English Vocabulary Words with Meanings for various Exams: SBI PO, NIACL, NICL, IBPS PO/Clerk, RRB, RBI, IPPB, UICL, OICL. We are providing vocabulary words from the Articles of Newspapers like The Hindu, The Economist, The Indian Express, etc. which are important for the upcoming exams. Add some more words to your English vocabulary words list.
1. Subterfuge (noun) – Trickery or deceit used to manipulate or achieve one’s goals.
- Synonyms: Trickery, Ploy, Artifice, Evasion, Deceit, Fraud, Dishonesty, Cheating, Duplicity
- Antonyms: Honesty, Openness, Artlessness, Sincerity
- Usage: During the war, the traitor’s subterfuge caused his home country to lose an important battle.
2. Abrade (verb) – To produce damage or irritation by scraping, rubbing, or crushing.
- Synonyms: Rub, Scrap, Scratch, Grind, Rub Off, Grate
- Antonyms: Polish, Smooth, Soften, Glossy
- Usage: Because the pencil was held so tightly against my finger, it abraded my skin and left a red mark.
3. Stupendous (adjective) – Extremely impressive; amazingly large ; causing astonishment.
- Synonyms: Amazing, Astonishing, Astounding, Awesome, Immense, Marvelous
- Antonyms: Unimpressive, Uninspiring, Boring, Dull, Tedious, Tiring, Uninspired
- Usage: The store did not expect a stupendous throng of customers to line up around the building.
4. Restitution (noun) – Give or bring back ; restore to a previous or better condition.
- Synonyms: Return, Restoration, Handing Back, Settlement, Recovery, Renovate, Compensate
- Antonyms: Damage, Taking, Abduct, Depletion, Abolition
- Usage: Because the robber agreed to return the jewelry and pay restitution for damages to the store, he will not go to jail.
5. Travesty (verb) – Represent in a false, absurd, or distorted way ; insulting imitation.
- Synonyms: Caricature, Imitate, Distort, Mockery, Parody, Distortion
- Antonyms: Seriousness, Actual , Authentic, Sensible
- Usage: Your comedy show was a travesty, and I cannot believe you expected people to laugh at your unfunny jokes.
6. Sinecure (noun) – A position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit ; a cushy job.
- Synonyms: Easy Job, Cushy Job, Plum Job, Snap
- Antonyms: Hard Work, Hot Potato
- Usage: The elderly man’s position as vice-president is a sinecure that only exists as a tribute for his sixty years of company service.
7. Debilitate (verb) – Make (someone) very weak and infirm ; hinder, delay.
- Synonyms: Weak, Hinder, Devitalize, Enervate, Exhaust, Disable
- Antonyms: Energize, Strengthen, Fortify, Vitalize, Mend
- Usage: A quick punch to the throat will debilitate most attackers.
8. Ostensibly (adverb) – To all outward appearances ; as appears or to be true, though not necessarily so.
- Synonyms: Apparently, Seemingly , Outwardly, Superficially, Evidently
- Antonyms: Truly, Really, Actually
- Usage: Ostensibly, the surveillance cameras have been installed for our protection, but we believe management uses them to monitor our daily activities.
9. Ludicrous (adjective) – Causing or intended to cause laughter; something viewed as humorous because of its ridiculousness.
- Synonyms: Absurd, Ridiculous, Funny, Hilarious, Humorous, Foolish
- Antonyms: Logical, Clever, Sensible, Smart, Reasonable, Wise
- Usage: The idea of comparing John’s pizza driver salary with the earnings of a professional athlete is ludicrous.
10. Prevaricate (verb) – Speak or act in an evasive way ; be unclear in order to mislead or withhold.
- Synonyms: Equivocate , Lie , Falsify, Misrepresent, Deceive, Fib
- Antonyms: Honest, Truth, Confront, Assert
- Usage: When you prevaricate, you only make a complicated situation worse than it already is.