Antonyms— Concepts, Formulas & Shortcuts
- Look for the exact reversal, not just a different word.
- Negative prefixes flip meaning: benevolent → malevolent, ability → inability.
- Check intensity: the opposite of "furious" is "calm", not merely "pleased".
- Watch for two options that are synonyms of each other — neither is usually the answer.
- Test each option in a sentence with the original word joined by "but".
- Learn common antonym pairs together so recall is automatic under time pressure.
Antonyms Practice Questions with Answers
Attempt each question first, then open the explanation. All 8 questions below are free to read and require no signup.
Q1.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to BENEVOLENT:
Easy- AKind
- BMalevolent
- CGenerous
- DHelpful
Antonyms question 1 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Malevolent
Explanation: Bene- means good and male- means bad, so benevolent (well-wishing) is the direct opposite of malevolent.
Q2.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to TRANSPARENT:
Easy- AClear
- BOpaque
- CVisible
- DThin
Antonyms question 2 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Opaque
Explanation: Opaque means not allowing light through — the exact reversal of transparent.
Q3.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to SCARCITY:
Easy- AShortage
- BAbundance
- CPoverty
- DRarity
Antonyms question 3 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Abundance
Explanation: Scarcity is a lack of something; abundance is a plentiful supply. The other options are near-synonyms.
Q4.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to HUMBLE:
Easy- AModest
- BArrogant
- CSimple
- DQuiet
Antonyms question 4 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Arrogant
Explanation: Humble means modest about one's importance; arrogant is its opposite.
Q5.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to EXPAND:
Easy- AEnlarge
- BContract
- CExtend
- DStretch
Antonyms question 5 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Contract
Explanation: Contract means to become smaller; the other three are synonyms of expand.
Q6.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to OPTIMIST:
Easy- ARealist
- BPessimist
- CIdealist
- DActivist
Antonyms question 6 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Pessimist
Explanation: An optimist expects the best; a pessimist expects the worst.
Q7.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to GENUINE:
Moderate- AReal
- BCounterfeit
- CSincere
- DOriginal
Antonyms question 7 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Counterfeit
Explanation: Counterfeit means fake or forged, reversing genuine. The other options are synonyms.
Q8.Choose the word most opposite in meaning to CONDENSE:
Moderate- ACompress
- BExpand
- CShorten
- DSummarise
Antonyms question 8 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Expand
Explanation: To condense is to make more compact; to expand is to make larger. The rest are synonyms.
Antonyms — Frequently Asked Questions
Do antonym questions repeat across exams?+
Heavily. The same 400–500 word pairs circulate through SSC, banking and campus placement papers, so a focused pair list gives an outsized return.
What if two options both look opposite?+
Pick the one matching in part of speech and intensity. Setters usually include a near-opposite that is either too mild or the wrong word class.
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