Question 1

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to: BENEVOLENT

Accepted Answer

Benevolent (adjective) means kind, generous, and showing goodwill towards others. It comes from Latin 'bene' (well) + 'volent' (wishing). In SSC papers, it often appears in reading comprehension passages describing charitable organisations or philanthropic individuals.

Question 2

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to EPHEMERAL.

Accepted Answer

EPHEMERAL (adjective) means lasting for a very short time; transitory. Origin: from Greek 'ephemeros' (lasting only a day). Example: 'The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks.' The correct synonym is FLEETING, which also means lasting a very short time or passing quickly. PERMANENT (opposite meaning), ETERNAL (opposite meaning), and DURABLE (opposite meaning) are all antonyms, making them incorrect choices for a synonym question.

Question 3

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to BENEVOLENT.

Accepted Answer

Benevolent (adjective) means 'kind, generous, and showing goodwill towards others.' It comes from Latin 'bene' (well) + 'volens' (wishing). Example: 'The benevolent philanthropist donated millions to the orphanage.' The correct synonym is MAGNANIMOUS, which means 'generous in forgiving; noble in spirit.' Both words convey kindness and generosity, though magnanimous emphasises nobility of character.

Question 4

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to: ARDENT

Accepted Answer

Ardent (adjective) means enthusiastic, passionate, or fervent in feeling or expression. It comes from Latin 'ardens' (burning, fiery). Example: 'She is an ardent supporter of environmental conservation.' The correct answer is FERVENT, which means intensely passionate or enthusiastic. APATHETIC means lacking interest (opposite). MODERATE means mild/average (opposite). INDOLENT means lazy/sluggish (unrelated).

Question 5

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to: METICULOUS

Accepted Answer

Meticulous (adjective) means showing great attention to detail, careful, and precise. From Latin 'meticulosus' (fearful, timid), it evolved to mean 'carefully cautious about details'. Common in SSC papers describing quality of work or character.

Question 6

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to: BENEVOLENT

Accepted Answer

BENEVOLENT (adjective) means kind, generous, and showing goodwill towards others. It comes from Latin 'bene' (well) + 'volent' (wishing). In SSC/Banking papers, it often appears in passages about charitable organisations or kind-hearted individuals. The correct synonym is CHARITABLE, which shares the meaning of showing kindness and generosity. MALEVOLENT is the direct antonym (meaning harmful/evil). INDIFFERENT means unconcerned and lacks the positive intention. ARROGANT means proud and self-important, which is unrelated to benevolence.

Question 7

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to: AMELIORATE

Accepted Answer

Ameliorate (from Latin 'melior' = better) means to improve or make better. The correct opposite is DETERIORATE, which means to become or make worse. EXACERBATE also means to worsen, making it a close synonym to the correct answer. FACILITATE means to make easier. MITIGATE means to lessen the severity.

Question 8

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to AMIABLE.

Accepted Answer

AMIABLE comes from Latin 'amicabilis' meaning friendly. It describes a person who is pleasant and likeable in manner. The correct synonym is AFFABLE, which also means friendly and easy to talk to. ACRIMONIOUS means bitter and harsh (opposite meaning). AMBIGUOUS means unclear or doubtful — a common distractor because it starts with 'am-'. ARROGANT means having an exaggerated sense of self-importance, which is the opposite in tone.

Question 9

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to: EPHEMERAL

Accepted Answer

EPHEMERAL (adjective) means lasting for a very short time; transitory. From Greek 'ephemeros' (lasting only a day). Example: 'The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks.' The opposite would be something that lasts a long time or is permanent.

Question 10

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to LACONIC.

Accepted Answer

LACONIC comes from the Greek 'Lakonikos', referring to the Spartans of Laconia who were famous for their brief, pointed speech. It means using very few words to express something. CONCISE is the closest synonym, meaning giving a lot of information clearly in few words. VERBOSE means using too many words (an antonym). AMBIGUOUS means unclear or double-meaning. ELOQUENT means fluent and persuasive — it implies quantity and quality of expression, not brevity.

Question 11

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to OBFUSCATE.

Accepted Answer

OBFUSCATE (verb) means to deliberately make something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand. It comes from Latin 'obfuscare' (to darken). The opposite would be a word meaning to make clear, transparent, or easy to understand. ELUCIDATE is the correct antonym, meaning to explain clearly and thoroughly. OBFUSCATE is commonly tested in SSC CGL Tier-1 and IBPS PO papers as it appears in reading comprehension passages discussing complex policies or scientific concepts that are intentionally or unintentionally made unclear.

Question 12

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to OBFUSCATE.

Accepted Answer

OBFUSCATE (verb) means to deliberately make something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand. It comes from Latin 'obfuscare' (to darken). The opposite would be to make something clear, transparent, or easy to understand. ELUCIDATE is the correct antonym, meaning to explain clearly and make something lucid. EXACERBATE means to worsen; OBTRUDE means to thrust forward obtrusively; OCCLUDE means to block or close off—none of these are opposite in meaning.

Question 13

Choose the word most SIMILAR in meaning to: PROPITIOUS

Accepted Answer

PROPITIOUS (adjective) means favourable, auspicious, or giving signs of future success. Origin: Latin 'propitius' (well-disposed, favourable). Context: 'The propitious weather conditions and strong market demand made it an ideal time to launch the new product.'

Question 14

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to PERSPICACIOUS.

Accepted Answer

PERSPICACIOUS (adjective) means having keen insight, discernment, or the ability to understand things clearly and penetratingly. It comes from Latin 'perspicax' (seeing clearly). A perspicacious person is sharp-minded and perceptive. The OPPOSITE would be someone lacking insight or understanding. OBTUSE means dull, insensitive, or lacking sharpness of mind—the direct antonym. SAGACIOUS (wise, shrewd) is a near-synonym, not an antonym. PELLUCID (clear, transparent) refers to clarity of expression, not mental acuity. ASTUTE (shrewd, clever) is also a synonym. In competitive exams like SSC CGL, perspicacious frequently appears in reading comprehension passages describing discerning characters or analysts. The correct answer is OBTUSE because it represents the exact opposite mental quality.

Question 15

Choose the word most OPPOSITE in meaning to: SANGUINE

Accepted Answer

SANGUINE (adjective) means optimistic, positive, or hopeful; confident about the future. Origin: Latin 'sanguineus' (blood-red; originally meant having a ruddy complexion, associated with a cheerful temperament). Context: 'Despite the economic downturn, the CEO remained sanguine about the company's prospects.'

MNS - Military Nursing Service Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms & Antonyms— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Synonyms & Antonyms — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Synonyms & Antonyms