Select the word most opposite in meaning to the underlined word 'fortify': The parental support can fortify a child's learning.
- (a)weaken
- (b)encourage
- (c)brace
- (d)strengthen
Answer
A
Why
Correct — A, weaken. 'Fortify' means to strengthen or reinforce, so its clear opposite is 'weaken' — to make less strong. The trap is that the other three all lean toward strengthening, so only 'weaken' reverses the meaning.
Why the others are wrong
- (b)encourage — Encourage means to give support or confidence, moving in the same direction as fortify, not against it.
- (c)brace — Brace means to make firm or support, a synonym of fortify rather than its opposite.
- (d)strengthen — Strengthen is a direct synonym of fortify, so it is the meaning we want the opposite of, not the opposite itself.
Concept
An antonym item — 'fortify' means to strengthen, so its opposite is 'weaken'.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Select the word most opposite in meaning to 'reinforce'.
- (a)support
- (b)undermine
- (c)boost
- (d)back
Answer(b) undermine — reinforce means to strengthen; undermine weakens.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Select the word most opposite in meaning to 'bolster'.
- (a)prop up
- (b)sustain
- (c)sap
- (d)uphold
Answer(c) sap — bolster means to strengthen; sap drains strength away.