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THE HINDU EDITORIAL
VOCABULARY BOOSTER
AUGUST 2020
FOR ALL BANKING AND
GOVERNMENT EXAMS
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
Free vocabulary e-book
The Hindu Newspaper is treated as the Bible by the Exam Aspirants be it Bank Exam Aspirants,
SSC Aspirants or UPSC Aspirants. Reading the Editorial section of the newspaper daily has
twofold benefits: (a) It gives the editor’s views on the latest happenings in India and the
World, (b) It helps enhance English Vocabulary. In this eBook of “The Hindu Editorial
Vocabulary Booster August 2020”, we have come up with a list of difficult words taken from
the Hindu Editorials of the August Month, with their Meanings, Synonyms, Antonyms, and
the Correct Usage of those words. Read along to understand it better.
The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary Booster – August 2020
Sr. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Words
Abrasive
Absurdity
Accountability
Acquiescence
Affirm
Affluent
Aggrandizement
Meanings & Synonyms
showing little concern for
the feelings of others.
Harsh, Caustic, Acerbic,
Vitriolic
The quality or state of
being ridiculous or wildly
unreasonable.
Ridiculousness
The fact or condition of
being accountable;
responsibility.
Responsibility, Liability,
Answerability
The reluctant acceptance
of something without
protest.
Consent, Agreement,
Acceptance, Accession
State emphatically or
publicly.
Declare, State
Having a great deal of
money; wealthy.
Wealthy, Rich, Prosperous,
Opulent
An increase in power or
importance.
Canonize, Deify, Dignify
Antonyms
Usage
Kind, Gentle
Her abrasive and arrogant
personal style won her few
friends.
Reasonableness,
Sense
Duncan laughed at
the absurdity of the situation.
Unaccountability
Lack of accountability allows
Vallejo police to call the shots.
Refusal
Reluctantly, he acquiesced to the
plans.
Deny
The Prime Minister affirmed the
country’s commitment to peace.
Poor,
Impoverished
We live in
an affluent neighbourhood.
Abase, degrade,
Demean, Humble,
Humiliate
He gives a lot of money to charity,
but personal aggrandizement is
his motive.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
8.
Aggravate
9.
Aggrieve
10.
Akin
11.
Alacrity
12.
Albeit
13.
Allegation
14.
15.
16.
Ambit
Anarchy
Animadversion
Make (a problem, injury,
or offence) worse or more
serious.
Annoy, Irritate,
Exasperate, Anger
To give pain or trouble to.
To inflict injury upon.
Distress
Of similar character.
Similar, Related, Close,
Near, Corresponding,
Comparable
Brisk and cheerful
readiness.
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Calm, Conciliate
Military action would
only aggravate the situation.
Pleased
Years later, this unfairness
still aggrieves him.
Unlike, Unrelated
The two languages are
closely akin.
Apathy
She accepted the invitation
with alacrity.
Eagerness, Willingness,
Readiness, Ardour
Though.
The evening was very
pleasant, albeit a little quiet.
There is no substance to
the allegation.
A claim or assertion that
someone has done
something illegal or wrong,
typically one made without
proof.
A declaration, Statement,
Proclamation
The scope, extent, or
bounds of something.
Scope, Extent, Bounds,
Confines, Limits
A state of disorder due to
absence or nonrecognition of authority or
other controlling systems.
Lawlessness, Nihilism,
Mobocracy
Criticism or censure.
Accusation, Flak
Many feel that church leaders
stray outside of their
proper ambit when they make
specific political endorsements.
Government,
Order
What we are witnessing is the
country’s slow slide into anarchy.
Approval,
Compliment,
Praise
His actions attracted neither
surprise nor animadversion.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
17.
Anomaly
18.
Apprehend
19.
Apprehensive
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Something that deviates
from what is standard,
normal, or expected.
Oddity, Peculiarity,
Abnormality, Irregularity
Arrest (someone) for a
crime.
Seize
Anxious or fearful that
something bad or
unpleasant will happen.
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Conformity,
Regularity,
Illustration,
Conformance,
Exemplification,
Specimen
Miss
The anomaly of the social security
system is that you sometimes
have more money without a job.
Confident
I am very apprehensive about
tomorrow’s meeting.
Rasheta said police were still
working Monday
to apprehend the shooter.
Ascendancy
Alarmed, Worried, Uneasy,
Nervous
Occupation of a position of Subordination
dominant power or
influence.
Audacity
Dominance, Supremacy
A willingness to take bold
risks.
Timidity
He had the audacity to blame me
for his mistake!
Boldness, Daring,
Fearlessness
An official inspection of an
organization’s accounts,
typically by an
independent body.
Go over, Skim,
Glance, Miss
The audit showed that the
company had misled investors.
Face
The last-minute
agreement averted renewed
fighting.
Undamaged
She set up a sanctuary
for battered wives.
Repel,
Unappealing
He beguiled the voters with his
good looks.
Audit
Avert
Inspect, Examine, Survey,
Look over, Go over
Turn away (one’s eyes or
thoughts).
Battered
Prevent, Stop, Avoid
Injured by repeated blows
or punishment.
Beguile
Beaten, Assaulted,
Thrashed, Thumped
Charm or enchant
(someone), often in a
deceptive way.
Charm, Attract, Enchant
They are in danger of losing their
political ascendancy.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
26.
27.
28.
Beleaguered
Blinkered
Bottom out
29.
Brazen
30.
Breach
31.
32.
33.
Bumble
Camouflage
Cliché
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Put in a very difficult
situation.
Hard-pressed, Troubled,
Besieged, Blockaded
Having or showing a
narrow or limited outlook.
The occupants of
the beleaguered city had no
means of escape.
Broad-minded
He is very blinkered in his outlook.
Increase, Rise,
Success, Advance.
He believes the economic slump
has bottomed out, and the
economy will turn around.
Hard-time, Downturn
Bold and without shame.
Timid, Shy
An act of breaking or
failing to observe a law,
agreement, or code of
conduct.
Comply (with),
Conform (to),
Follow, Mind,
Obey, Observe
He went about his illegal business
with a brazen assurance.
This is clearly a breach of the
treaty.
Narrow-minded, Limited,
Restricted, Inward-looking,
Conventional
To reach the lowest point
in a continuously changing
level that is about to start
rising or increasing again.
Contravention, Violation,
Breaking, Infringement
Move or act in an awkward Efficient, Expert
or confused manner.
Blunder, Lurch, Stumble,
Wobble, Lumber
The disguising of military
personnel, equipment, and
installations by painting or
covering them to make
them blend in with their
surroundings.
Disguise, Hide, Conceal,
Mask
A phrase or opinion that is
overused and betrays a
lack of original thought.
Unmask
Fresh, New,
Novel, Original,
Unhackneyed,
Unfamiliar,
A platitude, Commonplace, Uncommon,
Banality, Truism,
Pioneering.
Hackneyed
There is something terrible about
seeing others go about life with
rational deliberateness while we
continue to bumble around.
The army tanks were painted
green and brown for camouflage.
My wedding day – and I know it is
a cliché – was just the happiest
day of my life.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
34.
Cogent
35.
Cognisance
36.
Cohort
37.
Complacency
38.
Compliance
39.
Conciliation
40.
41.
42.
Concomitantly
Condemn
Contempt
Clear, Logical, and
Convincing.
Compelling, Forceful
Knowledge or awareness.
Consciousness
A group of people with a
shared characteristic.
Companion, Colleague,
Band, Group
A feeling of smug or
uncritical satisfaction with
oneself or one’s
achievements.
Smugness, SelfApprobation, Self-approval
The action or fact of
complying with a wish or
command.
The action of stopping
someone being angry;
placation.
Appeasement, Peacemaking, Propitiation
At the same time;
simultaneously.
Accompanying, Coexistent,
Concurrent
Express complete
disapproval of; censure.
Criticize, Castigate,
Denounce
The feeling that a person
or a thing is worthless or
beneath consideration.
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Vague,
Unconvincing,
Muddled
They put
forward cogent arguments for
British membership.
Inadvertence,
Neglect,
Ignorance,
Inexperience,
Oversight,
Connivance
Enemy, Foe,
Opponent,
Adversary,
Antagonist
The lawyer asked the jury to
take cognisance of the
defendant’s generosity in giving to
charity.
Dissatisfaction
The figures are better, but there
are no grounds for complacency.
Defiance,
disobedience,
Intractability,
Recalcitrance
Provocation
It is the job of the inspectors to
enforce compliance with the
regulations.
Unconnected,
Unrelated
Loss of memory is a
natural concomitant of old age.
Praise, Commend
Most leaders
roundly condemned the attack.
Respect,
Pam stared at the girl with
total contempt.
The police arrested the gang’s
leader and his cohorts.
Many disputes are settled
through conciliation by the official
body.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
43.
Contention
Scorn, Disdain, Disrespect,
Disregard
Heated disagreement.
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Agreement
The issues behind the protest are
the usual bones of collectivebargaining contention: pay
increases, vacation time, union
membership.
They offer impartial advice
on contraception.
Accord, Harmony,
Agreement
You say that you are good friends
and yet you do not trust him. Isn’t
that a contradiction?
Similarity,
Resemblance
The day began cold and blustery,
in contrast to almost two weeks of
uninterrupted sunshine.
Uncontroversial,
Anodyne
The book was very controversial.
Distrust, Mistrust
You people have lost
your credence with me.
Able-bodied
Economic sanctions
have crippled the country’s
economy.
Disagreement, Dispute,
Argument, Variance
44.
Contraception
45.
Contradiction
46.
47.
48.
49.
Contrast
Controversial
Credence
Cripple
The deliberate use of
artificial methods or other
techniques to prevent
pregnancy as a
consequence of sexual
intercourse.
A combination of
statements, ideas, or
features which are
opposed to one another.
Dichotomy, Incongruity,
Paradox
The state of being
strikingly different from
something else in
juxtaposition or close
association.
The difference,
Dissimilarity, Disparity,
Dissimilitude, Distinction
Giving rise or likely to give
rise to controversy or
public disagreement.
Contentious, Disputed,
Contented, Moot,
Disputable
Belief in or acceptance of
something as true.
Acceptance, Belief, Faith,
Trust, Confidence
Cause someone to become
unable to walk or move
properly.
Disable, Paralyse,
Immobilize, Lame
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
Dampen
Dastardly
Decimate
Delineate
Demarcate
55.
Denatured
56.
Detention
57.
Diatribe
58.
Discordant
Make less strong or
intense.
Lessen, Decrease,
Diminish, Reduce
Wicked and cruel.
Evil, Iniquitous, Heinous,
Diabolical, Villainous
Kill, destroy, or remove a
large proportion of.
Annihilate, Demolition,
Devastate
Describe or portray
(something) precisely.
Describe, Set forth,
Portray, Outline
Set the boundaries or
limits of.
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Heighten
Nothing could dampen her
enthusiasm.
Noble,
Praiseworthy
It’s the story of a woman who
plots dastardly revenge on her
unfaithful lover.
Build, Construct,
Erect, Put up,
Raise, Rear, Set
up
This kind of moth is responsible
for decimating thousands of trees
in our town.
Misdescribe,
Twist, Confuse,
Misstate, Distort
The main characters are
clearly delineated in the first
chapter.
Connect, Join,
Combine, Attach
Carpet tiles demarcate six-foot
black circles around every desk in
the open floor plan.
Separate, Divide, Delimit,
Distinguish
Take away or alter the
natural qualities of.
The action of detaining
someone or the state of
being detained in official
custody.
Custody, Imprisonment,
Confinement,
Incarceration
A forceful and bitter verbal
attack against someone or
something.
Tirade, Harangue
Disagreeing or
incongruous.
Inharmonious, Unmelodic,
Unmusical, Tuneless
Discharge,
Release
Compliment,
Recommendation,
Sanction, Tribute,
Praise, Ovation,
Blessing.
Harmonious,
Dulcet
The combined action of heat and
acid helps some of the milk
proteins to denature and
coagulate to form a large white
mass of cheese curds.
Concern has been expressed
about the death in detention of a
number of political prisoners.
Our manager privately subjected a
few of us to a
lengthy diatribe about how
terrible the company’s new policy
is.
The singers continued
their discordant chanting.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
Dismantle
Dodge
Dubious
Endure
Eviscerated
To take a machine or
something complicated
apart, usually to make it
unable to work.
Break-down, Demount,
Disassemble, Dismount
Avoid (someone or
something) by a sudden
quick movement.
Dart, Bolt, Expedient
Hesitating or doubting.
Not to be relied upon,
Suspect.
Suspicious, Suspect
Suffer (something painful
or difficult) patiently.
Undergo, Experience,
Meet
Deprive (something) of its
essential content.
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Assemble,
Construct
Over the next three years, we will
be gradually dismantling the
company and selling off the
profitable units.
Accede,
Acquiesce. Assent
It was just another dodge to get
out of working in the yard.
Trustworthy,
Decisive, Clear,
Definite
These claims are dubious and not
scientifically proven.
Fade, Short-lived
These cities have endured over
time.
Uninjured
The ancient Egyptians
would eviscerate the bodies of the
dead as part of the process of
mummifying them.
Calm, Reduce
The exorbitant cost of land in
urban areas only exacerbated the
problem.
Compress, Ignore,
Contract
Comic book characters are drawn
with exaggerated features so you
will remember them.
Exacerbate
Clean, Disembowel, Draw,
Gut
Make (a problem, bad
situation, or negative
feeling) worse.
Exaggerated
Aggravate, Worsen,
Inflame
Regarded or represented
as larger, better, or worse
than in reality.
Explicit
Overstate, Overestimate,
Magnify
Stated clearly and in detail, Vague
leaving no room for
confusion or doubt.
Clear, Direct, Plain,
Obvious, Straightforward,
Clear-cut
I gave her very explicit directions
on how to get here.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
Fervour
Fettle
Flagrant
Foreground
Forthcoming
Fraternity
Fraudulent
Fraught
Intense and passionate
feeling.
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Apathy
Passion, Ardour, Intensity,
Zeal
Healthy or strong, or in
good condition.
Condition, Estate, Form,
Health
Conspicuously or obviously
offensive.
Blatant, Glaring, Obvious,
Overt
The part of a view that is
nearest to the observer,
especially in a picture or
photograph.
A position of prominence.
Forefront, Accentuate
About to happen or
appear.
Imminent, Impending,
Coming, Approaching,
Advancing
A group of people sharing
a common profession or
interests.
Friendship & mutual
support within a group.
Brotherhood, Fellowship,
Kinship
Association, Board
Obtained, done by, or
involving deception,
especially criminal
deception.
Dishonest, Cheating,
Swindling
Causing or affected by
anxiety or stress.
The country was swept by
patriotic fervour.
“How was Jane?” “Oh, she was in
fine fettle.”
Unobtrusive,
Slight
She has a flagrant disregard for
other people’s rights.
De-emphasize,
Play down
Public discussion
has foregrounded the issue of
health care.
Past, Current
We have just received the
information about
the forthcoming conference.
have an intense
feeling of longing
for something,
typically
something that
one has lost or
been separated
from.
He is a firm believer in community
service and a dedicated member
of the local fraternity of Good
Samaritans.
Honest, Aboveboard
A worrying trend for insurers has
been a rise in fraudulent claims.
Calm
The negotiations have
been fraught with problems right
from the start.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
75.
76.
Furore
Galvanize
Anxious, Worried, Upset,
Distraught
An outbreak of public
anger or excitement.
Calm, Hush,
Peace, Quiet,
Quietude,
Baseball fans in a furore as the
game stretched to 11 innings.
Demotivate
The urgency of his
voice galvanized them into action.
Amiable, Pleasant
The future looks grim.
To prevent someone doing
something easily.
Uninteresting,
Ordinary
Aid, Assist,
Facilitate, Help
Hinder, Holdback
Clumsy, Insensitive, or
Overly forceful.
Dexterous,
Sensitive
His latest movie is interesting, but
not ground-breaking.
Fierce storms have
been hampering rescue efforts
and there is now little chance of
finding more survivors.
The protestors accused the police
of using heavy–handed tactics.
Commotion, Uproar,
Outcry
Shock or excite (someone)
into acting.
Grim
Jolt, Shock, Startle, Impel
Very serious or gloomy.
78.
Ground-breaking
Stern, Forbidding,
Uninviting, Bleak, Dismal
Innovative, Pioneering
79.
Hamper
77.
80.
81.
Heavy handed
Heft
Awkward, Inept, Unskilful
To lift, hold, or carry
something heavy using
your hands.
The influence, ability, or
importance that someone
or something has
82.
83.
Hefty
Herald
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Weight, Heaviness,
Importance. Influence
Large and heavy.
Helplessness,
Impotence,
Impotency,
Powerlessness,
Weakness
Does Brady have the
intellectual heft to run the city?
Slight, Gaunt,
Light
Her salary will go up by
a hefty 13%.
Burly, Sturdy, Bulky,
Powerful, Hard
To be a sign that
Adversary,
something important, and Antagonist,
often good, is starting to
Opponent
happen, or to make
something publicly known,
especially by celebrating or
praising it.
The president’s speech heralds a
new era in foreign policy.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
84.
Hooch
85.
Humiliation
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
Ignominy
Illicit
Impasse
Imperilled
Inadvertent
Indefinitely
Harbinger, Sign, Indicator
Alcoholic drink, especially
inferior or illicit whisky.
The action of humiliating
someone or the state of
being humiliated.
Embarrassment,
Mortification, Shame,
Indignity
Public shame or disgrace.
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Nonintoxicant
Honour
Sometimes, however, there are
finds of illicitly brewed alcohol,
or hooch, at establishments with
higher security.
They suffered the humiliation of
losing in the opening round
Honour, Esteem,
Respect
She had to endure
the ignominy of being forced to
resign.
Licit, Legal,
Above-board
The information had been
obtained illicitly.
Solution,
Agreement,
Breakthrough
The dispute had reached
an impasse, as neither side would
compromise.
Stalemate
Put at risk of being
harmed, injured, or
destroyed.
Preserve,
Conserve
The toxic fumes imperilled the
lives of the trapped miners.
Endanger, Jeopardize, Risk
Not resulting from or
achieved through
deliberate planning.
Deliberate,
Intentional
An inadvertent administrative
error occurred that resulted in an
overpayment.
Bounded,
Circumscribed,
Confined,
Definite, Finite,
Limited,
Restricted
The negotiations have been put
off indefinitely.
Shame, Humiliation,
Embarrassed
Forbidden by law, rules, or
custom.
Illegal, unlawful,
Illegitimate, Outlawed
A situation in which no
progress is possible,
especially because of
disagreement; a deadlock.
Unintentional, Accidental,
Unpremeditated,
Unplanned
For an unlimited or
unspecified period of time.
Bottomless, Endless,
Horizonless
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
92.
93.
Indoctrination
Inflict
94.
Innate
95.
Intimidation
96.
Invariably
97.
Invincibility
98.
Lacunae
99.
Laudable
100. Legitimate
The process of teaching a
person or group to accept
a set of beliefs uncritically.
Educate, Instruct
Cause (something
unpleasant or painful) to
be suffered by someone or
something.
Impose, Force, Press,
Thrust
Inborn, Natural.
Inbred, Congenital,
Inherent
The action of intimidating
someone, or the state of
being intimidated.
Frightening, Menacing,
Terrifying, Scaring,
Alarming
In every case or on every
occasion; always.
Always, Every time
The quality of being too
powerful to be defeated or
overcome.
Free vocabulary e-book
Neglect, Leave
alone
The level of indoctrination among
the nation’s youth had reached
fever pitch.
Alleviate,
Suspend, Spare
The suffering inflicted on these
children was unimaginable.
Acquired
Cyril’s most impressive quality was
his innate goodness.
Encourage,
Inspirit, Animate,
Reassure
They were intimidated into
accepting a pay cut by the threat
of losing their jobs.
Sometimes, Never Ranch meals are invariably big
and hearty.
Superable,
Surmountable,
Vincible,
Vulnerable
Impregnable, Indomitable,
Insurmountable
An unfilled space; a gap.
Abundance,
Adequacy,
Crunch, Dearth, Deficiency, Amplitude,
Inadequacy
Opulence,
Plenitude
An action, idea, or aim
Blameworthy,
deserving praise and
Shameful
commendation
Praiseworthy,
Commendable, Admirable,
Meritorious, Worthy
Conforming to the law or
to rules.
Illegal, Invalid,
Unjustifiable,
Illegitimate
The crisis has shattered the
government’s
apparent invincibility.
She found a lacuna in the
historical record.
The recycling programme
is laudable, but does it save much
money?
He claimed that the restaurant bill
was a legitimate business
expense.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
101. Litter
102. Lobbying
103. Malice
Legal, Lawful, Licit,
Legalized, Authorized
An untidy accumulation of
objects.
The activity of trying to
persuade someone in
authority, usually an
elected member of a
government, to support
laws or rules that give your
organization or industry an
advantage.
The desire to harm
someone, ill will.
104. Manifest
Spite, Malevolence,
Animosity
Lack of confidence in the
company manifested itself
in a fall in the share price.
105. Marginalised
Cognisable,
Comprehensible
Treat (a person, group, or
concept) as insignificant or
peripheral.
106. Mayhem
Demean, Disparage, Vilify
Violent or extreme
disorder; chaos.
107. Minutiae
108. Morass
109. Multiplicity
Free vocabulary e-book
A shabby writing-desk covered
with a litter of yellowish dusty
documents.
In her speech she stressed that
she is not involved in the
firm’s lobbying of Congress.
Benevolence
I bear no malice towards anybody.
Hidden, Secret
Their sadness was manifest in
their faces.
Elevate, Promote,
Celebrate
Now that English has taken over as
the main language, the country’s
native language has
been marginalised.
Calm. Harmony,
Order, Peace
A criminal who escaped from
prison and caused mayhem.
Chaos, Disorder,
Confusion, Havoc, Bedlam
The small, precise, or
Essentials. Nittytrivial details of something. gritty.
Details, Niceties,
Subtleties, Particulars
A complicated or confusing
situation.
Confusion, Chaos, Muddle,
Tangle, Imbroglio
A large number or variety.
Abundance
The committee studied
the minutiae of the report for
hours.
The distracted driver had driven
his car off the road and into
a morass.
Handful, Hint,
Lick, Little
Shakespeare’s works seem to
encompass the full multiplicity of
human experience.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
110. Naively
111. Nativism
112. Obligation
113. Oratorical
In a way that shows a lack
of experience, wisdom, or
judgement.
Guilelessly, Ingenuously,
Innocently
A policy of favouring native
inhabitants as opposed to
immigrants.
An act or course of action
to which a person is
morally or legally bound, a
duty or commitment.
Artfully, Cannily,
Deceitfully,
Deceptively,
Deviously
Repayment,
Discharge,
Quittance,
Release
Duty, Commitment,
Responsibility, Function,
Task
Relating to the art or
Plain-spoken,
practice of public speaking. Simple,
Rhetorical, Grandiloquent, Unadorned
114. Ostensibly
Magniloquent, Highsounding
As appears or is stated to
be true, though not
necessarily so; apparently.
115. Outrageous
Seemingly
Shockingly bad or
excessive.
116. Overwhelm
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Disgraceful, Scandalous,
Atrocious
Have a strong emotional
effect on.
117. Painstaking
Overcome, Move, Stir,
Affect, Touch
Done with or employing
great care and
thoroughness.
118. Paradigm
Careful, Meticulous,
Thorough, Assiduous
A typical example or
pattern of something; a
pattern or model.
I naively thought having wealth
would bring happiness.
Nativism, populism, and
protectionism are growing
everywhere in the West.
You have a legal obligation to
ensure your child receives an
education.
She has a
wonderful oratorical style, with a
splendid command of English.
Genuinely, Really,
Truly
Their ostensible goal was to clean
up government corruption, but
their real aim was to unseat the
government.
Acceptable, Mild,
Moderate
The judge criticized the
“outrageous greed” of some of
the bankers.
Underwhelm
They were overwhelmed with
work.
Careless,
Negligent,
Slapdash
It took months
of painstaking research to write
the book.
Follower
The TV network claimed that this
was the beginning of “a
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
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new paradigm for commercial
television.”
Patronage is a potent force if used
politically.
Example, Pattern
The power of a person to
give someone an
important job or position.
Blockage,
Discouragement
120. Paucity
Aegis, Auspice, Backing,
Sponsorship
The presence of something
in only small or insufficient
quantities or amounts.
Abundance
There is a paucity of information
on the ingredients of many
cosmetics.
121. Perfunctory
Scarcity, Dearth, Shortage,
Rarity
An action carried out
without real interest,
feeling, or effort.
Careful, Thorough
His smile was perfunctory.
Safety, Security
I never felt that my life was
in peril.
Irrelevant,
Inappropriate
She asked me a lot of
very pertinent questions.
Contradict,
Negative,
Preclude,
Forefend
It was a deeply superstitious
country, where earthquakes were
commonly believed
to portend the end of dynasties.
Impractical,
Unrealistic,
Idealistic
In business,
the pragmatic approach to
problems is often more successful
than an idealistic one.
119. Patronage
122. Peril
123. Pertinent
124. Portend
125. Pragmatic
Cursory, Desultory, Quick,
Brief, Hasty
Serious and immediate
danger.
Danger, Jeopardy, Risk,
Hazard, Insecurity
Relevant or applicable to a
particular matter;
apposite.
Apposite, Appropriate,
Suitable, Fitting
Be a sign or warning that
(something, especially
something momentous or
calamitous) is likely to
happen.
Presage, Augur,
Foreshadow, Foretell,
Prophesy
Dealing with things
sensibly and realistically in
a way that is based on
practical rather than
theoretical considerations.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
126. Predominance
127. Preposterous
128. Presumptive
129. Proficient
130. Prognosis
Practical, Matter of fact,
Realistic, Sensible
The state or condition of
being greater in number or
amount.
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Inferiority,
subjection,
Minority, Paucity
The tribe fought to maintain
its predominance.
Reasonable,
Sensible
It was a preposterous idea, and no
one took it seriously.
Definitive
In that climate of fear, an
accusation alone
was presumptive evidence of
guilt.
Conjectural, Speculative,
Tentative, Notional
Competent or skilled in
doing or using something.
Inept, Inexpert,
Incompetent
I was proficient at my job.
Skilled, Expert,
Accomplished,
Experienced
The likely course of a
medical condition.
Calculation,
Measurement
Right now, doctors say
his prognosis is good.
Obscurity
The company rose
to prominence in the 1990s.
Obscurity
The company rose
to prominence in the 1990s.
Prevalence, Dominance,
Supremacy, Mastery,
Power
Contrary to reason or
common sense; utterly
absurd or ridiculous.
Absurd, Ridiculous,
Foolish, Stupid, Ludicrous
Of the nature of a
presumption, presumed in
the absence of further
information.
A forecast of the likely
outcome of a situation.
131. Prominence
132. Prominence
Forecast, Prediction,
Projection,
Prognostication, Prophecy
The state of being
important, famous, or
noticeable.
Fame, Eminence,
Importance
The state of being
important, famous, or
noticeable.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
133. Prosecute
Fame, Eminence,
Importance
Institute or conduct legal
proceedings against (a
person or organization).
134. Provocation
Execute, Follow, Pursue,
Investigate
Action or speech that
makes someone angry,
especially deliberately.
135. Prowess
136. Pulverise
137. Purportedly
138. Quibble
139. Quirk
140. Raging
Goading, Prodding,
Incitement
Skill or expertise in a
particular activity or field.
Skill, Expertise,
Effectiveness, Mastery,
Facility
Defeat utterly.
Annihilate, Crush, Rout
As appears or is stated to
be true, though not
necessarily so.
Allegedly, Ostensibly
A slight objection or
criticism about a trivial
matter.
Protest, Grumble, Grouse
A peculiar aspect of a
person’s character or
behaviour.
Idiosyncrasy, Peculiarity,
Oddity
Continuing with great
force or intensity.
Stormy, Angry, Enraged,
Incensed, Infuriated
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Shoplifters will be prosecuted.
Discouragement,
Suppression
He can turn violent at the
least provocation.
Inability,
Ineptitude
He is always boasting about his
sexual prowess.
Build, Construct,
Erect, Put up,
Raise, Rear, Set
up
Implausibly,
Impossibly,
Improbably,
Incredibly.
Our team aims to pulverise the
competition
Discuss
There is no point quibbling over a
couple of dollars.
Familiarity
There is a quirk in the rules that
allows you to invest money
without paying tax.
Calm, Placid
The rain had turned the stream
into a raging torrent.
The study purportedly found that
men married to smart women live
longer.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
141. Ramification
142. Ratification
143. Rebellion
A complex or unwelcome
consequence of an action
or event.
Consequence, Result,
Aftermath, Outcome,
Effect
The action of signing or
giving formal consent to a
treaty, contract, or
agreement, making it
officially valid.
Accredit, Approbate,
Approve, Authorize, Clear
An act of armed resistance
to an established
government or leader.
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Determinant,
Factor, Base,
Beginning,
Foundation
Have you considered all
the ramifications of your
suggestion?
Ban, Enjoin,
Ratification of the treaty raised
Forbid, Illegalize,
problems in several member
Interdict, Prohibit, states
Proscribe
Obedience
The authorities have put down
a rebellion by landless colonials.
Survey,
Exploration,
Observation,
Investigation
Aerial reconnaissance of the
enemy position showed they were
ready to attack.
An action or process of
resisting authority, control
& convention.
144. Reconnaissance
145. Refurbish
146. Regressive
147. Repercussion
Defiance, Disobedience,
Insubordination
Preliminary surveying or
research.
Military observation of a
region to locate an enemy
or ascertain strategic
features
Renovate and redecorate
(something, especially a
building).
Renovate, Recondition,
Rehabilitate
Returning to a former or
less developed state;
characterized by
regression.
Backward, Retrograde
An unintended
consequence of an event
The developers refurbished the
house inside and out.
Progressive
The movement will defeat the
autocratic and regressive regime.
Any decrease in tourism could
have serious repercussions for the
local economy.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
Free vocabulary e-book
or action, especially an
unwelcome one.
148. Reprieve
Consequence, Result,
Effect, Reverberation
cancel or postpone the
punishment of someone,
especially someone
condemned to death.
149. Retaliatory
Pardon, Spare, Acquit
An action characterized by
a desire for revenge.
150. Retrenchment
Avenge, Redress, Requite,
Revenge
The reduction of costs or
spending in response to
economic difficulty.
151. Revamp
152. Scourge
153. Scrutinise
154. Scrutiny
155. Scurrilous
Reduction, Curtailment
Give new and improved
form, structure, or
appearance to.
Renovate, redecorate,
Refurbish
Cause great suffering
Afflict, Plague, Torment,
Torture
Examine or inspect closely
and thoroughly.
Inspect, Survey, Scan,
Study, Look over
Critical observation or
examination.
Inspection, Survey, Scan,
Study, Perusal
Making or spreading
scandalous claims about
someone with the
intention of damaging
their reputation.
Charge, Punish
Under the new regime, prisoners
under sentence of death
were reprieved.
Forgiving
He urged people not to resort
to retaliatory violence.
Enlargement,
Expansion,
Extension
Experts see a
major retrenchment coming from
consumers.
Fix, Freeze, Set,
Stabilize
We revamped the management
system, but the business is doing
no better than it was before.
Blessing
Pop-up ads have been described
as the scourge of the Internet.
Glance at
Customers were warned
to scrutinise the small print.
Glance
Will the candidates stand up
under all that scrutiny?
Moral, Discreet,
This is a very funny collection of
Civil, Unoffending, bawdy and scurrilous writings.
Polite, Decent
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
156. Sectarian
Abusive, Vituperative,
Derogatory, Disparaging
Denoting or concerning a
sect or sects.
Separatist, Dissenter,
Dissident
157. Self–evident
158. Smattering
159. Snuff
Not needing to be
demonstrated or
explained; obvious.
Obvious, Clear, Plain,
Apparent
A slight superficial
knowledge of a language
or subject.
Bit, Little, Modicum,
Touch, Soupcon
Extinguish (a candle or
flame).
160. Sobering
Put out, Douse, Smother,
Choke
Making you feel serious or
think about serious
matters.
161. Sovereignty
Tending to make one
thoughtful or sober
The authority of a state to
govern itself or another
state.
162. Spur
Autonomy, Independence,
Self-government
Give an incentive or
encouragement to
someone.
163. Staggered
Stimulate, Encourage,
Prompt
Walk or move unsteadily,
as if about to fall.
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Broad-minded,
Cosmopolitan,
Liberal, Open,
Open-minded,
Receptive,
Tolerant
Unclear
The country was split
along sectarian lines.
Army, Crowd,
Flock, Gazillion,
Horde
There is only a smattering of
people who oppose the proposal.
Light, Ignite
Very few people
take snuff nowadays.
Alcoholic,
Bibulous,
Crapulous,
Dipsomaniacal
Surviving a car accident is
a sobering experience.
Hegemony,
Colonialism
Talks are being held about who
should have sovereignty over the
island.
Counterincentive,
Disincentive
Relax throughout July, when
a spur-of-the-moment decision
might cost you more than money.
Solutions which seem self–
evident to humans are often
beyond the grasp of computers.
I was staggered at the prices.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
164. Stagnation
165. Stark
166. Stereotype
167. Strident
Astonish or deeply
shocked
The state of not flowing or
moving.
Severe or bare in
appearance or outline.
Cliché, Typecast,
Pigeonhole,
Conventionalize
Loud and harsh; grating.
168. Superfluous
169. Susceptible
Surplus, Redundant,
Unneeded, Excess, Extra
Likely or liable to be
influenced or harmed by a
particular thing.
171. Tinker
172. Tranquillity
Flow
Fuzzy, Indistinct,
Pleasant,
Comfortable,
Ornate
Sharp, Crisp, Utter,
Absolute
A widely held but fixed and Unconventional,
oversimplified image or
Original, Fresh
idea of a particular type of
person or thing.
Harsh, Raucous, Rough,
Grating, Rasping
Unnecessary, especially
through being more than
enough.
170. Tepid
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Endangered, Exposed,
Liable, Open, Sensitive,
Vulnerable
Showing little enthusiasm.
Unenthusiastic, Apathetic,
Half-hearted, Indifferent
Attempt to repair or
improve something in a
casual or desultory way.
Repair, Adjust, Fiddle,
Experiment
The quality or state of
being tranquil; calm.
Despite more than 10 years of
economic stagnation, the
unemployment rate remains low.
The stark reality is that we are
operating at a huge loss.
The city is too
easily stereotyped as an industrial
wasteland.
Soft, Dulcet
His voice had become
increasingly strident.
Necessary,
Essential
The purchaser should avoid asking
for superfluous information.
Insusceptible,
Invulnerable,
Unexposed,
Unsusceptible
Patients with liver disease may
be susceptible to infection.
Enthusiastic,
Passionate
He gave a tepid performance.
Break, Destroy
He is always tinkering with his car.
Commotion,
Busyness
I love the tranquillity of the
countryside.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
173. Transparency
174. Triumphalism
175. Truce
176. Tumultuous
177. Turmoil
178. Unenviable
179. Unequivocally
180. Unexceptionable
Peace, Calm, Quietness
The condition of being
transparent.
Lucidity, Clarity, Limpidity,
Excessive exultation over
one’s success or
achievements (used
especially in a political
context).
Boastfulness, Bombast,
Bravado
An agreement between
enemies or opponents to
stop fighting or arguing for
a certain time.
Ceasefire, Armistice
Very loud, or full of
confusion, change or
uncertainty.
Loud, Deafening,
Thunderous, Earshattering
A state of great
disturbance, confusion, or
uncertainty.
Turbulence, Disorder,
Commotion
Difficult, undesirable, or
unpleasant.
Disagreeable, Unpleasant,
Undesirable, Difficult
In a way that leaves no
doubt.
Clear, Unambiguous
Not open to objection, but
not particularly new or
exciting.
Unimpeachable,
Acceptable, Satisfactory
Free vocabulary e-book
Cloudiness,
Opacity,
Opaqueness,
Turbidity,
Bashfulness,
demureness,
Shyness
The old-fashioned type of plastic
lacked transparency.
Fighting,
Hostilities
Following last month’s riots, two
of the city’s biggest gangs have
finally declared a truce, ending
years of bloodshed.
Soft
The former president appeared
to tumultuous applause and a
standing ovation.
Calm, Peace
The country is in a state of
political turmoil.
Enviable,
Desirable
I had the unenviable task of
cleaning up after the party.
Ambiguous,
Clouded, Cryptic,
Dark, Enigmatic
Insufficient,
Unacceptable
Her answer was
an unequivocal yes.
There was not a hint of
triumphalism in her acceptance
speech at the awards ceremony.
This seems unexceptionable and
useless-but then it is not how it is
used.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
181. Unnerve
182. Unnotified
183. Unsubstantiated
184. Unwarranted
185. Unwavering
186. Validation
187. Vanquish
188. Wane
189. Wilting
Make (someone) lose
courage or confidence.
Demoralize, Discourage,
Dishearten
Not notified; of which no
notice or declaration has
been made, especially to
the appropriate
authorities.
Not supported or proven
by evidence.
Unconfirmed,
Unsupported,
Uncorroborated
Not justified or authorized.
Unjustified, Indefensible,
Inexcusable, Unforgivable
Not wavering; steady or
resolute.
Steady, Fixed, Resolute,
Firm
The action of checking or
proving the validity or
accuracy of something.
Attestation, Confirmation,
Corroboration,
Documentation, Evidence,
Proof
Defeat thoroughly.
Conquer, Trounce,
Annihilate
Decrease in vigour or
extent; become weaker.
Diminish, Dwindle, Shrink,
Contract
To become weaker, tired,
or less confident.
Drooping, Sagging
Free vocabulary e-book
Encourage,
Hearten
The journey over the bridge
had unnerved me.
Notified
Please do not involve me
anymore unnotified in any
incident that anyway I am not
belonging to.
Well-founded,
Undeniable
Companies can be punished for
making unsubstantiated claims
about their products.
Justified,
Permitted, Legal
I am sure your fears
are unwarranted.
Wavering,
Unsteady
she fixed him with
an unwavering stare.
Disproof
I am afraid we cannot act on your
claim without validation.
Succumb, Yield,
Faint, Fail
They were vanquished in battle.
Increase, Grow
The scandal caused her popularity
to wane.
Resuscitation,
Revival
After only an hour’s hiking, they
were beginning to wilt in the heat.
The Hindu Vocabulary Booster August 2020
190. Wrack
Ruin, Destructed.
A remnant of something
destroyed
191. Yearn
Have an intense feeling of
longing for something,
typically something that
one has lost or been
separated from.
Long, Pine, Crave, Desire
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Doctor, Fix,
Mend, Patch,
Recondition,
Repair
Despise
He showed the obvious and the
hidden of urban life: the workers,
unemployed, architecture and
ghettos, growth, and
human wracks.
Despite his great commercial
success, he still yearns for critical
approval.
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