Question

Choose the word which best expresses the meaning of the given word/phrase;
SHALLOW
a- Natural
b- Superficial
c- Foolish
d- Worthless

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym refers to a word that is closest in meaning to another word. For Example- Hide is a synonym for concealing. ‘Shallow’ refers to something that is insubstantial and lacks seriousness.

Complete answer:
The word, ‘shallow’ has been derived from the English word- Shoal.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word, ‘shallow’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The students were asked to conduct a shallow survey in the class. Here, we can conclude that the students were asked to conduct a non-serious, superficial survey in the class.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Natural’ refers to something that has been derived from nature. Example- Trees and plants are a natural doctor. ‘Natural’ is different in meaning to ‘shallow’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Superficial’ refers to something that is incomplete or minimal. Example- He provided us with a superficial background of the policy. ‘Superficial’ is similar in meaning to ‘shallow’. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option c- ‘Foolish’ refers to someone who is brainless and stupid. Example- The foolish boy was unable to board the correct train. ‘Foolish’ is different in meaning to ‘shallow’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘Worthless’ refers to someone or something that is useless and lacks value. Example- The shopkeeper advised me that the watch was worthless. ‘Worthless’ is different in meaning to ‘shallow’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘b’.

Note:
Some other commonly known synonyms of ‘shallow’ are facile, glib, trivial, etc. While some commonly used antonyms of ‘shallow’ are serious, profound, in-depth, etc.