Test your knowledge of English vocabulary with this exercise.

1. To belittle somebody is to …………………. them.

a) titillate

b) disparage

c) adulate

2. To be purposefully confusing is to ………………..

a) equivocate

b) obviate

c) proscribe

3. To work to the disadvantage of somebody is to …………………. against them.

a) malign

b) militate

c) placate

4. To slander someone is to ………………… them.

a) malign

b) condone

c) placate

5. Which of the following words can be used to refer to the lack of equality?

a) parity

b) disparity

c) ambiguity

6. A phrase that may have two interpretations, one of them indelicate or risqué

a) equivocation

b) ambiguity

c) double entendre

7. Hateful

a) malignant

b) benign

c) malaise

8. Ill-will

a) malaise

b) malevolence

c) maleficence

9. Kindly

b) benevolent

b) placid

c) complacent

10. Which of the following words can be used to refer to self-satisfaction?

a) complacency

b) placation

c) placidity

11. Inflexibly hostile

a) implacable

b) placatory

c) militant

12. Giving orders imperiously

a) benedictory

b) dictatorial

c) adulatory

Answers

1. disparage

2. equivocate

3. militate

4. malign

5. disparity

6. double entendre

7. malignant

8. malevolence

9. benevolent

10. complacency

11. implacable

12. dictatorial