Question

Choose the word/phrase which is opposite in meaning to the italicized bold word/phrase in the sentence. A faithful officer is always vigilant towards his duties.

a) innocent
b) ignorant
c) irresponsible
d) careless

Answer 1

Hint: The italicized word, vigilant, refers to being alertly watchful. That is, watching, in order to avoid danger.

Complete answer:

To choose the correct opposite it is essential to know its meaning. The meaning of vigilant is the act of keeping a careful watch for possible dangers or difficulty.
Now, let us take a look at the meaning of each word from the given options.
Option ‘A’, innocent, refers to not being guilty of a crime or offense.
Option ‘B’, ignorant, refers to lacking knowledge or awareness in general.
Option ‘C’, irresponsible, refers to someone who does not show a sense of responsibility.
Option ‘D’, careless, refers to not giving enough thought or attention to avoiding danger or errors.
Since ‘vigilant’ refers to being alert, the opposite must be a word that means not being alert. From the above options, we can see that the only word with such a meaning is ‘careless’. Hence, option ‘D’ is the correct answer. Options ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ are incorrect as they do not have a meaning that is opposite to that of the given word.

Note: If you do not understand the meanings of the given words, it is advisable to eliminate the options that seem least likely to be accurate. This will aid you in reaching the final answer.