Question

Choose the word that gives the antonym of the word italicized.
We must abolish evil customs.

a. Eradicate
b. End
c. Revive
d. Encourage

Answer 1

Hint: Abolish refers to putting an end or getting rid of something. It can include discarding or terminating a practise or a ritual that has been followed since a long time. Example- Slavery.

Complete answer:
The word ‘abolish’ has been derived from the Latin word- Abolere, which means to destroy.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘abolish’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The government is planning to abolish a tax policy. Here, we can understand that the government is planning on getting rid or putting an end to a tax policy.
Antonyms or opposites are words that are contrary in meaning to another word. Example- Cheerful is the antonym of sad.

Let’s examine the meaning of the given options-
> Option a- ‘Eradicate’ refers to eliminating or doing away with something. Example- The gardener eradicated the wild flowers from the garden. ‘Eradicate’ is similar in meaning to abolish. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
> Option b- ‘End’ refers to the termination or conclusion of something. Example- I will submit the book by the end of the day. ‘End’ is different in meaning to abolish. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
> Option c- ‘Revive’ refers to restoring or re-establishing something. Example- The ministry is working on the revival of the lost book. ‘Revival’ is opposite in meaning to abolish. Hence, it is the correct option.
> Option d- ‘Encourage’ refers to motivating or cheering someone. Example- My parents encouraged me to take the job. ‘Encourage’ is different in meaning to abolish. Hence, it is an incorrect option.

The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: You can use the elimination method to eliminate the word that is least likely to be the opposite of abolish.