrast signal indicates that the missing word must convey open-handedness or abundance in resource allocation.
3
Select a fitting antonym that completes the sentence meaningfully.
'Munificent' (or 'generous') directly expresses splendid liberality and bountiful spending.
It fulfills both the grammatical requirement of the predicate adjective and the semantic demand for an antonym.

Key Concept

Contextual Antonyms and Advanced Lexical Contrast
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