Choose the correct word to complete the sentence given below:
Words ______ me when I want to describe the urgency of the soldier to embrace his daughter after being away for more than two years on the front-lines.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → elude
Elude means to escape from someone, or to be impossible to find or recall. "Words elude me" means the speaker cannot find the right words to describe the soldier's urge to embrace his daughter.
Example: The name of the film eludes me at the moment.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: allude — Incorrect. Allude means to mention something indirectly and is followed by "to"; "words allude me" makes no sense. (Allude and elude sound alike: allude is "to hint at", elude is "to escape".)
Example: In his speech he alluded to his early struggles.
Option 3: excite — Incorrect. Excite means to fill with eagerness or enthusiasm; the sentence speaks of failing to find words, not of being thrilled by them.
Example: The news of the school trip excited the children.
Option 4: incite — Incorrect. Incite means to urge someone to do something violent or wrong.
Example: He was arrested for inciting the crowd to riot.