Question

Choose the word/phrase which is opposite in meaning to the bold word/phrase in the sentence.
The climbers found the ascent nerve breaking.

a)Slide
b)Decline
c)Fall
d)Descent

Answer 1

Hint: An antonym is a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other.

Complete answer:

 In the given question, the word 'ascent' means an upward slope or path that one may walk on or climb. A pathway that goes downhill cannot be nerve-breaking.
Let us analyze the options given to us in this question:
Option (a.), 'slide', refers to a smooth sloping surface. Therefore, option (a.) is incorrect as it is not antonymous to the word ‘ascent’.

Option (b.), ‘decline', refers to moving downwards. Therefore, option (b.) is incorrect as it is not exactly antonymous to the word ‘ascent’, as it does not refer to any path or slope.

Option (c.), ‘fall', refers to moving from a higher to a lower level, typically rapidly and without any control. Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as it is not exactly antonymous to the word ‘ascent’.

These words do not suit the given expression. Hence options (a.), (c.), and (b.) are wrong.
Option (d.), ‘descent', refers to an act of moving downwards. Moreover, it is the negative form of the word ‘ascent’. Hence, option (d.) is correct.
Thus, according to the meaning, the word 'descent' is the opposite of the word 'ascent'.

Note: You should remember that sometimes the words given can all be relatively anonymous to the word whose opposite we have to find. In such a case, closely examine the meanings of all the words in the options, as the correct one will always be quite opposite to the given word.