Understanding Synonyms: Finding the Synonym for Famished

The question asks us to identify the synonym of the underlined word "famished" in the sentence: "After he came back from his evening walk, he felt famished."

A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language. To find the synonym of "famished", we need to understand its meaning and then compare it with the meanings of the given options.

What Does 'Famished' Mean?

The word "famished" is an adjective. It means extremely hungry. When someone is famished, they are very much in need of food, often because they haven't eaten for a long time or have done something physically demanding like taking a long walk.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the meaning of each option provided:

• Lonely: This word describes the feeling of being unhappy because you are alone or do not have anyone to talk to. This is related to emotions, not physical hunger.
• Hungry: This word describes the feeling of needing or wanting food. Being famished means being extremely hungry, so "hungry" is very close in meaning.
• Satisfied: This word means feeling pleased because you have got what you wanted or needed. It often refers to having eaten enough food and no longer feeling hungry. This is the opposite of famished.
• Curious: This word means having a strong desire to know or learn something. This is related to wanting information, not needing food.

Identifying the Synonym for Famished

Comparing the meaning of "famished" (extremely hungry) with the options, the word that means nearly the same is "Hungry". While "famished" suggests a higher degree of hunger than just "hungry", "hungry" is the closest synonym among the choices given.

Therefore, the synonym of "famished" is "Hungry".

Revision Table: Vocabulary Practice

Reviewing words and their synonyms helps improve vocabulary. Here's a quick look at the words from this question:

Additional Information on English Vocabulary

Understanding synonyms and antonyms is a key part of building strong English vocabulary for exams and everyday communication.

• Synonyms: Words with similar meanings (e.g., happy, joyful, glad).
• Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings (e.g., hot, cold; fast, slow).
• Learning word families (different forms of a word, like hunger, hungry, hungrily) can also be helpful.
• Context is important. Sometimes a word can have slightly different meanings depending on how it's used in a sentence. Always read the sentence carefully before choosing a synonym or antonym.
• Regularly practicing with vocabulary lists and reading helps reinforce learning.