Shape Up your Vocabulary from Newspaper Wordlist: 12th February, 2021

Vocabulary is an essential tool to ace the English section in competitive examinations. You can score better in the subject if you are able to intensify your command over Vocabulary. A regular reading habit can help you with this. With the exercise, you will come across a number of new words, whose meanings you can look up in the dictionary. This, in turn, will help you understand the context of the piece you are reading.

Reading articles from newspapers helps you in two ways: Memorising Static Facts from the Article & Enhancing your Vocabulary.

In conjunction with the above idea, we bring to you our series ‘Shape up your Vocabulary from Newspaper Wordlist’. This series aims to help you understand the different aspects of the commonly (and not so commonly) used words, ranging from their meaning and pronunciations to proper usage in sentences.

Today's article is from "The Hindu" newspaper. Understand the gist of the article using the meaning of the words given below and practice questions at the end of this article.

Media as target: On ED searches at NewsClick office

Important Words from the Article

1. Word: Condemnation (तिरस्कार)

• Pronunciation: kon-dem-ney-shuh n/कान्डेम्नेशन
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Meaning: the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.
  
• Synonyms: blame, reproof, disapproval
• Antonyms: approval, absolution
• Usage in a Sentence: There has been no official condemnation of the bombardment.

2. Word: Ostensibly (काल्पनिक रूप से)

• Pronunciation: o-sten-suh-buh li/ ओस्तेंसिब्ली
• Part of Speech: Adverb
• Meaning: as appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so; apparently
• Synonyms: apparently, seemingly, allegedly, superficially
• Antonyms: truly, improbably, unlikely
• Usage in a Sentence: Ostensibly he was on a business trip, but he spent most of the time on the beach.

 3. Word: Dismal (अप्रसन्न)

• Pronunciation: diz-muh l/डिज़्मल
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Meaning:
  a. causing a mood of gloom or depression.
  b. pitifully or disgracefully bad.
• Synonyms: bleak, cheerless, gloomy
• Antonyms: pleasant, encouraging, enthusiastic
• Usage in a Sentence: Her scheme was a dismal failure.

4. Word: Wont (अभ्यास)

• Pronunciation: wohnt/वोन्ट
• Part of Speech: Adjective/ Noun/ Verb
• Meaning:
  a. accustomed; used (usually followed by an infinitive) [Adjective]
  b. custom; habit; practice [Noun]
  c. to accustom (a person), as to a thing [Verb]
  d. to render (a thing) customary or usual (usually used passively). [Verb]
• Synonyms: habit, custom, convention, practice
• Antonyms: solution, unaccustomed, break with tradition
• Usage in a sentence: If the past is any indication, he is wont to be late for the meeting.
  
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5. Word: Grassroots (जनसाधारण)

• Pronunciation: gras-roots/ग्रैस्रूट्स
• Part of Speech: Noun/ Adjective
• Meaning:
  a. the common or ordinary people, especially as contrasted with the leadership or elite of a political party, social organization, etc.; the rank and file. [Noun]
  b. the agricultural and rural areas of a country.[Noun]
  c. the people inhabiting these areas, especially as a political, social, or economic group. [Noun]
  d. the origin or basis of something; the basic or primary concept, rule, part, or the like. [Noun]
  e. of, relating to, or involving the common people, especially as contrasted with or separable from an elite [Adjective]
• Synonyms: base, fundamental
• Usage in a sentence: The changes need to be brought in at the grassroots level.

6. Word: Relentless (अनवरत)

• Pronunciation: ri-lent-lis/रिलेन्ट्लिस
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Meaning:
  a. unceasingly intense.
  b. harsh or inflexible.
• Synonyms:  persistent, severe
• Antonyms: inexorable, inflexible
• Usage in a Sentence: She could not bear the relentless music and turned down the volume.

7. Word: Redress (सुधारना)

• Pronunciation: ree-dres/ रिड्रेस
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• Meaning:
  a. remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation). [Verb]
  b. remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance. [Noun]
• Synonyms: remedy, correct, compensate
• Antonyms: wrong, worsen, blighted
• Usage in a sentence: He is seeking redress for what he alleges was an unfair demotion.

8. Word: Invoke (स्मरण करना)

• Pronunciation: in-vohk/ इन्वोक
• Part of Speech: Verb
• Meaning: cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
  
• Synonyms: appeal, raise implement, enforce, evoke
• Antonyms: dismiss, abandon, banish
• Usage in a Sentence: Saleem invokes his muse every time he sits down to sing. 

9. Word: Sedition (राजद्रोह)

• Pronunciation: si-dish-uhn/ सिडिशन
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Meaning: conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
• Synonyms: insurrection, mutiny, treason, revolt, rebellion
• Antonyms: loyalty, allegiance, obedience, submission
• Usage in a sentence: The leaders of the group have been arrested and charged with sedition.

10. Word: Defamation (निन्दा)

• Pronunciation: def-uh-mey-shuh n/डेफमैशन
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Meaning: 
  a. the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny
• Synonyms: slander, libel, vilification, calumny
• Antonyms: compliment, applause, praise
• Usage in a sentence: The lawsuit accused his former associates of defamation.

'Writer's Corner'

Based on the description of the words, we have some practice questions for you. Answer these questions in the comments section. Our team will review them at the earliest!

Exercise 1. Make your own Sentences.

Here are some of the words from the above article. Try to frame sentences from them in your own words and share them with us in the comments section!

• condemnation
• ostensibly
• wont 
• dismal 
• grassroots

Exercise 2: Match the columns.

Share your answers in the comment section. 

More from us:

For practice, attempt the quiz based on this daily wordlist from the link below to enhance your exam preparation: Vocabulary Quiz, Click here to attempt!

You can also check the wordlist articles for the previous days from the link below: Shape Up your Vocabulary from Newspaper Wordlist

That was your Vocabulary dose for the day. 

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