Question

Choose the word/phrase which is opposite in meaning to the bold word/phrase in the sentence.
He was always prepared to refute the idea.
a)Agree
b)Subscribe
c)Recommend
d)Endorse

Answer 1

Hint: Refute refers to giving the lie to or proving that an argument or statement is wrong or invalid by providing adequate evidence.

Complete answer:
 An antonym or an opposite refers to a word that is incompatible in meaning to another word. Example- Dislike is an antonym of like
The word ‘refute’ has been derived from the Latin word- Refutare, which means to rebel or rebut.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘refute’. Now, let’s have a look at its usage:
Example- The lawyer refuted the false rumors and allegations against his client. Here, we can conclude that a lawyer, ‘X’ proved that the rumors and allegations were false or invalid by providing reasonable evidence.
Let’s examine the given options-
Option a- ‘Agree’ refers to acknowledging or sharing an opinion with someone. Example- We both agreed to sign the forms. ‘Agree’ is the opposite in meaning to refute. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option b- ‘Subscribe’ refers to pledging or paying for something to receive it. Example- My father has subscribed to the English channels. ‘Subscribe’ is different in meaning to refute. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Recommend’ refers to advocating or speaking well of someone or something. Example- My doctor always recommends mint toothpaste. ‘Recommend’ is different in meaning to refute. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘Endorse’ refers to recommending or favouring someone or something. Example- The new office chairs were endorsed by our company. ‘Endorse’ is different in meaning to refute. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘a’.

Note: Repute has different meanings as a noun and a verb. Hence, understand the usage of the word in the given sentence.