Question

Choose the one which best expresses the meaning of-
INEBRIATE
a- Drunken
b- Unsteady
c- Stupefied
d- Dreamy

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym is a word that is nearest in meaning to another word. For example- Obese is a synonym for overweight. ‘Inebriate’ is used to describe someone who is drunk or intoxicated.

Complete answer:
The word, ‘inebriate’ has been derived from the Latin word- Ebrius, which means drunk.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word, ‘inebriate’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- My old friend was badly reputed for his inebriate behavior. Here, we can conclude that X’s old friend was badly reputed for his drunken or intoxicated behavior.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Drunken’ refers to someone who is intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol. Example- I saw two drunken boys outside the gate. ‘Drunken’ is similar in meaning to ‘inebriate’. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option b- ‘Unsteady’ refers to the state of being unstable or shaky. Example- The young child is unsteady on his feet. ‘Unsteady’ is different in meaning to ‘inebriate’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Stupefied’ refers to sedating or knocking out someone. Example- The thieves stupefied the girl before kidnapping her. ‘Stupefied’ is different in meaning to ‘inebriate’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘Dreamy’ refers to something that is terrific or appealing. Example- She wore a dreamy dress at her wedding. ‘Dreamy’ is different in meaning to ‘inebriate’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
So, the correct answer is “Option a”.

Note:
Some other commonly known synonyms of ‘inebriate’ are; intoxicate, tipsy, befuddle, etc. While some frequently used antonyms of ‘inebriate’ are; sober, straight, etc.