Antonyms (English) WBCS Preliminary Question Paper

Contents

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2023

1. Choose the word which is the antonym of ‘Chide’. (A) Scold (B) Chastise (C) Praise (D) Arraign

Explanation: (C) Praise is the correct answer. To “chide” someone is to scold or rebuke them. Therefore, the direct opposite is to express approval or admiration (praise). Other Options:

Scold & Chastise: These are direct synonyms of chide.
Arraign: To call or bring someone before a court to answer a criminal charge.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2022

The antonym of ‘Forgo’ is (A) Claim (B) Despise (C) Undergo (D) Remember

Explanation: (A) Claim is the correct answer. To “forgo” means to omit, decline to take, or give up entirely. To “claim” is the opposite, meaning to formally request or assert your right to have something. Other Options:

Despise: To feel a strong dislike for someone or something.
Undergo: To experience or be subjected to something (typically unpleasant or arduous).
Remember: To bring to one’s mind an awareness of someone or something from the past.

Choose the appropriate antonym of ‘Adore’. (A) Love (B) Like (C) Hate (D) Ignore

Explanation: (C) Hate is the correct answer. “Adore” means to love and respect someone deeply. The polar opposite emotional response is to hate. Other Options:

Love & Like: These are synonyms of adore.
Ignore: Means to refuse to take notice of. While ignoring someone shows a lack of adoration, “hate” is the true antonym for the active, strong emotion involved.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2021

14. The antonym of the word ‘weird’ is (A) Normal (B) Casual

(D) Worried

Explanation: (A) Normal is the correct answer. “Weird” suggests something strange, uncanny, or outside the bounds of what is expected. The exact opposite is something standard, usual, or normal. Other Options:

Casual, Tired, Worried: None of these relate to the strangeness or standardness of an object or situation.

20. The antonym of the word ‘superficial’ is (A) Deep (B) Artificial

(D) True

Explanation: (A) Deep is the correct answer. “Superficial” literally means existing or occurring at or on the surface. Figuratively, it means lacking depth of character or understanding. In both physical and metaphorical contexts, “deep” is the perfect antonym. Other Options:

Artificial: Made or produced by humans; insincere. (Often associated with superficial people, making it a synonym, not an antonym).
Apparent: Clearly visible or understood; obvious.
True: In accordance with fact or reality.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2020

19. Add a suitable prefix to ‘Embark’ (A) Disembark (B) Unembark (C) Imembark (D) Inembark

Explanation: (A) Disembark is the correct answer. To embark means to go on board a ship, aircraft, or vehicle. The standard English prefix to reverse this action is “dis-“, creating “disembark” (to get off). The other options do not exist in the English dictionary.

22. The correct antonym of ‘Lecherous’ is (A) Passionate (B) Dirty (C) Nasty (D) Chaste

Explanation: (D) Chaste is the correct answer. “Lecherous” describes someone who shows excessive, offensive, or unrestrained sexual desire. “Chaste” means abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse; it represents purity and restraint. Other Options:

Passionate: Showing or caused by strong feelings or a strong sexual drive.
Dirty & Nasty: These are informal descriptors that align closer to synonyms for lecherous behavior.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2019

19. Add a suitable prefix to form the opposite of the word ‘Balance’. (A) Nonbalance

(B) Unbalance

(D) Imbalance

Explanation: (D) Imbalance is the correct answer. While “unbalance” can be used as a verb (e.g., “to unbalance someone”), “imbalance” is the correct and universally accepted noun form meaning a lack of proportion or relation between corresponding things.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2018

13. (Find the Antonym) Mary’s patience and serenity won the admiration of all who saw her. (a) holiness (b) placidity (c) agitation (d) equanimity

Explanation: (c) agitation is the correct answer. Serenity means the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Agitation is a state of anxiety, nervous excitement, or distress. Other Options:

Holiness: The state of being holy.
Placidity & Equanimity: These are direct synonyms for serenity (calmness and composure).

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2017

49. (Find the Antonym) The darkness covered the whole countryside. (a) Silence (b) Stillness (c) Light (d) Noise

Explanation: (c) Light is the correct answer. This is a straightforward pairing; light is the natural absence of darkness. Other Options:

Silence & Noise: Relate to sound, not visibility.
Stillness: Relates to movement.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2016

47. (Find the Antonym) People responded to the leader’s speech with shouts of ecstasy. (a) Despondency (b) Despair (c) Disagreement (d) Displeasure

Explanation: (b) Despair is the correct answer. Ecstasy is an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement. Despair is the complete loss or absence of hope. Note: (a) Despondency is a very close second, meaning low spirits from loss of hope, but Despair is generally considered the stronger, more direct antonym to the extreme emotion of Ecstasy. Other Options:

Disagreement: Lack of consensus.
Displeasure: A feeling of annoyance or dissatisfaction.

48. (Find the Antonym) The appearance of the stranger was forbidding. (a) Warm (b) Kind (c) Friendly (d) Amiable

Explanation: (d) Amiable is the correct answer. “Forbidding” means unfriendly or threatening in appearance. “Amiable” means displaying a friendly and pleasant manner. Note: While (c) Friendly is technically correct, “Amiable” is the more precise vocabulary equivalent often favored in competitive exams for this specific context.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2015

45. (Find the Antonym) The crowd felt stupefied by the lecture. (a) Engulfed (b) Entertained (c) Enthused (d) Encouraged

Explanation: (c) Enthused is the correct answer. To be stupefied means to be made unable to think or feel properly (often from boredom or shock in this context). The opposite is to be “enthused”—filled with enthusiasm, energy, and eager interest. Other Options:

Engulfed: Swept over so as to surround or cover completely.
Entertained: Provided with amusement. (Close, but enthused captures the active energy opposite of stupefaction).
Encouraged: Given support, confidence, or hope.

46. (Find the Antonym) The silence of the children was… (a) Catnap (b) Cacophony (c) Coarse (d) Cruelty

Explanation: (b) Cacophony is the correct answer. Silence is the complete absence of sound. A cacophony is a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds (the exact opposite of quiet children!). Other Options:

Catnap: A short sleep.
Coarse: Rough or loose in texture.
Cruelty: Callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain.

WBCS Preliminary Question – 2014

42. (Find the Antonym) His point was lost amid the cacophony (a) Music (b) Discordance (c) Silence (d) Crowd

Explanation: (a) Music is the correct answer in this specific set. While “silence” is the opposite of noise in general, the direct antonym to “cacophony” (which specifically means harsh, ugly sounds) is usually “euphony” or “harmony” (beautiful, pleasing sounds). In this lineup, “music” represents that pleasing, organized sound. Other Options:

Discordance: A synonym for cacophony.
Silence: The absence of noise entirely.
Crowd: A large number of people.

43. Choose the word opposite in meaning to the one underlined below: The possibility of failure was imminent. (a) Remote (b) Inherent (c) Immediate (d) Perennial

Explanation: (a) Remote is the correct answer. “Imminent” means about to happen very soon. “Remote” means having very little connection with or being highly unlikely to occur anytime soon. Other Options:

Inherent: Existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.
Immediate: Occurring or done at once (a synonym for imminent).
Perennial: Lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time.

44. Choose the word opposite in meaning to the one underlined below: There is abundant scope for improvement. (a) Ample (b) Scarce (c) Copious (d) Eternal

Explanation: (b) Scarce is the correct answer. Abundant means existing or available in large quantities; plentiful. Scarce means insufficient for the demand; in short supply. Other Options:

Ample & Copious: These are direct synonyms of abundant.
Eternal: Lasting or existing forever