Question

The speech given by him seemed to be INNOCUOUS but there were undercurrents that implied the contrary: The ANTONYM of the word INNOCUOUS is:

• A. Inoffensive
• B. Harmful
• C. Gentle
• D. Insightful

Hint:

"Innocuous" is often used to describe something that is harmless, so its antonym would be a word describing something harmful or dangerous.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Define "innocuous."
"Innocuous" signifies harmlessness or a lack of potential to offend or cause injury. An antonym should denote something that causes harm or is dangerous.
Step 2: Evaluate the provided options.

- "Inoffensive" describes something that does not cause offense, aligning closely with "innocuous," thus not serving as a correct antonym.
- "Harmful" denotes something that causes damage or injury, directly opposing "innocuous."
- "Gentle" implies kindness or softness, not necessarily an opposite to "innocuous."
- "Insightful" refers to profound understanding, an unrelated concept to "innocuous."
Step 3: Arrive at the conclusion. "Harmful" is the appropriate antonym as its meaning of causing harm directly contrasts with the harmlessness of "innocuous."Therefore, the correct selection is 2. Harmful.
Final Answer: \[\boxed{\text{The correct answer is 2. Harmful.}}\]