Replace the underlined word in the following sentence with an antonym from the options given:
The mellifluous strains of the song floated into the hall, stirring the complacent emotions of many.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → harsh
Mellifluous means sweet and smooth to hear, like flowing honey. The sentence speaks of the sweet, flowing strains of a song floating into the hall. Its antonym is harsh.
Example: The singer's mellifluous voice held the audience spellbound.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) euphonic | pleasant-sounding (a synonym of mellifluous, not its opposite) | Poets choose euphonic words for their lullabies. |
| (2) mature | fully grown or sensible like an adult (it does not describe the quality of a sound) | She is very mature for a girl of twelve. |
| (3) harsh (answer) | rough and unpleasant to the ear (a sweet sound and a rough, grating sound are opposites) | The harsh sound of the horn woke the baby. |
| (4) doleful | sad and mournful (a song can be both sweet and sad, so doleful is about mood, not the opposite of sweetness of sound) | The puppy looked up at us with doleful eyes. |
| Synonyms of mellifluous: euphonic, melodious, sweet-sounding, dulcet Antonyms of mellifluous: harsh, grating, discordant, jarring Also asked in CUET (UG): mellifluous – 13-05-2025 Slot 1 |