Which word is the opposite of archaic in meaning?

• A. Ancient
• B. Old-fashioned
• C. Modern
• D. Contemporary

Answer: (C)

Archaic means very old or out-of-date. To find the opposite, look for a word that describes present time or being up-to-date. Modern fits perfectly because it conveys current, up-to-date, or new. The other options describe oldness or outdatedness in different ways—ancient is extremely old, old-fashioned is outdated in style, and contemporary can also mean modern but often emphasizes existing in the present or at the same time as something else. For this item, the clearest opposite is modern.