Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Restore
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This antonym question examines your understanding of the verb "usurp". The word is often used in political, legal, and organisational contexts to describe the wrongful seizure of power, property, or rights. Knowing its opposite helps you comprehend discussions about legitimate and illegitimate transfers of authority or ownership.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
"Usurp" implies wrongful taking over. The opposite would be to return something to its rightful owner or to give back power or rights that were taken away. "Restore" means to bring back or return something to its original owner or condition. Encroach means gradually intrude, coup is a sudden seizure of power, seize means take by force, and confiscate also means to take away, often by legal authority. Thus, only "restore" moves in the opposite direction of usurpation.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Restate "usurp" as "to wrongfully seize power, position, or property".
Step 2: Option A "Restore" means to give back or return something to its rightful state or owner.
Step 3: Option B "Encroach" describes gradually taking over someone else's rights or territory, which is similar in spirit to usurp, not opposite.
Step 4: Option C "Coup" is a sudden, often violent, seizure of power, again closely related in meaning.
Step 5: Option D "Seize" means to take something quickly and often by force, similar to the act of usurping.
Step 6: Option E "Confiscate" means to take away property, usually by authority, which is also a type of taking rather than returning.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider a sentence: "The general usurped the throne and later had to restore it to the rightful king." Here, "restore" clearly reverses the action of usurping. If we tried to use "encroach" or "seize" in place of "restore", the sentence would not describe giving back the throne but rather taking it again. This shows that "restore" is the only option that can serve as an antonym in both logic and usage.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B Encroach suggests slow or secret infringement on another's rights, which is a form of taking, not returning.
Option C Coup is essentially a dramatic form of usurpation, making it more of a synonym than an antonym.
Option D Seize describes taking hold of something, often by force, which aligns with the idea of usurping power or rights.
Option E Confiscate means taking away property, particularly as a penalty, again aligning with the "taking" aspect of usurp.
Common Pitfalls:
Because many of the options are related to power or property, candidates may confuse which direction the action goes in—taking versus returning. The key to antonym questions is to focus on that direction. "Usurp" is about taking wrongfully; therefore, any word that also involves taking will not be an antonym. Instead, you must look for a word that signals giving back or reinstating, which in this set is clearly "restore".
Final Answer:
The word opposite in meaning to "Usurp" is "Restore".
Discussion & Comments