He is extremely <u>meticulous</u> in his approach. (Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the underlined word.)
- (a)simple
- (b)careful
- (c)fair
- (d)reasonable
Correct — B, 'careful'. Someone meticulous gives close attention to every small detail and takes pains to get each one right, so 'careful' is the everyday word for the same quality. The sentence praises how he goes about things, which is a matter of thoroughness rather than of honesty or good sense.
- (a)simple — A meticulous approach is usually elaborate rather than simple, since it works through every detail.
- (c)fair — Fairness is about treating people justly, a different quality altogether from attention to detail.
- (d)reasonable — Being reasonable is about sound judgement and moderation, and a person can be perfectly reasonable while remaining careless about detail.
'Meticulous' means showing great and precise attention to detail, and it is normally a compliment — meticulous records, meticulous planning, a meticulous scholar.
Three options here are praise words as well, which is what makes the item work; 'fair' and 'reasonable' both sound like virtues a good professional would have. The way through is to ask which virtue the word actually names, and 'meticulous' names thoroughness, not justice or moderation.
- 'Meticulous' descends from Latin 'metus', meaning fear, and originally suggested being over-anxious about details.
- Its close synonyms are scrupulous, punctilious and painstaking.
- It is used of a person, a method or a record, as in meticulous notes of an experiment.
- Choosing 'fair' or 'reasonable' because they too are approving words.
- Assuming a long word must have an unusual meaning when a plain synonym is on offer.
Asked as a synonym item — choose the word or group of words most similar in meaning to the underlined word.
Operating on a child with cancer needs meticulous planning and teamwork.
- (a) strong
- (b) long
- (c) playful
- (d) scrupulous
Answer(d) scrupulous
The very same word set six years later, again as a synonym item. There the correct option is 'scrupulous', the formal partner of 'careful' — together the two papers fix the sense of 'meticulous' as painstaking attention to detail.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Choose the word nearest in meaning to 'meticulous'.
- (a)hasty
- (b)thorough
- (c)cheerful
- (d)honest
Answer(b) thorough — a meticulous worker attends to every detail.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Choose the word nearest in meaning to 'painstaking' in 'The restoration was painstaking work.'
- (a)unpleasant
- (b)careful
- (c)expensive
- (d)unfinished
Answer(b) careful — painstaking work is done with great care and effort.