Choose the most appropriate antonym to replace the underlined word in the given sentence:
The team was lauded for making profligate use of scarce resources.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → parsimonious
- Profligate means wasteful, spending money or resources carelessly. A team is not praised for wasting scarce resources, so the sentence needs the opposite word.
Example: His profligate spending left the family in debt. - Parsimonious means extremely careful with money or resources, using as little as possible, the opposite of profligate: "The team was lauded for making parsimonious use of scarce resources."
Example: The parsimonious old man never wasted a single rupee.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: prodigal — Incorrect. Prodigal means spending money or resources wastefully; it is a synonym of profligate, not its opposite.
Example: The prodigal son wasted all his father's money.
Option 3: imprudent — Incorrect. Imprudent means unwise, not thinking of the results; it is close to profligate in sense rather than opposite to it.
Example: It was imprudent to drive in such heavy rain.
Option 4: profuse — Incorrect. Profuse means plentiful, in large amounts; it says nothing about careful use.
Example: He offered profuse apologies for his late arrival.
| Synonyms (Profligate) | Antonyms (Profligate) |
|---|---|
| wasteful | thrifty |
| extravagant | frugal |
| prodigal | parsimonious |
| spendthrift | economical |
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| profligate | 11-05 S2 31-05 S2 | 21-05 S2 31-05 S1 | – | – | – |
| prodigal | 11-05 S2 12-05 S2 | 21-05 S2 24-05 S1 29-05 S1 | – | – | – |
| parsimonious | – | 21-05 S2 | – | – | – |
| imprudent | 06-06 S1 | 26-05 S1 | – | – | – |
| profuse | 25-05 S2 | – | – | 30-05 S2 10-06 S3 | 21-08 S1 |