Question

Choose the word which is closest to the opposite in meaning to the italicised word.
Misogynists are not applauded in society.
a. Philanderers
b. Philologists
c. Philanthropists
d. Philogynists

Answer 1

Hint: The word ‘misogynist’ refers to ‘a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women'. It is being used as a noun in the given sentence.

Complete answer:
The word ‘misogynist’ means ‘is the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls’. It enforces sexism by punishing those who reject an inferior status for women and rewarding those who accept it.
Now, we know the meaning and the usage of the given word.
Let’s look at the given options:
- a. Philanderers - The word ‘philanderer’ refers to ‘a man who readily or frequently enters into casual relationships with women’. This has a very different meaning to the given word, it is not the antonym of the given word. So, this is an incorrect option.
- b. Philologists - The word ‘philologist’ refers to ‘someone who studies the history of languages, especially by looking closely at literature'. This has a completely different meaning to the given word. It is not the required antonym. So, this is an incorrect option.
- c. Philanthropists - The word ‘philanthropist’ refers to ‘a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes'. This has an unrelated meaning to the given word. It is not the required antonym. So, this is an incorrect option.

> d. Philogynists - The word ‘philogynist’ refers to ‘a person who likes or admires women'. This has the exact opposite meaning to the given word. It is the required antonym. So, this is the correct option.

Note: Find out the meaning of the word, in the context of the required sentence. Then, choose the option which has the exact opposite meaning to the underlined word.