CDS English · Vocabulary
Antonyms: words for speech and argument
Words for how people speak and argue: long-winded or brief, clear or murky, praising or blaming, asserting or denying, with the opposites CDS has asked for.
Why this matters
Speech words come in tight families, and the examiner fills the options from the same family as the tested word. A word like 'magniloquent' looks frightening, but if you know it belongs to the 'grand, showy speech' family, you only need the one option that means short and plain. Learn each family with its opposite family.
Concept 1 of 4: Many words or few, planned or not
Two questions about speech: how much is said, and was it planned? Too many words, or grand empty words, is the opposite of short and plain. Speaking on the spot is the opposite of speaking from preparation.
Definition
- Too many or too grand: wordy, verbose, diffuse, garrulous, voluble (talking a lot), magniloquent and bombastic (grand, showy), pompous, turgid, ponderous (heavy and dull).
- Few and plain: concise, terse, brief, straightforward, elegant (neat and simple).
- Unplanned: extempore, spontaneous, ad lib, unrehearsed.
- Planned: prepared, deliberate (done on purpose, after thought).
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eloquently | fluently and persuasively | confusingly | expressively, powerfully, fluently (synonyms) | 2020 (I)Q |
| wordy | using too many words | concise | diffuse, garrulous, voluble (synonyms) | 2019 (I)Q |
| magniloquent | grand and showy in speech | terse | pompous, turgid, lofty (synonyms) | 2022 (I)Q |
| bombastic | high-sounding but empty | straight forward | verbose (synonym), outdated, not true | 2021 (I)Q |
| ponderous | heavy, slow and dull (of writing) | elegant | profound, difficult, informative | 2026 (I)Q |
| extempore | spoken without preparation | prepared | unrehearsed, ad lib (synonyms), ready made | 2020 (II)Q |
| spontaneous | unplanned, arising on impulse | deliberate | prepared, alerted, well executed | 2021 (I)Q Prepared was the opposite of extempore in 2020 (II). Here deliberate fits better: spontaneous is about impulse, deliberate about intention. |
Prepared and deliberate both oppose the 'unplanned' family; choose by the shade the sentence needs.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2019 · CDS (I) 2019 — English · Q30Easy
Example 1 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Speech and Argument
Directions: opposite in meaning to the underlined word
His lectures are often wordy and pointless.
Two talkative words are not opposites
'Garrulous' (talking too much) and 'verbose' (using too many words) belong to the same family as a long-winded word. When they appear as options, they are synonyms to strike, however different they look.
Concept 2 of 4: Clear and obscure, sensible and absurd
Is the meaning easy to see, or hidden? And does the idea make sense, or not? Words for hiding meaning (obscure, equivocal, obfuscated, clandestine) have opposites that bring it into the light (clear, illuminated, conspicuous).
Definition
- Hidden or unclear: obscure, equivocal (open to two meanings), ambiguous, vague, obfuscated (made unclear on purpose), clandestine and covert (secret).
- Clear or open: clear, illuminated, conspicuous (easily seen).
- Sensible: plausible (believable), reasonable.
- Not sensible: absurd, bizarre, unthinkable.
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| obscure | unclear, hard to understand | clear | obscene (sound-alike), new, infamous | 2018 (II)Q |
| equivocal | open to two meanings, ambiguous | clear | obscure, ambiguous, vague (synonyms) | 2024 (II)Q |
| obfuscated | made unclear on purpose | illuminated | mystified, obscured, muddled (synonyms) | 2023 (II)Q |
| plausible | seeming reasonable, believable | unthinkable | acceptable, believable (synonyms), solvable | 2019 (II)Q |
| absurd | wildly unreasonable | reasonable | bizarre, meaningless (synonyms), thoughtful | 2021 (I)Q |
| clandestine | secret and hidden | conspicuous | covert, furtive (synonyms), unknown | 2022 (I)Q |
Clear was the opposite for both obscure and equivocal.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2024 · CDS (II) 2024 — English · Q1Easy
Example 2 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Speech and Argument
Directions: opposite in meaning to the underlined word
The leader's views were equivocal on the contentious issue.
Obscure is not obscene
'Obscene' (offensive, indecent) shares its first letters with 'obscure' (unclear). It is a sound-alike, not an opposite. The opposite of 'obscure' is 'clear'.
Unknown is not the opposite of secret
For 'clandestine' (done in secret), 'unknown' looks close because secret things are unknown. It is on the same side. The opposite is 'conspicuous': plain for all to see.
Concept 3 of 4: Praise and blame
Speaking well of someone against speaking badly of them. The tested word is often a verb (chide, denounce, cherish), so the answer must be a verb too.
Definition
- Blame: chide, scold, reprimand, reprove, admonish, denounce (condemn in public), criticise, censure, deprecate (belittle, disapprove of).
- Praise: commend, appreciate, value, cherish (hold dear), boast (praise oneself).
- Argument: a rebuttal (denial, counter-argument) against acceptance.
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| criticisms | expressions of disapproval | appreciation | censure (synonym), scold, scorn | 2018 (I)Q |
| denounce | condemn in public | appreciate | criticise, censure (synonyms), comment | 2023 (II)Q |
| chided | scolded | commended | admonished, reprimanded, reproved (synonyms) | 2022 (I)Q |
| boast | talk with too much pride about | deprecate | bluster, brag, flaunt (synonyms) | 2021 (II)Q |
| cherish | hold dear, love | deprecate | value, adore (synonyms), sustain | 2022 (I)Q |
| rebuttal | a denial, a counter-argument | acceptance | refusal, denial (synonyms), kindness | 2018 (II)Q |
Deprecate was the opposite of both boast and cherish: it means to play down or disapprove of.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2022 · CDS (I) 2022 — English · Q62Moderate
Example 3 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Speech and Argument
Directions: word opposite in meaning to the underlined word
The teacher chided the pupil.
Boasting is praise, of yourself
'Boast' sounds negative because boasting is rude, but it means praising yourself loudly. So its opposite is a play-down word, 'deprecate', and not another blame word like 'bluster'.
Concept 4 of 4: Asserting, persuading, soothing
Words for what we do to an idea or to a person with words: claim it or deny it, win a person over or push them away, calm them or anger them, think about a matter or ignore it.
Definition
- Claim against deny: assert, assertion, insist, declare against deny, denial.
- Win over against push away: woo, persuade against discourage.
- Calm against anger: placate, pacify, appease against provoke.
- Think against ignore: ponder, mull, reflect against ignore.
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| assertion | a firm claim, the enforcing of a right | denial | insistence, averment, statement (synonyms) | 2023 (II)Q |
| asserting | stating or claiming firmly | denying | declaring (synonym), supporting, propagating | 2021 (I)Q |
| wooing | trying to win someone over | discouraging | persuading, pursuing (synonyms), encouraging | 2020 (I)Q |
| placate | calm someone who is angry | provoke | pacify (synonym), persuade, prime | 2026 (II)Q |
| ponder | think carefully about | ignore | mull, rethink (synonyms), defer | 2026 (II)Q |
Assert has been set as a noun (assertion) and as an -ing form (asserting); the answer matched the form each time.
Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — English · Q68Easy
Example 4 · Vocabulary · Antonyms: Speech and Argument
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.
The party president chose to placate his critics within the party.
Persuade is not the opposite of every 'soft' verb
When the tested verb means to calm someone, 'persuade' may sit among the options. Persuading changes a mind; calming changes a mood. Neither is the opposite of the other. Look for the word that makes the person angry: 'provoke', 'irritate', 'enrage'.
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 (4)
Many words or few, planned or not7 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eloquently | fluently and persuasively | confusingly | expressively, powerfully, fluently (synonyms) | 2020 (I)Q |
| wordy | using too many words | concise | diffuse, garrulous, voluble (synonyms) | 2019 (I)Q |
| magniloquent | grand and showy in speech | terse | pompous, turgid, lofty (synonyms) | 2022 (I)Q |
| bombastic | high-sounding but empty | straight forward | verbose (synonym), outdated, not true | 2021 (I)Q |
| ponderous | heavy, slow and dull (of writing) | elegant | profound, difficult, informative | 2026 (I)Q |
| extempore | spoken without preparation | prepared | unrehearsed, ad lib (synonyms), ready made | 2020 (II)Q |
| spontaneous | unplanned, arising on impulse | deliberate | prepared, alerted, well executed | 2021 (I)Q Prepared was the opposite of extempore in 2020 (II). Here deliberate fits better: spontaneous is about impulse, deliberate about intention. |
Prepared and deliberate both oppose the 'unplanned' family; choose by the shade the sentence needs.
Clear and obscure, sensible and absurd6 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| obscure | unclear, hard to understand | clear | obscene (sound-alike), new, infamous | 2018 (II)Q |
| equivocal | open to two meanings, ambiguous | clear | obscure, ambiguous, vague (synonyms) | 2024 (II)Q |
| obfuscated | made unclear on purpose | illuminated | mystified, obscured, muddled (synonyms) | 2023 (II)Q |
| plausible | seeming reasonable, believable | unthinkable | acceptable, believable (synonyms), solvable | 2019 (II)Q |
| absurd | wildly unreasonable | reasonable | bizarre, meaningless (synonyms), thoughtful | 2021 (I)Q |
| clandestine | secret and hidden | conspicuous | covert, furtive (synonyms), unknown | 2022 (I)Q |
Clear was the opposite for both obscure and equivocal.
Praise and blame6 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| criticisms | expressions of disapproval | appreciation | censure (synonym), scold, scorn | 2018 (I)Q |
| denounce | condemn in public | appreciate | criticise, censure (synonyms), comment | 2023 (II)Q |
| chided | scolded | commended | admonished, reprimanded, reproved (synonyms) | 2022 (I)Q |
| boast | talk with too much pride about | deprecate | bluster, brag, flaunt (synonyms) | 2021 (II)Q |
| cherish | hold dear, love | deprecate | value, adore (synonyms), sustain | 2022 (I)Q |
| rebuttal | a denial, a counter-argument | acceptance | refusal, denial (synonyms), kindness | 2018 (II)Q |
Deprecate was the opposite of both boast and cherish: it means to play down or disapprove of.
Asserting, persuading, soothing5 rows
| Word | Meaning | Opposite | Other options | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| assertion | a firm claim, the enforcing of a right | denial | insistence, averment, statement (synonyms) | 2023 (II)Q |
| asserting | stating or claiming firmly | denying | declaring (synonym), supporting, propagating | 2021 (I)Q |
| wooing | trying to win someone over | discouraging | persuading, pursuing (synonyms), encouraging | 2020 (I)Q |
| placate | calm someone who is angry | provoke | pacify (synonym), persuade, prime | 2026 (II)Q |
| ponder | think carefully about | ignore | mull, rethink (synonyms), defer | 2026 (II)Q |
Assert has been set as a noun (assertion) and as an -ing form (asserting); the answer matched the form each time.
Watch out for (5)
- Two talkative words are not opposites→ Many words or few, planned or not
- Obscure is not obscene→ Clear and obscure, sensible and absurd
- Unknown is not the opposite of secret→ Clear and obscure, sensible and absurd
- Boasting is praise, of yourself→ Praise and blame
- Persuade is not the opposite of every 'soft' verb→ Asserting, persuading, soothing
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.