Fill in the blank by selecting the most appropriate option to complete the figure of speech, oxymoron:
The deafening ________________ in the house after everybody was gone, made her cry.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → silence
Complete sentence: The deafening silence in the house after everybody was gone, made her cry. "Deafening silence" is a silence so heavy that it is felt as strongly as a loud noise, which suits the empty house that made her cry.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) noise | "Deafening noise" is a plain description: both words point to loud sound, so there is no contradiction. | – |
| (2) silence (answer) | An oxymoron puts two words of opposite meaning side by side for a striking effect. Deafening means so loud that one can hardly hear. Silence is the complete absence of sound. | Parting from her friends was a sweet sorrow. |
| (3) profundity | depth of thought or feeling. It is not the opposite of "deafening", and "deafening profundity" makes little sense. | – |
| (4) sounds | Like "noise", "deafening sounds" is literal, so it forms no oxymoron. | – |