Identify the option closest in meaning to the underlined word:-
The situation in the city became tense as fighting continued sporadically for two months.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → occasionally
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Sporadically means occasionally or irregularly; happening at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
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Occasionally means at infrequent or irregular intervals; now and then.
These two words share the core meaning of lacking regularity or consistency.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
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Frequently: Happening often. (Opposite of sporadically.)
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Continuously: Happening without interruption. (Opposite of sporadically.)
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Unpredictably: The fighting may be unpredictable, but the word sporadically primarily describes the infrequency of the fighting, not the lack of foreknowledge.