Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four options. Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word. Malaria is a _widespread_ disease.

The word 'widespread' describes something that is found or distributed over a large area or among many people [1]. In the context of diseases like malaria, it indicates high prevalence across various regions [1][2]. To find the opposite (antonym), we look for a term indicating limited occurrence. 'Rare' means something that is not found often or occurs in very small numbers, directly contradicting the extensive reach of a widespread condition [3]. While 'endemic' refers to a disease regularly found in a particular area, it does not necessarily imply low frequency; in fact, malaria is often described as endemic in high-burden regions [4][5]. 'Pervasive' and 'common' are synonyms or near-synonyms of widespread, as they describe things that are prevalent or spreading throughout a population. Therefore, 'rare' is the most appropriate antonym.

Sources

1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > epidemics > p. 78
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 17: Contemporary Issues > Epidemics > p. 36
3. [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Probe and ponder > p. 28
4. [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11264987/
5. [5] https://www.who.int/india/health-topics/malaria