Which word means 'overly submissive and eager to please'?

• A. Loquacious
• B. Obsequious
• C. Laconic
• D. Misanthrope

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is vocabulary nuance—picking a word that exactly captures “overly submissive and eager to please.” Obsequious directly describes someone who is excessively eager to please and defer to others, often in a way that can seem insincere or servile. It’s the kind of behavior aimed at gaining favor or appearing accommodating, even when overdone.

Loquacious describes someone who talks a lot; laconic refers to using few words; misanthrope is a person who dislikes people. None of these cavities of meaning capture the idea of being overly subservient and eager to please the way obsequious does. So obsequious is the best fit for the given definition.