SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 17 September 2025, Shift 3 · English Comprehension · Question 2 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 synonym of the given word: EULOGY

(a)Tribute
(b)Criticism
(c)Insult
(d)Condemnation

Answer

Why

Correct — A. A eulogy is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, typically someone who has just died.

A tribute is an act, statement or gift meant to show respect, gratitude or admiration. A eulogy is a spoken or written tribute → option (a).

The Greek parts give the sense away: eu, 'well', and -logia, 'speaking'. A eulogy speaks well of someone.

Why the others are wrong

(b)
Criticism — Criticism expresses disapproval and points out faults. A eulogy dwells on virtues, so criticism stands at the opposite pole.
(c)
Insult — Insult is speech meant to hurt or to show contempt, the reverse of the respect a eulogy expresses.
(d)
Condemnation — Condemnation is the expression of very strong disapproval, or the sentencing of someone to punishment. Either way it is an antonym of eulogy.

Concept

A synonym item is decided by the word's core sense, and eulogy has one: high praise, usually for someone who has died.

The options split three to one. Criticism, Insult and Condemnation all express disapproval, so they stand at the opposite pole. Tribute is the lone option on the praise side.

Keep eulogy apart from elegy, a poem of lament for the dead. Both can belong to a funeral, but a eulogy praises and an elegy mourns.

Tribute is the broader word. It covers any act meant to honour someone, a gift or a ceremony as much as a speech, and it need not follow a death. The shared ground is honouring someone, which is all the synonym needs.

Key facts

A eulogy is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, typically someone who has just died.
Eulogy comes from Greek eulogia, 'praise', from eu, 'well', and -logia, 'speaking'.
An elegy is a poem of lament for the dead, not a speech of praise.
A tribute is an act, statement or gift that shows respect, gratitude or admiration.

Study next

Words of formal praise, such as encomium, panegyric and accoladeWords of verbal attack, such as invective, tirade and diatribeWords built on Greek eu, 'well', such as euphemism and euphony

Common traps

Confusing eulogy with elegy because both belong to funerals
Reading the item as an antonym item, where Criticism or Condemnation would be the pick

Eulogy itself is a wrong option at 18 Sep 2025, 12:30, English Q.1, where INVECTIVE is keyed Tirade: praise set against attack.

The praise family returns as an antonym at 12 Sep 2025, 16:00, English Q.4. Encomium is keyed Castigation there, with Panegyric, Praise and Tribute as the wrong options.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Synonyms — all 112 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.