Choose the correct Antonym of the underlined word :
Due to the hijack, the staff was in a state of calm.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → panic
Calm means peaceful and quiet, free from fear or excitement. Its antonym is panic.
Example: The pilot's calm voice reassured the passengers.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) restraint | control over one's feelings or actions (it is close to calm, not its opposite) | The police showed great restraint in handling the angry crowd. |
| (2) panic (answer) | sudden, uncontrolled fear that makes people act wildly (the direct opposite of calm: "Due to the hijack, the staff was in a state of panic.") | There was panic in the hall when the fire alarm went off. |
| (3) dismay | worry and disappointment caused by something unpleasant (it is not the sudden, wild fear that is the direct opposite of calm) | To our dismay, the train had already left. |
| (4) dread | fear of something that may happen in the future (it is a quiet, lasting fear, not the uncontrolled alarm that opposes calm) | He lived in dread of losing his job. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): dismay – 18-05-2026 Slot 1, 19-05-2025 Slot 1, 08-08-2022 Slot 1 dread – 21-05-2023 Slot 1, 18-08-2022 Slot 1 |