Final answer:
Connotation refers to the cultural or emotional associations of a word. Words like 'apprehensive,' 'precarious,' and 'vacillate' typically carry negative connotations, whereas 'conclusive' and 'unequivocal' are more positively connoted. Words like 'oxymoron' and 'antonym' maintain a neutral connotation, and 'indeterminate' and 'tentative' can be negative or neutral.
Step-by-step explanation:
Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations we have with a word beyond its dictionary definition, or denotation. For instance, words like 'apprehensive' and 'precarious' typically carry a negative connotation, suggesting anxiety or instability, respectively. Conversely, a word like 'conclusive' often has a positive connotation, implying a sense of finality or certainty that answers have been found. On the other hand, 'indeterminate' may carry a neutral or slightly negative connotation as it reflects uncertainty or a lack of finality.
A word like 'unequivocal' suggests clear and unambiguous communication, usually garnering a positive connotation. However, 'tentative' can be seen as negative or neutral, implying hesitance or lack of commitment. Similarly, 'vacillate' often has a negative connotation, indicating indecisiveness. 'Oxymoron' is more neutral and describes a rhetorical device where contradictory terms are combined, like 'jumbo shrimp.' 'Categorical' can be positive or negative, suggesting a definitive statement which could be seen as confident or dogmatic depending on the context. Lastly, while 'antonym' itself is generally neutral, describing a word opposite in meaning to another, the connotations of antonyms vary widely because they encompass the entire range of language and meaning.