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Difficulty: MediumSynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

The environmental panel warned that the uncontrolled discharge of industrial effluent would have a deleterious effect on the local aquatic ecosystem. Which word is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as used in the sentence?

  1. detrimentalAnswer
  2. B
    beneficial
  3. C
    delicious
  4. D
    temporary

Answer

detrimental
In the given sentence, 'deleterious' describes an action or substance that inflicts severe harm or damage on an ecosystem. The word 'detrimental' means causing harm or damage, making it the option nearest in meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the target word in the sentence
The stem describes 'uncontrolled discharge of industrial effluent' impacting an 'aquatic ecosystem', signaling a negative and damaging consequence.
Contextual clues in JAMB UTME questions establish the precise semantic shade required.
2
Determine the contextual meaning of 'deleterious'
'Deleterious' means causing harm, injury, or severe damage.
Defining the target word clearly allows accurate comparison with option choices.
3
Compare options to find the word nearest in meaning
'Detrimental' means causing harm or damage, making it the precise synonym for 'deleterious'.
Synonym selection requires matching core semantic features without selecting antonyms or visually similar confusables.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual synonyms for formal and academic vocabulary
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Topics

Synonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

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