Choose the correct antonym of the following word from the given options:
Fortuitous
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Planned
- Fortuitous means happening by chance or accident, not planned; it is also used loosely to mean lucky. It comes from the Latin fors (chance).
Example: Our meeting at the airport was quite fortuitous. - Planned means arranged or decided in advance. A planned event does not happen by chance, so planned is the antonym.
Example: The visit was carefully planned weeks ahead.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Accidental — Incorrect. Accidental means happening by chance, without intention; it is a synonym of fortuitous, not an antonym.
Example: The discovery of penicillin was partly accidental.
Option 2: Disturbing — Incorrect. Disturbing means causing worry or upset; it says nothing about chance or plan.
Example: The report contained some disturbing facts.
Option 4: Ludicrous — Incorrect. Ludicrous means so silly that it is laughable; it is unrelated to fortuitous.
Example: The idea of a cat guarding the fish shop is ludicrous.
Note: In the original NTA paper, Option 1 read "Unfortunate". NTA accepted this option as a correct answer as well. To leave only one correct answer and avoid confusion for students, it has been changed here to "Accidental".
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fortuitous | 14-05 S2 | – | – | – | – |
| ludicrous | 25-05 S1 | 15-05 S2 | 19-07 S1 | 10-06 S2 10-06 S3 | – |