Question

Difficulty: HardSynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

In the sentence below, identify the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word.

'The managing director's perspicacious assessment of the volatile market conditions enabled the corporation to avert imminent financial collapse.'

Which word is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as used in the sentence?

  1. astuteAnswer
  2. B
    conspicuous
  3. C
    obtuse
  4. D
    meticulous

Answer

The word nearest in meaning to 'perspicacious' is 'astute'.
In this context, 'perspicacious' refers to having strong insight, keen judgment, and mental sharpness. The word 'astute' directly corresponds to this meaning, as an astute assessment demonstrates acute perception and shrewdness in navigating volatile situations.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The target word describes an assessment of 'volatile market conditions' that successfully prevented 'imminent financial collapse'. This implies sharp insight, keen discernment, and shrewdness.
Contextual clues in vocabulary questions dictate the specific nuance of the target word.
2
Define the target word 'perspicacious'
Perspicacious means having keen mental perception, discernment, and understanding; insightful and shrewd.
Establishing the precise definition allows evaluation against option choices.
3
Evaluate options against contextual meaning
'Astute' means shrewd, discerning, and mentally sharp, making it the exact synonym required.
Selecting the option that preserves both the semantic meaning and contextual nuance.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual synonyms in formal vocabulary
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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