Question:medium

Which of the following choices will be MOST opposite to the word juvenile as used in the sentence below?

Juvenile delinquents and depressive or suicidal psychiatric patients show orphanhood rates similar to those of the eminent public figures.

Show Hint

Check whether each option means "young/immature" like juvenile itself, or its true opposite, "mature/senior."
Updated On: Jul 13, 2026
  • Puerile
  • Naive
  • Jejune
  • None of the above
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for the word most opposite in meaning to "juvenile," as used in "juvenile delinquents" (young offenders). We are looking for an antonym, a word that means mature or senior, not another word for young or immature.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Sort each option by whether it leans towards "young/immature" or towards "mature/senior," then pick whichever falls on the mature side. If none do, "none of the above" is correct.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Puerile means behaving like a child, silly and immature; this is a synonym of juvenile, not an antonym.
Naive means inexperienced and easily fooled, a trait usually tied to youth; again this sits close to juvenile, not opposite it.
Jejune means immature, shallow, or unsatisfying; this too describes the same quality as juvenile rather than its reverse.
The sentence itself hints at the real opposite by contrasting "juvenile delinquents" with "eminent public figures," meaning the true antonym would be a word like mature, senior, or eminent. None of the three given words carry that sense.

Step 4: Final Answer:
Since Puerile, Naive, and Jejune all describe immaturity rather than its opposite, no listed word is the correct antonym, so the answer is "None of the above."
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