Question

Choose the word/ phrase which is opposite in meaning to the bold word/ phrase in the sentence-
He returned home much inspired, no wonder the plan had worked.
a. Overwhelmed
b. Dispirited
c. Disillusioned
d. Skeptical

Answer 1

Hint: Inspired refers to feeling enthusiastic or being mentally imbued with the spirit to do something creative.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
The word ‘inspired’ has been derived from the Latin word- Inspirare, which means to breathe into.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘inspired’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The bright sky inspired the artist to paint a new picture.

Here, we can understand that the bright sky imbued the artist with the spirit and enthusiasm to paint a new picture.
Let’s examine the given options-

> Overwhelmed- It means to impress or sweep someone off their feet. It is different in meaning to inspire. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
> Dispirited- It means to feel disheartened and lose spirit or enthusiasm to do something. It is opposite in meaning to inspire. Hence, it is the correct option.
> Disillusioned- It means to disappoint or open someone’s eyes. It is different in meaning to inspire. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
> Skeptical- It refers to someone who is doubtful or dubious. It is different in meaning to inspire. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘b’.

Note: You can use the elimination method to eliminate the answers that are least likely to be the opposite of inspired.