Understanding Analogies: Synonym Relationship

The question asks us to find a word that has the same relationship with the third word as the second word has with the first word. This type of question tests our understanding of analogies, which are comparisons between two pairs of words that show a similar relationship.

Let's examine the first pair of words given: Wakeful : Sleepless.

• Wakeful means being awake or not asleep.
• Sleepless means unable to sleep or being awake.

These two words, "Wakeful" and "Sleepless", are synonyms. They mean essentially the same thing.

Analyzing the Second Pair: Sitting and Options

Now we look at the third word, Sitting. We need to find an option that is a synonym for "Sitting" or is closely related in the same way "Sleepless" is related to "Wakeful". The options are:

1. Situated
2. Sedentary
3. Steadily
4. Idle Resting

Evaluating Each Option

• Option 1: Situated. "Situated" means located or positioned in a certain place. While a person who is sitting is situated somewhere, "Situated" is not a synonym for the act or state of "Sitting". This relationship is different from the synonym relationship in the first pair.
• Option 2: Sedentary. "Sedentary" describes a lifestyle or activity that involves spending a lot of time sitting and relatively little physical activity. While it doesn't mean the exact act of sitting at a single moment, it strongly relates to prolonged sitting or a habit of sitting. In the context of analogies, it serves as the closest synonym among the options, describing a state associated with sitting.
• Option 3: Steadily. "Steadily" means in a regular, continuous, or stable way. It describes how an action is performed, not the state of "Sitting" itself. This is not a synonym for "Sitting".
• Option 4: Idle Resting. "Idle" means not active or working. "Resting" means taking a break from activity. "Idle Resting" implies a state of inactivity, which might involve sitting, lying down, or standing still. It's a broader term than just "Sitting" and not a direct synonym like "Sleepless" is to "Wakeful". "Sedentary" is more specifically linked to the act of sitting over time.

Determining the Correct Relationship

Comparing the options, "Sedentary" is the word that relates to "Sitting" most similarly to how "Sleepless" relates to "Wakeful". Both pairs demonstrate a relationship where the second word is either a direct synonym or a word strongly associated with the state or activity described by the first word, functioning effectively as a synonym in this analogical context.

Therefore, the relationship is one of synonymy or close association amounting to synonymy in the context of the analogy.

Wakeful : Sleepless (Synonyms)

Sitting : Sedentary (Sedentary relates to prolonged sitting/inactivity, acting as the closest synonym among options)

Conclusion

Based on the synonym relationship established in the first pair, the word that best completes the analogy with "Sitting" is "Sedentary".

Revision Table: Analogy Types

Additional Information: The Word Sedentary

The word sedentary comes from the Latin word 'sedere', which means 'to sit'. A sedentary lifestyle is often associated with health risks due to lack of physical activity. Understanding such word origins (etymology) can sometimes help in solving word-based questions like analogies.

Analogies are common in verbal reasoning tests and help evaluate a person's ability to identify relationships between concepts and apply that relationship to a different set of concepts.