Which word best describes someone hostile toward others?

• A. intransigent
• B. irascible
• C. insipid
• D. inimical

Answer: (D)

The concept here is choosing a word that conveys a stance of hostility toward other people. The best fit is a term that directly describes being unfriendly, opposed, or harmful toward others. Inimical does exactly that: it means hostile or antagonistic toward people or their interests. It paints a picture of someone whose attitude or actions are adversarial and damaging to others.

The other options miss that specific sense. One means stubbornly inflexible in one's views, not necessarily hostile to others. Another refers to a quick temper, which describes mood more than a general hostile attitude toward people. The last means dull or uninteresting, with no inherent sense of hostility. So the precise, pointed sense of hostility toward others makes inimical the most appropriate choice.