Which of the following pairs of words are synonyms?
(A) Plucky – Brave
(B) Scathing – Gentle
(C) Skirmish – Clash
(D) Plaintive – Cheerful
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (A) and (C) only
(A) Plucky – Brave — Correct. Plucky means brave and determined, especially in a hard situation. Brave means the same. Example: The plucky little girl climbed back onto her cycle after every fall.
(B) Scathing – Gentle — Incorrect. Scathing means very harsh and severe in criticism. Gentle means kind and soft, so the two are opposites. Example: The judge made a scathing remark about the dancer’s careless steps.
(C) Skirmish – Clash — Correct. Skirmish means a short fight or argument. Clash means the same. Example: There was a brief skirmish between the two teams after the referee’s call.
(D) Plaintive – Cheerful — Incorrect. Plaintive means sad and mournful. Cheerful means happy and bright, so the two are opposites. Example: We heard the plaintive cry of a lost puppy outside the gate.