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Question

Direction: Select the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word.

A wide-ranging effort is being made to safeguard lives and livelihoods by addressing the devastating near-term socio-economic, humanitarian, and human rights aspects of the crisis with attention to those hit the hardest.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 (Tier-II) Paper 1 Previous Year Paper (26-Oct-2023) (Shift-1)
The correct answer is

destructive

Understanding the Question: Finding the Synonym for Devastating

The question asks us to identify the most appropriate synonym for the underlined word "devastating" within the given sentence. A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.

Analyzing the Word "Devastating" in Context

The sentence describes a crisis with "devastating near-term socio-economic, humanitarian, and human rights aspects". The word "devastating" is used to describe the severe negative impact of the crisis on various aspects of life and society. This implies that the crisis causes great harm, damage, or destruction.

Evaluating the Options

Let's look at the meanings of the given options and see which one is closest in meaning to "devastating" in this context:

  • Flourishing: This word means growing or developing successfully, thriving, or prospering. This is the opposite of causing harm or damage. So, "flourishing" is an antonym, not a synonym.
  • Destructive: This word means causing great damage or destruction. This aligns directly with the meaning of "devastating" as something that causes severe negative effects, harm, or ruin.
  • Emerging: This word means becoming apparent or prominent, coming into being, or starting to develop. While a crisis might be emerging, the word "devastating" describes the *effect* of the crisis, not its stage of development. So, "emerging" is not a synonym for "devastating".
  • Fortunate: This word means favored by or involving good luck or fortune; lucky. This word has a positive connotation and is completely unrelated to the negative impact described by "devastating".

Conclusion: Identifying the Correct Synonym

Based on the analysis of the options, the word "destructive" is the most appropriate synonym for "devastating" in the context of the sentence. Both words convey the idea of causing great harm, damage, or ruin.

The sentence describes a crisis whose socio-economic, humanitarian, and human rights aspects are severely harmful. "Destructive" accurately captures this severe negative impact.

Word Meaning Relationship to "Devastating"
Devastating Causing severe damage or destruction; highly destructive. Underlined word
Flourishing Growing or developing successfully; thriving. Antonym
Destructive Causing great damage or destruction. Synonym
Emerging Becoming apparent or prominent. Unrelated in meaning
Fortunate Favored by good luck; lucky. Antonym/Unrelated

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary

Here is a quick review of the key terms discussed:

  • Synonym: A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.
  • Devastating: Causing great damage or destruction.
  • Destructive: Causing great damage or destruction.
  • Crisis: A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.

Additional Information: Understanding Word Meanings in Context

It's important to understand the context in which a word is used to find the most accurate synonym. The same word can sometimes have slightly different shades of meaning depending on the surrounding words and the overall topic. In this case, "devastating" clearly relates to the negative impact of a crisis, making "destructive" the fitting choice.

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