ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Hard
A technician found the old machinery to be quite <b>maladroit</b>, constantly causing errors and requiring frequent repairs.
- Aadept
- Bskillful
- Cdexterous
- Dclumsy
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. clumsy
The word 'maladroit' describes someone or something that is clumsy or inept. Given the machinery's tendency to cause errors, 'clumsy' is the most appropriate synonym.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 'Adept' is an antonym, meaning very skilled or proficient.
- B. 'Skillful' is an antonym, meaning proficient.
- C. 'Dexterous' is an antonym, meaning skillful with hands or body.
Maladroit
Inept or clumsy; unskillful in a physical or social way.
- Often used to describe a person's physical movements or social grace.
- Can also apply to systems or processes that are poorly executed.
- Derived from French 'mal adroit' meaning 'badly skillful'.
Memory trick: Maladroit machinery is 'mal-adroit' (badly adroit) and causes 'malfunctions'.