Vocabulary

1. Evangelist – a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching. Synonyms: gospeller, crusader, propagandist, campaigner, televangelist Usage: Speaking to the crowd about Christ was the only mission of the roving evangelist.   2. Herculean – requiring great strength or effort. Synonyms: arduous, gruelling, laborious, back-breaking, onerous, strenuous Antonyms: easy Usage: Although the task will […]

1. Falter – lose strength or momentum. Synonyms: flounder, hesitate, reel, waver, wobble, break, fluctuate Antonyms:  stabilize, endure, persist Usage: The music faltered, stopped, and started up again.   2. Tepid – showing little enthusiasm. Synonyms: dull, halfhearted, unenthusiastic, apathetic, lukewarm Antonyms: enthusiastic, keen Usage: The president has seen his popularity grow tepid ever since he mishandled the budget crisis.   3. Obviate – avoid

1. Precipitous – dangerously high or steep. Synonyms: abrupt, craggy, dizzying, sharp, arduous Antonyms: calm, flat, kind, nice Usage: You should think before you do precipitous stunts that endanger your life.   2. Abase – to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade. Synonyms: belittle, debase, degrade, demean, diminish, disgrace, dishonor Antonyms: compliment, elevate, enhance, esteem, expand

1. Virulent – extremely severe or harmful in its effects. Synonyms: deadly, destructive, fatal, malignant, pernicious, baneful Antonyms: harmless, healthful, helpful, wholesome, gentle Usage: The firemen had to wear masks that would protect them from the virulent fumes.   2. Axiomatic – self-evident or unquestionable. Synonyms: aphoristic, absolute, accepted, apothegmatic, fundamental Antonyms: misunderstood, questionable, uncertain Usage: Science teacher gets angry when students

1. Faction – a small organized dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics. Synonyms: clique, coalition, caucus, contingent, entente Antonyms: individual, unity, conformity, Usage: Sasikala faction is ‘AIADMK Amma’ and OPS’ ‘AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’.   2. Veracity – conformity to facts; accuracy. Synonyms: authenticity, credibility, impartiality, integrity, probity Antonyms: deceit, hypothesis, infidelity Usage: The teacher doubted the student’s veracity when

1. Tenet – a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy. Synonyms: assumption, credo, creed, doctrine, dogma, precept, persuation Antonyms: disbelief, doubt, reality, skepticism Usage: Many people believe the tenet that parents should be responsible for the behaviors of their children.   2. Peril – expose to danger; threaten. Synonyms: insecurity, jeopardy, menace, vulnerability, endangerment

1. Debunk – expose the falseness or hollowness of (an idea or belief). Synonyms: demystify, disparage, mock, puncture, deflate, uncloak Antonyms: flatter, praise, prove, uphold Usage: The scientist hoped to debunk the genetic theory by completing his own research.   2. Fret – be constantly or visibly anxious. Synonyms: agonize, bother, brood, chafe, torment, grieve, affront, anguish Antonyms: appease, placate, ignore, delight

1. Ravage – cause severe and extensive damage to. Synonyms: devastate, pillage, plunder, raze,  dismantle, prostrate Antonyms: preserve, surrender, construct Usage: If diabetes is not controlled, it can ravage many organs in the human body.   2. Gull – to deceive, trick, or cheat. Synonyms: bamboozle, deceive, defraud, dupe, gyp, hoodwink Antonyms: honest Usage: Trusting investors can easily be gulled by scams designed

1. Cohort – a group of people with a shared characteristic. Synonyms: companion, comrade, disciple, follower, accomplice, adherent Antonyms: enemy, foe, opponent, adversary Usage: 104-million-strong cohort continues to expand at an accelerating pace.   2. Sporadic – occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated. Synonyms: desultory, fitful, infrequent, intermittent, irregular, isolated Antonyms: common, constant, frequent, systematic

1. Eschew – deliberately avoid using; abstain from. Synonyms: abandon, forgo, forswear, renounce, shun, disavow Antonyms: meet, embrace, face Usage: Dalai Lama, has called upon the people to eschew violence and preserve spiritual values   2. Dubious – hesitating or doubting. Synonyms: skeptical, equivocal, fishy, hesitant, improbable, reluctant Antonyms: aboveboard, believable, unambiguous, determined Usage: I had the feeling that her dubious plan would never work.

1. Embezzle – steal or misappropriate Synonyms: defalcate, misapply, peculate, abstract, purloin Antonyms: reimburse, compensate, receive Usage: Four Mysore Sugar employees accused of embezzlement.   2. Venal – showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt. Synonyms: amoral, dishonourable, unscrupulous, mercenary Antonyms: ethical, upright, truthful, scrupulous Usage: Because the mayor was a venal man, he had no problem accepting bribes from real estate developers.

1. Ambush – a surprise attack by people lying in wait in a concealed position. Synonyms: ambuscade, camouflage, waylaying, deception Antonyms: frankness, honesty Usage: 12 personnel were killed in an ambush by Maoists in Sukma district.   2. Contraband – imported or exported illegally, either in defiance of a total ban or without payment of duty. Synonyms: proscribed, verboten, bootleg, interdicted Antonyms: legal, lawful,

1. Flippant – not showing a serious or respectful attitude. Synonyms: frivolous, superficial, shallow, glib, irresponsible, insouciant Antonyms: serious, respectful Usage: Economic Affairs Secretary asked Amazon to desist from being flippant about Indian symbols and icons.   2. Disenchantment – a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment Synonyms: discontentedness, cynicism, disillusion, bafflement Antonyms: euphoria, triumph,

1. Eerily – in a strange and frightening manner. Synonyms: bizarrely, preternaturally, spookily, unnervingly Antonyms: naturally, nicely, ordinarily, pleasantly Usage: The robot looks eerily real.   2. Disgruntle – make (someone) angry or dissatisfied. Synonyms: discontented, aggrieved, resentful, displeased, malcontent Antonyms: happiness, pleasure, satisfaction Usage: Nothing disgruntles anyone more than the feeling they are being cheated   3. Expediency – the quality of being convenient and practical despite

1. Scrutiny – critical observation or examination. Synonyms: audit, perusal, surveillance, exploration Antonyms: glance, cursory look Usage: We have around 45 crore bank accounts and if 1% of such accounts are picked up for scrutiny, that itself will make 45 lakh cases.   2. Perjure – wilfully tell an untruth or make a misrepresentation under oath Synonyms: deceive, delude, equivocate, forswear,