Question

Choose the word that is most nearly the opposite in meaning of the word given in capital.
PROVOCATION
a. Destruction
b. Peace
c. Pacification
d. Vocation

Answer 1

Hint: Provocation is the noun of the word provoke. To provoke someone means to make someone angry by their actions or speech. The action may be deliberate or non-deliberate. It is usually deliberately done.

Complete answer:
We have to find out the opposite meaning of the word provocation. Since we already know the meaning of the word, we will try to find out its meaning from the given options.

> The first option is destruction. Destruction is used when things have been destroyed. Massive destruction has been caused by the bomb blast in the city. As we can see destruction and provocation are not opposites of each other. Thus, option a is not the correct answer.

> Option b is peace. Peace is a state of complete tranquility. You are at peace when there is no violence around you. When things are in a stable situation with no violence, it is a peaceful situation. It is not the opposite of the word provocation.

> Option c is pacification. Pacification is the noun form of the verb pacify. Pacify means to calm someone down. You pacify a friend after they are very angry about something. This is an appropriate opposite of the word provocation.

> Option d is vocation. A vocation is a person’s occupation. It is not related to the word provocation in either a similar way or an opposite way.
Thus, from the above options we can see that the most suitable option is option c, that is pacification. We can provoke someone, that is make them angry or we can pacify them, that is calm them down. The correct option is option c.

Note: Now let us see what can be a possible mistake. Many students may feel that peace in option b is the correct option. However, peace is like a result of pacification. So it is not the opposite of provocation.