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Question

Difficulty: MediumAntonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

Read the statement below carefully.

Far from being SANGUINE about the company's financial recovery following the severe economic downturn, the chief executive officer expressed grave concern regarding its future prospects.

Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to SANGUINE as used in the passage above?

  1. A
    optimistic
  2. pessimisticAnswer
  3. C
    bloody
  4. D
    pragmatic

Answer

The word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'sanguine' is 'pessimistic'.
In this sentence context, 'sanguine' describes an attitude of optimism or hopefulness regarding financial recovery. The word 'pessimistic' directly contradicts this state by denoting a negative, doubtful outlook on future outcomes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the contextual meaning of the target word from sentence clues
The phrase 'Far from being SANGUINE... expressed grave concern' reveals that 'sanguine' means hopeful, confident, or optimistic.
Sentence contrast clues show that 'sanguine' is the opposite of expressing grave concern.
2
Identify the word that conveys the directly opposite meaning
The direct opposite of being optimistic or hopeful about the future is being pessimistic.
An antonym must express the inverse meaning within the specific context of the sentence.

Key Concept

Contextual Antonyms in Lexis and Vocabulary
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Topics

Antonyms and Words Opposite in Meaning

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