Of these four words, which one is most likely to have a negative flavor or implication? A. Distract B. Meander C. Confuse D. Harangue

The correct answer is D. harangue.

Although all of these words mean similar things, they do not have the same connotation. Distract, meander, and confuse are all neutral words - there is nothing especially positive or negative about them. However, when it comes to harangue, it is really negative - it means to lecture someone aggressively, to almost bully them.

D is the correct answer. Of these, harrangue is the most negative, as it implies a continual lecturing of someone or speaking to them for an excessively long amount of time. While distract and confuse can be negative, they have less negative connotations.