Vocabulary — Synonyms & Antonyms — Part 1: 40 MCQs with Explanations

Benevolent means well-meaning and kindly. It refers to someone who shows goodwill and does good deeds for others.

Ancient means belonging to the very distant past. Modern is the opposite, referring to recent times or the present.

'Break the ice' means to do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation, especially when people are meeting for the first time.

Meticulous means showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.

Benevolent means well-meaning and kindly. Malevolent means having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

Alacrity means brisk and cheerful readiness or willingness to do something.

'Piece of cake' is an idiom meaning something that is very easy to do.

Ubiquitous means present, appearing, or found everywhere.

Cacophony means harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. Harmony is the opposite, meaning pleasing arrangement of sounds.

Pragmatic means dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

This idiom means to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem; to be precisely accurate.

Ephemeral means lasting for a very short time; transient or fleeting.

Loquacious means tending to talk a great deal; talkative. Quiet is the opposite.

Sanguine means optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

This idiom means to endure a painful or otherwise unpleasant situation that is seen as unavoidable.

Mellifluous means sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.

Ameliorate means to make something better. Worsen is the opposite, meaning to make something worse.

Obfuscate means to render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible; to confuse or bewilder.

Pernicious means having a harmful effect in a gradual or subtle way.

This idiom means something is extremely expensive or costs a lot of money.

Sagacious means having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wise. Foolish is the opposite.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. 'Bittersweet' combines 'bitter' and 'sweet', which are opposites.

Quixotic means exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical, like Don Quixote.

Reticent means not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved or uncommunicative.

This idiom means to disclose secret information unintentionally or prematurely.

Taciturn means reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little. Talkative is the opposite.

Voracious means wanting or devouring great quantities of something, especially food; having a very large appetite.

Wistful means having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing; melancholy.

This idiom means it's now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Xenophobia means fear or hatred of foreigners. The opposite would be love or acceptance of foreigners (xenophilia).

Zeitgeist is a German word meaning the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

A tautology is unnecessary repetition of meaning. 'Free gift' is redundant because gifts are by definition free.

Yoke means a frame or bar used to join two draft animals, or metaphorically, something that connects or binds people together, often in oppression.

Zenith means the highest point or peak. Nadir means the lowest point.

Quagmire means a complicated or difficult situation from which it is hard to free oneself.

Pugnacious means eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight; aggressively defiant.

This idiom comes from boxing, where a trainer throws a towel into the ring to signal surrender. It means to give up or admit defeat.

Ubiquitous means present everywhere. Rare means not occurring very often; uncommon.

Sycophant means a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage; a flatterer.

Loquacious means tending to talk a great deal; talkative.