➡ Challenging Words from the Article 20-02-2019
1. Word: Bane (विपत्ति)
Pronunciation: beyn/ बेन
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: a cause of great distress or annoyance.
Synonyms: curse, evil, plague, calamity
Antonyms: benefit, blessing, boon
Usage in a Sentence: The poor train service has been the bane of commuters for years.
2. Word: Fissure (दरार)
Pronunciation: fish-er/ फिशर
Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
Meaning:
a. a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth. [Noun]
b. split or crack (something) to form a long, narrow opening. [Verb]
Synonyms: split, crack, break, slit, rift
Antonyms: closing, cure, restoration
Usage in a Sentence: Ahead lay a large fissure in the ice, three feet across.
3. Word: Coalition (सम्मिलन)
Pronunciation: koh-uh-lish-uh n/ कोअलिशन
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: a temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties forming a government.
Synonyms: alliance, union, partnership
Antonyms: isolation, discord, separation
Usage in a Sentence: The two bodies have merged to form a coalition.
4. Phrase: Prop up (संभालना)
Pronunciation: प्रोप उप
Part of Speech: phrasal verb
Meaning:
a. to stop something from falling by putting something under it or against it
b. to help a government, system, organization etc to continue to exist, especially by providing financial or military support
Synonyms: support, bolster
Antonyms: intimidate, repress
Usage in a Sentence: The government introduced measures to prop up the stock market.
5. Word: Immune (प्रतिरक्षित)
Pronunciation: ih-myoon/ इम्यून
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning:
a. resistant to a particular infection or toxin owing to the presence of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells.
b. protected or exempt, especially from an obligation or the effects of something.
Synonyms: stable, strong, firm, sound
Antonyms: vulnerable, exposed, unguarded
Usage in a Sentence: The nature of promises is that they remain immuneto changing circumstances.
6. Word: Futile (निरर्थक)
Pronunciation: fyoot-l/ फ्यूटल
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: incapable of producing any useful result; pointless
Synonyms: useless, unavailing, ineffective, fruitless
Antonyms: productive, useful, fruitful
Usage in a Sentence: Trying to please other people is largely a futileactivity.
7. Word: Volatility (अस्थिरता)
Pronunciation: vol-uh-tl-ity/ वालटिलिटी
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: liability to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.
Synonyms: impulsiveness, inconstancy
Antonyms: permanence, stability
Usage in a Sentence: The volatility of the underlying agreement fell to an annual rate of 9 per cent.
8. Word: Commemoration (स्मरणोत्सव)
Pronunciation: kuh-mem-uh-rey-shuh n/ कमेमरेशन
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: the action or fact of commemorating a dead person or past event.
Synonyms: celebration, memorial, ceremony
Antonyms: neglect, negligence, forgetting, lament
Usage in a Sentence: Thousands of veterans will take part in a commemoration of the battle.
9. Word: Rapporteur (प्रतिवेदक)
Pronunciation: rap-awr-tur/ रैपोर्टर्र
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: a person who is appointed by an organization to report on the proceedings of its meetings.
Synonyms: draftsman, protractor, reporter, authoress
Antonyms: desolater
Usage in a Sentence:
10. Word: Secessionist (पृथकतावादी)
Pronunciation: si-sesh-uh-nist/ सिसेशनिस्ट
Part of Speech: Noun, Adjective
Meaning:
a. a person who favours formal withdrawal from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state. [Noun]
b. favouring formal withdrawal from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state. [Adjective]
Synonyms: seceding, separatist, radical
Antonyms: moderate
Usage in a Sentence: The government is trying to crush a secessionist movement.
11. Word: Condemn (निंदा)
Pronunciation: kuhn-dem/ कन्डेम
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: reprimand harshly
Synonyms: censure, criticize, castigate, attack
Antonyms: admire, applaud, praise
Usage in a Sentence: During his speech, the president took a moment to condemn those politicians who were not working to end the budget crisis.
12. Word: Flashpoint (उत्तेजना का समय)
Pronunciation: फ्लैश्पॉइन्ट
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: a place, event, or time at which violence or hostility flares up.
Synonyms: trouble spot, crisis point
Antonyms: dreamland, utopia
Usage in a Sentence: The immediate flashpoint was Wednesday’s big rally in the city centre.
13. Word: Defendant (प्रतिवादी)
Pronunciation: dih-fen-duh nt/ डिफेन्डन्ट
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
Synonyms: accused, suspect, litigant
Antonyms: complainant, accuser
Usage in a Sentence: The defendantbroke down under cross-examination.
14. Word: Concede (झुक जाना)
Pronunciation: kuhn-seed/ कन्सीड
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: admit or agree that something is true after first denying or resisting it
Synonyms: admit, allow, acknowledge, accept, surrender
Antonyms: deny, fight, refuse, contradict
Usage in a Sentence: He is not willing to concede any of his power/authority.
15. Word: Mar (हानि करना)
Pronunciation: mahr/ मार
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: impair the quality or appearance of; spoil.
Synonyms: spoil, ruin, impair
Antonyms: beautify, improve, enhance, adorn
Usage in a Sentence: Electricity cables and oil pipelines mar many of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.
16. Word: Muster (एकत्र करना)
Pronunciation: muhs-ter/ मस्टर
Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
Meaning:
a. a formal gathering of troops, especially for inspection, display, or exercise. [Noun]
b. assemble (troops), especially for inspection or in preparation for battle. [Verb]
Synonyms: assembly, mobilize
Antonyms: separate, disperse
Usage in a Sentence: The team will need all the strength they can muster to win this game.