CDS English · Vocabulary
Antonyms: words for feelings and calm
Words for happy and sad moods, for a steady or a shaken mind, and for peace or uproar, with the opposites CDS has asked for.
Why this matters
Feeling words are easy to place on a scale: happy or sad, calm or shaken, peaceful or wild. The examiner then fills the options with other words from the same end of the scale. If you know which end the tested word sits at, the answer is the one option at the other end.
Concept 1 of 3: Joy and gloom
Picture a line from deep sadness to great joy. Every word here sits near one end. The opposite is the word near the other end, not a word in the middle such as 'sober' or 'thoughtful'.
Definition
- Gloom: morose (gloomy, sullen), woebegone (miserable), plaintive (sad-sounding), melancholic, doleful, despondent, despair (loss of hope), depressed.
- Joy: cheerful, gleeful, elated and elation (overjoyed), sanguine (cheerfully hopeful), hilarious (very funny), jovial.
- Comfort and worry: solace (comfort in distress) against aggravation (making a trouble worse).
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sanguine | cheerfully hopeful | pessimistic | optimistic (synonym), humorous, rebellious | 2018 (II)Q |
| woebegone | sad and miserable | cheerful | sad (synonym), sleepy, thoughtful | 2018 (II)Q |
| elated | very happy, overjoyed | depressed | feels good, excited (synonyms), sober | 2020 (I)Q |
| despair | loss of all hope | elation | despondency (synonym), determination, dependant | 2021 (II)Q |
| plaintive | sad, mournful (of a sound) | gleeful | melancholic, doleful (synonyms), adventurous | 2019 (II)Q |
| morose | gloomy and sullen | cheerful | melancholic, sullen (synonyms), disinterested | 2026 (II)Q |
| hilarious | extremely funny | serious | amusing, delightful (synonyms), momentous | 2017 (II)Q |
| hilarious | extremely funny | tragic | uproarious, jovial (synonyms), serious | 2021 (II)Q Serious also runs against hilarious. For a film, tragic is the closer opposite: a tragedy against a comedy. |
| solace | comfort in a time of distress | aggravation | comfort, relief (synonyms), punishment | 2021 (I)Q |
Hilarious has been set twice: serious was the opposite once, tragic once.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — English · Q63Easy
Example 1 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Feelings and Calm
Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words or groups of words. Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
She sat there looking morose.
A middle word is not the far end
For a joyful word, 'sober' or 'thoughtful' may look like opposites because they are not cheerful. They sit in the middle of the scale. The answer is the word at the far end: depressed, gloomy, miserable.
Concept 2 of 3: Composure and fear
Words for a mind that stays steady, and words for a mind that is shaken by worry or fear. 'Composed' is the main opposite in this family: it was the answer for two different worried words.
Definition
- Steady: composed (calm and in control), equanimity (calmness of mind), tranquillity, placidity.
- Shaken: distraught (deeply upset), anxious (worried), agitated, flustered, rattled, perturbed.
- Frightening and encouraging: daunting and intimidating (making someone afraid) against encouraging and supportive.
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| distraught | deeply upset, out of one's mind with worry | composed | flustered, rattled, perturbed (synonyms) | 2026 (I)Q |
| equanimity | calmness of mind | agitation | tranquillity, composure, placidity (synonyms) | 2024 (I)Q |
| anxious | worried, uneasy | composed | careless, heedless (a pair of each other), certain | 2018 (I)Q |
| daunting | frightening, discouraging | encouraging | demoralizing, off-putting (synonyms), uncomfortable | 2019 (II)Q |
| intimidation | frightening someone into obeying | support | wiles, conviction, persuasion (unrelated) | 2019 (II)Q |
Composed was the opposite of both distraught and anxious.
Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2024 · CDS (I) 2024 — English · Q1Moderate
Example 2 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Feelings and Calm
Directions: option opposite in meaning to the underlined word
She accepted the prospect of her medical treatment with equanimity.
Not caring is not the same as calm
For a worried word, options like 'careless' or 'carefree' can look like opposites: a worried person cares too much. But they describe not paying attention, not a steady mind. The opposite of worried is a calm word such as 'composed'. Two options that mean the same as each other also cannot both be right.
Concept 3 of 3: Calm and turmoil
These words describe a scene or a relationship rather than one mind: is it peaceful or stormy, orderly or wild? Many of them come from the weather: a storm is a tempest, and a stormy person or time is tempestuous.
Definition
- Calm: tranquil and tranquillity, peace, order, serenity, relaxed.
- Turmoil: tempestuous (stormy), turbulent, tumultuous, unrest, uproar, pandemonium (wild noise and confusion), chaos (total disorder), riotous.
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tempestuous | stormy, violent in temper | calm | violent, fierce, vehement (synonyms) | 2019 (I)Q |
| tempestuous | stormy, violent in temper | relaxed | passionate, intense (synonyms), windy (the weather sense) | 2020 (I)Q |
| tempestuous | stormy, full of quarrels | tranquil | tumultuous, riotous (synonyms), belligerent | 2026 (I)Q |
| turbulent | full of disorder and conflict | tranquil | obstreperous (near-synonym), capricious, desolate | 2024 (I)Q |
| tranquility | peace and calm | uproar | calm, serenity (synonyms), sound | 2020 (II)Q |
| unrest | disturbance, public discontent | calm | turbulence, unease, apprehension (synonyms) | 2020 (II)Q |
| pandemonium | wild noise and confusion | peace | hullaballoo, uproar (synonyms), accolade | 2021 (II)Q |
| chaos | complete disorder | order | disorder, confusion (synonyms), uniformity | 2022 (I)Q |
Tempestuous has been set three times, more than any other word in the antonym block; calm, relaxed and tranquil all served as its opposite.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (I) 2026 — English · Q54Moderate
Example 3 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Feelings and Calm
Directions: Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word in the given sentences and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
Ramesh has a tempestuous relationship with his neighbours.
The weather sense is a decoy
When 'tempestuous' describes a person's behaviour, 'windy' is offered because a tempest is a storm. The sentence is about temper, not weather, so 'windy' is the wrong sense. The answer is a calm word.
Sameness is not order
For 'chaos', 'uniformity' looks tidy, but it means everything being the same. The opposite of disorder is 'order'.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (3)
Joy and gloom9 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sanguine | cheerfully hopeful | pessimistic | optimistic (synonym), humorous, rebellious | 2018 (II)Q |
| woebegone | sad and miserable | cheerful | sad (synonym), sleepy, thoughtful | 2018 (II)Q |
| elated | very happy, overjoyed | depressed | feels good, excited (synonyms), sober | 2020 (I)Q |
| despair | loss of all hope | elation | despondency (synonym), determination, dependant | 2021 (II)Q |
| plaintive | sad, mournful (of a sound) | gleeful | melancholic, doleful (synonyms), adventurous | 2019 (II)Q |
| morose | gloomy and sullen | cheerful | melancholic, sullen (synonyms), disinterested | 2026 (II)Q |
| hilarious | extremely funny | serious | amusing, delightful (synonyms), momentous | 2017 (II)Q |
| hilarious | extremely funny | tragic | uproarious, jovial (synonyms), serious | 2021 (II)Q Serious also runs against hilarious. For a film, tragic is the closer opposite: a tragedy against a comedy. |
| solace | comfort in a time of distress | aggravation | comfort, relief (synonyms), punishment | 2021 (I)Q |
Hilarious has been set twice: serious was the opposite once, tragic once.
Composure and fear5 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| distraught | deeply upset, out of one's mind with worry | composed | flustered, rattled, perturbed (synonyms) | 2026 (I)Q |
| equanimity | calmness of mind | agitation | tranquillity, composure, placidity (synonyms) | 2024 (I)Q |
| anxious | worried, uneasy | composed | careless, heedless (a pair of each other), certain | 2018 (I)Q |
| daunting | frightening, discouraging | encouraging | demoralizing, off-putting (synonyms), uncomfortable | 2019 (II)Q |
| intimidation | frightening someone into obeying | support | wiles, conviction, persuasion (unrelated) | 2019 (II)Q |
Composed was the opposite of both distraught and anxious.
Calm and turmoil8 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tempestuous | stormy, violent in temper | calm | violent, fierce, vehement (synonyms) | 2019 (I)Q |
| tempestuous | stormy, violent in temper | relaxed | passionate, intense (synonyms), windy (the weather sense) | 2020 (I)Q |
| tempestuous | stormy, full of quarrels | tranquil | tumultuous, riotous (synonyms), belligerent | 2026 (I)Q |
| turbulent | full of disorder and conflict | tranquil | obstreperous (near-synonym), capricious, desolate | 2024 (I)Q |
| tranquility | peace and calm | uproar | calm, serenity (synonyms), sound | 2020 (II)Q |
| unrest | disturbance, public discontent | calm | turbulence, unease, apprehension (synonyms) | 2020 (II)Q |
| pandemonium | wild noise and confusion | peace | hullaballoo, uproar (synonyms), accolade | 2021 (II)Q |
| chaos | complete disorder | order | disorder, confusion (synonyms), uniformity | 2022 (I)Q |
Tempestuous has been set three times, more than any other word in the antonym block; calm, relaxed and tranquil all served as its opposite.
Watch out for (4)
- A middle word is not the far end→ Joy and gloom
- Not caring is not the same as calm→ Composure and fear
- The weather sense is a decoy→ Calm and turmoil
- Sameness is not order→ Calm and turmoil
Test yourself on Vocabulary
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.