Finding the Antonym of Rapid Flow

The question asks us to find the appropriate antonym for the underlined word, which is "rapid," to fill in the blank in the sentence: "The flow of the river is very rapid now. Let's go in when it's a little ________."

An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word.

The word "rapid" describes something that moves very quickly or happens in a short amount of time. In the context of a river's flow, "rapid" means the water is moving fast.

We need to find a word that describes the opposite of moving fast or being rapid when referring to the river's flow.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the given options:

• fast: This word is a synonym of "rapid." If the river's flow is "rapid," it is already "fast." This is not an antonym.
• quick: This word is also a synonym of "rapid." If the river's flow is "rapid," it is also "quick." This is not an antonym.
• delayed: This word means made to happen later than planned. While a river's flow might be affected by things that cause a delay (like a dam), "delayed" is not the direct opposite of the speed of the flow itself. It describes an action or event related to time, not the inherent speed of movement.
• slow: This word means moving at a low speed; not rapid or fast. This is the direct opposite of "rapid." If the flow is rapid (fast) now, we would want it to be the opposite, which is slow, before entering the water.

Comparing "rapid" and "slow," we see that they have opposite meanings regarding speed. Therefore, "slow" is the correct antonym for "rapid" in this context.

When the flow of the river is rapid, it is dangerous to go in. We should wait until the flow is less rapid, meaning it is more slow.

Conclusion on Antonym of Rapid

The word that is the opposite of "rapid" is "slow". Filling this into the blank makes the sentence sensible: "The flow of the river is very rapid now. Let's go in when it's a little slow."

Revision Table: Rapid Antonym

Additional Information on Antonyms and Synonyms

Understanding antonyms and synonyms is key to improving vocabulary and language comprehension.

• Synonyms: Words that have similar meanings (e.g., rapid, fast, quick).
• Antonyms: Words that have opposite meanings (e.g., rapid, slow; hot, cold; up, down).

Identifying the correct word often depends on the context of the sentence. In this case, the context of a river's flow makes the speed of movement the crucial aspect.

Other antonyms for words related to speed or movement might include:

• For fast: sluggish, leisurely, unhurried
• For quick: slow, gradual, lengthy

However, when the original word is "rapid," meaning very fast movement, the most common and direct antonym related to speed is "slow."