Understanding the Question: Finding a Synonym for 'Old'

The question asks us to find the most appropriate synonym for the underlined word "old" in the sentence: "The promises made by the old minister were fulfilled." A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.

In this sentence, "old" describes the minister, indicating his age or perhaps his long-standing position. We need to look for an option that best fits this meaning.

Analyzing the Options for the Synonym of Old

Let's examine each of the given options:

• Contemporary: This means belonging to the same time period as someone or something else, or modern. For example, "contemporary art" is art from the present time. This is not a synonym for "old".
• Aged: This means having lived for a long time; old. For example, "an aged person" or "aged cheese". This directly relates to being old.
• Recent: This means having happened, begun, or been done not long ago; belonging to a past period near the present. For example, "recent news". This is the opposite of "old".
• Vernal: This means of, relating to, or appropriate for spring. For example, "vernal equinox". This has nothing to do with being "old".

Comparing the meanings, "Aged" is the word that means old, especially when referring to people. Therefore, "Aged" is the most appropriate synonym for "old" in the context of describing the minister.

Identifying the Correct Synonym

Based on our analysis, the word "old" in the sentence refers to the minister's age. Among the given options, only "Aged" carries the meaning of being old or advanced in years.

Thus, the most appropriate synonym for "old" in the given sentence is "Aged".

Revision Table: Synonyms for Old

Additional Information: Exploring Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. Knowing synonyms helps improve your vocabulary and allows you to express yourself more variedly. However, it's important to consider the context in which a word is used, as some synonyms might fit better in certain situations than others.

For example, while "aged" is a synonym for "old" when talking about people or things that have existed for a long time, other synonyms like "ancient" or "elderly" might also be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

• Elderly: Used specifically for old people.
• Ancient: Meaning belonging to the very distant past, no longer in existence.
• Mature: Fully developed; having reached an advanced stage. Can sometimes imply old age, but not always.

Understanding antonyms (words with opposite meanings) is also useful. For "old", antonyms include "young", "new", "recent", "modern".

In this specific sentence, "aged minister" clearly conveys that the minister is old in years.