⏱ 3 min read
Vocabulary questions are the fastest marks in the Lok Sewa English section. A typical paper asks for the synonym or antonym of a word, or one word for a group of words. This note lists the words that appear again and again, grouped so they are easy to revise, plus a few tricks for guessing unknown words.
1. Most-asked synonyms (same meaning)
| Word | Synonym | Word | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abundant | Plentiful | Candid | Frank |
| Diligent | Hardworking | Obsolete | Outdated |
| Affluent | Rich | Feeble | Weak |
| Eager | Keen | Hostile | Unfriendly |
| Reluctant | Unwilling | Genuine | Real |
| Renowned | Famous | Vast | Huge |
| Brief | Short | Exhausted | Tired |
| Courteous | Polite | Vacant | Empty |
| Ancient | Old | Accurate | Correct |
2. Most-asked antonyms (opposite meaning)
| Word | Antonym | Word | Antonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient | Modern | Generous | Stingy (mean) |
| Humble | Proud | Temporary | Permanent |
| Optimist | Pessimist | Transparent | Opaque |
| Scarcity | Abundance | Artificial | Natural |
| Victory | Defeat | Expand | Contract |
| Accept | Reject | Brave | Cowardly |
| Rigid | Flexible | Superior | Inferior |
| Import | Export | Maximum | Minimum |
| Lenient | Strict | Praise | Criticise |
3. Antonyms made with prefixes
| Prefix | Example |
|---|---|
| un- | happy → unhappy, able → unable |
| in- | correct → incorrect, visible → invisible |
| im- | possible → impossible, polite → impolite |
| il- | legal → illegal, literate → illiterate |
| ir- | regular → irregular, responsible → irresponsible |
| dis- | agree → disagree, honest → dishonest |
| mis- | understand → misunderstand |
Rule of thumb: il- comes before words starting with l, ir- before r, and im- before p, b, m.
4. One-word substitution: people
| Meaning | One word |
|---|---|
| One who can speak two languages | Bilingual |
| One who can speak many languages | Polyglot |
| One who loves mankind and gives to charity | Philanthropist |
| One who does not believe in God | Atheist |
| One who always looks at the bright side | Optimist |
| One who travels on foot | Pedestrian |
| One who is unable to pay debts | Insolvent (bankrupt) |
| One who has long experience | Veteran |
| One who does something as a hobby, not a profession | Amateur |
| One who loves books | Bibliophile |
| A person who is 100 years old | Centenarian |
| A person living at the same time | Contemporary |
5. One-word substitution: qualities and things
| Meaning | One word |
|---|---|
| Life story written by oneself | Autobiography |
| Life story written by someone else | Biography |
| All-powerful | Omnipotent |
| All-knowing | Omniscient |
| Present everywhere | Omnipresent |
| That cannot be read | Illegible |
| That cannot be heard | Inaudible |
| That cannot be avoided | Inevitable |
| That cannot be wrong | Infallible |
| Fit to be eaten | Edible |
| Animal that eats only flesh | Carnivorous |
| Animal that eats only plants | Herbivorous |
| Without a known name | Anonymous |
| Born or published after the death of the father or author | Posthumous |
| With everyone agreeing | Unanimous |
| A remedy for all diseases | Panacea |
| Disease spreading over a whole country or the world | Pandemic |
6. Tips for the exam
- Read all four options first; two are usually clearly wrong.
- Look at the root: omni = all, poly = many, bi = two, auto = self, anthrop = man, phile = lover.
- For antonyms, check if a prefix (un-, in-, dis-) gives the answer quickly.
- Do not pick a word that is only related; the synonym must mean the same.
7. Synonyms and antonyms table
| Word | Synonym | Antonym |
|---|---|---|
| Abundant | Plentiful | Scarce |
| Candid | Frank | Evasive |
| Diligent | Hardworking | Lazy |
| Obsolete | Outdated | Modern |
| Benevolent | Kind | Cruel |
| Transparent | Clear | Opaque |
| Brief | Short | Lengthy |
| Hostile | Unfriendly | Friendly |
8. Tips
- Read all options before choosing.
- Use the word in a sentence to test its meaning.
- Watch out for options that are antonyms when a synonym is asked.
9. How this topic is asked in the exam
Objective questions give a word and ask its synonym or antonym. Learn words in groups with their opposites.
📌 Key points to remember
- Abundant = plentiful; candid = frank; obsolete = outdated; diligent = hardworking.
- Ancient ↔ modern; humble ↔ proud; transparent ↔ opaque; temporary ↔ permanent.
- il- before l, ir- before r, im- before p/b/m.
- Omnipotent = all-powerful; omniscient = all-knowing; omnipresent = everywhere.
- Polyglot = many languages; philanthropist = lover of mankind; atheist = no belief in God.
- Illegible = cannot be read; inaudible = cannot be heard; inevitable = cannot be avoided.
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Synonyms, Antonyms and One-word Substitution
20 questions check what you read about Most-asked synonyms (same meaning), One-word substitution: people and Tips for the exam.
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