ASVAB · Synonym Recognition

METICULOUS most nearly means:

Correct answer

Showing great attention to detail; very precise and thorough

  1. A Showing great attention to detail; very precise and thorough
  2. B Generous
  3. C Quick
  4. D Careless

Why this is the answer

Meticulous means showing great attention to detail and careful about every aspect of a task. A meticulous inspector checks every component thoroughly; meticulous record-keeping leaves no detail undocumented. Root: Latin 'metus' = fear (originally meant 'fearful' — careful to avoid mistakes). Related: fastidious, scrupulous, precise. Military application: meticulous maintenance of equipment prevents malfunctions in critical situations.
Source: ASVAB WK, Vocabulary — Meticulous

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About this topic: Synonym Recognition

Word Knowledge is mostly synonym questions: a word, sometimes in a short sentence, and four choices. Eliminate the words you know are wrong, use roots and prefixes on the rest, and never leave a blank — there is no penalty for guessing. This is one of 39 Word Knowledge questions on synonym recognition, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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