Which of the following words is closest in meaning to “Meticulous”?

Meticulous means very careful and precise.

• Correct answer - painstaking: it has the same meaning as Meticulous.
• messy: untidy - wrong, it does not mean the same as Meticulous.
• slapdash: careless and hasty - wrong, it does not mean the same as Meticulous.
• careless: not taking care - wrong, it does not mean the same as Meticulous.