Vocabulary Made Easy series: Polish your language skills to score better in exams

Having good language and communication skills is very important to score easily in exams which can help students go a long way. Hence, along with preparing important topics for competitive exams, do not forget to polish your language skills as well.

Here's a way to improve your vocabulary and communication skills. Check out the words for the day and a small quiz to push yourself to improve your word power and language skills.

Erroneous (Adjective)

Meaning: wrong; incorrect

Example: The test remains rooted in an erroneous approach which starts from the wrong standpoint

Expurgate (Verb)

Meaning: remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account)

Example: Editors heavily expurgated the novel before its initial publication

Gist (Noun)

Meaning: the substance or general meaning of a speech or text

Example: She spoke quickly but I got the gist of what she was saying

Also Read: Vocabulary Made Easy series: Improve your language skills to excel in exams

Fracas (Noun)

Meaning: a noisy disturbance or quarrel

Example: He got drunk and caused a fracas because they wouldn't let him in

Impasse (Noun)

Meaning: a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock

Example: If the impasse continues, the jockeys could take the matter to court

Hedonistic (Adjective)

Meaning: engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent

Example: Yet they help put the hedonistic excesses of the decade into proper perspective

Also Read: Vocabulary Made Easy series: Work on your language skills to succeed in exams

Inert (Adjective)

Meaning: lacking the ability or strength to move

Example: Normally it is said that gold has no biochemical purpose, because it is chemically inert

Jocular (Adjective)

Meaning: fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful

Example: Her comments were intended to be taken in a light-hearted and jocular fashion

Kindle (Verb)

Meaning: set (something) on fire/ arouse or inspire (an emotion or feeling)

Example: I managed to kindle a fire in the grate

Put your thinking cap on and try to answer the following questions to understand how much you have grasped.

1. A love of art was ___________ in me. Which of the following words fits best in the sentence? (Kindled, Jocular)
2. Since Newton's day, scientists have discovered that atoms are not ______. Which of the following words fits best in the sentence? (Inert, Hedonistic)
3. Can you think of some antonyms for the word Impasse?
4. Can you think of some synonyms for the word Fracas?

Also Read: Vocabulary Made Easy series: Work on your language skills to be more confident

Watch out for this space for your weekly update on improving word power.

(Definitions and examples are from Oxford Languages)