Question

As Leon entered the massive house, he immediately felt tiny and unimportant. The exterior was rich, and the building style was highly decorative. The interior of the foyer, by contrast, seemed cavernous and empty. Perhaps it was because the mansion was just so huge. The man who answered the door led him silently into a room off the main entry, which appeared to be a library or study. The dim lighting and dark furnishings contributed to the room's austere atmosphere. It seemed like the kind of place where laughing was absolutely forbidden.

Dictionary

austere (aws tihr) adj.

1. serious; sober

2. simple and lacking in luxury

Which word has the same meaning as austere as it is used in the passage?

1. ancient

2. empty

3. plain

4. solemn

Answer 1

3. plain