The Hindu Editorial (Missed call) – Jun 08, 2026
To read this article, click “The Hindu”.
This preview is provided here with permission.
Courtesy: The Hindu
The Hindu Editorial (Missed call) – Jun 08, 2026:
- missed (adjective) – lost, failed.
- call (noun) – prediction, forecast, projection, estimation.
- brace oneself for (verb) – prepare oneself for something difficult or unpleasant; get ready for, steel oneself for, make preparations for.
- deficient (adjective) – lacking, inadequate, insufficient.
- southwest monsoon (noun) – the primary rainy season in India running from June to September, bringing the majority of the country’s annual rainfall.
- monsoon (noun) – rainy season, heavy rain, downpour, seasonal precipitation.
- past (preposition) – beyond, later than, after.
- behind (preposition) – after, following.
- India Meteorological Department (IMD) (organization) – an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India, responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting, and seismology.
- forecast (noun) – prediction, projection, estimation, calculation.
- agency (noun) – department, body, institution.
- misjudge (verb) – estimate wrongly, evaluate incorrectly, miscalculate, mistake.
- onset (noun) – start, beginning, arrival, commencement.
- margin of error (noun) – allowance, leeway, room for mistake, an amount allowed for miscalculation.
- arrival (noun) – appearance, coming, advent, occurrence.
- in itself (phrase) – viewed in its essential qualities; considered separately, intrinsically, fundamentally.
- calamity (noun) – disaster, catastrophe, tragedy, crisis.
- on which (phrase) – referring to the specific thing previously mentioned.
- touch (verb) – reach, hit, arrive at.
- coast (noun) – shoreline, seaside, seaboard, coastline.
- have a bearing on (phrase) – be relevant to, have an influence on, affect, impact.
- fall (verb) – occur, happen, take place, come about.
- follow (verb) – come after, go after, ensue.
- in store (phrase) – about to happen, coming in the future, what is coming next.
- unsettling (adjective) – disturbing, disconcerting, troubling, worrying.
- peg at (verb) – fix, set, hold, limit (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level.
- seasonal rainfall (noun) – the amount of precipitation that occurs during a specific season, primarily referring to the monsoon rains in the Indian context; seasonal precipitation, monsoon rain, periodic downpour, periodic showers.
- long period average (LPA) (noun) – the average rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval calculated over a long period, typically 50 years; used as a benchmark by the IMD to predict rainfall.
- probability (noun) – chance, likelihood, possibility, prospect.
- outright (adjective) – absolute, complete, total, unequivocal.
- pessimistic (adjective) – tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; negative, gloomy, cynical, bleak.
- pre-season (adjective) – occurring before the regular season begins.
- decade (noun) – a period of ten years.
- peninsula (noun) – a piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water.
- monsoon core zone (noun) – a region comprising the central, northern, and western parts of India where agriculture is heavily dependent on rainfall.
- water (verb) – pour water on, irrigate.
- rain-fed (adjective) – dependent on rain rather than irrigation for water supply.
- farmland (noun) – agricultural land, cultivated land, arable land.
- fall short (phrase) – fail to meet an expectation or standard; be deficient, be inadequate, lack.
- watcher (noun) – observer, analyst, monitor, commentator.
- dry spell (noun) – a period of dry weather; drought, parched conditions, lack of rain.
- sown (adjective) – planted with seeds.
- crop (noun) – agricultural produce, harvest, plant.
- face (verb) – encounter, experience, confront, tackle.
- unwatered (adjective) – not supplied with water; un-irrigated, dry.
- consequential (adjective) – significant, important, meaningful, far-reaching.
- exceptionally (adverb) – unusually, extraordinarily, uncommonly, peculiarly.
- atop (preposition) – on top of, over, above.
- input crisis (noun) – a severe shortage or difficulty in acquiring raw materials or resources required for agricultural production.
- West Asia conflict (noun) – regional instability, geopolitical turmoil, or warfare occurring in the Middle East region.
- disruption (noun) – disturbance, interruption, distortion, trouble.
- Strait of Hormuz (noun) – a strategically important, narrow sea channel connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, functioning as a vital global maritime chokepoint for oil exports.
- throttle (verb) – suppress, restrict, choke, control.
- energy supply (noun) – the provision of power or fuel resources; fuel distribution, oil and gas availability.
- fertilizer (noun) – chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase its fertility; manure, plant nutrient, compost.
- comfort (noun) – consolation, solace, relief, reassurance.
- El Niño (noun) – a climate pattern characterized by the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which can have significant impacts on global weather patterns including reducing monsoon rainfall in India.
- La Niña (noun) – a climate pattern characterized by the unusual cooling of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, typically associated with stronger and above-normal monsoon rainfall in India.
- below-normal (adjective) – lower than the average or expected standard; subnormal, deficient, inadequate, inferior.
- above-normal (adjective) – higher than the average or expected standard; excessive, extraordinary, unusual, greater.
- severe (adjective) – intense, extreme, harsh, worst.
- drought (noun) – dry spell, prolonged lack of rain, shortage of water, parched conditions.
- shortfall (noun) – deficit, deficiency, shortage, inadequacy.
- near-certain (adjective) – almost sure, highly likely, highly probable.
- heart (noun) – center, middle, core, crux.
- count on (phrasal verb) – rely on, depend on, bank on, trust.
- redeeming (adjective) – compensating, saving, extenuating, justifying.
- swing (noun) – shift, change, variation, fluctuation.
- Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) (noun) – an ocean-atmosphere phenomenon characterized by the difference in sea surface temperatures between the western and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean; a positive phase typically enhances the Indian monsoon.
- activate (verb) – initiate, set in motion.
- Agriculture Ministry (organization) – officially the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW); the apex government body responsible for the formulation and administration of rules and regulations related to agriculture in India.
- Jal Shakti Ministry (organization) – created in 2019 to consolidate water-related ministries, responsible for integrated water resources management, drinking water, sanitation, and river rejuvenation.
- Consumer Affairs Ministry (organization) – officially the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAFP); a government ministry responsible for consumer protection, regulating food security, and managing the public distribution system.
- on a war footing (phrase) – in a state of readiness for war; fully prepared, highly organized and mobilized for an emergency.
- along with (phrase) – together with, accompanied by, in conjunction with.
- disaster management authorities (noun) – state and central government bodies responsible for coordinating and implementing immediate responses to natural or man-made calamities.
- advisory (noun) – official warning, notification, announcement, bulletin.
- steer (verb) – guide, direct, navigate, lead.
- short-duration (adjective) – lasting for a short time; brief, short-term, quick-maturing.
- pulse (noun) – the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food; lentils, beans, legumes.
- millet (noun) – a fast-growing cereal plant widely grown in warm countries and regions with poor soils.
- thirsty (adjective) – needing water, dry, dehydrated, requiring irrigation.
- paddy (noun) – a field where rice is grown; rice before threshing or in the husk.
- disciplined (adjective) – controlled, regulated, well-organized, systematic.
- reservoir (noun) – a natural or artificial place where water is stored.
- crop insurance (noun) – a policy that protects agricultural producers against crop losses due to natural disasters.
- relief (noun) – financial or practical assistance given to those in special need or difficulty; aid, help, support.
- provisioning (noun) – the action of supplying or providing something; supplying, equipping.
- ready (verb) – prepare, equip, organize, arrange.
- parched (adjective) – dried out with heat; entirely without water, arid, dehydrated.
- landscape (noun) – terrain, land, topography, environment.
- as recently as (phrase) – used to emphasize that something happened only a short time ago.
- claim (verb) – state, declare, aver, assert, affirm.
- deliver (verb) – produce, provide, yield, bring about.
- kharif (noun) – monsoon crops; seeds sown in the beginning of the monsoon and harvested at the end of the season in South Asia.
- Kharif season (noun) – the agricultural season in the Indian subcontinent that typically begins with the onset of the monsoon in June and ends with the harvest in autumn; monsoon crop season.
- Rabi season (noun) – the agricultural period in the Indian subcontinent when crops are sown in the winter (typically October to December) and harvested in the spring (March to May); winter crop season.
- hope for the best (phrase) – to wish for a positive or favorable outcome in an uncertain or potentially difficult situation; remain optimistic, wish for a favourable outcome, look on the bright side, keep one’s fingers crossed.
- prepare for the worst (phrase) – anticipate the most disastrous or unpleasant situation; brace oneself, make ready for a crisis.
- fall on (phrasal verb) – become the responsibility of, burden, impact heavily upon, weigh down on.
- farm economy (noun) – the economic system pertaining to agricultural production, encompassing farming, crop sales, and rural agricultural income.
- scarce (adjective) – in short supply, insufficient, deficient, lacking.
- dear (adjective) – expensive, costly, highly priced.
Note:
1. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are our personal work. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.
2. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.
To download daily word list PDFs, click HERE
“Idioms & Phrases” We Learnt Last Week
“Important Definitions” We Learnt Last Week
Recent Word Lists For The Hindu Editorial Articles
The southwest monsoon reached Kerala on June 4, three days past its normal date and four days behind the India Meteorological Department’s own forecast. This is the first time since 2015 that the agency has misjudged… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-2 for The Hindu Editorial (Missed call) – Jun 08, 2026.