Antonym question: select the word that is opposite in meaning to "mere"

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of antonyms, specifically for the word "mere". Knowing antonyms is important because exam questions often ask you to find a word that expresses the opposite idea to a given word. "Mere" is frequently used in English to mean "only" or "nothing more than", and it often downplays importance or size.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: "mere".
• Options: "unadorned", "immense", "sheer", and "blunt".
• We are asked for the opposite in meaning, not just a different meaning.
• We assume the common usage of "mere" as in "a mere child" or "a mere formality".

Concept / Approach:
"Mere" usually conveys smallness, insignificance, or the idea of "only". An antonym should therefore communicate largeness, significance, or something more than ordinary. Among the options, "immense" directly suggests something very large in size, amount, or degree, which contrasts well with the minimising tone of "mere". Other options are either similar in meaning or unrelated in sense.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the meaning of "mere": it generally means "only" or "no more than", often used to play down importance. Step 2: Evaluate option A, "unadorned": this means plain or without decoration, which is not the opposite of "mere". Step 3: Evaluate option B, "immense": this means extremely large or great, which is a strong contrast to the sense of smallness and insignificance implied by "mere". Step 4: Evaluate option C, "sheer": in many contexts, "sheer" can mean "absolute" or "nothing other than", which is actually quite similar to "mere" rather than opposite. Step 5: Evaluate option D, "blunt": this describes a person or thing that is not sharp or is direct in speech; it does not oppose the meaning of "mere". Step 6: Conclude that "immense" is the only option that clearly conveys an opposite sense.

Verification / Alternative check:
Try using the words in similar sentence patterns and see the contrast. For example, "It was a mere detail" suggests it was a small or unimportant detail. If you say, "It was an immense detail", the sentence sounds odd but clearly signals something very large or significant, which is the opposite in spirit. Meanwhile, "a sheer detail" is closer to "only a detail", reinforcing that "sheer" is not an antonym, but almost a synonym in such a context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: "Unadorned" deals with decoration or style and does not naturally contrast with "only" or "insignificant". Option C: "Sheer" can mean "pure" or "nothing other than", which is conceptually similar to "mere" rather than opposite. Option D: "Blunt" is about physical sharpness or a direct manner of speaking, unrelated to the sense of quantity or importance in "mere".

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be drawn to "sheer" because they have seen phrases like "sheer luck" or "sheer nonsense" and confuse it with opposition, but in many contexts "sheer" and "mere" can be used similarly. Another pitfall is ignoring the nuance of "mere" as belittling something. Always think of typical sentences that use the word and then imagine what an opposite description would look like.

Final Answer:
The correct antonym of "mere" among the given options is "immense", so option B is correct.