To "disparage" someone is to speak poorly of them, or to belittle them. So, the answer choice closest in meaning to "disparage" is "belittle," and "belittle" is the correct answer. For clarification, "laudatory" means worthy of praise, "garrulous" means talkative, and "illusory" means false or deceptive.

"Compel" means to force a person to do something, so "force" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "compel": "reform" means to make changes to something in order to improve it; "concede" means to admit or to give up; "dilute" means to add a liquid, usually water, to a mixture to make it less concentrated; and "conceal" means to hide something or someone.

"Consider" means to "think about" something carefully. "Sweep" means to clean dust and dirt off of the ground or the floor. "Retreat" means to withdraw or to move back to a previously occupied area, often in combat. "Imagine" means to visualize or to create an image in one's mind of something. "Convince" means to change the viewpoint of another.

"Placate" means to try to make better or to appease, so "appease" is the correct answer. For clarification, "contrition" is a feeling of guilt and remorse, "congenial" means agreeable or friendly, "fortuitous" means owed to luck or fortune, and "desolate" means abandoned or deserted.

To "revere" someone means to respect or to venerate them, so "venerate," which means highly respect or worship, is the correct answer. For clarification, "distort" means to twist or manipulate out of shape, "dread," when used as a verb, means fear, and impervious means resistant to harm or penetration.

"Antagonize" means to irritate someone or something or to provoke a reaction. For clarification, "indict" means accuse, "condone" means allow, "founder" means sink, and "prohibit" means forbid.

"Repudiate" means disown or deny something, and as such is most similar in meaning to “disclaim,” a verb that means deny, which you might be able to infer from the word's use of the negative prefix "dis-," which means not, in addition to the word "claim." For clarification, "counsel" means give advice to, "elaborate" means say more about when used as a verb, "appropriate" means seize or commandeer, and "strengthen" means make stronger.

“Vie” means fight for or compete, so "compete" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "vie": “suspend” means pause or hang when used as a verb; “deny” means refuse or refuse to accept the truth of something; and “compound” means make things worse.

“Gesticulate” means wave and gesture to help make a point, so "motion," which can mean gesture when used as a verb, is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "gesticulate": “admonish” means scold or tell off; “laud” means praise; and “condemn” means attack or denounce.

“Feign” means pretend or fake something, so "pretend" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "feign": “bemoan” means complain about; “grin” means smile widely; “accuse” means say someone is guilty of a crime; and “harangue” is a verb that means lecture or verbally criticize.