In the following question, out of the four alternatives, choose the word which is opposite in meaning to the given word OBSTINATE.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question focuses on antonyms, that is, words with opposite meanings. The given word is obstinate, which describes a certain type of personality or behaviour. To answer correctly, you must know what obstinate means and then select the option that expresses the opposite quality.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Target word: OBSTINATE. - Options: DOCILE, AGGRAVATE, OFFENSIVE, OPPRESSIVE. - One option must be opposite in meaning to obstinate.

Concept / Approach:
Obstinate usually describes someone who stubbornly refuses to change opinions or behaviour, even when given good reasons. Such a person is rigid, hard to convince, and does not listen easily. The opposite quality would be a person who is gentle, easily guided or willing to be taught and managed. Therefore, we are looking for a word that captures the meaning of easily managed or submissive, not words that describe actions or unrelated qualities.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Define obstinate as stubborn, unyielding or difficult to persuade. Step 2: Examine DOCILE. Docile means easily taught, gentle and ready to accept instruction. This is the opposite of stubborn and unyielding. Step 3: Examine AGGRAVATE. Aggravate means to make something worse or to irritate, which has nothing to do with being stubborn or gentle. Step 4: Examine OFFENSIVE. Offensive means causing anger, hurt or disgust. It is about how behaviour affects others, not about how flexible or stubborn a person is. Step 5: Examine OPPRESSIVE. Oppressive means harsh, cruel or unbearably heavy. Again, this describes conditions or regimes, not the opposite of personal stubbornness.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of simple example sentences. An obstinate child refuses to listen, while a docile child listens and obeys without resistance. Replacing obstinate with docile reverses the sense. If you try to use aggravate or offensive in the same structure, you do not get an opposite meaning, and sentences become awkward or unrelated. This confirms that docile is the correct antonym of obstinate among the options provided.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Aggravate is wrong because it relates to making situations worse or causing irritation, not to the flexibility of a person. Offensive is wrong because it describes behaviour that hurts or insults others and does not form a meaning pair with obstinate. Oppressive is wrong because it describes harsh conditions or regimes and is not the opposite of stubbornness.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose words that sound serious or negative without checking whether they are true antonyms. In antonym questions, it is vital to restate the core meaning of the target word in simple terms. If you remember that obstinate means very stubborn, you can easily match it with docile, which is gentle and easy to manage. Building mental pairs like stubborn and docile, courageous and cowardly, generous and stingy helps you answer such questions quickly in competitive exams.

Final Answer:
The word that is opposite in meaning to OBSTINATE is DOCILE.