Choose the most appropriate antonym for the underlined word:
He is an astute observer of human behaviour.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → ingenuous
Astute means clever and quick to understand people or situations, so as to gain an advantage. An astute observer of human behaviour sees through people easily. Its antonym is ingenuous.
Example: The astute shopkeeper knew at once which customers would bargain.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) ingenuous (answer) | innocent, simple and too ready to trust others (a sharp, shrewd person and a naive, trusting one are opposites) | The ingenuous boy believed every story the stranger told him. |
| (2) avid | very keen and eager (an avid observer would be an eager one, which is not the opposite of a shrewd one) | My uncle is an avid reader of detective novels. |
| (3) infamous | well known for something bad (it is about reputation, not about cleverness) | The town was infamous for its traffic jams. |
| (4) morose | sullen and bad-tempered (it describes mood, not understanding) | He sat in a morose silence after losing the match. |
| Synonyms of astute: shrewd, perceptive, sharp, discerning Antonyms of astute: ingenuous, naive, gullible, obtuse Also asked in CUET (UG): astute – 11-05-2026 Slot 2, 29-05-2024 Slot 1, 07-06-2023 Slot 3 ingenuous – 21-05-2026 Slot 2, 03-06-2025 Slot 2, 03-06-2025 Slot 1, 29-05-2024 Slot 1, 05-06-2023 Slot 3 avid – 20-05-2026 Slot 2 infamous – 10-08-2022 Slot 1 morose – 02-06-2025 Slot 1, 29-05-2024 Slot 1, 15-05-2024 Slot 1 |