Question

Choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence-
A person not sure of the existence of God.
a)Theist
b)Atheist
c)Agnostic
d)Cynic

Answer 1

Hint: One-word substitution refers to the process of using one single word to replace a given phrase. Example- Felicitate is a one-word substitution for congratulating someone in a formal manner.

Complete step-by-step answer:

As given in the hint, we will be using one-word substitution for the given phrase.
The above-given phrase refers to someone who believes that any ultimate reality is unknown or unimaginable. Example- After my son became an agnostic, he stopped going to church. Here, we can understand that Y’s son stopped going to church after he became unsure about the existence of any ultimate reality.
Let’s examine the given options:
a)Theist- It refers to someone who believes in the existence of God. It is opposite in meaning to the above-given statement. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
b)Atheist- It refers to someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of God. It is different in meaning to the above-given statement. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
c)Agnostic- It refers to someone who is unsure about the existence of God. It is similar in meaning to the above-given statement. Hence, it is the correct option.
d)Cynic- It refers to a person who believes that human beings are directed by selfish motives. It is different in meaning to the above-given statement. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.
Note: Do not get confused between an atheist and an agnostic. An atheist is firm in his opinion that he doesn’t believe in God, whereas an agnostic is unsure of the existence of God.