insidious | Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ INSIDIOUS most nearly means: (A) obvious and direct; (B) completely harmless; (C) gradually harmful; (D) loudly aggressive. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and full SAT explanation inside.
ℹ️ Part of speech of insidious
insidious is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of insidious
insidious is pronounced /ɪn.ˈsɪd.i.əs/ or in-SID-ee-us.
📚️ Definition of insidious
Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects; stealthy and treacherous. Example: the insidious spread of misinformation.
📰 Examples
Here are some examples of insidious in usage:
The insidious nature of procrastination is that it feels productive in the moment; even if you're not actually working, you're at least thinking about it.
Propaganda is insidious less because of misinformation, and more because with time, it begins to cause citizens to mistrust all sources of information, even reliable ones.
The insidious harm of excessive processed food caught up to Señor Fixx after a few decades.
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
C, gradually harmful. Explanations: A doesn't work; insidious is the opposite of obvious—it's sneaky and subtle. B is way off; the whole point of something being insidious is that it IS harmful. D could describe something blatant or aggressive, but insidious things work quietly in the shadows!