Select the word that is furthest (opposite) in meaning to the underlined word.…

An antonym question asks for the word that is most opposite in meaning to a given word. To find it, first pin down the core sense of the given word, then test each option against that sense — a genuine antonym reverses the meaning, while a synonym or near-synonym only restates it.

“Precarious” means unstable, insecure, or likely to collapse into danger — Rajesh’s position became precarious after the change in government. The opposite of that idea is being firmly fixed and safe, which is exactly what “secure” means: stable, protected, free from risk.

• “Insecure” shares the same core sense as “precarious” (both describe a lack of safety or stability), so it cannot be the opposite.

• “Risky” describes exposure to danger — the very idea “precarious” conveys, not its reverse.

• “Perilous” means full of danger, again a synonym for “precarious,” not an antonym.

So the word that reverses the sense of “precarious” is “secure.”