In the sentence "The evidence was compelling, so the jury convicted him quickly", the word compelling most nearly means
Correct answer: B. very convincing
- A. forcing by law
- B. very convincing
- C. lengthy
- D. confusing
Explanation
The clue lies in the consequence: the jury was persuaded quickly, so the evidence must have been highly convincing. Compelling does derive from a root meaning to force, but in this context it describes persuasive power rather than legal compulsion. Reading the whole sentence for such clues is the essential technique for context questions.
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About Meaning from Context
Meaning from context requires inferring an unfamiliar word or phrase from surrounding clues, including definitions, examples, contrasts, cause and effect, tone and grammatical role. The intended meaning may differ from a dictionary’s first meaning, so collocation, connotation and the sentence’s overall idea must be considered together.
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