SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 19 September 2025, Shift 2 · English Comprehension · Question 1 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 13 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: CIRCUMSPECT

(a)Reckless
(b)Brash
(c)Carefree
(d)Cautious

Answer

Why

Correct — D. Circumspect means careful to weigh every risk and consequence before acting.

The Latin parts show it: circum, 'around', + specere, 'to look'. A circumspect person looks around before moving.

That is being cautious → option (d).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Reckless — Reckless means acting without thinking about danger or consequences. That is the opposite of circumspect, not a synonym.
(b)
Brash — Brash describes someone loud, over-confident and hasty. That rashness is exactly what a circumspect person avoids, so it points the wrong way.
(c)
Carefree — Carefree means free from worry or responsibility. A circumspect person does the reverse and thinks through what could go wrong.

Concept

A synonym item asks for the option closest in meaning. Here the three wrong options sit on the opposite side: reckless and brash describe rashness, carefree an absence of worry.

Circumspect belongs to the careful family: cautious, prudent, wary, guarded. Its opposites are the rash family: reckless, heedless, imprudent.

The prefix circum- means around, as in circumference and circumnavigate.

Key facts

Circumspect means wary and careful to consider risks and consequences before acting.
It comes from Latin circum, 'around', and specere, 'to look'.
Synonyms of circumspect: cautious, prudent, wary, guarded.
Antonyms of circumspect: reckless, rash, heedless, imprudent.

Study next

The Latin root spect, 'look', in inspect, retrospect and introspectionNear-synonyms of cautious: prudent, wary, chary, judiciousAntonyms from the rash family: impetuous, foolhardy, heedless

Common traps

Matching carefree to careful because both contain care. Carefree means free of care, the opposite direction.
Confusing circumspect with circumstance, which shares the prefix circum- but means a condition or situation.

Cautious is a wrong option at 11 Sep 2024, 16:00, English Q.1, where 'Failing to give proper care and attention' is keyed Lax (d).

The careful family is also tested at 25 Sep 2024, 16:00, English Q.2, where judicious is keyed prudent (c).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Synonyms — all 129 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.