Question

Find the synonym of the italicized word-
He opened the door with alacrity for her to pass through.
a)Indolence
b)Sloth
c)Enthusiasm
d)Approval

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym refers to a word that is totally or nearly the same in meaning to another word. Example- Attractive is a synonym of bewitching. ‘Alacrity’ refers to the eagerness or liveliness of a person to perform a task or an action.

Complete answer:
The word ‘alacrity’ has been derived from the Latin word- Alacer, which means brisk.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘alacrity’. Now, let’s look at its usage-
Example- The dancers agreed to perform on the stage with alacrity. Here, we can comprehend that the dancers agreed to perform on the stage with liveliness or eagerness.
In the given question- We can understand that X opened the door with eagerness and enthusiasm for Y.
Let’s examine the given options-
Option a- ‘Indolence’ refers to the quality of being lazy or idle. Example- He was unable to complete his work due to indolence. ‘Indolence’ is different in meaning to alacrity. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Sloth’ refers to the quality of being lethargic or inactive. Example- The teacher advised him to work on his natural sloth. ‘Sloth’ is different in meaning to alacrity. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Enthusiasm’ refers to the keenness or zeal of a person to do something. Example- He helped his mother with enthusiasm. ‘Enthusiasm’ is similar in meaning to alacrity. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option d- ‘Approval’ refers to the act of consenting or accepting something. Example- They are waiting for the authority’s approval. ‘Approval’ is different in meaning to alacrity. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: While changing the given word with a synonym, keep in mind not to change the context or the meaning of the sentence.