Almost everyone she had worked with took advantage of her meekness

Analyze the question You need the word closest in meaning to "meekness" in the sentence: "Almost everyone she had worked with took advantage of her meekness."

Explain the concept "Meekness" is a noun from the adjective "meek". It describes a person who is quiet, gentle, submissive and unwilling to stand up for herself. Meek people are often taken advantage of because they don't push back.

Work through the options

• A. gentleness: a mild, soft, non-aggressive nature. This is the core meaning of meekness, and it fits the sentence well.
• B. weakness: a lack of strength. A meek person may look weak, but meekness is about temperament (mildness and submission), not a lack of strength. Weakness is a consequence people exploit, not a synonym.
• C. steadfastness: firmness and determination. This is almost the opposite of meekness.
• D. generosity: willingness to give. This is unrelated.

Gentleness is the closest in meaning to meekness. Weakness is the tempting distractor, but it is a looser, more negative idea.

Answer: A. gentleness

Tip: In synonym questions, match the word's core meaning, not its effect. Meek means mild and gentle, and that is why others take advantage of such a person. Be careful with distractors that describe the result rather than the word itself.