Question

Choose the correct synonym for the following word.

BELITTLE
a. Insult
b. Mock
c. Disparage
d. Scoff

Answer 1

Hint: The meaning of belittle is to dismiss something as trivial or unimportant.

Complete answer:
Synonyms are words that have the same meaning as a given word. Generally, words in the English language have many synonyms bearing similar meanings. A thesaurus is a book that contains all these synonyms in one place.
Let us look at some examples of synonyms. Gigantic is a word that means to be huge or enormous. If something is gigantic, it is large in extent. Spacious is another word that can be used to describe this same meaning in one word.
Similarly, let us look at the word enjoyable. If something is enjoyable, it is capable of producing a feeling of pleasure and delight. Festive is another adjective that can be used to describe this meaning in one word.
In our question, we have been given the word ‘belittle’. Let us consider what its meaning is. Belittle is a word that can be traced back in the English language to the eighteenth century. To belittle someone is to make someone or something seem unimportant and worthless. The meaning of belittle is best described by the word disparage. Therefore, the option ‘c’ is the correct answer.

Note: This is a tricky question with options that bear close meanings to each other at a first glance. To avoid making errors, consider the meaning of each option, and see if it matches the word given in the question. You may refer to a thesaurus to get the best synonyms of a given word.