Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word.
Supporters of no-fault automobile insurance believe it corrects flaws in the older system, which requires that blame be determined before claims are settled.
A) amenities
B) defects
C) discrepancies
D) ingredients
E) instruments

Answer 1

Hint: Synonyms are the words that are interchangeable and have a similar meaning.

Complete answer:
Flaws is the plural form of the noun, flaw. It means drawbacks, mistakes or cons of something or someone. Let us understand its usage.
For example: Nobody is perfect, one must ignore certain minor flaws at times.
After having understood the meaning of flaws, let us analyse the given options to find it's correct synonym.

A) Amenities is the plural form of the noun amenity. It means a desirable facility or feature of a place.
For example: Government must provide the poor with basic amenities.
We observe that the meaning of amenities is not similar to flaws. Hence, option 'a' is not the correct answer.
B) Defects means mistakes, drawbacks or cons. It is the plural form of the noun, defect
For example: The merchandise had a lot of stitching defects.
We observe that the meaning of defects is similar to flaws. Hence, option 'b' is the correct answer.
C) Discrepancies means inconsistency or in disagreement. It is a plural form of the noun, discrepancy.
For example: His statement to the police had a lot of discrepancies.
We observe that the meaning of discrepancies is not similar to flaws. Hence, option 'c' is not the correct answer.
D) Ingredients is the plural form of the noun, ingredient. It means a component or a constituent of something.
For example: There were certain unwanted ingredients in the dish.
We observe that the meaning of ingredients is not similar to flaws. Hence, option 'd' is not the correct answer.
E) Instruments is the plural form of the noun, instrument. It means a device or a tool.
For example: The chemistry lab did not have sufficient instruments for the salt analysis.
We observe that the meaning of instruments is not similar to flaws. Hence, option 'e' is not the correct answer.

Thus, the correct answer is option ‘b’ - defects.

Note: Discrepancies are often confused to be synonymous with flaws and defects. It is important to understand its meaning in order to avoid making that error.