WORD POWER FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS      (BANK PO,CAT/MBA.XLRI,SYMBIOSIS MBA)

INCREASE YOUR WORD POWER:          BANK PO/CAT SERIES 1

DATE:-18-04-2014

Quench  : (Verb) To destroy or extinguish   
Synonyms : Demolish   
Antonym : Start
Usage : A glass of water was enough to quench my thirst

Maven : (Noun) One who is experienced or knowledgable   
Synonyms : Expert   
Antonym : Inexperienced   
Usage : Each faculty member in the team is a maven in his domain

Vagary : (Noun) Unpredictable action or notion   
Synonyms : Extravagant manifestation   
Antonym : Certainty   
Usage : Student's consider the level of questions in a CAT exam to be vagary

Wizen : (Verb) To remove moisture   
Synonyms : Dehydrate   
Antonym : Moisturize   
Usage : The doctory ensured that the patient didn’t Wizen

Masticate : (Verb) To chew or crush   
Synonyms : Grind   
Antonym : Abstain   
Usage : The child fed some food to the cow to masticate
 

Disparagement :  manner of speaking or communication that is disrespectful
Synonym : deprecation, derogation
Antonym : encouragement
Usage : The author did not let the disparagement of his book by the critics affect his confidence

Encumbrance : something that weighs down unduly
Synonym : impediment, hindrance
Antonym : something that facilitates
Usage : Instead of treating the hostel rules as an encumberance, the bright students used them to create a disciplined routine

Estrangement : feeling of being alienated from other people
Synonym : alienation, disaffection
Antonym : sympathy, togetherness
Usage : The couple went to a marriage counselor to try and reduce the estrangement between them

Fathom : penetrate to the meaning or nature of
Synonym : comprehend, grasp
Antonym : remain ignorant
Usage : What experts cannot fathom, laypersons should not try to solve

Impulsion :  the act of urging or propelling forward
Synonym : impetus
Usage : The impulsion given to the object by the stick took it a long distance

Daunt : (Verb) Frighten
Synonyms : Horrify
Antonym : Embolden
Usage : His present schedule alone might daunt his working style

Debonair : (Adjective) Charming or Elegant
Synonyms : Cheerful
Antonym : Clumsy
Usage : Lata Mangeshkar sang all her songs in a debonair style

Debilitate : (Verb) Making week
Synonyms : Incapacitate
Antonym : Energize
Usage : The activists from the opposition side decided to debilitate the public gathering called by the Chief Minister

Decipher : (Verb) To figure out or understand
Synonyms : Deduce
Antonym : Scramble
Usage : The experts tried to decipher the delay in monsoon looking at the clear sky

Declivity : (Noun) Downward slope
Synonyms :Declination
Antonym : Elevation
Usage : The roads at Assam shows a declivity pattern

Bellicose :  warlike
Synonym : pugnacious
Antonym :  pacific
Usage : The bellicose instincts of the young man were worsened by the spell in jail

Bemuse : to cause to be bewildered or to be lost in thought
Synonym : confuse, puzzle, stump
Antonym : compose
Usage : The audience was more bemused than happy by the turn of events

Certitude : complete assurance
Synonym : inevitability
Antonym : uncertainty, doubt
Usage : The boxer entered the ring with the certitude that comes after thorough preparation

Chagrin : feeling of annoyance or embarrassment due to unfavourable result
Synonym : mortification
Antonym : satisfaction
Usage : There was chagrin among the children after news came that the picnic had been called off

Co-opt : to elect as a fellow member of a group, to appoint summarily
Synonym : appropriate, pre-empt
Antonym : expel
Usage : It was decided to co-opt the dissidents by giving them ministerial positions

Bellicose :  warlike
Synonym : pugnacious
Antonym : pacific
Usage : The bellicose instincts of the young man were worsened by the spell in jail

Bemuse : to cause to be bewildered or to be lost in thought
Synonym : confuse, puzzle, stump
Antonym : compose
Usage : The audience was more bemused than happy by the turn of events

Certitude : complete assurance
Synonym : inevitability
Antonym : uncertainty, doubt
Usage : The boxer entered the ring with the certitude that comes after thorough preparation

Chagrin : feeling of annoyance or embarrassment due to unfavourable result
Synonym : mortification
Antonym : satisfaction
Usage : There was chagrin among the children after news came that the picnic had been called off

Co-opt : to elect as a fellow member of a group, to appoint summarily
Synonym : appropriate, pre-empt
Antonym : expel
Usage : It was decided to co-opt the dissidents by giving them ministerial positions

Foment  : (Verb) Instigate   
Synonyms : Excite   
Antonym : discourage   
Usage : The teached didn’t want the student to foment the quarrel

Immutable : (Adjective) Changeless or constant   
Synonyms : Perpetual   
Antonym : Alterable   
Usage : The friends believed that the memories of the time which they spent together is immutable

Impair : (Verb) Injure or hurt   
Synonyms : Harm   
Antonym :Assist   
Usage : The doctos were afraid that any further delay of the operation may impair the patient

Magnimity  : (Noun) Generosity   
Synonyms : Philanthrophy   
Antonym : Selfishness   
Usage : It talks about the magnimity of the person that he forgave the murderer

Paragon : (Noun) Outstanding example
Synonyms : Epitome   
Antonym : Unacceptable
Usage : J R D was a paragon of dedication and commitment

Tribulation : great affliction or distress; cause of distress
Synonym : suffering
Antonym : ease, pleasure
Usage : Kennedy advised the nation to be patient in tribulation

Umpteen : too many to be counted
Synonym : innumerable
Antonym : finite
Usage : Having umpteen followers online is the new status symbol

Uncanny : exciting wonder and fear
Synonym : inexplicable
Antonym : explicable
Usage : The uncanny ability to come out of difficult situations makes her a role-model

Venal : open or susceptible to bribery
Synonym : corruptible
Antonym : incorruptible
Usage : The group of venal ministers has amassed a lot of wealth

Vituperative : harshly abusive
Synonym : acrimonious
Antonym : laudatory, praise-filled
Usage : Vituperative statements may give short-term gains but usually cause long-term damage
 

Respite : short time of rest or relief
Synonym : reprieve
Antonym : continuing without any rest or break
Usage : The respite in fighting allowed the soldiers to indulge in their favourite pastimes

Semblance : token appearance; a representation; trace
Synonym : likeness
Usage : The thief did not offer even the semblance of regret

Sententious : concise in expression; full of aphorisms; given to moralising
Synonym : succinct
Antonym : verbose
Usage : A sententious style of writing is a good way of keeping the reader engaged

Scarify : to make shallow cuts in skin; to criticize severely
Synonym : puncture, score
Usage : To scarify one’s face, as some tribals do, requires mental toughness

Terse : free of superfluity
Synonym : concise
Antonym : superfluous
Usage : A terse message is likely to win more consumers than a long-winded one

Mellifluous : flowing with smoothness; honeyed
Synonym : sweet
Antonym : non-melodic
Usage : The mellifluous singing at the concert evoked all-round applause

Nascent : coming into existence
Synonym : developing
Antonym : dying
Usage : Every attempt was made by the dictator and his supporters to suppress the nascent movement for freedom of expression

Pristine : remaining pure or free of dirt and decay
Synonym : untouched, unspoilt   
Antonym : spoilt
Usage : As long as we regulate the number of tourists coming in, the pristine state of the lake can be maintained

Riposte : to make return thrust or to retort quickly
Synonym : rejoinder
Antonym : accept passively
Usage : A timely riposte would have prevented the opponent from dominating the proceedings

Rectitude : moral integrity or correctness in judgement
Synonym : morality, uprightness
Antonym : immorality
Usage : She was widely respected for her rectitude in handling complex disputes

Gritty : containing minute granules; showing resolution and fortitude
Synonym : plucky
Antonym : cowardly
Usage : The gritty defence of the fort by the small band of soldiers earned them the gratitude of the nation

Gratuitous : given without recompense or return; unnecessary
Synonym : unearned
Antonym : relevant
Usage : Gratuitous advice is seldom taken seriously

Homely : not attractive; lacking elegance
Synonym : plain; ordinary
Antonym : grand
Usage : The homely external appearance of the house was in sharp contrast to the elegant interiors

Hulking : unwieldy or bulky
Synonym : massive
Antonym : compact, small
Usage : It took a long time to clear the docks of the hulking material

Lachrymose : weeping; causing tears
Synonym : tearful
Antonym : joyous
Usage : Some people think that achieve their ends more easily by adopting a lachrymose stance
 

Brazen : (Adjective) Unashamed or Blatant
synonyms : Audacious
Antonym : Humble
Usage :The spotfixing scam was brazen and fast and was carried out in the daylight

Beatific : (Adjective) Blissful
synonyms : Delighted
Antonym : Sorrowful
|Usage : After listening his marks, there was a beatific expression which came on his face

Bawdy  : (Adjective) Vulgar or obscene
synonyms : Erotic
Antonym : Decent
Usage : The police took him under their custody for his bawdy acts

Balmy : (Adjective) Soft and mild air
synonyms : Refreshing
Antonym : Inclement
Usage : The weather in Delhi is usually warm and balmy

Depose : (Verb) Out from the position   
synonyms :  Degraded
Antonym : Promote
Usage : The company has never deposed any employee

Dissimulate : (Verb) Disguise or Conceal   
synonyms : Pretend
Antonym : Honest
Usage : The supervisor was found to dissumulate the true story behind the incident

Fleet : (Adjective) Quick in the movement
synonyms :Fast
Antonym : Clumsy
Usage : The vehicles running or battery are not fleet in speed

Expedient : (Adjective) Appropriate or Worthwhile   
synonyms : Desirable
Antonym : Inappropriate
Usage : My father made an expedient decision to send me to abroad for my further studies

Expunge : (Verb) Destroy or Cancel   
synonyms : Discard
Antonym : Construct
Usage : Its not possible to expunge the history

Extol : (Verb) Highly praisable
synonyms : Applaud
Antonym : Blame
Usage : We extol ancient things, to encourage ourself
 

Musty : (Adjective) Stuffy or Aged   
synonyms : Ancient   
Antonym : New   
Usage : These documents have a musty odour of decaying paper

Parched : (Adjective) Dry   
synonyms : Dehydrated   
Antonym : Moist    
Usage : The whole village decided to shift away from the parched land

Fickle : (Adjective) Changeable     
synonyms : Double Crossing   
Antonym : Cognizant   
Usage : The economy of Europe is currently in a fickle state

Incursion : (Noun) Invasion   
synonyms : Infiltration   
Antonym : Retreat   
Usage : At the border, there is a lot of incursion from the other side

Libel : (Noun) Purposeful lie about someone   
synonyms : Malicious   
Antonym : Compliment   
Usage : The gentleman was fired from the company because of his libel attitude towards his colleagues
 

Menial : (Adjective) Lowly and low - status   
synonyms : Degrading
Antonym : Skilled
Usage : There are many menial jobs available in the market but without pay

Pandemic : (Adjective) Universal
synonyms : Accepted everywhere
Antonym : Limited
Usage : The company targets to make its operations pandemic in next three years

Truncate : (Verb) To cut the top off or to shorten   
synonyms : Curtail
Antonym : Elongate
Usage : He was successful in his approach to truncate the long story

Vogue : (Adjective)  Fashionable   
synonyms : Prevalent
Antonym : Unfashionable   
Usage : Small hand-bags for ladies are vogue accessories these days

Voluble : (Adjective) Talkative 
synonyms : Fluent
Antonym : inarticulate
Usage : A person who was so shy in his childhood days has today become so voluble

Irascible : (Adjective)  Irritable  
synonyms : Angry  
Antonym : Cheerful  
Usage : There is something in this document, because of which the boss becomes irascible

Debasement  : (Noun) Degradation  
synonyms : Humiliation
Antonym : Honourable  
Usage : With each passing day, there has been debasement of respect for the Prime Minister

Erroneous : (Adjective) Wrong or Incorrect  
synonyms : Defective
Antonym : Correct
Usage : The data presented in MIS was erroneous

Ovation : (Noun) Clapping or applause  
synonyms : Acclamation  
Antonym : Silence
Usage : For their spectacular performance, the audience gave them a standing ovation

Prehensile : (Adjective) Eager to obtain knowledge or things  
synonyms : Desirous
Antonym : Reluctant
Usage : The new joinee lacked prehensile approach

Demagogue : a leader who obtains power by means of impassioned pleas to emotions and prejudices of people
Synonym : rabble-rouser
Usage : Many Indians fear that the emergence of a demagogue might negate the benefits we enjoy as a democracy

Ensnare : to catch or trap
Synonym : capture
Antonym : to free
Usage : After returning from the city, he told his-fellow-villagers of the methods used there to ensnare unsuspecting people

Embitter : to make resentful or bitter in feeling
Synonym : to anger
Antonym : to win over, befriend
Usage : He was advised to use words that would not embitter the audience

Facile : achieved without effort; working with fluency; without depth
Synonym : easy, superficial
Antonym : difficult, awkward
Usage : The newspaper article analysed the reasons for the facile victory

Fastidious : showing great attention to detail; hard to please
Synonym : particular, finicky
Antonym : careless
Usage : The fastidious approach of the professor to the work of the researchers made them more careful in their report writing
  

Aver : declare to be true
Synonym : affirm
Antonym : deny
Usage : The judge asked the witness to aver that he saw the accident

August : inspiring admiration
Synonym :  majestic
Antonym : lowly
Usage : The President addressed the august gathering of scientists with characteristic humility

Beatific : exhibiting or producing great joy
Synonym : joyful
Antonym : sorrowful
Usage : Seeing her in a beatific state even in old age was most gladdening

Crestfallen : dispirited
Synonym : dejected, depressed
Antonym : happy
Usage : The news of India losing the final match left everyone crestfallen

Diabolic : of or concerning the devil; wicked
Synonym : satanic, evil
Antonym : angelic
Usage: As long as the opposition does not resort to diabolic tactics, we have nothing to fear
 

Sobriety : seriousness in bearing or manner

Synonym : solemnity
Antonym : non-seriousness
Usage : The fans of the film-star expected greater sobriety from their idol

Stolid : showing little or no emotional reaction
Synonym : impassive
Antonym : interested, lively, expressive
Usage : The stolid demeanour of the leader did not inspire confidence in the followers

Sylvan : relating to or characteristic of forests
Synonym : wooded
Usage : Her dream of living a retired life in sylvan surroundings is about to the fulfilled

Trudge : to walk in laboured way
Synonym : plod, trek, march
Antonym : walk effortlessly
Usage : The schoolchildren of hilly states are used to the long trudge from home to school and back

Turbulent  : violently agitated or disturbed
Synonym : stormy, tempestuous
Antonym : still, calm, smooth
Usage : The reaction of the mob was more turbulent than what the police had expected

Purport  : to have or present the appearance, often false, of being or intending
Synonym : profess
Usage : There is a difference between what she purports to do and what is inside her

Perpend : to consider carefully or wonder about
Synonym : ponder
Usage : The participants were given time to perpend the problem

Quash : to set aside
Synonym : annul
Antonym : allow
Usage : The three member bench quashed the petition seeking action against the upright officer

Recondite : not easily understood or hidden
Synonym : abstruse
Antonym : simple, straightforward
Usage :  Recondite explanations of the physical phenomena put many in the audience to sleep

Salutary : effecting or designed to effect improvement
Synonym : remedial, wholesome
Antonym : unhealthy
Usage: The patient found the clim

Kindle : to set fire to or cause to glow
Synonym : ignite
Antonym :  extinguish
Usage : The wise words of the teacher were able to kindle in the students a spirit of enquiry

Limpid :  transparently clear
Synonym : pellucid
Antonym : opaque
Usage : The trekkers were overjoyed to find a lake with limpid water

Maim : to disable or disfigure
Synonym : mutilate
Antonym : make whole
Usage : The soldiers were expected to maim and kill only during battle

Nihilist :  someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief
Synonym : cynic, sceptic
Antonym : theist, believer
Usage : The nihilist inside prevented him from considering the consequences of his suicide attack

Ovate : shaped like an egg
Synonym : elliptical, oviform
Usage : The large ovate object seen from a distance turned out to be a statue