Select the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word 'astonishment': The public watched in astonishment as he took a sudden jump from the bridge.
- (a)anticipation
- (b)hurriedly
- (c)wonderment
- (d)calmness
Answer
C
Why
Correct — C, wonderment. 'Astonishment' is a feeling of great surprise or amazement, and 'wonderment' names that same state of awed surprise, so the two match closely in meaning.
Why the others are wrong
- (a)anticipation — Anticipation is expecting something in advance, whereas astonishment is the shock felt once something unexpected happens.
- (b)hurriedly — 'Hurriedly' is an adverb of speed and cannot be a synonym of the noun astonishment, which names a feeling.
- (d)calmness — Calmness is a settled, unmoved state — the opposite of the startled surprise astonishment describes.
Concept
A synonym item — 'astonishment' means great surprise or amazement, closest to 'wonderment'.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Select the word nearest in meaning to 'amazement'.
- (a)boredom
- (b)wonder
- (c)anger
- (d)patience
Answer(b) wonder — amazement is a state of surprised wonder.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Select the word nearest in meaning to 'astounded'.
- (a)unmoved
- (b)amazed
- (c)bored
- (d)annoyed
Answer(b) amazed — to be astounded is to be greatly surprised or amazed.