Introduction / Context:
Verbs like "disparage," "belittle," and "denigrate" all describe expressing a low opinion of someone. The antonym must therefore express high approval or positive evaluation. This question checks your ability to distinguish between true opposites and near-synonyms or just broadly positive actions like "please."
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Target verb: disparage (to speak slightingly of; to deprecate).
- Context: repeated negative comments about a neighbor.
- Task: pick the single best opposite meaning.
Concept / Approach:
The true antonym of "disparage" is "praise" or "commend." Among the options, "praise" is the most direct and conventional opposite. "Belittle" and "denigrate" are synonyms of the target and must be eliminated. "Please" is not an antonym; it means to make someone happy, not to evaluate them positively in discourse.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Define disparage: to devalue verbally.2) Identify discourse-level opposite: to value verbally → praise.3) Eliminate synonyms (belittle, denigrate).4) Discard non-evaluative positive actions (please).5) Confirm that "praise" reverses the sentence's meaning.
Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: "She used to praise her neighbor…" conveys the mirror-image behavior of "disparage," validating antonymy.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
please: Affective impact, not evaluative speech.belittle: Synonym; same polarity.denigrate: Synonym; same polarity.commend: Also an antonym, but the most conventional single-word opposite in tests is "praise"; we select the best match.
Common Pitfalls:
Choosing any positive-sounding verb. Only verbs that explicitly express high evaluation are true antonyms of "disparage."
Final Answer:
praise
Discussion & Comments