English Vocabulary - Archives

For each word, you will get the meaning and the root of the word and synonyms and antonyms for the word. For each word, you will also get a simple sentence which uses the word. These sentences help you understand the usage of the words.

CACHET (noun)

Meaning
the state of being respected or admired
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
prestige, distinction, status, standing
Antonyms
-
Usage
Few acquisitions can match the cachet of owning a Mercedes.

CACOPHONY (adj)

Meaning
a harsh mixture of sounds
Root of the word
phon = sound
Synonyms
-
Antonyms
quiet, stillness euphony
Usage
The cacophony of vehicular traffic is responsible for the sound pollution which is rampant in cities.

CAGEY (adj)

Meaning
not frank, secretive
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
secretive, guarded, non-committal, tight-lipped, reticent, cautious, circumspect, chary, wary, caref
Antonyms
-
Usage
They were cagey about the deal.

CALCULATED (adj)

Meaning
done with awareness of the likely effect
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
deliberate, premeditated, planned, intentional, intended, purposeful, conscious considered, studied
Antonyms
-
Usage
As the share market is highly capricious, one is taking a calculated risk by investing in shares.

CALIBRE (noun)

Meaning
the quality of a person's ability
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
quality, merit, distinction, character, worthy stature, excellence
Antonyms
inefficiency, mediocrity
Usage
It is unbecoming of a musician of his calibre to stoop to such base levels in order to steal the limelight from his rivals.

CALUMNY (noun)

Meaning
the making of false and damaging statements
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
slander, defamation, libel, disparagement
Antonyms
-
Usage
The minister filed a defamation suit against the press for calumny.

CANDOUR (noun)

Meaning
the quality of being open and honest
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
frankness, openness, honesty candidness
Antonyms
guardedness, evasiveness, insincerity
Usage
Candour is a rare quality among politicians.

CANKER (noun)

Meaning
an influence that corrupts
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
evil, disease, pestilence, bane
Antonyms
blessing, boon
Usage
Corruption and nepotism are cankers in our body politic.

CANNONADE (noun)

Meaning
an attack with heavy artillery
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
bombardment, shelling, gunfire, artillery fire, barrage, battery, attack, pounding, volley, salvo, b
Antonyms
-
Usage
The cannonade claimed several innocent lives and caused large scale destruction to property.

CANNY (adj)

Meaning
careful and showing good judgement especially in business or politics
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
shrewd, astute, sharp, sharp-witted, discerning, acute, penetrating, discriminating perceptive, pers
Antonyms
foolish, reckless
Usage
The canny businessman was ahead of his peers much to their envy.

CANOPY (noun)

Meaning
a roof-like covering or shelter.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
awning, shade, sunshade, cover, covering.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The huge canopy of the hoary banyan tree offered shelter from the sweltering sun.

CANTANKEROUS (adj)

Meaning
bad-tempered and uncooperative
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
irascible, irritable, grumpy, grouchy, crotchety, testy, crusty, ill-tempered, ill-natured, ill-humo
Antonyms
-
Usage
People prefer to stay away from her as she is a very cantankerous person.

CANVASS (verb)

Meaning
ask for political support
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
campaign, electioneer
Antonyms
dissuade
Usage
He has gone out to canvass for his party.

CAPITULATE (verb)

Meaning
yield
Root of the word
capit = head
Synonyms
surrender, submit, concede, defeat, relent , succumb, crumble, acquire
Antonyms
resist, hold out
Usage
The hijackers were forced to capitulate when they realised that they were over powered.

CAPRICIOUS (adj)

Meaning
showing sudden changes in attitude or behaviour
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fickle, inconstant, changeable, variable, unstable, mercurial, erratic
Antonyms
stable, consistent
Usage
Most of the characters in Hardy's novels eventually succumb to the capricious workings of fate.

CAPSIZE (verb)

Meaning
(of a boat) overturn in the water
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
overturn, turn over, upset, upbend, knock over, flip over, tip over, invert, topple over
Antonyms
right
Usage
The weather suddenly turned rough and the boat capsized in the choppy sea.

CAPTIOUS (adj)

Meaning
prone to petty fault finding
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
critical, fault-finding, quibbling, niggling, cavilling, carping, criticizing, disapproving
Antonyms
forgiving, easy-going
Usage
The querulous guest was captious about the service offered by the hotel.

CAPTIVATE (verb)

Meaning
enthrall
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
enchant, charm, bewitch, fascinate, entrance, capture, subdue
Antonyms
offend, displease
Usage
The performance of the children captivated the audience.

CAPTIVITY (noun)

Meaning
imprisonment
Root of the word
cap/capt/cept = to take, hold, sieze, receive, catch
Synonyms
confinement, servitude, slavery, subjection
Antonyms
freedom, liberty, independence
Usage
Many great leaders wrote their autobiography in captivity.

CARDINAL (adj and noun)

Meaning
most important
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fundamental, principal, serious, prime, key, chief, central
Antonyms
unimportant
Usage
Love for all fellow beings is a cardinal virtue, which is advocated by scriptures of all religions.

CAREWORN (adj)

Meaning
showing signs of stress or anxiety.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
worried, anxious, harassed, strained, under pressure, overburdened, tired, drained.
Antonyms
carefree
Usage
Once a charming young lady, she has become careworn over the years.

CARNAL (adj)

Meaning
connected with physical, especially sexual, needs and activities.
Root of the word
carn = flesh
Synonyms
sensual, lustful, lascivious, lecherous, licentious, lewd
Antonyms
spiritual
Usage
As a saint he should have long given up all carnal desires.

CARNIVORE (noun)

Meaning
A flesh eating animal.
Root of the word
vor = eat
Synonyms
-
Antonyms
-
Usage
The tiger is a carnivore

CASCADING (adj)

Meaning
anything that resembles a waterfall, in seeming to flow or fall in abundance
Root of the word
cad/cas/cid = fall happen
Synonyms
pour, gush, fall, tumble, spill, drop, surge
Antonyms
-
Usage
Many a poet has glorified a woman's lustrous and cascading tresses.

CATACLYSMIC (adj)

Meaning
of a violent upheaval or disaster
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
disastrous, catastrophic, calamitous, tragic, devastating, ruinous, terrible, violent, awful
Antonyms
fortunate, beneficial
Usage
The tsunami which occurred in the year 2004 had cataclysmic consequences in the coastal areas of India.

CATECHIZE (verb)

Meaning
to examine systematically by questioning
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
interrogate, question, cross-examine, cross-question, quiz, examine, probe
Antonyms
-
Usage
The suspects were catechized by the police officials.

CATEGORICAL (adj)

Meaning
expressed clearly and in a way that shows that you are very sure about what you are saying
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
unconditional, unequivocal, unreserved, absolute, unambiguous
Antonyms
qualified, equivocal
Usage
The Minister gave a categorical assurance that welfare measures would be extended to people belonging to all sections of the society.

CATERWAULING (noun)

Meaning
the loud unpleasant noise that is typical of a cat.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
howl, wail, bawl, cry, yell, scream, screech, yelp, yowl, squall, whine.
Antonyms
-
Usage
I woke up with a start when I heard the loud caterwauling of a cat outside my bedroom window.

CAUSTIC (adj)

Meaning
sarcastic in a hurtful way
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
mordant, scathing, derisive, trenchant
Antonyms
mild, kind
Usage
The teammates were infuriated by their chief's caustic remarks.

CAVIL (verb)

Meaning
make petty objections
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
complain, carp, grumble, grouse, grouch, whine, bleat, quibble about, niggle about, criticize, denou
Antonyms
-
Usage
The customers cavilled at the service offered by the hotel.

CAVORT (verb)

Meaning
jump or dance around excitedly
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
dance, romp, jig, caper, frisk, gambol, frolic
Antonyms
-
Usage
The children cavorted in the sand and thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the beach.

CERTITUDE (noun)

Meaning
feeling of complete certainty
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
certainty, confidence, positiveness, conviction, reliability
Antonyms
doubt
Usage
It cannot be predicted with certitude that the judgement will be in our favour.

CESSATION (noun)

Meaning
the action or an instance of stopping
Root of the word
cede/cess = yield
Synonyms
end, ending, termination, stop, stopping, halt, halting, ceasing, finish, stoppage, closure, interru
Antonyms
start, resumption, continuance, prolongation, advancement, extension, perpetuation, continuity
Usage
Sometimes, there seems to be no cessation of the evils that have beset the world. There seems to be no cessation of the tribulations which fate has imposed on her.

CESSION (noun)

Meaning
the formal giving up of right or territory by a state.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
surrender, ceding, conceding, concession, relinquishment, yielding, handing over, transfer, grant, r
Antonyms
gain
Usage
The king died intestate and his death was followed by the cession of his province to the British kingdom.

CHAGRIN (noun)

Meaning
a feeling of annoyance or disappointment
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
annoyance, irritation, vexation, exasperation, displeasure, pique
Antonyms
delight
Usage
He married a girl belonging to a different religion, much to the chagrin of his conservative parents.

CHAPERONE (verb)

Meaning
to act as an escort to someone, to accompany and look after someone
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
accompany, escort, attend, shepherd, watch over, take care of, protect, defend, guard, safeguard, sh
Antonyms
-
Usage
The actress was always chaperoned by a tall matronly women wherever she went.

CHARISMATIC (adj)

Meaning
having an attractiveness or charm that can inspire admiration or enthusiasm in other people
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
charming fascinating, magnetic, captivating
Antonyms
-
Usage
Being a charismatic leader, he had a tremendous fan following.

CHARY (adj)

Meaning
cautiously reluctant
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
wary, cautious, circumspect, heedful, careful, guarded, mindful, watchful, distrustful, sceptical, v
Antonyms
heedless
Usage
Having lost a lot of money earlier, he is now extremely chary of investing in shares.

CHASTISE (verb)

Meaning
reprimand severely
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
scold, upbraid, berate, reprimand, reprove, rebuke, admonish, chide, censure, castigate, lambaste
Antonyms
praise
Usage
He chastised his team for its slipshod performance.

CHAUVINIST (noun)

Meaning
excessively loyal person
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fanatic, zealot
Antonyms
adversary, opponent
Usage
The chauvinist was booed by the crowd after his speech.

CHEF - D'OEUVRE (adj)

Meaning
a master piece
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
master work, best work, greatest creation, crowning achievement, work of art, treasure, gem, pearl,
Antonyms
-
Usage
Leonardo - da - Vinci's chef - d'oeuvre was his painting of the Monalisa.

CHICANERY (noun)

Meaning
the use of complicated plans and clever talk in order to deceive people
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
trickery, deception, deceit, deceitfulness, duplicity, dishonesty, unscrupulousness, underhandedness
Antonyms
-
Usage
The fraudster conned a number of gullible people with his glib talk and chicanery.

CHIDE (verb)

Meaning
scold or rebuke
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
scold, chastise, upbraid, berate, castigate, lambaste, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, admonis
Antonyms
-
Usage
He chided his servant for breaking the tea pot.

CHIMERICAL (adj)

Meaning
unreal, imaginary
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
unreal, visionary,
Antonyms
practical
Usage
His dream of rooting out corruption seems chimerical.

CHINK (noun)

Meaning
a narrow opening in something especially one that lets light through.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
opening, gap, space, hole, aperture, break, breach, crack, fissure, crevice, cranny, cleft, split, s
Antonyms
-
Usage
Daylight entered the room through a chink in the curtains.

CHIVVY (verb)

Meaning
tell (someone) repeatedly to do something
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
nag, badger, hound, harass, pester, plague, torment, persecute, annoy, pressurize
Antonyms
-
Usage
Smarmy sales persons constantly chivvy customers to buy their products.

CHRONIC (adj)

Meaning
lasting for a long time
Root of the word
chrom = colour
Synonyms
constant, persistent, grave
Antonyms
temporary, mild
Usage
Diabetes is a chronic and debilitating ailment, which leaves a person weak and emaciated.

CHRONICLE (noun)

Meaning
a written record of events in the order in which they happened.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
record, written account, history, annals, archive(s), register, log, diary, journal, calendar, chron
Antonyms
-
Usage
The chronicle of the turbulent times of the post war years makes for poignant reading.

CHURLISH (adj)

Meaning
rude or bad-tempered
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
rude, ill-mannered, discourteous, impolite, ungracious, uncivil, ill-bred, boorish, oafish, ungallan
Antonyms
polite
Usage
I was rather surprised when a polished gentleman like him turned down her invitation in such a churlish manner.

CIRCUMSPECT (adj)

Meaning
cautious
Root of the word
spec/spic/spect = look, see
Synonyms
careful, prudent, guarded, vigilant, wary, judicious
Antonyms
reckless
Usage
While driving, it is better to be circumspect than be sorry later.

CIRCUMVENT (verb)

Meaning
avoid; to find a way around
Root of the word
ven/vent/veni = come
Synonyms
skirt, evade, outwit, thwart, dodge, get around, get out of
Antonyms
-
Usage
The reigning chess champion circumvented every move of his opponents.

CITATION (noun)

Meaning
a quotation from or reference to a book or author.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
excerpt, extract, quotation, illustration, allusion, passage
Antonyms
-
Usage
The speaker made extensive citations to Ruskin Bond in his speech which showed his admiration for the author.

CITE (verb)

Meaning
quote
Root of the word
cite/cita = to call, to start
Synonyms
name, call, summon, mention, arraign, convoke, invite, notify, warn
Antonyms
-
Usage
During the course of his speech, he cited a few verses from the scriptures.

CIVILITY (noun)

Meaning
politeness
Root of the word
civi = citizen
Synonyms
courtesy, consideration, courteousness, respect, good manners
Antonyms
rudeness, churlishness, discourtesy, impoliteness
Usage
His behaviour is a model lesson in civility.

CLAMOROUS (adj)

Meaning
noisy
Root of the word
claim/clam = shout
Synonyms
vociferous, boisterous, deafening, riotous, raucous, loud, rowdy
Antonyms
-
Usage
The clamorous crowd gave him its full support.

CLAMOUR (noun)

Meaning
a loud demand
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
din, racket, uproar, tumult
Antonyms
silence
Usage
The boisterous children stopped their clamour as soon as they heard their father's stentorian voice.

CLANDESTINE (adj)

Meaning
kept secret, surreptitious
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
secret, covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy, closet
Antonyms
open, above board
Usage
The Minister was accused of having clandestine dealings with the underworld.

CLEMENCY (noun)

Meaning
kindness shown to somebody when they are being punished
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
mercy, mercifulness, leniency, mildness, indulgence, forbearance
Antonyms
ruthlessness, strictness
Usage
The murderer's plea for clemency was rejected by the Supreme Court, which had imposed the death sentence on him.

CLIQUE (noun)

Meaning
a small group of people who spend their time together and do not welcome others into their group.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
coterie, circle, inner circle, crowd, in-crowd, set, group, pack, band, ring mob, crew, club, societ
Antonyms
-
Usage
The unfriendly clique of male politicians resented the presence of women in the Parliament.

CLOISTERED (adj)

Meaning
shut away, secluded
Root of the word
clud/clus/claus/ clois = cloister, cluster, reclusive
Synonyms
secluded, sheltered, sequestered, protected, isolated
Antonyms
sociable
Usage
After retirement, he is leading a cloistered life.

CLOUT (noun)

Meaning
influence or power.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
authority, cuff, influence, power, prestige, pull, skelp, slap, smack, sock, standing, thump, wallop
Antonyms
-
Usage
Using all his clout in political circles, he managed to clinch the deal.

COALESCE (verb)

Meaning
unite, come together
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
combine
Antonyms
split up
Usage
Some atoms coalesce to from molecules.

COERCED (verb)

Meaning
force
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
pressurize, drive, compel, intimidate, bully
Antonyms
dissuade
Usage
The accused alleged that the police had coerced him into giving a confession.

COFFERS (noun)

Meaning
the funds or financial reserves of an institution
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fund, funds, reserves, resources, money, finances, wealth, cash, wherewithal, capital, assets, purse
Antonyms
-
Usage
It is unreasonable on the part of the government to raise taxes in order to swell the coffers of the nation.

COGENT (adj)

Meaning
strongly and clearly expressed in a way that convinces others
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
strong, powerful, potent, weighty, plausible, effective, sound
Antonyms
weak, illogical, vague.
Usage
The reasons cited by them for not executing the plan do not seem to be cogent.

COGITATE (verb)

Meaning
think deeply
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
contemplate, consider, ruminate
Antonyms
-
Usage
She cogitated over the issue for a long time before accepting the proposal.

COGNATE (adj)

Meaning
similar
Root of the word
cogn = know
Synonyms
alike, equivalent, associated, related
Antonyms
different
Usage
There are many cognate words in English and Greek.

COGNIZANCE (noun)

Meaning
knowledge
Root of the word
cogn = know
Synonyms
sensibility, awareness, consciousness
Antonyms
ignorance, oblivion
Usage
Keep your boss in full cognizance of the prevailing situation.

COLLABORATE (verb)

Meaning
work together with others
Root of the word
labor = work
Synonyms
team up, join forces, pool resources, act as a team, collude, cooperate
Antonyms
-
Usage
The young team has decided to collaborate with the old task force.

COLLAPSE (verb)

Meaning
fall fold; breakdown; lose strength suddenly
Root of the word
laps = slip
Synonyms
cave in, crumple, subside, disintegrate, fail, end
Antonyms
-
Usage
Law and order collapsed totally during the bandh called by the opposition.

COLLATERAL (noun and adj)

Meaning
security
Root of the word
lat = side
Synonyms
guarantee
Antonyms
-
Usage
Collateral is a must for availing bank loans.

COLLOQUALISM (noun)

Meaning
an informal word or phrase
Root of the word
locu/loqu/logue/logy/lix = speak, speech
Synonyms
conversational, idiomatic, spoken, slang, everyday
Antonyms
formal
Usage
Colloqualisms are not permissible in formal speech.

COLLOQUIAL (noun and adj)

Meaning
informal
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
idiomatic, informal, conversational
Antonyms
formal
Usage
Please do not use colloquial language in formal meetings

COMMISERATE (verb)

Meaning
express sympathy or pity
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
offer sympathy to, be sympathetic to, express sympathy for, send condolences to, condole with, sympa
Antonyms
-
Usage
People commiserated with her over her recent loss.

COMMODIOUS (adj)

Meaning
roomy and comfortable
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
spacious, ample, large, big, vast, voluminous, extensive
Antonyms
cramped
Usage
Even the commodious auditorium could not accommodate the surging crowds who came to witness the programme.

COMMUNICABLE (adj)

Meaning
(of a disease) able to be communicated to others.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
contagious, infectious, transmittable, transmissible, transferable, conveyable, spreading.
Antonyms
-
Usage
There is an outbreak of communicable diseases during the monsoons every year.

COMMUTE (verb)

Meaning
travel regularly by train or bus to and from one's place of work; exchange for something else; change to one less severe.
Root of the word
mut = change
Synonyms
adjust, decrease, reduce
Antonyms
increase
Usage
He finds it convenient and economial to commute to work by the metro rail. The judge commuted the death sentence of the prisoner to life imprisonment.

COMPASSION (noun)

Meaning
a strong feeling of sympathy for people who are suffering
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
pity, sympathy, empathy, care, concern, solicitude
Antonyms
indifference, heartlessness
Usage
All religions of the world advocate compassion for fellow human beings.

COMPATRIOT (noun)

Meaning
fellow citizen
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
national, neighbor
Antonyms
foreigner
Usage
As a compatriot I have some duties towards others.

COMPENDIOUS (adj)

Meaning
presenting facts in a comprehensive but concise manner
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
succinct, pithy, brief, crisp, compact, concise, condensed, shortened, compressed
Antonyms
rambling; expanded
Usage
The compendious essay on inherited diseases written by an eminent geneticist was very useful not only to the students of genetics but also to lay persons.

COMPETITIVE (adj)

Meaning
involving competition
Root of the word
pet/ petit = seek, go toward
Synonyms
ambitious, zealous, vying, combative
Antonyms
passive
Usage
In this increasingly competitive world one must be thoroughly competent and skilled in order to stay in the race.

COMPLACENT (adj)

Meaning
too satisfied with yourself or with a situation (usually disapproving)
Root of the word
plac = please
Synonyms
smug, self-satisfied, gloating, triumphant, proud
Antonyms
dissatisfied, humble
Usage
In the current competitive scenario no one can afford to be complacent.

COMPLAISANT (adj)

Meaning
willing to please others or to accept their behaviour without protest
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
assenting, willing, acquiescent, agreeable
Antonyms
unwilling
Usage
People always take advantage of her complaisant nature.

COMPLIANT (adj)

Meaning
conforming to requirements
Root of the word
co/com = join
Synonyms
yielding, docile, amenable
Antonyms
defiant
Usage
He is too compliant and finds it difficult to say 'no'.

COMPLICITY (noun)

Meaning
involvement in an unlawful or wrong activity
Root of the word
lco/com/con = join
Synonyms
connivance, collusion
Antonyms
innocence, ignorance
Usage
His complicity in the crime has been established beyond doubt. The lawyer claimed that he could prove the complicity of the accused in the crime.

COMPULSION (noun)

Meaning
forcing someone to do something
Root of the word
pel/puls = drive
Synonyms
pressure, obligation, coercion, duress, impulse
Antonyms
volition
Usage
Although she was reluctant to accept the proposal, she had to acquiesce out of compulsion.

COMPUNCTION (noun)

Meaning
feeling of guilt that prevents or follows wrong doing
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
scruples, misgivings, qualms, worries, unease
Antonyms
-
Usage
He is a downright fraud who deceived a lot of people without any compunction.

CONCEPTION (noun)

Meaning
beginning, comprehension, idea
Root of the word
cap/capt/cept = to take, hold, sieze, receive, catch
Synonyms
prelude, preamble, introduction, start
Antonyms
conclusion, result, end, final, termination
Usage
The peace plan seems to be doomed right from the conception stage itself.

CONCERTED (adj)

Meaning
jointly arranged or carried out
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
strenuous, vigorous, energetic, active, forceful, forcible, strong, intense, concentrated
Antonyms
half-hearted
Usage
All nations of the world should make a concerted effort to curb terrorism.

CONCILIATE (verb)

Meaning
to overcome the disgust or hostility of; placate; to win or gain; to become agreeable
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
please, placate, pacify, mollify, propitiate, assuage, calm down, appease
Antonyms
provoke
Usage
The mediator made a vain attempt to conciliate the two groups involved in the conflict.

CONCLUSIVE (adj)

Meaning
proving something and allowing no doubt or uncertainty
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
incontrovertible, incontestable, irrefutable, unquestionable, undeniable, indisputable, unassailable
Antonyms
-
Usage
There is no conclusive evidence to prove that he is guilty of committing the offence.

CONCOCTION (noun)

Meaning
mixture
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
blend, combination
Antonyms
-
Usage
The heady concoction had an intoxicating effect on us.

CONDESCENDING (adj)

Meaning
to defer, patronizing, to believe that one is better than other people
Root of the word
con = together; descen = to descend
Synonyms
lofty, pompous, disdainful, arrogant, snobbish, haughty
Antonyms
deferential
Usage
The condescending tone of his speech irritated even the dignitaries. The condescending tone of the new coach irritated the youngsters.

CONDONE (verb)

Meaning
accept or forgive (an offence or wrong doing)
Root of the word
co/com/con = with, together
Synonyms
disregard, ignore, excuse, forgive, pardon
Antonyms
forbid, condemn
Usage
No nation in the world condones terrorism.

CONDUIT (noun)

Meaning
a person, an organization or a country that is used to pass things or information to other people or places
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
channel, duct, pipe, tube, gutter, groove, furrow, trough, trench, culvert, cut, sluice, spillway, r
Antonyms
-
Usage
He was accused of acting as a conduit between the politicians and the underworld.

CONFISCATE (verb)

Meaning
take or seize with authority
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
appropriate, expropriate, impound, remove, seize, sequester, sequestrate, take away, take possession
Antonyms
-
Usage
The police confiscated his assets when the charges of corruption levelled against him were proved judicially.

CONFLAGRATION (noun)

Meaning
a large and destructive fire
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fire, blaze, flames, inferno, firestorm, holocaust
Antonyms
-
Usage
The conflagration claimed several lives and damaged several houses.

CONFLUENCE (noun)

Meaning
flowing together
Root of the word
flu/flux = flow
Synonyms
meeting, convergence, union
Antonyms
divergence
Usage
Triveni Sangam at Allahabad which is a confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna is a holy place for the Hindus.

CONFORM (verb)

Meaning
abide by, comply with rules or standard
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
observe, follow, fulfil, accept, adapt to, comply with, abide by, uphold, need, obey
Antonyms
flout
Usage
The traffic police has issued a warning that punitive action will be taken against those who fail to conform to safety rules. Many multi-storied buildings in the city do not conform to safety requirements.

CONFOUND (verb)

Meaning
surprise or bewilder
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
amaze, astonish, dumbfound, stagger, surprise, startle, stun, stupefy, daze, nonplus, shake, unnerve
Antonyms
-
Usage
The public prosecutor objected to the defence lawyer's deliberate attempt to confound the witness.

CONFUTE (verb)

Meaning
prove to be wrong
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
disprove show/prove to be false, contradict, negate, deny, refute, rebut, gainsay, belie, invalidate
Antonyms
prove
Usage
I have strong evidence to confute his theory.

CONGENITAL (adj)

Meaning
present at birth, habitual
Root of the word
gen = birth, class, kin
Synonyms
innate, inborn, hereditary, ingrained
Antonyms
acquired
Usage
Congenital anomalies are often attributed to consanguineous marriages.

CONGLOMERATE (noun)

Meaning
a number of different things grouped together to form a whole, while remaining distinct identities.
Root of the word
Latin word ‘conglumerare' which means ‘to roll together'.
Synonyms
aggregate, agglomerate, amassed, gathered, clustered, combined.
Antonyms
-
Usage
India is essentially a conglomerate of disparate people speaking different languages.

CONGREGATE (verb)

Meaning
gather into a crowd or mass
Root of the word
greg = herd, crowd
Synonyms
assemble, flock, crowd
Antonyms
disperse
Usage
All his friends and relatives congregated at the airport to bid him adieu when he was going abroad to pursue higher studies.

CONGRESS (noun)

Meaning
a formal meeting of delegates for discussion
Root of the word
greg = herd, crowd
Synonyms
parliament, assembly, upper house, lower house, legislature, senate
Antonyms
-
Usage
The Congress decided to support globalisation.

CONJECTURE (noun)

Meaning
guess, surmise
Root of the word
ject, jet = to throw, to throw
Synonyms
speculation, guess, assumption, imagination, inference, supposition
Antonyms
fact
Usage
It is my conjecture that he is not guilty.

CONJUGAL (adj)

Meaning
marital
Root of the word
junct/jug = join
Synonyms
matrimonial, wedded, married, connubial
Antonyms
-
Usage
The young couple are enjoying their conjugal bliss.

CONNOTE (verb)

Meaning
suggest.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
imply, indicate, signify, have undertones of, hint at, give a feeling of, have an aura of, denote
Antonyms
-
Usage
It is a misconception that showing emotion and being demonstrative connotes weakness.

CONSCIENTIOUS (adj)

Meaning
one who takes care to do things carefully and correctly
Root of the word
scien = to know
Synonyms
diligent, punctilious, industrious, dedicated, painstaking, meticulous
Antonyms
casual
Usage
As a conscientious teacher Shobana could not be a silent witness to mass copying.

CONSECRATE (verb)

Meaning
sanctify
Root of the word
sacr/sanct = sacred, holy
Synonyms
sanctify, bless, make holy
Antonyms
desecrate
Usage
The new museum was first consecrated by a priest and then opened to the general public.

CONSENSUS (noun)

Meaning
agreement
Root of the word
sens/sent = feel, think
Synonyms
consent, accord, harmony, compromise
Antonyms
disagreement
Usage
After prolonged discussion a consensus has emerged among the party men now.

CONSONANCE (noun)

Meaning
agreement or compatibility
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
agreement, concord, accord, harmony, unison, conformity
Antonyms
-
Usage
Consonance among all the members of a team leads to a better performance.

CONSTANCY (noun)

Meaning
steadfastness
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fidelity, faithfulness, loyalty, trueness, commitment, dedication, devotion, dependability, reliabil
Antonyms
-
Usage
She has suddenly become apprehensive about the almost demented constancy of her husband to his job.

CONSTERNATION (noun)

Meaning
anxiety or dismay
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
dismay, perturbation, anxiety, distress, disquiet, angst, trepidation.
Antonyms
satisfaction
Usage
The senior politician's decision to retire from active politics caused consternation among his party men.

CONSTRUCTIVE (adj)

Meaning
serving a useful purpose
Root of the word
struc/stru = build
Synonyms
productive, helpful, beneficial, practical, useful
Antonyms
destructive, negative
Usage
He is always open to constructive criticism.

CONSTRUE (verb)

Meaning
be interpreted in a particular way
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
interpret, understand, read, see, take, render, analyse, explain, elucidate
Antonyms
-
Usage
I construed his silence for acceptance and went ahead with my plan.

CONSUMMATE (verb and adj)

Meaning
showing great skill and flair
Root of the word
summa = highest
Synonyms
accomplish, skillful, achieve, accomplished, expert
Antonyms
clumsy
Usage
The teacher showed consummate skill in handling the difficult situation.

CONTAGION (noun)

Meaning
a disease spread by close contact
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
contamination, infection, disease, illness, uniformity, pestilence, plague, blight.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The unhygienic ghettoes were a breeding ground for every kind of contagion.

CONTEMPLATION (noun)

Meaning
attentive consideration
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
thought, meditation, consideration, pondering, reflection, thinking, musing, rumination, deliberatio
Antonyms
-
Usage
Most often he seems to be lost in contemplation.

CONTEMPORARY (adj)

Meaning
modern, of that period
Root of the word
tempor = time
Synonyms
existing, current, fashionable, up to date
Antonyms
old
Usage
In the contemporary world, advertisements can create an image around boring personalities too.

CONTENTIOUS (adj)

Meaning
controversial
Root of the word
tend/tens/tent = stretch
Synonyms
debatable, arguable, touchy, litigious
Antonyms
uncontroversial
Usage
The contentious issue needs to be properly discussed.

CONTINGENT (adj)

Meaning
dependent
Root of the word
tact/tang = touch
Synonyms
subject, body, reliant, deputation, group, conditional
Antonyms
-
Usage
My tour to Denver is contingent upon the sanction of my leave.

CONTRAVENE (verb)

Meaning
break
Root of the word
ven/vent/veni = come
Synonyms
breach, flout, disobey, disregard
Antonyms
observe
Usage
Criminals contravening the provisions of the constitution does not make to the headlines of newspapers these days.

CONUNDRUM (noun)

Meaning
a confusing and difficult problem or question
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
problem, difficulty, quandary, dilemma, puzzle, enigma, mystery
Antonyms
-
Usage
The conundrum about the existence of life after death defies all explanation.

CONVALESCENCE (noun)

Meaning
period of recovery
Root of the word
val/vail = value, strength
Synonyms
recuperation, restoration
Antonyms
deterioration, worsening
Usage
My wife is convalescing from her illness.

CONVENE (verb)

Meaning
call together
Root of the word
ven/vent/veni = come
Synonyms
assemble, summon, organize, arrange
Antonyms
disband
Usage
The chief convened an urgent review meeting.

CONVENTIONAL (adj)

Meaning
conservative, usual
Root of the word
ven/vent/veni = come
Synonyms
customary, ordinary
Antonyms
unconventional, informal, strange, irregular, unusual
Usage
Her conventional views on morality and dress code may not be acceptable to some youngsters.

CONVICT (verb)

Meaning
declare to be guilty of a criminal offence by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
declare guilty, pronounce guilty, sentence, give someone a sentence.
Antonyms
acquit, clear
Usage
He was convicted of the crime as there was enough evidence against him.

CONVIVIAL (adj)

Meaning
welcoming
Root of the word
vita/viva = life, alive
Synonyms
friendly, warm, genial, hospitable, cordial
Antonyms
unfriendly
Usage
He thanked the convivial crowd for giving him such a warm welcome.

COROLLARY (noun)

Meaning
a direct consequence or result.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
consequence, outcome, result, upshot, out-turn, effect, repercussion, reverberations, sequel, produc
Antonyms
-
Usage
The increase in the number of unemployed engineering gradutes is a corollary of the government's bid to increase the number of private engineering colleges.

CORPORAL (adj)

Meaning
physical
Root of the word
corp = body
Synonyms
bodily
Antonyms
spiritual
Usage
Central schools have imposed a total ban on corporal punishments.

CORPULENT (adj)

Meaning
fat
Root of the word
corp = body
Synonyms
obese, stout, swollen, portly
Antonyms
thin, lean, delicate, weak
Usage
The corpulent lady lost her balance and fell down.

CORROBORATION (verb)

Meaning
validation
Root of the word
robor = strength
Synonyms
legalization, justification, rationale, substantiation, confirmation, support
Antonyms
weakening
Usage
The witness' statement corroborated the evidence, which the police already had.

COSMETIC (adj)

Meaning
involving or producing an apparent or superficial concession, improvement etc without any real substance to it
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
superficial, surface, skin-deep, outward, exterior, external
Antonyms
fundamental, structural.
Usage
Except for a few cosmetic changes, nothing significant has been done to improve the situation.

COSMOPOLITAN (noun and adj)

Meaning
familiar with many countries and cultures
Root of the word
cosmo = world
Synonyms
multinational, multi-ethnic, sophisticated, broad-based
Antonyms
insular, local, narrow-minded
Usage
Since he studied at various places he is now a true cosmopolitan.

COSSET (verb)

Meaning
care for and protect in an excessively soft-hearted way
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
pamper, indulge, overindulge, mollycoddle, nanny, nursemaid, feather-bed
Antonyms
-
Usage
As he was cossetted and pampered by his doting parents, he turned out to be a spoilt brat.

COTERIE (noun)

Meaning
an exclusive group of people with shared interests or tastes
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
clique, set, circle, inner circle, crowd, in-crowd, band, pack, crew, community, league, alliance, f
Antonyms
-
Usage
The coterie of henchmen is said to have influenced the minister in a lot of underhand dealings.

COUNTERMAND (verb)

Meaning
cancel (an order)
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
revoke, rescind, reverse, undo, repeal, retract, withdraw, take back, abrogate, abolish, quash, scra
Antonyms
uphold
Usage
An order issued by the Supreme Court cannot be countermanded.

COUP DETAT (verb)

Meaning
a sudden violent seizure of power
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
overthrow, takeover, ousting, deposition; bloodless coup, palace revolution, rebellion, revolt
Antonyms
election
Usage
In a coup détat the Chief Minister was deposed by a coterie of ministers who conspired against him.

COURSE (noun)

Meaning
a direction taken or intended
Root of the word
cur, cour = run
Synonyms
path, track, way, classes, itinerary
Antonyms
-
Usage
The golf course was full of pot holes.

COURTESY (noun)

Meaning
polite and considerate behaviour.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
politeness, courteousness, civility, respect, deference, chivalry, gallantry, graciousness, thought,
Antonyms
-
Usage
He was a thorough gentleman who treated everyone with utmost courtesy.

COURTLY (adj)

Meaning
very dignified and polite
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
refined, polished, elegant, suave, urbane
Antonyms
uncouth
Usage
He charmed everyone with his courtly deportment.

COVERT (adj)

Meaning
secret or hidden, making it to difficult to notice
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
secret, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, stealthy
Antonyms
overt, above board
Usage
In a covert operation, the terrorists blew up a police outpost.

COYNESS (noun)

Meaning
pretending to be shy or modest
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
simpering, flirtatiousness, skittishness, shyness, modesty, bashfulness, reticence, diffidence, timi
Antonyms
brazenness
Usage
I found her coyness and affected manners rather disgusting.

CRASS (adj)

Meaning
very thoughtless and stupid
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
insensitive, blundering, dense, thick, vacuous, mindless, witless, oafish
Antonyms
intelligent
Usage
He often parries the crass questions posed by journalists as they are vexatious.

CRAVEN (adj)

Meaning
lacking courage
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
cowardly, faint-hearted, pigeon-hearted, spiritless, spineless, timid, timorous, fearful, trembling,
Antonyms
brave, courageous
Usage
The craven subjects meekly obeyed the diktats of the monarch.

CREDENCE (noun)

Meaning
belief
Root of the word
cred = belief, trust
Synonyms
acceptance, belief, credibility, authority, confidence
Antonyms
suspicion
Usage
The new evidence does not lend credence to what the accused stated earlier.

CREDENTIALS (noun)

Meaning
documents such as letters that show who you claim to be
Root of the word
cred = belief, trust
Synonyms
documents, papers, bona fides, references
Antonyms
-
Usage
The new ambassador presented his credentials to the president.

CREDIBILITY (noun)

Meaning
trustworthiness
Root of the word
cred = belief, trust
Synonyms
integrity, reliability, sincerity
Antonyms
unreliability
Usage
No one can question Jane's credibility.

CREDULOUS (adj)

Meaning
gullible
Root of the word
cred = belief, trust
Synonyms
naïve, trusting, gullible, innocent, unsuspecting, uncritical
Antonyms
shrewd
Usage
I wonder how such credulous people survive in modern times.

CRESCENDO (noun)

Meaning
gradually becoming louder
Root of the word
cres/cret = grow
Synonyms
upsurge, increase, buildup, loudening, swelling, climax
Antonyms
-
Usage
The music at the New Year Party hit a crescendo at midnight.

CRESCENT (adj)

Meaning
the curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon; a curved street of houses
Root of the word
cres/cret = grow
Synonyms
hemispherical, curved, semi-circular, hemispherical
Antonyms
-
Usage
The crescent of the moon has caught the attention of many a poet.

CRESTFALLEN (adj)

Meaning
sad and disappointed
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
downhearted, downcast, despondent, disconsolate
Antonyms
cheerful
Usage
Though crestfallen after the miserable failure, he managed to put up a brave front.

CRITICAL (adj)

Meaning
of or at a crisis
Root of the word
crim/crit = judge, accuse, separate, criminal, incriminate, discriminate, criterion, critical, critic
Synonyms
significant, serious, dangerous, decisive, vital, important
Antonyms
stable
Usage
The patient's condition is critical.

CROTCHETY (adj)

Meaning
easily irritated
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
bad-tempered, ill-tempered, irritable, irascible, moody, cantankerous, waspish, shrewish, grumpy
Antonyms
good-humoured, sweet-natured
Usage
Although he was quite a cheerful person, with age and ill health he has turned senile and crotchety.

CRUDITY (noun)

Meaning
something which lacks refinement
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
primitiveness, simplicity, roughness, inaccuracy, lack of refinement
Antonyms
sophistication
Usage
Such crudity is unbecoming of a descendant of an illustrious blue-blooded family.

CRYPTIC (adj)

Meaning
mysterious or obscure in meaning
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
enigmatic, mysterious, confusing, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling, obscure, abstruse, arcane
Antonyms
straightforward, clear.
Usage
His cryptic reply to my query left me totally flummoxed.

CUL-DE-SAC (noun)

Meaning
a street or passage closed at one end.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
blind alley, dead end.
Antonyms
-
Usage
She lives in a quaint little cottage in a quiet cul-de-sac in Pali hills.

CULPABLE (adj)

Meaning
guilty, liable to blame, responsible
Root of the word
culp = fault, blame
Synonyms
blamable
Antonyms
innocent
Usage
Though he only accidentally knocked down and killed the skater, he is guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

CULT (noun)

Meaning
something popular or fashionable among a particular group of people.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
craze, fashion, following, trend, vogue.
Antonyms
-
Usage
Art of living, initiated by Sri Sri Ravishankar has now become a cult among many Indians.

CULTIVATED (adj)

Meaning
having a high level of education and showing good manners
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
cultured, educated, well read, well informed, civilized, enlightened, discerning, discriminating, re
Antonyms
-
Usage
She was a graceful, cultivated woman who was liked by everyone.

CURRENT (adj)

Meaning
present, flow
Root of the word
cur, cour = run
Synonyms
recent, existing, in progress, up to date, contemporary
Antonyms
outdated, ancient
Usage
The current financial position of the company is not sound.

CURSORY (adj)

Meaning
fleeting, casual, hastily done
Root of the word
cur, cour = run
Synonyms
hasty, superficial, slight, desultory, careless
Antonyms
thorough, complete, perfect
Usage
One cursory glance at the newspaper is enough for a professional to separate the wheat from the chaff.

CYNOSURE (noun)

Meaning
anything that strongly attracts attention or admiration.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
focus of attention, centre of attraction, centre of altercation, focus, focal point.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The gorgeously dressed woman was the cynosure of all eyes at the party.