The Hindu Editorial (Demagogue salesman) – Feb 26, 2026

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The Hindu Editorial (​Demagogue salesman) – Feb 26, 2026:

1. demagogue (noun) – a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument; rabble-rouser, agitator, populist, provocateur.
2. salesman (noun) – a person who attempts to persuade others to accept or support a particular idea, policy, or claim, often using persuasive, exaggerated, or manipulative rhetoric; promoter, persuader, peddler, propagandist.
3. State of the Union address (noun) – an annual message delivered by the U.S. President to a joint session of the United States Congress on the current condition of the nation; annual presidential speech, presidential report, address to Congress, national address.
4. State of the Union (noun) – the current condition of the nation, specifically referring to the annual presidential address in the United States; condition of the country, national status, state of the nation, national overview.
5. address (noun) – a formal speech delivered to an audience; speech, talk, discourse, oration.
6. double down (phrasal verb) – to strengthen one’s commitment to a particular strategy or course of action, typically one that is potentially risky; commit fully, stand firm, reinforce, persist.
7. conservative (adjective) – holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics; right-wing, traditionalist, conventional, orthodox.
8. base (noun) – a group of people who consistently support a political party or candidate; core supporters, loyalists, followers, electorate.
9. tout (verb) – to attempt to sell or promote something by a direct or persistent approach; endorse, promote, praise, commend.
10. administration (noun) – the government in power, especially the executive branch; government, regime, authority, executive.
11. with regard to (phrase) – as concerns, in respect of; concerning, regarding, with reference to, respecting.
12. divisive (adjective) – tending to cause disagreement or hostility between people; alienating, polarising, disruptive, isolating.
13. polarising (adjective) – causing strong and contrasting divisions in opinion or belief; divisive, separating, parting, partisan.
14. immigration (noun) – the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country; migration, settling, relocation, resettlement.
15. cost of living (noun) – the level of prices relating to a range of everyday items; living expenses, daily expenses, economic burden, inflation impact.
16. tariff (noun) – a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports; tax, duty, toll, levy.
17. prospect (noun) – the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring; expectation, likelihood, chance, hope.
18. in the context of (phrase) – in the circumstances or setting in which an event occurs; with reference to, concerning, relating to, regarding.
19. fraught (adjective) – causing or affected by anxiety or stress; anxious, worried, troubled, distressed.
20. strike down (phrasal verb) – to abolish, invalidate, or annul a law or regulation; invalidate, quash, reject, overturn.
21. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (noun) – a United States federal law authorizing the president to regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency; emergency powers law, trade regulation act, presidential authority act, emergency statute.
22. slam (verb) – to criticize severely; condemn, attack, denounce, lambast.
23. broad (adjective) – comprehensive and wide-ranging; extensive, sweeping, general, wide.
24. swathe (noun) – a broad strip or area of something; area, strip, stretch, sweep.
25. punitive tariff (noun) – a high tax on imported goods designed to punish the exporting country or protect domestic industries; retaliatory tax, penalizing duty, protective tariff, punishing levy.
26. apparently (adverb) – as far as one knows or can see; seemingly, evidently, ostensibly, outwardly.
27. undaunted (adjective) – not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment; unafraid, undeterred, resolute, fearless.
28. disdain (noun) – the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one’s consideration or respect; contempt, scorn, disrespect, derision.
29. ruling (noun) – an authoritative decision or pronouncement, especially one made by a judge; judgement, decision, verdict, decree.
30. to the contrary (phrase) – with the opposite meaning or implication; oppositely, conversely, conflictingly, inversely.
31. regarding (preposition) – in respect of or concerning; about, with regard to, concerning, respecting.
32. burgeoning (adjective) – beginning to grow or increase rapidly; flourishing, thriving, expanding, escalating.
33. public debt (noun) – the total amount, including total liabilities, borrowed by the government; national debt, sovereign debt, government debt, state borrowing.
34. debt (noun) – a sum of money that is owed or due; liability, obligation, arrears, due.
35. allude (verb) – to suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at, refer to, imply, mention.
36. ICE (noun) – an acronym for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal law enforcement agency; border enforcement agency, immigration authority, customs agency, border control.
37. heavy-handed (adjective) – clumsy, insensitive, or overly forceful in dealing with others; oppressive, harsh, strict, authoritarian.
38. built up (phrasal verb) – to increase, develop, or strengthen something gradually over a period of time; develop, expand, strengthen, accumulate.
39. force (noun) – coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence; coercion, compulsion, pressure, strong-arm tactics.
40. posture (noun) – a particular approach or attitude; stance, attitude, position, approach.
41. crackdown (noun) – a series of severe measures to restrict undesirable or illegal people or behaviour; clampdown, suppression, repression, strict measures.
42. hold out (phrasal verb) – to offer a chance, hope, or possibility; offer, present, provide, promise.
43. modus vivendi (noun) – an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully; working arrangement, compromise, practical compromise, temporary agreement.
44. diplomacy (noun) – the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations; statesmanship, statecraft, negotiation, foreign policy.
45. sponsor (noun) – supporter, promoter, or champion.
46. by far (phrase) – by a great amount; easily, undoubtedly, clearly, significantly.
47. Congress (noun) – the national legislative body of a country, especially that of the US; legislature, parliament, legislative assembly, senate and house of representatives.
48. sound (verb) – appear, look, seem.
49. self-congratulatory (adjective) – showing excessive pride in oneself or one’s achievements; boastful, proud, smug, complacent.
50. echo (verb) – to repeat or reflect a sound, idea, or feeling; repeat, reflect, resonate, reiterate.
51. well-rehearsed (adjective) – practiced thoroughly; well-practised, prepared, polished, calculated.
52. campaign (noun) – an organized course of action to achieve a goal, especially in politics; drive, movement, push, crusade.
53. mid-term election (noun) – general elections in the United States that are held near the midpoint of a president’s four-year term of office; congressional election, parliamentary election, intermediate election, legislative vote.
54. inflation (noun) – a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money; price rise, rising prices, financial instability, economic inflation.
55. term (noun) – period, spell, stint, duration.
56. plummeting (adjective) – falling or dropping straight down at high speed; plunging, diving, dropping, tumbling.
57. exaggeration (noun) – a statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is; overstatement, overemphasis, hyperbole, magnification.
58. given (preposition) – taking into account; considering, bearing in mind, in view of, keeping in mind.
59. predecessor (noun) – a person who held a job or office before the current holder; forerunner, precursor, antecedent, prior holder.
60. come off (phrasal verb) – to appear or seem to be a certain way; appear, look, seem, present oneself.
61. lead to (verb) – result in, cause, bring on, bring about.
62. concerningly (adverb) – in a manner that causes anxiety or worry; worryingly, alarmingly, disturbingly, distressingly.
63. Republican (noun) – a member or supporter of the Republican Party in the US; right-winger, conservative, GOP member, traditionalist.
64. lawmaker (noun) – a person who makes laws; legislator, parliamentarian, representative, congressman/congresswoman.
65. opinion poll (noun) – an assessment of public opinion obtained by questioning a representative sample; survey, poll, public inquiry, tally.
66. suggest (verb) – to put forward for consideration; indicate, point to, imply, intimate.
67. disenchant (verb) – to free from illusion or false belief; disillusion, disappoint, let down, open someone’s eyes.
68. cost-escalating (adjective) – relating to a rapid increase in the cost of goods, services, or projects; price-increasing, expense-rising, inflation-driving, cost-inflating.
69. escalating (adjective) – increasing rapidly; rising, growing, mounting, soaring.
70. perceived (adjective) – interpreted or understood in a particular way; seen, considered, viewed, regarded.
71. involvement (noun) – the fact or condition of participating in something; participation, engagement, inclusion, connection.
72. scandal (noun) – an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage; wrongdoing, impropriety, misconduct, offence.
73. upbeat (adjective) – cheerful, optimistic, positive, confident.
74. galvanise (verb) – to shock or excite someone into taking action; spur, stimulate, rouse, motivate.
75. bitter (adjective) – feeling or showing anger, hurt, or resentment because of bad experiences; resentful, angry, aggrieved, hostile.
76. ground reality (noun) – the actual situation or conditions on the ground, rather than what is theoretical or expected; actual situation, practical reality, real-world situation, factual state.
77. tend to (verb) – to regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic; be inclined to, be prone to, lean towards, gravitate towards.
78. frustration (noun) – the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something; exasperation, annoyance, anger, dissatisfaction.
79. context (noun) – the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea; circumstances, conditions, situation, background.
80. ballot box (noun) – a sealed box into which voters put their completed ballot papers, used metaphorically to represent the voting process or election; election, voting, democratic process, polling.

Note :

1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc. from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.

2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.  

3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

The Hindu Editorial (Demagogue salesman) – Feb 26, 2026: