English Vocabulary — Antonym (choose the word opposite in meaning to the highlighted word). Sentence: According to a great philosopher, magnanimity in a man implies many other qualities.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: meanness

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
“Magnanimity” denotes greatness of spirit—generosity, nobility, and willingness to forgive. Philosophical and moral essays often pair this with virtues like benevolence and humility. The antonym must negate generosity of spirit, pointing instead to pettiness or smallness of mind and heart.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Target noun: magnanimity = generosity, nobility of spirit.
  • Context: general moral characterization.
  • Options: enmity, meanness, jealousy, poverty.


Concept / Approach:
The opposite of magnanimity is not merely hostility, envy, or lack of money; it is a moral-smallness that refuses to give or forgive. “Meanness” captures this petty, ungenerous disposition, forming a natural antonymic pair in ethics vocabulary.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Fix meaning: magnanimity ↔ great-souled generosity.Find moral inverse: meanness = stinginess/pettiness.Discard unrelated states: enmity (hostility), jealousy (envy), poverty (economic condition).Choose “meanness.”


Verification / Alternative check:
Contrast in sentence: “magnanimity … implies … qualities” vs. “meanness … implies the opposite traits (pettiness, refusal to forgive).” The conceptual field aligns cleanly as antonyms in moral philosophy.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • enmity: Opposite of friendship, not generosity.
  • jealousy: Emotional insecurity, not the antonym of generosity of spirit.
  • poverty: Economic lack; orthogonal to moral character.


Common Pitfalls:
Picking “enmity” because it sounds negative. Always anchor to the specific virtue/vise axis (generosity ↔ meanness), not any negative emotion or condition.


Final Answer:
meanness

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