ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Hard

The ancient ruins were in a state of <b>pristine</b> preservation, with carvings still clearly visible.

  1. Adamaged
  2. Bunspoiled
  3. Cimmaculate
  4. Dflawless
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A. damaged

Pristine means in its original condition; unspoiled. The sentence describes clear carvings, indicating an excellent state of preservation. Thus, 'damaged' is the antonym, representing a state of harm or impairment.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Unspoiled is a synonym for pristine, meaning not damaged or impaired.
  • C. Immaculate is a synonym for pristine, meaning perfectly clean or tidy.
  • D. Flawless is a synonym for pristine, meaning without any imperfections.

Pristine

In its original condition; unspoiled.

  • Implies purity and cleanliness.
  • Often used to describe natural environments or historical artifacts.
  • Suggests a state of being untouched or uncorrupted.

Memory trick: Pristine like a 'perfect' pearl, the opposite is 'broken'.

More Word Knowledge (WK) questions