Question

Choose the word that can be substituted for the given words/sentence:
A woman whose husband is dead.
A) Virgin
B) Spinster
C) Wedlock
D) Widow

Answer 1

Hint: For substitute words basically synonyms and the meaning of synonyms are used (in such a way that they can replace each other meaningfully). So, synonyms are the words that have the same or similar meaning and to avoid repetition synonyms are used.

Complete answer:
Let’s examine the meaning of the given options -
Option A) Virgin – is an incorrect answer because the meaning of virgin is ‘a person who has never had sexual intercourse or maiden or maid’ and virgin does not define or virgin does not substitute to the sentence ‘A woman whose husband is dead’. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option B) Spinster - is an incorrect answer because the meaning of spinster is ‘a term referring to an unmarried woman’ and the word spinster does not define the sentence ‘A woman whose husband is dead’. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option C) Wedlock - is an incorrect answer because the meaning of wedlock is ‘Wedlock is the state of being married’ and the word wedlock does not define the sentence ‘A woman whose husband is dead’. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option D) Widow – is the correct answer because the meaning of widow is ‘a woman whose husband died’ and this word widow defines the sentence ‘A woman whose husband is dead’ most appropriately. Thus, this is the correct answer.

Hence, the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: In English, substitute meaning is synonym, where we can use different words and the meaning is same or similar and be replaced. Thus, option D is the most appropriate answer as compared to any other option.