Select the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word in the given sentence.

The young fellow was innocent and without guile.

Deceit

The most appropriate synonym of the underlined word guile in the given sentence is deceit.

• Guile means cunning or slyness, especially in a deceptive way.
• Deceit means the act of deceiving someone, especially by trickery or falsehood.

The two words are similar in that they both suggest the idea of being dishonest or deceptive. However, the word guile has a more specific meaning that is focused on being cunning or sly, while the word deceit has a more general meaning that is focused on any kind of deception.

In the sentence "The young fellow was innocent and without guile," the speaker is not just saying that the young man was honest, but that the young man was also not cunning or sly. Therefore, the word "deceit" is the most appropriate synonym for the word "guile" in this context.

The other words on the list are not as appropriate synonyms for guile. The word morality means the quality of being moral; right or good conduct. The word pride means a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions. The word greed means a selfish and excessive desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food. These words do not convey the same sense of being dishonest or deceptive as the word guile.