Question

Read the following sentence. Mariah’s voice shook and her hands fluttered as she floundered helplessly to answer the difficult questions Steven was asking her. Choose the denotation for the word floundered.

Answer 1

What are the options? I can make a guess by denotation means the literal or primary meaning of a word. Floundered in the context of this sentence means to struggle mentally, or show great confusion. 

Answer 2

The options for this question are:

A) restored

B) struggled

C) succeeded

D) maintained

Answer: B) Struggled.

Explanation: The denotation of a word is the literal meaning, the one that we can find in a dictionary. It is the antonym of connotation which is the meaning given by the context of the word or even by the readers, based on their emotions or personal experiences. In the given sentence, the denotation of the word "floundered" is "struggled", "Mariah's voice shook and her hands fluttered as she struggled helplessly to answer the difficult questions Steven was asking her."