English Language

Vocabulary and Synonyms

17,324 Questions

Vocabulary and synonyms are essential components of English language sections across competitive exams. This topic tests word associations, context meanings, and precise vocabulary skills. Regular practice helps test takers score higher in SSC, banking, and railway recruitment tests.

Finding exact synonymsWord substitutionVocabulary in contextAssociated word groups

Vocabulary and Synonyms Questions

Multiple choice

The word 'elapses' in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Directions: Refer the following passage:

Most people can remember a phone number for up to thirty seconds. When this short amount of time elapses, however the numbers are erased from the memory. How did the information get there in the first place? Information that makes its way to the short term memory (STM) does so via the sensor storage area. The brain has a filter which only allows stimuli that is of immediate interest to pass on to the STM, also known as the working memory. There is much debate about the capacity and duration of the short term memory. The most accepted theory comes from George A.Miller, a cognitive psychologist who suggested that humans can remember approximately seven chunks of information. A chunk is defined as a meaningful unit of information, such as a word or name rather than just a letter or number. Modern theorists suggest that one can increase the capacity of short term memory chunking or classifying similar information together. By organizing information, one can optimize the STM, and improve the chances of a memory being passed onto long term storage. When making a conscious effort to memorize something, such as information for an exam, many people engage in “rote rehearsal”. By repeating something over and over again, one is able to keep a memory alive. Unfortunately, this type of memory maintenance only succeeds if there are no interruptions. As soon as the person stops rehearsing the information, it has the tendency to disappear. When a paper and pen are not handy, people often attempt to remember a phone number by repeating it aloud. If the doorbell rings or the dog barks to come in before a person has the opportunity to make a phone call, he will likely forget the number instantly. Therefore rote rehearsal is not an efficient way to pass information from the short term to long term memory. A better way is to practice “elaborate rehearsal “. This involves assigning semantic meaning to a piece of information so that it can be filed along with other pre – existing long term memories. Encoding information semantically also makes it more retrievable. Retrieving information can be done by recognition or recall. Humans can easily recall memories that are stored in the long term memory and used often; however, if a memory seems to be forgotten, it may eventually be retrieved by prompting. The more cues a person is given (such as pictures), the more likely a memory can be retrieved. This is why multiple choice tests are often used for subjects that require a lot of memorization.

  1. passes

  2. adds up

  3. appears

  4. continues

  5. break
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 'Elapses' and 'passes' are synonyms of each other.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the sentence with the usage of the word in bold. Pick the meaning which is synonymous to the word in bold.

Aficionado : Being a soccer aficionado, he never misses a match.

  1. supporter

  2. player

  3. assertive

  4. maker
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Obviously, the person being referred to in first sentence cannot be a player because for no reason a player would miss a match. Option (1) 'supporter' is valid enough as it makes perfect sense for an ardent fan, never missing a match.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the sentence with the usage of the word in bold. Pick the meaning which is synonymous to the word in bold.

Bagatelle : She is so rich that to her a million dollars is a mere bagatelle.

  1. peanuts

  2. lump sum

  3. shortcoming

  4. trifle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'Bagatelle' means something of little importance or value. Therefore, both words 'lump sum' and 'shortcomings' are not correct for being synonyms of word Bagatelle. Among words peanuts and trifle, though peanuts (a trifling or relatively small sum of money) goes in same sense as has been used in this sentence but it is not good enough to be termed as synonym of Bagatelle in this context. Option (D), 'trifle'(a small amount of money) is more appropriate of those given to act as synonym of Bagatelle.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the sentence with the usage of the word in bold. Pick the meaning which is synonymous to the word in bold.

Abjure : In some countries, people were forced to abjure their belief in God.

  1. strengthen

  2. renounce

  3. weaken

  4. intensify

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

People being forced to 'abjure' their belief in God implies that they promise, usually pin public, to give up their belief or opinion. 'Renounce' in option (2) means just the same, hence (2) is the answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: For the word given above the table, match the dictionary definitions on the left (1, 2, 3, 4) with their corresponding usage on the right (a, b, c, d). Out of the four possibilities given in the boxes below the table, select the one that has all the definitions and their usage correctly matched.

DRAMA Meaning| Usage| | 1. a play for the theatre or broadcasting | a. There was much drama when the car skidded into the river. | | 2. excitement| b. We have seen dramatic changes during the 20th century. | | 3. exciting or impressive| c. He'll make a drama out of a simple visit to the doctor. | | 4. to exaggerate something unimportant | d. I remember her acting in that drama by Shaw.|
  1. 1. d
    2. b
    3. a
    4. c
  2. 1. c
    2. d
    3. a
    4. b
  3. 1. d
    2. c
    3. b
    4. a
  4. 1. d
    2. a
    3. b
    4. c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

For usage 'a', 'There was much drama when the car skidded into the river' the only option suited is 2, 'excitement'. This marks '2a' as part of our logical sequence. This possible combination is available in only option (4). This marks option (4) as correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: For the word given above the table, match the dictionary definitions on the left (1, 2, 3, 4) with their corresponding usage on the right (a, b, c, d). Out of the four possibilities given in the boxes below the table, select the one that has all the definitions and their usage correctly matched.

DRAW

Meaning| Usage| | 1. to depict with a pen, pencil, etc; to make a sketch, diagram etc.| a. I do most of the housework but I draw the line at doing the floor.| | 2. to describe | b. Please draw me a map of how to get to your house. | | 3. to show how one thing is alike or contrasts with another| c. The article drew picture of life in India. | | 4. to refuse to do or tolerate something | d. The survey drew a comparison/parallel between education in Britain and America.|
  1. 1. b
    2. c
    3. d
    4. a
  2. 1. c
    2. d
    3. b
    4. a
  3. 1. b
    2. c
    3. a
    4. d
  4. 1. c
    2. a
    3. b
    4. d
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

For usage 'a', 'I do most of the house work but I draw the line at doing the floor', means that he refuses to do the floor as part of housework chores. This straightaway points meaning 4 as possible match. For usage 'b', easily one can see that the sentence implies drawing or sketching on a paper, therefore, it matches meaning 1. These above given inferences mark option (1) as correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: For the word given above the table, match the dictionary definitions on the left (1, 2, 3, 4) with their corresponding usage on the right (a, b, c, d). Out of the four possibilities given in the boxes below the table, select the one that has all the definitions and their usage correctly matched.

DRAG

Meaning| Usage| | 1. to pull along or move with difficulty or effort | a. Are you dragging your heels/feet in order to sabotage the deal?| | 2. to be deliberately slow or ineffective| b. Can you drag that heavy box outside? | | 3. to continue slowly in a dull manner; to prolong | c. Her illness really dragged her down.| | 4. to weaken or depress| d. The days drag by. |
  1. 1. b
    2. a
    3. d
    4. c
  2. 1. b
    2. d
    3. a
    4. c
  3. 1. d
    2. c
    3. b
    4. d
  4. 1. a
    2. d
    3. c
    4. b
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

For usage 'a', 'Are you dragging your heels/feet in order to sabotage the deal' the meaning suited is given in 2 'to be deliberately slow or ineffective' implying to cancel the deal. This marks '2a' as a required component in suitable order. This possible order is available only in option (1), which is therefore the answer.