"Antagonize" means alienate or provoke, so "provoke" is the correct answer. "Undermine" means weaken. "Ajar" is an adjective that means slightly open. "Barter" is a verb that means trade or negotiate the price of an item. "Retreat" means withdraw or move back to a previous location.

"Amiable" means good-natured. "Ill-tempered" means cantankerous, so it is an antonym of "amiable," not a "synonym." For clarification, "erratic" means unpredictable or devoid of a pattern, "recalcitrant" means unruly and disobedient, and "radical" means favoring major changes.

"Felicity" is a noun used to describe happiness and contentment or something that creates happiness and contentment. For clarification, "despondency" is a feeling of hopelessness.

The prefix gyne­- means relating to women or to women’s reproductive systems. “Gynecology” is the medicine that specializes in treating women. To provide additional help, the medicine that specializes in treating children is called “pediatrics.”

“Fanaticism” is a fanatic outlook or fanatic behaviour. “Fanatic” means marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion. Both words share a link with the root “fan,” as in football fan. “Fanaticism” can also be called “zeal,” which is a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something. If you show “zealous” behaviour then you are full of “zealotry.” To help you “idealism” is the attitude of a person who believes that it is possible to live according to very high standards of behavior and honesty. “Jive” means a type of fast lively dance or music that was especially popular in the early part of the twentieth century; it can also mean informal language that includes many slang terms.

The prefix equ- means equal, same, so the word “equalize” means to make equal. Of the five answer choices this is most similar in meaning to “balance.” To provide further help, “demonstrate” means to show how to do something; “laud” means praise; “condemn” means criticize, say is wrong.

"Reasonable" means logical, rational, or possessing reason.

"Parity" means equality.

To illuminate something means to shed light on it, to make it clear. The part of the word -lum- generally refers to light or clarity as in illuminate, luminous, illumination, etc.

"Reliable" means dependable.