SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 14 September 2025, Shift 2 · English Comprehension · Question 4 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word. Fulsome

(a)Overdone
(b)Sincere
(c)Excessive
(d)Lavish

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Fulsome praise or flattery is excessive, laid on so thickly that it sounds insincere.

The options confirm that sense: overdone, excessive and lavish all mean 'too much', so all three sit on fulsome's side.

The word that stands against it is Sincere, genuine and meant, with nothing put on for effect → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Overdone — Overdone means exaggerated or taken too far, which is exactly how fulsome praise feels. It is a synonym of the given word, not its opposite.
(c)
Excessive — Excessive means more than is proper or reasonable. That is the core of fulsome, so this option restates the word rather than reversing it.
(d)
Lavish — Lavish means given in generous, even extravagant, amounts, as in lavish praise. It shares fulsome's idea of abundance and cannot be its antonym.

Concept

Fulsome describes praise, compliments or thanks. In the sense this question uses, it means flattering to excess, so much that the words ring false.

Dictionaries also record a neutral sense, 'generous, abundant', and lavish matches that one.

In both senses fulsome means more than enough. Its opposite is language that is measured and genuine: sincere, restrained, heartfelt.

The antonym depends on the sense. Against 'excessive, insincere' it is sincere or restrained. Against the neutral 'generous, abundant' sense it would be meagre or grudging, and no option offers that. So the item tests the first sense.

Key facts

Fulsome praise is excessive and sounds insincere.
Near-synonyms of fulsome: overdone, excessive, effusive, unctuous.
Antonyms of fulsome: sincere, restrained, measured, heartfelt.
Dictionaries also give fulsome a neutral sense: generous or abundant.

Study next

Words of excessive flattery: obsequious, sycophantic, unctuous, effusiveWords that look positive but carry a negative charge: fulsome, officious, notorious

Common traps

Taking fulsome as 'full, wholehearted' praise, which makes sincere look like a synonym and leaves no antonym in the list
Picking lavish because it sounds positive, when it still shares fulsome's idea of too much

Flattery vocabulary is tested from the other side at 15 Sep 2025, 12:30, English Q.2, where the antonym of Obsequious is keyed Assertive and Flattering is a wrong option.

Sincere is itself keyed at 26 Sep 2024, 09:00, English Q.10, as the synonym of the underlined word honest in 'He was the most honest and good-hearted man that she had ever met'.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Antonyms — all 114 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.