Question

Choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/sentence:
A person who looks on the bright side of things.
A) Sycophant
B) Optimistic
C) Cynic
D) Pessimist

Answer 1

Hint:Substitute means that can be used in place of each other. So, here we have to give one word for the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things.’

Complete answer:
The meaning of the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things’ is ‘to look on the bright side of everything even when the situation is bad or worse, still thinking of some advantages that could result from it’.
Option A) Sycophant - is an incorrect answer because the meaning of sycophant is ‘a person who praises important or powerful people too much and in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get something from them’ and this is not the one word of the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things.’ Thus, this is an incorrect answer.

Option B) Optimistic - is the correct answer because the meaning of optimistic is ‘expecting good things to happen or something to be successful; showing this feeling’ and this is the one word of the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things.’ and they can be used in place of each other because they have similar meaning. Thus, this is the correct answer.

Option C) Cynic - is an incorrect answer because the meaning of cynic is ‘a person who believes that people only do things for themselves, rather than to help others’ and this is not the one word of the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things.’ Thus, this is an incorrect answer.

Option D) Pessimist - is an incorrect answer because the meaning of pessimist is ‘a person who always thinks that bad things will happen or that something will not be successful’ and this is not the one word of the sentence ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things.’ Thus, this is an incorrect answer.

Hence, the correct answer is Option ‘B’.

Note:Synonyms are the words that have same or similar meaning i.e. synonym of ‘A person who looks on the bright side of things’ is optimistic, and antonym are the words that are opposite in meaning and the antonym of optimistic is pessimistic (Option D already given in the options). Thus, Option B is the correct answer as the question is all about telling the same or similar meaning of the sentence and other options are wrong.