The Hindu Lead Article (Do not surrender to China, do not depend on the U.S.) – Jul 27, 2026
A volatile political climate in Washington has triggered a wave of strategic anxiety in New Delhi. Buffeted by the transactional, often erratic policy shifts of the Donald Trump administration — which hit India last year with punitive tariffs on… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s advanced word list-1 for The Hindu Lead Article (Do not surrender to China, do not depend on the U.S.) – Jul 27, 2026.
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Today’s Advanced Word List 1 for The Hindu Lead Article (Do not surrender to China, do not depend on the U.S.) – Jul 27, 2026:
- surrender (verb) – capitulate, give in, yield, concede.
- depend on (phrasal verb) – rely on, rest on, hinge on, count on.
- realise (verb) – to understand clearly or become fully aware of; recognize, comprehend, discern, figure out.
- unreliable (adjective) – untrustworthy, dubious, undependable, unstable.
- mean (verb) – entail, involve, imply, signify.
- run into (phrasal verb) – rush into, enter into, hurry into, go into.
- arms (noun) – the welcoming embrace of another country; protection, refuge, shelter.
- actively (adverb) – vigorously, purposefully, resolutely.
- hostile (adjective) – unfriendly, antagonistic, aggressive, adversarial.
- neighbour (noun) – a country that is next to or near another country; bordering country, adjacent nation, adjacent state.
- volatile (adjective) – unpredictable, changeable, unstable, erratic.
- political climate (noun) – political atmosphere, political environment, political scenario, political context.
- trigger (verb) – to cause to happen; cause, prompt, set off, precipitate.
- wave (noun) – surge, rush, outbreak, outburst.
- strategic (adjective) – relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests; tactical, calculated, deliberate.
- buffet (verb) – to afflict, trouble, or beset someone repeatedly over a long period of time; batter, strike, afflict, trouble.
- transactional (adjective) – exchangeable, reciprocal, negotiated, pragmatic.
- erratic (adjective) – unpredictable, inconsistent, changeable, variable.
- policy shift (noun) – a significant change in the principles or approaches guiding a government; policy change, strategic alteration.
- hit (verb) – strike, affect badly, impact, damage.
- punitive tariff (noun) – a high tax imposed on imported goods to punish another country; retaliatory tax, penalty duty, disciplinary levy, punishing tariff.
- strip (verb) – deprive, dispossess, rob, divest.
- preferential (adjective) – favoured, advantageous, special, privileged.
- trade status (noun) – commercial standing, trade relationship.
- aggressively (adverb) – forcefully, vigorously, fiercely, assertively.
- renew (verb) – revive, re-establish, restore, restart.
- tie (noun) – bond, relationship, connection, link.
- irritant (noun) – annoyance, nuisance, thorn in the side, aggravation.
- such as (phrase) – for example; like, for instance, including, to illustrate.
- tighten (verb) – strict, stiffen, toughen, restrict.
- H-1B visa (noun) – a visa category in the United States that allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
- chorus (noun) – a widespread expression of an opinion by many people; unified voice, unison, general agreement, collective outcry.
- domestic voice (noun) – the opinions, demands, or viewpoints expressed by citizens or groups within a country; internal opinion, national sentiment, home-grown perspective.
- call for (phrasal verb) – to publicly ask for or demand something; demand, request, appeal for, urge.
- reset (noun) – an act of setting something again or differently to improve relations; fresh start, new beginning, re-establishment, realignment.
- China policy (noun) – diplomatic strategy toward China.
- actor (noun) – a participant in an action or process; participant, player, individual, entity.
- flawed (adjective) – defective, faulty, inaccurate, erroneous.
- line (noun) – stance, policy, position, approach.
- champion (verb) – to vigorously support or defend a cause; advocate, promote, support, back.
- influential (adjective) – powerful, dominant, significant, authoritative.
- business lobby (noun) – a group of people who represent business interests and try to influence political decisions; corporate interest group, business cartel.
- suggest (verb) – to put forward for consideration; propose, indicate, hint, imply.
- confrontational (adjective) – hostile, aggressive, argumentative, combative.
- overly (adverb) – excessively; unduly, unnecessarily, excessively, inordinately.
- synchronise (verb) – coordinate, match, align, harmonize.
- containment (noun) – confinement, restriction, suppression, control.
- rather than (phrase) – instead of; in place of, as opposed to, as an alternative to, contrary to.
- national interest (noun) – the interests of a country as a whole, especially regarding its security and economy;; sovereign interest.
- lobby (noun) – a group of people seeking to influence politicians or public officials on a particular issue; pressure group, interest group, advocacy group.
- contend (verb) – to assert something as a position in an argument; assert, maintain, argue, claim.
- deeply (adverb) – profoundly or to a great extent; intensely, completely, thoroughly, severely.
- reliant (adjective) – dependent, relying, leaning on, counting on.
- supply chain (noun) – the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity; production network, logistics network, distribution channel, value chain.
- industrial inputs (noun) – raw materials or components used in the manufacturing process; manufacturing raw materials, production materials, factory supplies, industrial components.
- capital (noun) – funding, finance, funds, money.
- stance (noun) – position, posture, standpoint, viewpoint.
- ultimately (adverb) – finally or in the end; eventually, at last, in the long run, conclusively.
- stymie (verb) – to prevent or hinder the progress of; prevent, stop, hamper, thwart.
- dent (verb) – to have an adverse effect on; diminish, reduce, lessen, weaken.
- core risk (noun) – primary hazard, main danger, fundamental threat, central risk.
- critic (noun) – detractor, attacker, fault-finder, censurer.
- historical (adjective) – belonging to the past; past, prior, previous, bygone.
- pattern (noun) – trend, tendency.
- flip-flop (noun) – a sudden reversal of a policy or plan; U-turn, reversal, change of mind, about-face.
- escalating (adjective) – increasing, soaring, intensifying, surging.
- tension (noun) – strain, unease, friction, hostility.
- striking (adjective) – noticeable, obvious, conspicuous, remarkable.
- bilateral (adjective) – involving two groups or countries; two-sided, mutual, reciprocal, joint.
- risk (verb) – jeopardize, gamble, endanger.
- overextended (adjective) – stretched too far geographically, financially, or militarily; overstretched, overburdened, overtaxed, strained.
- vulnerable (adjective) – at risk, unprotected, defenseless, exposed.
- retaliation (noun) – revenge, vengeance, reprisal, counter-attack.
- subordinate (verb) – to treat or regard as of lesser importance than something else; make secondary, deprioritize, subject, lower.
- unpredictable (adjective) – uncertain, unreliable, volatile, erratic.
- in any case (phrase) – regardless, anyway, anyhow, nevertheless.
- hasty (adjective) – hurried, rushed, rapid, swift.
- unreciprocated (adjective) – unrequited, unreturned, one-sided, unanswered.
- economic embrace (noun) – trade partnership, economic alliance.
- prescription (noun) – recommendation, instruction, advice, directive.
- business convenience (noun) – commercial expediency, corporate ease, trade advantage.
- premature (adjective) – early, untimely, hasty, rash.
- capitulation (noun) – surrender, submission, yielding, giving in.
- unprovoked (adjective) – unjustified, uncalled for, unwarranted, unprompted.
- hostility (noun) – hostile behavior or unfriendliness; aggression, antagonism, bitterness, malevolence.
- deepen (verb) – intensify, exacerbate, worsen, aggravate.
- asymmetric (adjective) – disproportionate, unequal, lopsided, unbalanced.
- dependency (noun) – reliance, dependence, subjection, subordination.
- leverage (noun) – influence, power, advantage, clout.
- global order (noun) – the arrangement of power and authority that provides the system for the conduct of international relations; international order, international hierarchy.
- Cold War (noun) – a state of political hostility characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare; ideological conflict, political tension, indirect warfare.
- driver (noun) – catalyst, stimulus, engine, instigator.
- obsess with (phrasal verb) – to be constantly talking or worrying about something; preoccupy, engross, consume, fixate on.
- balance sheet (noun) – financial record, ledger, profits.
- for years (phrase) – over a long period of time; for a long time, for ages, historically, persistently.
- active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) (noun) – the biologically active component of a drug product that produces the intended effects; medicinal ingredients, drug components, primary pharmaceutical substances, core medical ingredients.
- indispensable (adjective) – absolutely necessary; essential, crucial, vital, critical.
- myopia (noun) – lack of imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight; shortsightedness, narrow-mindedness, lack of foresight, narrow view.
- apolitical (adjective) – not interested or involved in politics; non-political, unbiased, neutral, non-partisan.
- divorce from (phrasal verb) – to separate or detach something completely from something else; separate from, disconnect from, isolate from, detach from.
- comprehensive national power (noun) – a holistic measure of a state’s economic, military, and political strength; total state capability, integrated national strength, overall geopolitical power, state might.
- advocate (verb) – support, champion, uphold, promote.
- status quo (noun) – the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues; existing condition, current state, present situation, normal state.
- selectively (adverb) – exclusively, particularly, discriminately, choosily.
- relentless (adjective) – continuous, non-stop, unceasing, persistent.
- aggression (noun) – hostility, belligerence, combativeness, attack.
- People’s Liberation Army (PLA) (noun) – the principal military force of the People’s Republic of China; Chinese military, Chinese armed forces, China’s army.
- Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (noun) – the founding and sole ruling party of the People’s Republic of China; ruling party of China.
- sovereignty (noun) – autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule.
- isolated (adjective) – singular, one-off, unique, anomalous.
- skirmish (noun) – clash, conflict, encounter, confrontation.
- coherent (adjective) – logical and consistent; logical, reasoned, rational, sound.
- humiliation (noun) – embarrassment, shame, indignity, disgrace.
- Depsang (2013) (noun) – an area in eastern Ladakh where a significant military standoff occurred between India and China in 2013; military flashpoint.
- Chumar (2014) (noun) – a region in eastern Ladakh that was the site of a major border standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in 2014.
- Doklam (2017) (noun) – an area near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China that saw a major military standoff in 2017.
- fatal (adjective) – causing death; deadly, lethal, mortal, life-threatening.
- clash (noun) – a violent confrontation; conflict, fight, skirmish, encounter.
- Galwan Valley (2020) (noun) – the site of a deadly hand-to-hand combat clash between Indian and Chinese forces in 2020.
- Line of Actual Control (LAC) (noun) – a notional demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
- salami-slicing tactic (noun) – a strategy of taking small, incremental actions that collectively produce a major result, often to expand territory; incremental encroachment, gradual expansion, piecemeal annexation, stealthy acquisition.
- unilaterally (adverb) – performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation; independently, single-handedly, on its own, without agreement.
- violate (verb) – to break or fail to comply with a rule or formal agreement; breach, contravene, infringe, defy.
- protocol (noun) – the accepted or established code of procedure or behaviour; treaty, agreement, convention, rules of conduct.
- absurd (adjective) – wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate; ridiculous, preposterous, ludicrous, irrational.
- claim (noun) – assertion, demand, declaration, contention.
- feature (noun) – characteristic, attribute, trait, landmark.
- stapled (adjective) – referring to visas issued by China on a separate piece of paper attached to an Indian passport rather than stamped directly, implying disputed sovereignty; detached, clipped, pinned, provisional.
- weaponise (verb) – to convert something into a weapon to be used against an opponent; arm, turn into a weapon.
- geography (noun) – physical terrain, topography, landscape, borders.
- coercion (noun) – force, compulsion, intimidation, pressure.
- dominance (noun) – supremacy, control, superiority, hegemony.
- political weapon (noun) – something used to gain a political advantage or to damage opponents; diplomatic tool, strategic instrument.
- withhold (verb) – retain, hold back, keep back, conceal.
- monopoly (noun) – the exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service; exclusive control, total control, domination.
- rare earths (noun) – a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements essential for many high-tech devices, heavily controlled by China; rare earth elements, critical minerals, high-tech metals.
- inconvenience (verb) – bother, trouble, disturb, disrupt.
- none (pronoun) – not any; zero, nil, not one, nobody.
- exercise (verb) – use, utilize, apply, employ.
- in return (phrase) – in exchange, as compensation, as a reciprocal action, back.
- alarming (adjective) – worrying or disturbing; concerning, worrying, distressing, frightening.
- overt (adjective) – undisguised, unconcealed, blatant, clear.
- Operation Sindoor (proper noun) – a cross-border military operation launched by India on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22, 2025.
- real-time (adjective) – instant, live, immediate, instantaneous.
- satellite data (noun) – information gathered by artificial satellites orbiting the Earth; space imagery, orbital intelligence, remote sensing data, satellite imagery.
- intelligence (noun) – the collection of information of military or political value; information, data, facts, details.
- participant (noun) – player, contributor, member, partner.
- security architecture (noun) – defense framework, strategic defense system, security setup.
- track record (noun) – the past achievements or performance of a person, organization, or product; past performance, history, background, profile.
- in pursuit of (phrase) – in the process of trying to achieve something; striving for, chasing, seeking, looking for.
- pragmatism (noun) – a reasonable and logical way of doing things or of thinking about problems; practicality, common sense, realism, hard-headedness.
- blindness (noun) – lack of perception, awareness, or judgment; ignorance, obliviousness, lack of foresight, short-sightedness.
- myth (noun) – a widely held but false belief or idea; misconception, fallacy, illusion, delusion.
- reciprocity (noun) – the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit; mutual exchange, mutual benefit, trade-off, cooperation.
- flaw (noun) – defect, fault, imperfection, weakness.
- naive (adjective) – showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment; innocent, unsophisticated, ignorant, gullible.
- assumption (noun) – premise, supposition, presumption, belief.
- relax (verb) – to make a rule or restriction less strict; ease, loosen, lessen, soften.
- economic guard (noun) – protective measures or restrictions put in place to defend a country’s economy.
- reciprocate (verb) – return the favour, respond in kind, match, give back.
- geopolitical (adjective) – relating to politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors; foreign-policy related.
- goodwill (noun) – friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude; benevolence, compassion, friendliness, favour.
- tenet (noun) – principle, belief, doctrine, creed.
- establishment (noun) – formation, creation, foundation, setting up.
- unipolar (adjective) – having or relating to a single pole or center of power in international relations; single-power, monopolistic, dominant, singular.
- continent (noun) –mainland, landmass, geographic region.
- peer (noun) – a person or entity of the same age, status, or ability as another; equal, match, equivalent, counterpart.
- veto (noun) – a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body; rejection, dismissal, denial, refusal.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) (noun) – one of the six principal organs of the UN, charged with ensuring international peace and security; global security body.
- sanction (noun) – penalty, punishment, ban, embargo.
- condemnation (noun) – the expression of very strong disapproval; censure, criticism, denunciation, reprimand.
- aspiration (noun) – goal, ambition, desire, objective.
- Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) (noun) – a multilateral export control regime and group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; nuclear control regime, non-proliferation body.
- open the floodgates to (phrase) – to allow a new situation or activity to happen to a great degree; release a torrent of, pave the way for, trigger, unleash.
- market access (noun) – trade opportunity, commercial entry, trading access, market entry.
- subsidise (verb) – to support an organization or activity financially; fund, finance, back, sponsor.
- encirclement (noun) – surrounding, trapping, isolating.
- pour (verb) – invest heavily, funnel, inject, pump.
- coffer (noun) – treasury, funds, reserves, resources.
- compliant (adjective) – obedient, accommodating, cooperative, submissive.
- consumer market (noun) –retail market, public market.
- trade deficit (noun) – the amount by which the cost of a country’s imports exceeds the value of its exports; trade gap, trade imbalance, negative trade balance, commercial shortfall.
- surplus (noun) – excess, remainder, balance, leftover.
- kill-switch (noun) – a mechanism used to shut down or disable a device or system quickly in an emergency; emergency stop, master switch, cutoff, override.
- cutting off (noun) – termination, stoppage, interruption, disconnection.
- paralyse (verb) – to stop a system, organization, or process from functioning normally; immobilize, halt, freeze, cripple.
- render (verb) – to cause to be or become; make, cause to be, leave, turn into.
- incapable (adjective) – unable, incompetent, powerless, impotent.
- independent (adjective) – autonomous, self-governing, unbiased, impartial.
- advocate (noun) – a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy; supporter, backer, promoter, champion.
- easing (noun) – relaxation, lessening, moderation, reduction.
- economic tension (noun) – a state of friction or hostility caused by economic factors or trade disputes; trade friction, financial strain, commercial conflict.
- pave the way for (phrase) – to create the circumstances to enable something to happen or be done; prepare for, clear the way for, make possible, facilitate.
- demarcation (noun) – the action of fixing the boundary or limits of something.
- the opposite (noun) – the reverse, converse, inverse, antithesis.
- economic leverage (noun) – financial influence, trade advantage, economic clout.
- prolonged (adjective) –lengthy, extended, protracted, unending.
- stand-off (noun) – a deadlock between two equally matched opponents in a dispute or conflict; deadlock, stalemate, impasse, face-off.
- multi-domain (adjective) – spanning across multiple areas or fields, such as land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace in a strategic context; cross-domain, comprehensive, multi-faceted, wide-ranging.
- bide one’s time (phrase) – to wait quietly for a good opportunity to do something; wait patiently, hold off, hold one’s fire, sit tight.
- eventually (adverb) – in the end, finally, ultimately, at last, in the long run.
- dictate terms (phrase) – to impose conditions on an opponent from a position of absolute power; lay down the law, give orders, impose conditions, command.
- absolute (adjective) – complete, total, unconditional, utter.
- cow (verb) – to cause someone to submit to one’s wishes by intimidation; intimidate, browbeat, bully, daunt.
- economic disruption (noun) – economic instability, financial turmoil, trade interruption, market disturbance.
- have no choice but to (phrase) – to be forced to do something because there is no alternative; be compelled to, be obliged to.
- disadvantageous (adjective) – unfavourable, detrimental, adverse, harmful.
- reclaim (verb) – retrieve, recover, regain, take back.
- infrastructure (noun) – the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities.
- diplomatic (adjective) – concerning the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations; strategic, statesmanship, foreign-policy related.
- dismantle (verb) – break down, take apart, deconstruct, demolish.
- unilateral (adjective) – performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation; independent, single-handed, one-sided, arbitrary.
- disarmament (noun) – the reduction or withdrawal of military forces and weapons; demilitarization, demobilization, arms reduction, arms control.
- undeniably (adverb) – unquestionably, certainly, unquestionably, clearly.
- guarantor (noun) – a person or organization that provides a guarantee, particularly for security or debt; backer, sponsor, underwriter, protector.
- unwise (adjective) – foolish, imprudent, injudicious, ill-advised.
- enthusiasm (noun) – eagerness, keenness, passion, zeal.
- emissary (noun) – a person sent as a diplomatic representative on a special mission; envoy, ambassador, representative, delegate.
- calculation (noun) – assessment, estimation, judgment, reckoning.
- clear-eyed (adjective) – thinking clearly and with an accurate understanding of a situation; objective, realistic, perceptive, astute.
- heights (noun) – peaks, summits, mountains, elevations.
- concede (verb) – to surrender or yield something; yield, give up, relinquish, surrender.
- unconditional (adjective) – not subject to any conditions; absolute, complete, total, unequivocal.
- tread (verb) – to walk in a specified way, indicating proceeding carefully; walk, step, proceed, navigate.
- fortifying (noun) – reinforcement, strengthening, securing, consolidation.
- accelerate (verb) – hasten, expedite, speed up, precipitate.
- resilience (noun) – the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness, flexibility, hardiness, adaptability.
- diversify (verb) – to enlarge or vary a range of products or field of operation; branch out, expand, broaden, vary.
- Global South (noun) – the nations of the world, largely in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which are considered to have emerging economies; developing countries, less developed nations, third world, emerging economies.
- build up (phrasal verb) – to increase the size or strength of something gradually; accumulate, strengthen, enhance.
- inflationary (adjective) – causing or characterized by inflation (price increases); price-increasing, cost-pushing, escalating, rising.
- cost (noun) – price, expense, expenditure, outlay.
- generational (adjective) – historic, long-lasting, enduring, epochal.
- rethink (noun) – reassessment, reevaluation, reconsideration, review.
- short-term-profit-driven (adjective) – motivated primarily by the desire to make quick financial gains rather than long-term stability; profit-focused, money-oriented, expedient, opportunistic.
- exposed (adjective) – unprotected, open, undefended, uncovered.
- diminished (adjective) – reduced, lessened, weakened, depleted.
- tilt (noun) – shift, inclination, leaning, sway.
- walk straight (phrase) – to proceed honestly, independently, and without compromising one’s principles or leaning on others; act independently, stay the course, maintain integrity, proceed upright.
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.
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