Select the correct English synonym that best expresses the meaning of the adjective cheeky meaning rude in a playful or impudent way.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your vocabulary by asking for a synonym of the adjective cheeky. Cheeky describes behaviour that is somewhat rude, bold, or disrespectful, but often in a playful or amusing way. It is frequently used to describe children, friends, or advertisements that push boundaries in a light hearted manner. Knowing precise synonyms helps you to understand tone and attitude in reading passages and to choose appropriate words when writing.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Target word: cheeky.
Options: nervous, aghast, brash, and startled.
We need to find the word closest in meaning to cheeky in normal usage.

Concept / Approach:
Cheeky refers to a kind of impudent or bold behaviour where a person speaks or acts in a way that may be slightly disrespectful yet often humorous or charming. Brash describes someone who is bold in a rude, noisy, or overconfident way, which is close to the sense of cheeky. Nervous indicates anxiety or lack of confidence, which is opposite in attitude. Aghast means filled with shock or horror. Startled means surprised or taken aback suddenly. Only brash shares the idea of boldness and disregard for polite limits, so it is the correct synonym among the given choices.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that cheeky describes playful rudeness or impudent boldness, as in a cheeky comment or a cheeky grin. Step 2: Examine option C brash, which describes a person who is aggressively self assertive or rudely bold, close to the cheeky attitude. Step 3: Compare this with option A nervous, which suggests fearfulness or tension and does not match cheeky at all. Step 4: Consider option B aghast, which shows strong shock or horror and is an emotional reaction, not a character trait like being cheeky. Step 5: Look at option D startled, referring to a sudden feeling of surprise or alarm, again unrelated to playful rudeness, and therefore select brash as the best synonym.

Verification / Alternative check:
Use a sample sentence for verification. For example, The child gave a cheeky answer to the teacher. Replacing cheeky with brash yields The child gave a brash answer to the teacher, which still conveys the idea that the answer was boldly disrespectful. Replacing cheeky with nervous, aghast, or startled produces unnatural or meaningless sentences, since these words describe emotional states instead of intentionally rude behaviour. Standard dictionaries and thesaurus entries also list brash, impudent, and saucy as near synonyms of cheeky, supporting this choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A nervous means anxious or worried and suggests a lack of confidence, which is the opposite of cheeky boldness. Option B aghast means horrified or shocked, usually as a reaction to something terrible, not as a description of daring behaviour. Option D startled refers to being suddenly surprised or alarmed; it does not describe playful or daring speech or action.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse emotional reaction words with personality or attitude words. Cheeky is about how someone acts toward others, while nervous, aghast, and startled describe inner feelings. Another pitfall is to rely on sound or general familiarity rather than exact meaning. Building a habit of checking context and using a good dictionary or thesaurus during practice can strengthen word sense knowledge and reduce errors in synonym and antonym questions.

Final Answer:
brash