Question

Select the opposite of the given word.
Miserly
(a) Abject
(b) Splendid
(c) Close
(d) Generous

Answer 1

Hint: We need to find the antonym of the word miserly. Read the question and try to understand the context, it will give you an idea about the meaning of the given word. Now go through the options and recall their meaning. The one opposite to the meaning of miserly is the answer.

Complete answer:
An antonym or an opposite refers to a word that is contrary in meaning to another word. For example- Reprimand is an antonym for praise.
‘Miserly’ refers to the quality of being greedy or penny-pinching. The word ‘miserly’ has been derived from the Latin word- Miser, which means wretched.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word ‘miserly’. Now, let’s look at its usage-
For example- The miserly woman doesn’t give money to her children. Here, we can conclude that a penny-pinching woman doesn’t give money to her children.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Abject’ refers to the quality of being submissive or servile. For example- He became an abject woman, after the death of her children. ‘Abject’ is similar in meaning to the given context. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Splendid’ refers to something magnificent or impressive. For example- He did a splendid job on the test. ‘Splendid’ is different in meaning to the given context. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Close’ means to be near or adjacent to someone or something. For example- He lives close to the school. ‘Close’ is different in meaning to the given context. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option d- ‘Generous’ refers to the quality of being liberal and giving. For example- My father is considered to be a generous man in his office. ‘Generous’ is opposite in meaning to the given context. Hence, it is the correct option. Hence, the correct answer is Option ‘d’.

Note:
 Some other antonyms for ‘miserly’ are- giving, liberal, spendthrift, etc while some synonyms for ‘miserly’ are; tightfisted, avaricious, beggarly, etc.