English - Competitive Questions

English - Competitive Questions

-Compiled by Dr. Lalit Kumar Setia*

The English questions for competitive examinations are also available on the following link:

BestQuestions - Important Questions for English in Competitive Examinations

Challenging Words in Articles

1) Clamour (noun) ( कोलाहल):  cla-mar

Meaning -  

a loud and confused noise, especially that of people shouting.

Synonyms -  

uproar, tumult, protest, complaints, outcry

Antonyms - 

silence, calmness, peace

Example -  

People began to clamour for the resignation of the corrupt chief minister.

2) Disseminate (verb) (प्रसारित करना) :  dis-eminate

Meaning -  

spread (something, especially information) widely.

Synonyms - 

spread, scatter ,circulate, publicize.

Antonyms - 

conceal, hide, gather, collect

Example - 

Cover your mouth while sneezing so that you do not disseminate bacteria.

3) Coterie (noun) (मंडली ): coat-rie

Meaning -

a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people.

Synonyms-

clique, set, gang, band, pack, crew

Example - 

The president’s coterie of advisers was unable to offer him a solution to the national problem.

4) Farce (noun)  (स्वांग):     far-s

Meaning -  

a ridiculous situation or event, a form of comedy, with little or no purpose other than to prompt laughter from the audience.

Synonyms-

mockery, slapstick, burlesque, vaudeville, travesty

Antonyms - 

seriousness,solemnity, ,sobriety,tragedy

Example - 

The actor refused to star in such a farce, insisting his talents were above such humor.

5) Profound (adjective) – (गहन) -  pro-faund

Meaning -  

extremely deep

Synonyms - 

intense, very great, extreme.

Antonyms - 

trivial, unimportant

Example - 

The motivational speaker’s profoundwords made me think about my future.

6) Embattled (adjective)  (संकटग्रस्त,परेशानियों से घिरा) - em-battle-ed

Meaning - 

(of a person) troubled by problems or difficulties.

Synonyms -  

pressed, oppressed, depressed, deadlocked

Antonyms - 

happy, delighted

Example -

After losing eight matches continuously, the team's captain seems to be embattled.

7) Absurd (noun) (बेतुका) - ab-surd

Meaning - 

wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate.

Synonyms- 

preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous, farcical, laughable

Antonyms  - 

logical, practical, rational

Example - 

Instead of completing his assignment, the lazy student come up with the absurd excuse that his dog ate his homework.

8) Wanting (adjective)  (कमी ) - want-ing

Meaning - 

lacking in a required or necessary quality.

Synonyms- 

deficient, inadequate, lacking, insufficient

Antonyms - 

adequate, enough, present

Example - 

During the presentation in Seminar, the students weren't wanting in confidence.

9) Temperament (noun) (स्वभाव)  - compre-hen-sive

Meaning-   

the nature or personality of an animal or individual

Synonyms -  

disposition, nature, character, personality

Antonyms -  

indisposition ,inability

Example - 

While the twins are identical physically, they differ in temperament with one being extrovert and the other shy.

10) Impending (adjective)  -  (आसन्न , निकट) - impend-ing

Meaning-   

going to occur, be about to happen.

Synonyms -  

imminent, at hand, close, near, upcoming.

Antonyms - 

gone, past, distant, later

Example - 

Because Abhinav suffers from anxiety, he frequently has fears of impending disaster.

11) Hitherto (adverb)(अब तक): Hether-to

Meaning  - 

until now or until the point in time under discussion.

Synonyms - 

previously, formerly, earlier, so far, thus far, before

Antonyms - 

afterwards, later, subsequently hereupon, thereupon

Example - 

Before John learned to fly an aeroplane, he had hitherto been afraid of heights.

12)Dovish (adverb)(शांतिपूर्ण): do-vis

Meaning  -  supporting discussion or other peaceful solutions in political relationships rather than the use of force

Synonyms -  peaceful, diplomatic, accommodating.

Antonyms -agitated, turbulent, disturbed

Example - Since becoming president in 1993 he has encouraged dovish leaders to move on the path to peace.

13)Incipient (adjective)  (उत्पन्न होनेवाला) : in-sip-ent

Meaning  -  just beginning to appear or develop

Synonyms - initial, developing, growing.

Antonyms -conclusion,end,finish

Example - The best way to stop the disease from spreading is by identifying it while it is incipient.

14)Exemplify (verb) (उदाहरण देना) : exem-pli-fie

Meaning  -  to show or illustrate by example

Synonyms - illustrate, demonstrate, instance.

Antonyms -  becloud, blur, cloud, darken, fog

Example - The citizenship trophies are presented to exemplify the best examples of good citizenship among the student body.

15)Stand pat (noun)   (अटल होना) : stand-pat

Meaning  - stick stubbornly to one's opinion or decision.

Synonyms - holdout, resist, stay put, rigid, unyielding

Antonyms -facile,flexible,pliable

Example -Head coach Tom Higgins is standing pat on his team and will go with the same 40 men he used last week.

16)Upshot (noun) – (परिणाम) : up-shot

Meaning  -the final or eventual outcome or conclusion of a discussion, action, or series of events.

Synonyms - result, consequence, outcome, out-turn, effect, reaction

Antonyms - cause, origin, initial

Example - The upshot of the meeting was that he was elected chief economic officer of the company. 

17)Hover : waver, poise, linger

Antonyms -settle,rest

Example - Because I was sick a lot when I was a child, my mother would always hover over me.

18)Loom (adjective) (असन्तुष्ट) : loom-ing

Meaning  -  (of an event regarded as threatening) seem about to happen/appearing as a visible thread

Synonyms - threaten,menace,impend,emerge

Antonyms -defend,assist,protect

Example -There is a financial crisis looming in China.

19)Vigilance (noun)  (जागरूकता) : vigi-lance

Meaning  - the state of keeping a careful watch for danger

Synonyms - watchfulness, careful observation, surveillance, attentiveness, attention, alertness

Antonyms -  inattentiveness,ignore,neglect

Example - Lack of vigilance caused the Titanic to crash into an iceberg that no one saw coming.

*Phrases/Phrasal Verbs in the Article -*

20)Keep something/someone in check (phrase)   (नियंत्रित करना) : 

Meaning  -to control someone or something that might cause damage or harm to keep under control; curb/restrain, hold back.

Synonyms - curb,restrain,hold back,check

Antonyms - release,encourage

Example - You know, bats are actually good to have around because they keepthe mosquitos in check.

21)In something’s/someone's shadow (phrase)  (कम ध्यान प्राप्त करना) : 

Meaning  -Given less attention or thought of as less notable, important, or successful compared to someone else.

Example - He's been struggling to get out from under his father's shadow during his political career.

22)Head off (phrasal verb)   (रोकना) : head-of

Meaning  -  to prevent something from taking place

Synonyms -  avoid, put an end to, stop, divert

Antonyms -allow, permit, promote

Example - The police acted quickly and managed to head off a violent confrontation.

23)Lay out (phrasal verb) (रूपरेखा) : lay-aaut

Meaning  -to arrange something according to a detailed plan/to spread something out, or to arrange things so you can see them easily

Synonyms - outline, draw up, formulate.

Antonyms - disorganize

Example - They had already laid out a substantial sum for the wedding.

Important Words:

Ideology- विचारधारा

Decay- सड़ना

Cascading- प्रपात की तरह गिरता हुआ

Palatial- आलीशान 

Simmering- गुनगुनाहट

Eerily- अस्वाभाविक भयानकतापूर्ण ढंग से

Septuagenarian- सत्तर वर्ष की अवस्था का मनुष्य

Cache- गुप्त भंडार

Blow up- बढा चढा कर कहना

Robbery- डकैती

Personnel- कर्मचारी संबंधी

Ecstatic- अति आनंदित

Groan- कराहना

Numerous- बहुत से

Rejuvenation- कायाकल्प

Maul- आसानी से पराजित कर देना

Ammunition- युद्ध उपकरण/लड़ाई का सामान

Feat- कमाल, साहसिक कार्य

Defecation- मलत्याग

A herculean task- कठिन कार्य 

Delicacy- नज़ाकत, कोमलता

Voluminous- घुमावदार, बहुत बड़ा

Induct- नियुक्त करना

Blockade- नाकाबन्दी

Trample- कुचलना

Gun down- बन्दूक से घायल होना

Humongous- भारी

Congregation- एकत्रीकरण

Emblematic- प्रतीकात्मक

Xenophobic- अज्ञात व्यक्ति या विदेशियों से जिसे भय लगे 

Credo- सिद्धान्त और विश्वास

Hence- अतः

Imbibe- आत्मसात करना

Do away with- ख़त्म करना

Expel- निकालना

Expunge- मिटाना

Proselytisation- धर्म परिवर्तन

Stipend-  वज़ीफ़ा

Unscrupulous- अनैतिक

Brisk- तेज़

Woefully- शोकाकुल ढंग से

Swamp- दलदल

Deflate- आत्मविश्वास कम करना

Slew- घुमाना

Pantomime- तमाशा, मूकाभिनय

Fairy- परी

Woven in- बुना हुआ

Topography- भौगोलिक स्थिति

Satire- व्यंग्य

Incursions- घुसपैठ

Attrition- घिसाई, घिसावट

Slugfest-कठिन प्रतिस्पर्धा 

Dodgy- मक्कार, खतरनाक

Iniquitous- अन्यायपूर्ण

Profligacy- फ़िज़ूलखर्ची

Millennia- सदियों

Sieve- छलनी

Plangent- कोलाहलपूर्ण, उदास

Unflagging- अथक, लगातार

Cowering- झुकना या पीछे हटना

Embroiled- झगड़ा

Tarnished- कलंकित

Rands- किनारा

Expropriation- सम्पत्तिहरण, स्वामित्वहरण

Hubris- दर्प, घमंड

Allusions- उल्लेख

Laissez faire- अहस्त्क्षेप

Abjure- छोड़ देना

Agonizing - अत्यंत दुखदायी

Nudge- कुहनी से छूना

Clustered- गुच्छेदार

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