Vocabulary words from The Hindu daily editorial
- Ominous:
- Meaning: Giving the impression that something bad or harmful is about to happen.
- Synonyms: Foreboding, threatening, portentous.
- Antonyms: Reassuring, auspicious, promising.
- Usage:
- The dark clouds gathering on the horizon seemed ominous, hinting at an impending storm.
- The sudden silence in the courtroom was ominous, signaling a critical moment in the trial.
- Escalation:
- Meaning: The process of increasing in intensity, severity, or scope.
- Synonyms: Intensification, elevation, advancement.
- Antonyms: De-escalation, reduction, moderation.
- Usage:
- The conflict between the two neighboring countries showed signs of escalation as troops amassed along the border.
- Diplomatic efforts were made to prevent further escalation of tensions in the disputed region.
- Clarify:
- Meaning: To make something clear or understandable by providing additional information or context.
- Synonyms: Explain, elucidate, illuminate.
- Antonyms: Confuse, obscure, complicate.
- Usage:
- The professor clarified the complex theorem by breaking it down into simpler steps.
- The spokesperson held a press conference to clarify the government’s stance on the controversial policy.
- Parliamentary:
- Meaning: Relating to a legislative body, such as a parliament or congress.
- Synonyms: Legislative, governmental, congressional.
- Antonyms: Non-legislative, non-governmental, extra-parliamentary.
- Usage:
- The opposition parties raised several questions during the parliamentary debate on the new tax bill.
- The prime minister addressed the nation on live television after a crucial parliamentary vote.
- Qualify:
- Meaning: To meet the necessary conditions or requirements for a particular position, status, or privilege.
- Synonyms: Meet the criteria, be eligible, fulfill the prerequisites.
- Antonyms: Disqualify, fail to meet the standards, be ineligible.
- Usage:
- She worked hard to qualify for the national swimming championships.
- The candidate had to pass a rigorous exam to qualify as a certified financial advisor.
- Ubiquitous:
- Meaning: Present or found everywhere.
- Synonyms: Pervasive, omnipresent, widespread.
- Antonyms: Rare, scarce, limited.
- Usage:
- In today’s digital age, smartphones have become ubiquitous, with almost everyone owning one.
- The aroma of freshly baked bread was ubiquitous in the quaint bakery.
- Ephemeral:
- Meaning: Lasting for a very short time; transient.
- Synonyms: Fleeting, momentary, evanescent.
- Antonyms: Permanent, enduring, everlasting.
- Usage:
- The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral; they bloom for just a few weeks each spring.
- His fame was as ephemeral as a shooting star, fading quickly after his brief moment of success.
- Sycophant:
- Meaning: A person who flatters or ingratiates themselves excessively to gain favor or advantage.
- Synonyms: Flatterer, toady, bootlicker.
- Antonyms: Critic, skeptic, independent thinker.
- Usage:
- The ambitious intern was a sycophant, always praising the boss to get ahead.
- True friends offer honest feedback; they don’t act like sycophants.
- Cacophony:
- Meaning: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
- Synonyms: Noise, racket, dissonance.
- Antonyms: Harmony, melody, tranquility.
- Usage:
- During rush hour, the cacophony of car horns and construction machinery filled the city streets.
- The orchestra transformed the initial discord into a beautiful symphony, silencing the cacophony.
- Serendipity:
- Meaning: The occurrence of fortunate events by chance.
- Synonyms: Luck, providence, happy accident.
- Antonyms: Misfortune, bad luck, premeditation.
- Usage:
- Meeting her childhood friend unexpectedly at the airport was a delightful serendipity.
- The discovery of penicillin was a serendipitous accident that revolutionized medicine.
Feel free to incorporate these words into your conversations or writing! 😊