Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word-
Deficiency of vitamin B1 causes a dysfunction of the nervous system and beriberi.
a)Overdose
b)Too much
c)Lack
d)Wrong use
e)Side effects

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym refers to a word that is nearly or exactly the same in meaning to another word. Example- Delighted is a synonym of glad. Deficiency refers to insufficiency or shortage of something.

Complete answer:
As given in the hint, ‘deficiency’ can be used to describe or indicate inadequacy or scarcity of something.
The word ‘deficiency’ has been derived from the Latin word- Deficiens, which means lack or fail.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘deficiency’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The young boy is suffering from a deficiency of calcium in his body. Here, we can comprehend that ‘X’ is suffering from the insufficiency or inadequacy of calcium in his body.
Let’s examine the given options-
Option a- ‘Overdose’ refers to an excessive amount of something that can be fatal. Example- The doctor strictly advises his patient to avoid taking an overdose of drugs. ‘Overdose’ is the opposite in meaning to deficiency. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Too much’ refers to an unrestrained or overabundant amount of something. Example- I drank too much water in the morning. ‘Too much’ is opposite in meaning to deficiency. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Lack’ refers to the insufficiency or meagreness of something. Example- My house lacks proper wiring. ‘Lack’ is similar in meaning to deficiency. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option d- ‘Wrong use’ refers to using something in an incorrect or misleading way. Example- I suffered from an electric shock after I wrongly used the socket board. ‘Wrong use’ is different in meaning to deficiency. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option e- ‘Side effects’ refers to the harmful or undesirable effects of a medicine or drug. Example- You were warned about the side effects of this medicine. ‘Side effects’ is different in meaning to deficiency. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: To avoid getting confused or baffled between the different options; you can use the elimination method to choose the option that best describes the word ‘deficiency’.