Solving the Analogy: Refute : Approve :: Admire : ?

This question is a word analogy. It asks us to find a word that has the same relationship with the third word ('Admire') as the second word ('Approve') has with the first word ('Refute'). To solve this, we first need to understand the relationship between 'Refute' and 'Approve'.

Understanding the Relationship: Refute and Approve

• Refute: To prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false.
• Approve: To officially agree to or accept as satisfactory; to believe that someone or something is good or acceptable.

Looking at these definitions, 'Refute' and 'Approve' are words with opposite meanings. They are antonyms.

Applying the Relationship to Admire

The relationship between 'Refute' and 'Approve' is that they are antonyms. We need to find the antonym of the third word, 'Admire'.

• Admire: To regard with respect or warm approval.

We need to find a word among the options that is the opposite of 'Admire'. Let's examine the given options:

1. Applaud: To show approval, especially by clapping hands. This is similar to admiring someone.
2. Proud: Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction because of one's own achievements or qualities. This is not the opposite of admiring someone else.
3. Appreciate: To recognize the full worth of; understand a situation and be sensitive to it. This is similar to admiring someone.
4. Criticize: To indicate the faults of (someone or something) in a disapproving way. This is the opposite of regarding someone with respect or warm approval (admiring them).

Comparing the definitions, 'Criticize' is the antonym of 'Admire'.

Conclusion

The relationship between 'Refute' and 'Approve' is that they are antonyms. Applying this same relationship to 'Admire', we need to find its antonym. The antonym of 'Admire' is 'Criticize'.

Therefore, the word that completes the analogy is 'Criticize'.

Revision Table: Analogy and Antonyms

Additional Information: Types of Word Analogies

Word analogies can show various types of relationships between the word pairs. Recognizing these relationships is key to solving analogy questions. Some common types include:

• Antonyms: Opposite meanings (e.g., Day : Night)
• Synonyms: Similar meanings (e.g., Happy : Joyful)
• Part to Whole: One word is a part of the other (e.g., Finger : Hand)
• Cause and Effect: One word describes a cause, the other an effect (e.g., Rain : Flood)
• Worker and Tool: Relationship between a profession/person and the tool they use (e.g., Carpenter : Hammer)
• Action and Object: Relationship between an action and the object it is performed upon (e.g., Read : Book)
• Degree: Words show different levels of intensity (e.g., Warm : Hot)

In the analogy 'Refute : Approve :: Admire : ?', the relationship is Antonyms.