“The judge’s standing in the legal community, though shaken by false allegations of wrongdoing, remained _________.”

The word that best fills the blank in the above sentence is

The correct option is undiminished.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyze the sentence structure and context clues:
The sentence has two parts separated by a contrast indicator, "though".
The phrase "though shaken by false allegations of wrongdoing" introduces a contrasting condition. "False allegations" are negative, and "shaken" implies a threat to the judge's standing. However, since the allegations are explicitly described as "false", the core of the sentence suggests that the judge's actual reputation or standing should ultimately not be permanently harmed or decreased.

2. Evaluate the word "though":
The conjunction "though" acts as a concession marker. It indicates that despite the negative impact of the false allegations (which might normally reduce or damage someone's standing), the outcome is the opposite of what is expected. Therefore, we need a word that means "not reduced", "not lessened", or "remained intact".

3. Examine the given options:
• undiminished: This means not reduced or lessened. This perfectly fits the context, indicating that despite the allegations, the judge's standing remained as strong as before.
• damaged: This contradicts the contrast set up by "though". If his standing was shaken by false allegations, saying it "remained damaged" doesn't flow logically with the concession "though shaken" (which implies a counter-action or resilience).
• illegal: Standing in a community cannot be described as "illegal". This is semantically incorrect.
• uncertain: While allegations can cause uncertainty, "remained undiminished" is the most direct contrast to "shaken", restoring the status quo of the judge's high standing.

Therefore, undiminished is the most appropriate word to fill in the blank.