VOCABULARY — Choose the best synonym (same meaning) of the highlighted word, based on the sentence. Sentence: “The president of the party DEPRECATED the move of the Government to introduce electoral reforms in haste.”

Introduction / Context:
“Deprecate” in political commentary means to express disapproval of something. Here, a party president publicly disapproves of a government move. The test probes whether you can select a synonym that reflects voiced disapproval, not acceptance or unrelated actions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is a public stance on electoral reforms.
• “In haste” hints at criticism of the rushed process.
• We need a verb capturing the act of expressing disapproval.

Concept / Approach:
“Protested” best matches the sense of formally or publicly objecting. “Welcomed” is an antonym. “Denied” would mean to say something is not true, which is different from criticizing a decision. “Humiliated” describes causing someone to feel ashamed; it does not match the semantic role of the subject who is voicing disapproval.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Define target: deprecate = express disapproval.2) Map to action verb used in politics: protest (object publicly).3) Substitute test: “the president protested the move” reads naturally.4) Discard antonyms or misfit verbs.

Verification / Alternative check:
Editorials often use “deprecate,” “criticize,” “object to,” and “protest” interchangeably when describing official disapproval, confirming the equivalence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A) “welcomed” — opposite meaning.B) “denied” — concerns truth claims, not approval.D) “humiliated” — wrong action and target.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “deprecate” with “depreciate.” The former is disapprove; the latter is to reduce in value.

Final Answer:
protested