Choose the word that gives the antonym of the word italicized.

The new officer is a brash young man.

a. polite

b. arrogant

c. kind

d. handsome

We’re finding the antonym of brash. Brash: self-assertive in a rude, noisy, overbearing way.

Options:

• A) polite — respectful and considerate. Direct opposite.
• B) arrogant — inflated self-importance. Similar to brash, not opposite.
• C) kind — sympathetic/helpful. Near-opposite in tone, but not the lexical antonym.
• D) handsome — physical appearance. Unrelated.

Correct answer: A) polite.