From the options given below, choose the pair of words that carries the same relationship as -
BOON : BANE
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Blame - Applaud
Given pair: BOON : BANE → opposites (a boon is a blessing, something very helpful, and a bane is a cause of great trouble or harm)
| Pair | Relationship |
|---|---|
| (1) Bustle : Haste | close in meaning, not opposites (bustle is busy, noisy activity and haste is great hurry – both suggest hurried movement) |
| (2) Bleak : Gloomy | synonyms (bleak means cold, bare and without hope, and gloomy means dark or sad) |
| (3) Blame : Applaud (answer) | opposites, like boon and bane (to blame is to say that someone is responsible for something bad, and to applaud is to praise someone, or clap to show approval – one finds fault and the other praises) |
| (4) Baffle : Frustrate | not opposites (to baffle is to confuse completely, and to frustrate is to block someone's efforts or make him or her annoyed – both suggest being defeated or puzzled) |