Antonyms Exercises with Answers
DIRECTIONS: A word in capital letters is followed by four words. Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word given in capital letters.
- ELAN
(a) Brashness
(b) Dignity
(c) Composure
(d) Nervousness
Answer: (d) Elan means vigour or energy and enthusiasm, opposite of enthusiasm would be nervousness, composure means calmness, dignity is calm and serious manner while brashness is opposite to composure.
- IRASCIBLE
(a) Kind
(b) Friendly
(c) Roguish
(d) Clever
Answer: (c) Irascible is hot tempered, or someone who easily gets angry, roguish is playful, it is more clearly an antonym to hot tempered than friendly or even kind. Both words Irascible and roguish concern the temperament of a person, while others are about his nature.
- NEBULOUS
(a) Concrete
(b) Unkind
(c) Undramatic
(d) Uninteresting
Answer: (a) Nebulous is indistinct something that does not have a clear outline, Concrete is solid and of definite shape.
- PENCHANT
(a) Disinclination
(b) Lone
(c) Directness
(d) Lack of skill
Answer: (a) Penchant is a natural inclination towards something, lone means only, alone, single.
- PERFUNCTORY
(a) Quick
(b) Slow
(c) Careful
(d) Loud
Answer: (c) Perfunctory is a task performed only for the sake of it, done carelessly without much attention.
- TRANSIENT
(a) Urgent
(b) Youthful
(c) Original
(d) Eternal
Answer: (d) Transient is something that is momentous or not fixed, which passes away with time, eternal is what lasts forever.
- SUBLIME
(a) Base
(b) Concise
(c) Partial
(d) Insist
Answer: (a) Sublime is magnificent and great, base is anything low, ordinary, concise means short or compact, partial is not complete, and Insist is to make a request.
- MANSION
(a) Castle
(b) Hovel
(c) House
(d) Hotel
Answer: (b) Mansion is a very big house, while hovel is a small, dingy house, castle is a large fortified residence.
- PARTITION
(a) Maintain
(b) Enjoin
(c) Unify
(d) Break
Answer: (c) Partition is to divide, unify is to bring together, enjoin means command or an order.
- PRIMITIVE
(a) Polite
(b) Naive
(c) Weak
(d) Sophisticated
Answer: (d) Primitive means of the very old time, and thus not very developed or refined, sophisticated is well-refined and well mannered, Naive means inexperienced.
- TERMAGANT
(a) Charming
(b) Turbulent
(c) Brawling
(d) Shrewish
Answer: (a) Termagant means quarrelsome or someone who always quarrels while charming is the one who pleases. Turbulent means agitated. Brawling is to fight and create noise, shrewish also means quarrelsome.
- TRANSIENT
(a) Transitory
(b) Fleeting
(c) Permanent
(d) Momentary
Answer: (c) Transient is what doesn’t last forever, i.e. what is not permanent. Transitory, fleeting, momentary all means the same as transient.
- REGRESSION
(a) Reverse
(b) Relapse
(c) Regenerate
(d) Retreat
Answer: (c) Regression means to go back or return; reverse, relapse and retreat all mean going back. Regenerate on the other hand means to create a new life, go ahead. Thus is the antonym.
- VENGEFUL
(a) Forgiving
(b) Revenge
(c) Vindictive
(d) Vicious
Answer: (a) Vengeful is full of vengeance, i.e., anger and revenge; forgiving will be opposite to taking revenge; Vindictive is to attack and Vicious is something evil.
- TIRADE
(a) Censure
(b) Declamation
(c) Discredit
(d) Eulogy
Answer: (d) Tirade is a formal and strong criticism, Censure, declamation and discredit are synonymous to Tirade, analogy means excessive praise.
- SALUTATORY
(a) Sad
(b) Valedictory
(c) Derivative
(b) romising
Answer: (a) Salutatory is the welcome speech and valedictory is a farewell speech, derivative means something that has been derived from another.
- TRACTABLE
(a) Irreligious
(b) Incapable
(c) Unmanageable
(d) Unreal
Answer: (c) Tractable is something that can be managed easily, i.e., manageable.
- CYNICAL
(a) Trusting
(b) Gallant
(c) Brazen
(d) Tiresome
Answer: (a) Cynical is a person who believes the motives and intentions of other people are always bad or evil, i.e., he always suspects, doubts mistrusts, as opposite to a trusting person. Gallant is very brave, brazen means shameless and Tiresome is long and tiring work.
- GRISLY
(a) Fragrant
(b) Haggard
(c) Pleasant
(d) Shapely
Answer: (c) Grisly means unpleasant, fragrant is something that smells pleasant, haggard is very thin and lean.
- CADAVEROUS
(a) Skilful
(b) Obese
(c) Lucid
(d) Inquisitive
Answer: (b) Cadaverous is very slim or thin, obese is very fat, lucid means clearly expressed, inquisitive is to be very curious, and skillful is someone who shows great skill.