One Word Substitution MCQs with Answers & Explanations

An Amphibian is a cold-blooded vertebrate animal (like a frog) that is able to live both on land and in water. The other words relate to ambiguity or shape.

An Amateur is a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis (for pleasure). A 'Veteran' is experienced. A 'Connoisseur' is an expert judge.

Ambiguous means open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning. 'Ambivalent' means having mixed feelings. 'Amphibious' relates to land and water.

A Demagogue is a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument. A 'Dictator' is a ruler. A 'Statesman' is a respected leader.

A Yacht is a medium-sized sailing boat, often built for racing or cruising. A 'Dinghy' is a small open boat. A 'Canoe' is paddled. A 'Frigate' is a warship.

A Veteran is a person who has had long experience in a particular field. 'Stalwart' means loyal. 'Pedantic' means overly concerned with rules. 'Itinerant' means traveling.

Expiation is the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing (atonement). 'Repentance' is feeling sorry. 'Redemption' and 'Salvation' are the results of this, but 'Expiation' is the *act* of atonement itself.

A telescope is an optical instrument designed to make distant objects appear nearer by using an arrangement of lenses or curved mirrors. A microscope is used to magnify very small objects. A periscope allows for observation from a concealed position (e.g., in a submarine). A kaleidoscope is a toy that creates symmetrical patterns.

To personify something means to represent a quality or concept by a figure in human form, or to be a perfect example of that quality (e.g., 'He personifies greed'). Signify means to be a sign of. Characterise means to describe the features of. Masquerade means to pretend to be someone one is not.

Amnesty is the specific term for an official pardon granted to a group of people who have been convicted of political offenses. Parole is the early release of a prisoner. Forgiveness is a personal act. Clemency is mercy shown by an authority figure, but 'amnesty' is the formal term for a group pardon.

A surgeon is a medical practitioner qualified to practice surgery (operating on people). A physician is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats illnesses, usually without surgery. A physiotherapist treats injury or disease with physical methods. An operator is a general term for someone who operates machinery.

An incendiary is a person who deliberately sets fire to property (the crime is arson). This term can also describe a bomb. A terrorist uses violence to intimidate. An antagonist opposes someone. An activist campaigns for change.

A granary is a building specifically designed for storing threshed grain. A cellar is an underground room, usually for storing wine or fuel. A godown is a term used in South and East Asia for a warehouse. A store is a general place for keeping things.

A fastidious person is very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail, making them difficult to please. Obstinate means stubborn. Invincible and unconquerable mean impossible to defeat.

A highbrow is a person who claims to possess superior intellectual and cultural tastes; the term often has a negative, snobbish connotation. An intellectual is simply a person who engages in critical study. An aristocrat is a member of the nobility. Elite refers to a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities.

A teetotaller is a person who never drinks alcohol. A Puritan is a person with strict moral beliefs. A Samaritan is a charitable or helpful person. A pedant is a person overly concerned with minor details or rules.

A pseudonym, or 'pen name', is a fictitious name used by an author to conceal their identity. A nickname is an informal name. Nomenclature is a system of naming things. A title is the name of the work itself.

A furrow is a long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plough, especially for planting seeds. A trench is a deeper ditch. A vale is a valley. A trough is a long, narrow open container for animals to eat or drink out of.

A dandy is a man unduly devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance. A snob looks down on others. A duffer is an incompetent or stupid person. Licentious means promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.

A renegade is a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles, often used for one who leaves a religious faith. An apostle is a supporter of a policy or cause. A charlatan is a fraud. Apotheosis is the highest point or a deification.