Match each highlighted advanced vocabulary word in the left column with the word in the right column that is most nearly opposite in meaning to it.
- imperious (e.g., 'The chairman was criticized for his imperious handling of the debate.')submissive
- magnanimous (e.g., 'The victor proved magnanimous in defeat, praising his opponent's effort.')vindictive
- alacrity (e.g., 'The newly appointed clerk accepted the task with great alacrity.')reluctance
- trenchant (e.g., 'The analyst offered a trenchant critique of the government's fiscal policy.')bland
Answer
Imperious pairs with Submissive; Magnanimous pairs with Vindictive; Alacrity pairs with Reluctance; Trenchant pairs with Bland.
Each left-hand term represents a specific high-level vocabulary word whose precise semantic opposite is matched in the right-hand column: 'imperious' contrasts with 'submissive', 'magnanimous' contrasts with 'vindictive', 'alacrity' contrasts with 'reluctance', and 'trenchant' contrasts with 'bland'.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Advanced Lexical Antonyms in Context