Question

Choose the word/ phrase which is opposite in meaning to the bold word/ phrase in the sentence-
He was found guilty.

a) True
b) Right
c) Innocent
d) Correct

Answer 1

Hint: Guilty refers to someone who is blameable or responsible for committing a crime, wrongdoing, or for violating the law.

Complete answer:

The word ‘guilty’ has been derived from the Old English word- Gyltig.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘guilty’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The gang was found guilty of manslaughter. Here, we can understand that the gang was held responsible or blameable for committing manslaughter.
Let’s examine the given options-
a) True- It refers to someone or something that is accurate or verified. It is different in meaning to guilty. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Example- The movie is based on a true story.
b) Right- It refers to something that is considered to be correct or valid as a fact. It is different in meaning to guilty. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Example- The child was praised for giving the right answer.
c) Innocent- It refers to someone who is blameless or guiltless. It is opposite in meaning to guilty. Hence, it is the correct option.
Example- The boy was found innocent by the judge.
d) Correct- It refers to something that is accurate or right. It is different in meaning to guilty. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Example- She gave the correct answer.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: True, right, and correct have the same meaning, that is different in meaning to guilty. Hence, ‘innocent’ has to be the correct option.