Question

Choose the word/phrase which is opposite in meaning to the bold word/phrase in the sentence:
      All his neighbors are aware of his acrimonious nature.
(a)Informal
(b)Sympathetic
(c)Cooperative
(d)Charitable

Answer 1

Hint: The word ‘acrimonious’ is an adjective which is marked by the quality of being bitter, full of resentment or cynicism. We need to select the option which means just the opposite of the given word.

Complete answer: An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g. bad and good ).
Let us decipher the meaning of the words given to us and find the one that is opposite in meaning to the given word.
(a)‘informal’ is an adjective which means friendly, relaxed, or unofficial style, manner, or nature. This is not the required word as ‘acrimonious’ refers to bitter nature while informal refers to a friendly manner of conversation.
(b)‘sympathetic’ is an adjective which means to feel or show sympathy for someone. In simple words, it means to have the same emotions as someone else, especially sadness. This is not the required answer.
(c)‘cooperative’ is an adjective which describes someone or something that involves mutual assistance in working towards a common goal. This is the closest opposite word to ‘acrimonious’, so this is the required option.
(d)‘charitable’ is an adjective which refers to someone full of love and goodwill towards the needy or someone benevolent. This is not the opposite in meaning to ‘acrimonious’. This is not the required option.

Note: The students need to read the question carefully and understand whether the question demands an antonym or a synonym. Try to select the option which is the closest to being the opposite if not the exact opposite.