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Difficulty: HardSynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

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

During the parliamentary debates on national defense, the minister's pusillanimous stance on the border crisis alienated his most loyal supporters.

Which word is nearest in meaning to pusillanimous?

  1. A
    courageous
  2. cowardlyAnswer
  3. C
    aggressive
  4. D
    insignificant

Answer

The word nearest in meaning to pusillanimous is 'cowardly'.
The word 'pusillanimous' means showing a lack of courage or determination; timid or faint-hearted. In the given sentence, the minister's reluctance to face hostile debate demonstrates a faint-hearted approach, making 'cowardly' the precise synonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual clues in the sentence stem
The minister's failure to take a firm stand on defense alienated loyal supporters, showing a weak and timid approach.
Examining contextual clues reveals the pragmatic sense of the word in a formal political setting.
2
Determine the exact meaning of the target word 'pusillanimous'
Pusillanimous means lacking courage or resolution; timid or faint-hearted.
Establishing a precise definition prevents confusion with related behavioral terms.
3
Match the target definition to the options provided
'Cowardly' directly corresponds to the definition of faint-hearted and timid.
Choosing the synonym nearest in meaning requires direct semantic alignment.

Key Concept

Identifying context-dependent synonyms while avoiding antonym inversions and unjustified inferences.
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Synonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

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