Shape Up your Vocabulary from Newspaper Wordlist: 15th Dec'21

Over the last couple of years, the English section of the competitive exams has given good surprises. You must have encountered one or more new types of questions in almost every exam you appear for. Many of these questions exclusively check your vocabulary skills. So, apart from enhancing your reading, writing and speaking skills, a sound grip on vocabulary helps you score better in examinations. 

Reading is one of the best ways to boost your vocabulary. As you read a piece of writing, you come across new words which you might not have come across before. So, we must always try to inculcate a habit of reading.

Keeping this vision in mind, we bring to you the series, ‘Shape up your Vocabulary from Newspaper Wordlist’. The articles in this series fulfil your daily intake of English words. The series tries to feature words from an article, with their meanings, contextual usage, pronunciation, synonyms, antonyms, proper use in sentences, etc. Given below is an important editorial from the newspaper ‘The Hindu’. Read it, understand the context and go through the meanings of words to boost up your learning.

Happy Reading!

Sanctions and rights: On U.S. move to sanction RAB

Important Words from the Article

1. Word: Sanction (स्वीकृति देना/शास्ति)

• Pronunciation: sangk-shuhn/ सैंगक्शन
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• Meaning:
  a. a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule. [Noun]
  b. give official permission or approval for (an action). [Verb]
• Synonyms: approve, endorse, authorize, permit, penalty, embargo
• Antonyms: disapprove, contempt, refusal, forbid
• Usage in a sentence: The country imposed an unjustified sanction on its ally.

2. Word: Deter (डराना)

• Pronunciation: dih-tur/ डिटर
• Part of Speech: Verb
• Meaning: discourage (someone) from doing something by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
• Synonyms: discourage, dissuade, hinder
• Antonyms: encourage, support, persuade
• Usage in a sentence: These measures are designed to deter an enemy attack.

 3. Word: Overzealous (उत्साहयुक्त)

• Pronunciation: oh-ver-zel-uh s/उत्तेजित
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Meaning: 
  a. full of, characterized by, or due to zeal; ardently active, devoted, or diligent
  b. too enthusiastic and eager
• Synonyms: fanatic, rabid, overenthusiastic, fanatical
• Antonyms: rational, passionless
• Usage in a sentence: He had to be protected from overzealous fans.

4. Word: Pushback (पश्‍च-कर्ष)

• Pronunciation: poo sh-bak/ पुशबैक
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Meaning: a negative or unfavourable reaction or response.
• Synonyms: repel, repulse
• Antonyms: support
• Usage in a sentence: We got some pushback on the new pricing from the customers.

5. Word: Close on the heels (अगला,निकटतम)

• Part of Speech: Phrase
• Meaning:
  a. following close behind someone or something
  b. happening soon after another event
• Synonyms: Next to, near to, not far away, local, close
• Usage in a sentence: Her second movie followed close on the heels of her successful film debut.

6. Word: Accountable (उत्तरदायी)

• Pronunciation: uh-koun-tuh-buh l/ अकाउन्टबल
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Meaning: 
  a. required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
  b. able to be explained or understood.
• Synonyms: responsible, answerable, liable
• Antonyms: irresponsible, unaccountable
• Usage in a sentence: Local authorities should be publicly accountable to the communities they serve.

7. Word: Illicit (ग़ैरकानूनी)

• Pronunciation: ih-lis-it/इलिसिट
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Meaning: 
  a. not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful
  b. disapproved of or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons
• Synonyms: illegal, unlawful, illegitimate
• Antonyms: licit, legal, legitimate
• Usage in a sentence: She had an illicit affair with her boss.

8. Word: Ethnic (प्रजातीय)

• Pronunciation: eth-nik/ एथ्निक
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Noun
• Meaning: 
  a. relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition. [Adjective]
  b. a member of an ethnic minority. [Noun]
• Synonyms: cultural, native, indigenous
• Antonyms: nonracial, international, segregative
• Usage in a Sentence: I do believe it is possible for different ethnic groups to live together in harmony.

9. Word: Crackdown (कड़ी कर्रवाई)

• Pronunciation: krak-doun/क्रैक्डाउन
• Part of Speech: Noun
• Meaning: a series of severe measures to restrict undesirable or illegal people or behaviour.
  
• Synonyms: abolition, elimination, clampdown
• Antonyms: beginning
• Usage in a Sentence: There has been a serious crackdown on the usage of narcotic drugs to bring down deaths caused by overdosing.

10. Word: Knee-jerk (स्वभाविक)

• Pronunciation: nee-jurk/ नी जर्क
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Noun
• Meaning:
  a. (of a response) automatic and unthinking. [Adjective]
  b. a sudden involuntary reflex kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee. [Noun]
• Synonyms: instinctive, spontaneous
• Usage in a sentence: There is a knee jerk reaction in the west to view China's space program as a threat to western hegemony.

'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!

• sanction
   
• deter
   
• overzealous 
   
• pushback 
   
• close on the heels 

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. 

from BYJU'S Exam Prep