Here are 10 vocabulary words from The Hindu on September 29, 2024, along with their meanings, synonyms, antonyms, and usage sentences:

1. Brace
   • Meaning: To prepare for something difficult or unpleasant.
   • Synonyms: Strengthen, prepare, steady.
   • Antonyms: Relax, weaken, loosen.
   • Usage: The team braced themselves for the upcoming challenges.
2. Convene
   • Meaning: To call together for a meeting or gathering.
   • Synonyms: Assemble, gather, summon.
   • Antonyms: Disperse, scatter, adjourn.
   • Usage: The committee will convene tomorrow to discuss the issue.
3. Spike
   • Meaning: A sharp increase in something.
   • Synonyms: Surge, increase, boost.
   • Antonyms: Decrease, drop, decline.
   • Usage: There was a spike in sales during the holiday season.
4. Deteriorating
   • Meaning: Becoming progressively worse.
   • Synonyms: Worsening, declining, degrading.
   • Antonyms: Improving, strengthening, enhancing.
   • Usage: His health has been deteriorating rapidly over the past week.
5. Comply
   • Meaning: To act in accordance with rules or orders.
   • Synonyms: Obey, follow, conform.
   • Antonyms: Defy, disobey, resist.
   • Usage: The company had to comply with the new regulations.
6. Punitive
   • Meaning: Inflicting or intended as punishment.
   • Synonyms: Disciplinary, penal, retaliatory.
   • Antonyms: Rehabilitative, rewarding, lenient.
   • Usage: The punitive measures were imposed to prevent further violations.
7. Incentive
   • Meaning: Something that motivates or encourages a person to act.
   • Synonyms: Motivation, encouragement, stimulus.
   • Antonyms: Deterrent, disincentive, hindrance.
   • Usage: The government offered tax incentives to encourage investment.
8. Tout
   • Meaning: To publicly praise or promote something.
   • Synonyms: Promote, advertise, endorse.
   • Antonyms: Criticize, denounce, decry.
   • Usage: The company touted its new product as a game-changer in the market.
9. Mitigate
   • Meaning: To make less severe, serious, or painful.
   • Synonyms: Alleviate, reduce, lessen.
   • Antonyms: Aggravate, intensify, worsen.
   • Usage: Measures were taken to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
10. Prolific
    • Meaning: Producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring.
    • Synonyms: Productive, fertile, abundant.
    • Antonyms: Unproductive, barren, sterile.
    • Usage: The prolific writer published several books each year.

These words can help enhance your vocabulary, especially for competitive exams.