Choose the correct word from the given options to fill in the blank :
He behaved in a ___________ manner and refused to give any monetary assistance to the needy family.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → niggardly
Complete sentence: He behaved in a niggardly manner and refused to give any monetary assistance to the needy family. Refusing money to a needy family is niggardly behaviour.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) cowardly | lacking courage (refusing money shows meanness, not fear) | It was cowardly of him to run away from the fight. |
| (2) melancholic | sad and gloomy (sadness has nothing to do with refusing help) | The rainy evening put her in a melancholic mood. |
| (3) bitterly | an adverb meaning in an angry, hurt way (the blank before the noun "manner" needs an adjective) | She complained bitterly about the delay. |
| (4) niggardly (answer) | unwilling to spend or give money, mean and stingy | The miser was too niggardly to give a coin to the beggar. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): melancholic – 11-05-2026 Slot 1, 01-06-2023 Slot 1, 30-05-2023 Slot 3 niggardly – 19-05-2026 Slot 2, 21-06-2023 Slot 1 |