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Question

Difficulty: HardAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

In the sentence below, which word is MOST NEARLY OPPOSITE in meaning to the capitalized word?

The governor's speech delivered a TRENCHANT criticism of the municipal council's fiscal negligence, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

  1. A
    incisive
  2. feebleAnswer
  3. C
    excavated
  4. D
    stringent

Answer

The correct answer is the word expressing a weak or ineffective quality ('feeble').
In the given sentence, 'trenchant' describes criticism that is incisive, forceful, and sharply focused. The word 'feeble', which means lacking force, strength, or effectiveness, serves as its direct contextual antonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual meaning of the target word
In the context of delivering a criticism about fiscal negligence, 'trenchant' means incisive, sharp, forceful, and biting.
Determining exact contextual meaning is essential before searching for a semantic opposite.
2
Identify the word that expresses the direct opposite meaning
An opposite term must denote a lack of force, sharpness, or vigor, which is precisely captured by 'feeble'.
'Feeble' describes criticism that is weak, unconvincing, and lacking impact.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual antonyms for high-level vocabulary in formal English sentences
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Topics

Antonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

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