Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: March Month– Day 11

The Hindu English Vocabulary

1) Scandal (Noun)

Meaning: an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.

Synonyms: outrageous wrongdoing, outrageous behaviour

Antonyms: approval, commendation, compliment

Usage: “a bribery scandal involving one of his key supporters”

2) Jettison (Verb)

Meaning: abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted).

Synonyms: dump, drop, ditch, discharge

Antonyms:  load, keep, retain

Usage: “the scheme was jettisoned”

3) Fraught (Adjective)

Meaning: causing or affected by anxiety or stress.

Synonyms: anxious, worried, upset

Antonyms:calm

Usage: “there was a fraught silence”

4) Impasse (Noun)

Meaning: a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock.

Synonyms: deadlock, dead end, stalemate

Antonyms: agreement, boon, breakthrough

Usage: “the current political impasse”

5) Pliant (Adjective)

Meaning: easily influenced or directed; yielding.

Synonyms: compliant, biddable, docile, tractable

Antonyms: inflexible, rigid, stiff, stiffened

Usage: “a more pliant prime minister”

6) Dismal (Adjective)

Meaning: causing a mood of gloom or depression.

Synonyms: dingy, dim, dark, gloomy

Antonyms: bright, cheerful

Usage: “the dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening”

7) Spur (Noun)

Meaning: a thing that prompts or encourages someone; an incentive.

Synonyms: stimulus, incentive, encouragement

Antonyms: disincentive, discouragement

Usage: “wars act as a spur to practical invention”

8) Shrank (Verb)

Meaning: become or make smaller in size or amount.

Synonyms: get smaller, become/grow smaller, contract

Antonyms: expand, increase

Usage:”the workforce shrank to a thousand”

9) Contraction (Noun)

Meaning: the process of becoming smaller.

Synonyms:  shrinking, reduction in size, shrinkage;

Antonyms: expansion, growth

Usage: “the general contraction of the industry did further damage to morale”

10) Deadlocked (Verb)

Meaning: cause (a situation or opposing parties) to come to a point where no progress can be made because of fundamental disagreement.

Synonyms: tie, draw, dead heat

Antonyms: different, unequal, unlike

Usage: “the meeting is deadlocked”