In each of the following questions, choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word.
Esoteric
Answer: D
The opposite is familiar.
Esoteric means understood only by a few, from the Greek for inner. Secret, hidden and profound belong with it; its exact opposite is exoteric, and familiar is the nearest of the four.
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Turbulence
Answer: B
The opposite is calmness.
Turbulence is violent disorder; calmness is stillness. Disturbance and fight belong with turbulence.
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Polemic
Answer: D
The opposite is agreement.
A polemic is a strongly worded attack on an opinion, from the Greek polemos, war. Agreement is its reverse; polemical is the adjective of the headword.
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Incarcerate
Answer: E
The opposite is liberate.
To incarcerate is to shut in prison, from the Latin carcer, a jail. Imprison and restrain belong with it; liberate sets free.
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Captious
Answer: A
The opposite is tolerant.
Captious means given to finding fault over trifles, from the Latin for seizing. Tolerant overlooks them. Capable merely resembles the word.
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Vaunted
Answer: D
The opposite is belittled.
Vaunted means much boasted of; belittled is spoken of as of little worth. Feted belongs with vaunted.
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Desecrate
Answer: D
The opposite is consecrate.
To desecrate is to treat a sacred thing with violence; to consecrate is to make it sacred. The two are formed from the same Latin root with opposite prefixes.
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Laconic
Answer: D
The opposite is verbose.
Laconic means using few words, from Laconia, the region of Sparta. Verbose uses too many. Milky, wicked and flagrant have nothing to do with speech.
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Celerity
Answer: B
The opposite is delay.
Celerity is swiftness, from the Latin celer, quick - the same root as accelerate. Delay is the reverse. Acerbity means sharpness of manner.
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Transient
Answer: C
The opposite is permanent.
Transient means lasting only a short time, from the Latin for passing through; permanent lasts.
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