Question

Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the word in capital letters-
DIFFIDENT
a- Bold
b- Disobedient
c- Hesitant
d- Improper

Answer 1

Hint:A synonym is a word that is completely or partially the same in meaning to another word. Example- Vibrant is a synonym of brightness. ‘Diffident’ refers to someone who is introverted and modest due to a lack of confidence.

Complete answer:
The word, ‘diffident’ has been derived from the Latin word- Disfidere, which means to trust.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word, ‘diffident’. Now, let’s look at its usage-
Example: My teacher made me sit with a diffident boy. Here, we can conclude that X’s teacher made him sit with an introverted and shy boy.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Bold’ refers to someone who is courageous and daring. Example- My daughter was saved by a bold woman. ‘Bold’ is opposite in meaning to ‘diffident’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Disobedient’ refers to someone who is disorderly and unruly. Example- All the disobedient students were punished by the teacher. ‘Disobedient’ is different in meaning to ‘diffident’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Hesitant’ refers to someone who is nervous or uncertain about something. Example- She was hesitant in driving the car. ‘Hesitant’ is similar in meaning to ‘diffident’. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option d- ‘Improper’ refers to something that is inappropriate or unacceptable. Example- The employee was suspended for improper behavior. ‘Improper’ is different in meaning to ‘diffident’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
So, the correct answer is “Option c”.

Note:
Thoroughly understand the meaning of the word and its given options before selecting the correct answer. Some commonly used synonyms of ‘diffident’ are shy, modest, bashful etc.