Which context clue type signals meaning through the opposite meaning of the word?

• A. Antonym
• B. Synonym
• C. Explanation
• D. Example

Answer: (A)

Antonym clues signal meaning by presenting the opposite of the word. When a writer uses an antonym clue, they place a contrasting term alongside the unfamiliar word, or describe an opposite situation, so you infer the meaning from the contrast. For example: The climb was arduous, not easy. Here, “not easy” signals that arduous means difficult or challenging. This differs from a synonym clue, which would explain the unknown word by pairing it with a word with the same meaning, and from an explanation clue, which defines the word with a phrase like “which means” or “that is,” or from an example clue, which clarifies by giving a specific instance.