Question

Pick out the word opposite to the given word-
Malign
a)Disparage
b)Slander
c)Praise
d)Purify
e)Repress

Answer 1

Hint: Malign refers to a person who defames or misrepresents someone else. It involves speaking rubbish or harmful lies about others.

Complete step-by-step answer:

The word ‘malign’ has been derived from the Latin word- Malignus, which means tending to evil.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘malign’. Now, let’s look at its usage-
Example- He tried to malign his faithful ex-wife. Here, we can understand that X tried to defame or speak rubbish about his ex-wife.
Let’s examine the given options-
a)Disparage- It means to depreciate or to speak ill of someone. It is similar in meaning to malign. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
b)Slander- It means to defame or bad mouth someone. It is similar in meaning to malign. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
c)Praise- It means to compliment or acknowledge someone. It is opposite in meaning to malign. Hence, it is the correct option.
d)Purify- It means to clean or refine something. It is different in meaning to malign. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
e)Repress- It means to suppress or put an end to something. It is different in meaning to malign. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: You can use the elimination method to eliminate the options that are least likely to be the opposite of malign.