Complete the sentence: Universalism is to particularism as diffuseness is to _______________. A. specificity B. neutrality C. generality D. adaptation

GATE 2013 · General Aptitude · Word Pairs · medium

Answer: A. specificity — diffuseness (broad/vague) is the antonym of specificity (precise/narrow), mirroring universalism vs. particularism.

1. Establish the relationship in the given pair: Universalism = applying rules broadly to all; Particularism = applying rules narrowly to specific cases. The relationship is: broad/general OPPOSITE narrow/specific.
2. Apply the same relationship to diffuseness: Diffuseness = broadly spread, vague, unfocused. Its antonym on the same axis = specificity (precise, narrow, exactly defined). Check options: B. neutrality (unrelated axis), C. generality (synonym of diffuseness, not antonym), D. adaptation (different axis entirely). Only A. specificity fits.