Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasySynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

The manager decided to curtail the meeting so that employees could return to their urgent tasks. Which word is nearest in meaning to curtail as used in the sentence?

  1. A
    extend
  2. shortenAnswer
  3. C
    postpone
  4. D
    cancel

Answer

The word nearest in meaning to 'curtail' is 'shorten'.
In this context, 'curtail' means to cut short or decrease the duration of an event. The choice 'shorten' conveys the exact same meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the context in which the target word is used.
The context shows that the meeting was trimmed in duration so employees could get back to work.
Understanding the context helps isolate the intended meaning of the underlined word.
2
Define 'curtail' based on vocabulary knowledge.
'Curtail' means to cut short, reduce, or diminish.
Connecting contextual clues to the definition clarifies the exact sense required.
3
Compare 'curtail' with the available choices.
'Shorten' directly mirrors the concept of cutting short or reducing duration.
Choosing the closest contextual synonym satisfies the question requirement.

Key Concept

Determining word meaning through contextual analysis and synonym recognition.
Rate this question

Topics

Synonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

More questions from this topic