Question

Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word:
Pacify
a. agitate
b. soothe
c. light
d. anguish

Answer 1

Hint: The word ‘pacify’ refers to ‘quelling the anger, agitation, or excitement of’.

Complete answer:
The word ‘pacify’ can be used in a sentence as follows:
For example, in the sentence ‘To pacify the child, the father started singing’, the word ‘pacify’ is used to convey that the father was trying to console the child.
Now, we know the meaning and usage of the given word. Let’s look at the given options:

a) agitate - The word ‘agitate’ refers to ‘make (someone) troubled or nervous’. This word has the exact opposite meaning of the word ‘pacify’. Therefore, this is the correct answer.

b) soothe - The word ‘soothe’ refers to ‘gently calm (a person or their feelings)’. This word has a completely different meaning to the given word. So, this is an incorrect option.
c) light - The word ‘light’ refers to ‘make (something) start burning; ignite’. This word has a completely different meaning to the word ‘pacify’. So, this is also an incorrect option.
d) anguish - The word ‘anguish’ refers to ‘severe mental or physical pain or suffering’. This word has a different meaning to the given word, but not the exact opposite meaning. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note: Go through each option one by one in order to guess their meanings. Once you have an idea of the meanings of the options, try to find the option with the exact opposite meaning to the word ‘pacify’, i.e. its antonym.