Daily Vocabulary Test – 21 July 2026
✓ Editorials Covered: 3
✓ Total Questions: 80
✓ Difficulty: Moderate–Advanced
✓ Estimated Time: 45 Minutes
Covers:
✓ Vocabulary MCQs
✓ Synonyms
✓ Antonyms
✓ Idioms & Phrases
✓ One Word Substitution
✓ Fill in the Blanks
✓ Word Formation
✓ Spotting the Error
✓ Spelling Test
✓ Cloze Test
Start Test ↓
SECTION A/10: VOCABULARY MASTERY
1. What is the meaning of the word ‘disposition’ as used in the context of a democratic society?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Temperament, nature, character, or inclination
💡 Explanation: Disposition refers to a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character; temperament, nature, inclination.
2. In football terminology, what does the verb ‘smother’ mean?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. To completely dominate, overpower, or suppress the opposition
💡 Explanation: Smother means to overwhelm, stifle, suppress, crush, or completely dominate the opposition.
3. Which of the following best defines ‘debris’ in the context of urban footpaths?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Scattered pieces of rubbish or remains; waste, rubble
💡 Explanation: Debris refers to scattered pieces of rubbish, waste, rubble, or litter.
4. What does the word ‘subsume’ mean in the context of team dynamics?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. To incorporate, absorb, assimilate, or integrate
💡 Explanation: Subsume means to incorporate, absorb, assimilate, or integrate into a larger entity.
5. How is the adjective ‘humane’ defined?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Having or showing compassion, benevolence, or consideration
💡 Explanation: Humane means compassionate, kind, considerate, civilised, showing benevolence.
6. If a remark is described as ‘derogatory’, it is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Showing a critical or disrespectful attitude; disparaging
💡 Explanation: Derogatory means disparaging, belittling, demeaning, showing a disrespectful attitude.
7. The term ‘pre-eminent’ is used to describe someone who is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Outstanding, leading, foremost, or peerless
💡 Explanation: Pre-eminent refers to being outstanding, leading, foremost, and peerless.
8. What does the term ‘built environment’ encompass?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. The human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity
💡 Explanation: It refers to human-made surroundings, urban landscapes, and constructed infrastructure.
9. Which definition accurately describes ‘defamation’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. The action of damaging the good reputation of someone; libel, slander
💡 Explanation: Defamation is character assassination, libel, slander, or vilification.
10. “The World Cup will also be etched in memory for a plethora of missteps.” What does ‘plethora’ mean?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. A large or excessive amount of something; abundance
💡 Explanation: Plethora means excess, abundance, overabundance, surplus.
11. What is the meaning of ‘indignity’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Treatment or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or lose dignity
💡 Explanation: Indignity means humiliation, shame, disrespect, or dishonour.
12. The term ‘authoritarianism’ implies:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. The enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom
💡 Explanation: Authoritarianism implies autocracy, dictatorship, tyranny, and despotism.
13. In a football context, a ‘metronome’ is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. A player who dictates the tempo and rhythm of a team’s passing and movement
💡 Explanation: A metronome is a pacemaker, rhythm-setter, or controller on the pitch.
14. What does the adjective ‘sedentary’ refer to?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive or lethargic
💡 Explanation: Sedentary means inactive, sitting, unmoving, lethargic.
15. What is the meaning of ‘contestation’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Dispute, argument, debate, or disagreement
💡 Explanation: Contestation refers to a dispute, argument, debate, or disagreement.
SECTION B/10: SYNONYMS
16. Choose the closest synonym for ‘condemnable’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Reprehensible
💡 Explanation: Condemnable means deserving strong disapproval; reprehensible, blameworthy, culpable, deplorable.
17. Choose the closest synonym for ‘astutely’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Shrewdly
💡 Explanation: Astutely means cleverly, shrewdly, sharply, perceptively.
18. Choose the closest synonym for ‘exacerbate’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Aggravate
💡 Explanation: Exacerbate means to make a problem or bad situation worse; aggravate, inflame, compound.
19. Choose the closest synonym for ‘subjugate’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Conquer
💡 Explanation: Subjugate means to conquer, defeat, crush, dominate.
20. Choose the closest synonym for ‘alacrity’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Readiness
💡 Explanation: Alacrity means brisk and cheerful readiness; eagerness, willingness, enthusiasm.
21. Choose the closest synonym for ‘enduring’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Abiding
💡 Explanation: Enduring means lasting, abiding, permanent, continuing.
22. Choose the closest synonym for ‘punitive’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Penalizing
💡 Explanation: Punitive means inflicting or intended as punishment; penalizing, disciplinary, retaliatory.
23. Choose the closest synonym for ‘diffused’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Dispersed
💡 Explanation: Diffused means spread out over a large area; spread, distributed, dispersed, scattered.
24. Choose the closest synonym for ‘unambiguous’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Explicit
💡 Explanation: Unambiguous means not open to more than one interpretation; clear, explicit, unquestionable.
25. Choose the closest synonym for ‘disheartening’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Demoralizing
💡 Explanation: Disheartening means discouraging, dispiriting, disappointing, demoralizing.
SECTION C/10: ANTONYMS
26. Choose the antonym for ‘dissent’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Agreement
💡 Explanation: Dissent means disagreement, objection, protest. Agreement is its opposite.
27. Choose the antonym for ‘tedious’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Exciting
💡 Explanation: Tedious means too long, slow, boring, dull. Exciting is its antonym.
28. Choose the antonym for ‘humane’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Cruel
💡 Explanation: Humane means showing compassion. Cruel is its exact antonym.
29. Choose the antonym for ‘normalise’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Disrupt
💡 Explanation: Normalise means to return to standard condition. Disrupt (causing disorder) is its antonym.
30. Choose the antonym for ‘narrow’ (as an adjective meaning close/tight).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Wide
💡 Explanation: Narrow in this context means achieved by a small margin. Wide implies a large margin.
31. Choose the antonym for ‘vulnerable’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Secure
💡 Explanation: Vulnerable means exposed to harm. Secure means protected.
32. Choose the antonym for ‘tolerant’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Prejudiced
💡 Explanation: Tolerant means open-minded and accommodating. Prejudiced implies narrow-mindedness.
33. Choose the antonym for ‘dire’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Splendid
💡 Explanation: Dire means of very poor quality, terrible, awful. Splendid (excellent) is its opposite.
34. Choose the antonym for ‘transparent’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Opaque
💡 Explanation: Transparent means open, clear, straightforward. Opaque means unclear or hidden.
35. Choose the antonym for ‘obscene’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Decent
💡 Explanation: Obscene means indecent, offensive, explicit. Decent is the antonym.
SECTION D/10: IDIOMS & PHRASES
36. What does the phrase ‘at the heart of’ mean?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. The most important or essential part of something
💡 Explanation: It means at the core of, central to, at the root of, essential to.
37. If an administration goes ‘off the rails’, it is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Acting or functioning in a chaotic or uncontrolled way
💡 Explanation: ‘Off the rails’ means out of control, chaotic, disordered, or awry.
38. To ‘push the envelope’ means to:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Approach or extend the limits of what is possible
💡 Explanation: It means to exceed limits, go beyond boundaries, break new ground, test the limits.
39. The phrase ‘flesh and metal’ is used metaphorically to represent:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. The unequal conflict between unprotected pedestrians and heavy motor vehicles
💡 Explanation: It refers to pedestrians (flesh) and vehicles (metal), unprotected people against heavy cars.
40. If a rule is ‘laid in stone’, it means it is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Permanently established and unlikely to change
💡 Explanation: ‘Laid in stone’ means firmly fixed, unalterable, inflexible.
SECTION E/10: ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION
41. An indicator, measure, standard, or gauge used to assess something is called a:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Barometer
💡 Explanation: Barometer serves as an indicator, measure, standard, or gauge.
42. A system of government by the whole population; representative government is known as:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Democracy
💡 Explanation: Democracy is a system of government by the whole population; popular state.
43. Members, personnel, staff, or activists of an organization are collectively referred to as:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Cadre
💡 Explanation: Cadre means members, personnel, staff, or activists.
44. A player in a team game who leads attacks or brings other players into a position to score is a:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Playmaker
💡 Explanation: A playmaker leads attacks or brings other players into a position to score.
45. A short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect something is called an:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Errand
💡 Explanation: Errand refers to a short journey to deliver or collect something; a chore.
SECTION F/10: FILL IN THE BLANKS
46. Using criminal law to protect the ________ of rulers is condemnable.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. reputation
💡 Explanation: ‘Reputation’ fits the context of protecting the character or standing of rulers.
47. Political actors of all ________ have normalised using the police to protect their standing.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. hues
💡 Explanation: ‘Hues’ refers to political shades or affiliations.
48. Spain ________ the opposition with possession and positional football during the final.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. smothered
💡 Explanation: ‘Smothered’ means completely dominated, overpowered, or suppressed the opposition.
49. Kylian Mbappe’s experience was ________; he won the Golden Boot but his team lost.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. bitter-sweet
💡 Explanation: ‘Bitter-sweet’ means arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain.
50. The proportion of encroachment-free footpaths should become a ________ of whether governments value citizens.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. barometer
💡 Explanation: ‘Barometer’ acts as an indicator, measure, standard, or gauge.
51. A city that makes walking difficult quietly ________ sedentary living.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. prescribes
💡 Explanation: ‘Prescribes’ means to recommend or dictate an action as a rule or remedy.
52. Every government keen on development could be ________ by criticism and dissent on public platforms.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. enriched
💡 Explanation: ‘Enriched’ means to improve or enhance the quality or value of.
53. The success in North America is thus a ________ moment where one returns to a starting point.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. full-circle
💡 Explanation: ‘Full-circle moment’ is a situation where one returns to a starting point, completing a cycle.
54. Citizens cannot easily walk their way out of poor ________ planning without better infrastructure.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. urban
💡 Explanation: ‘Urban planning’ refers to city design and municipal development.
55. The ________ with which the government is ready to treat allegations as criminal misinformation is disheartening.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. alacrity
💡 Explanation: ‘Alacrity’ signifies a brisk and cheerful readiness, eagerness, or willingness.
SECTION G/10: WORD FORMATION
56. Which of the following is the adjective form of the noun ‘democracy’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Democratic
💡 Explanation: ‘Democratic’ is the adjective form relating to or supporting democracy.
57. What is the noun form of the verb ‘defame’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Defamation
💡 Explanation: ‘Defamation’ is the noun representing the action of damaging someone’s good reputation.
58. Which of the following is the adjective form of the noun ‘punish’ based on the given vocabulary lists?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Punitive
💡 Explanation: ‘Punitive’ is the adjective meaning inflicting or intended as punishment.
59. What is the adverb form of the adjective ‘deliberate’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Deliberately
💡 Explanation: ‘Deliberately’ is the adverb form meaning consciously and intentionally.
60. What is the noun form of the verb ‘tolerate’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Tolerance
💡 Explanation: ‘Tolerance’ is the noun form meaning acceptance, open-mindedness, patience.
SECTION H/10: SPOTTING THE ERROR
61. Read the following sentence to find if there is any grammatical error:
Complaints being filed by the TVK cadre and the suo motu action of the police targeting dissenters could runs the administration off the rails.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. targeting dissenters could runs
💡 Explanation: The modal auxiliary ‘could’ must be followed by the base form ‘run’, not ‘runs’.
62. Spot the error:
Spain’s second World Cup title, achieved after a narrow extra-time victory over Argentina in the final, were a triumph of the collective.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. were a triumph of the collective.
💡 Explanation: The subject ‘title’ is singular; hence the verb should be ‘was’, not ‘were’.
63. Spot the error:
The timing could not be more urgent, as India is becoming less actively precisely when it needs movement the most.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. less actively precisely when it
💡 Explanation: The adjective form ‘active’ is needed after ‘becoming’, rather than the adverb ‘actively’.
64. Spot the error:
The government is ready to treat allegations against Ministers as criminal misinformation rather then let them take the natural course.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. criminal misinformation rather then
💡 Explanation: It should be ‘rather than’ (used for comparison/preference) instead of ‘rather then’ (which indicates time).
65. Spot the error:
A second Ballon d’Or for the 30-year-old midfield metronome appears a certainties.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. a certainties.
💡 Explanation: The article ‘a’ indicates singular, so it must be ‘certainty’ instead of ‘certainties’.
66. Spot the error:
The country is producing educated young people faster than it is produce suitable jobs for them.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. faster than it is produce
💡 Explanation: The present continuous tense requires the gerund ‘producing’ instead of the base verb ‘produce’.
67. Spot the error:
It must remember that the restriction of harmful, obscene and indecent content must be balance with the overwhelming supremacy of freedom of speech.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. must be balance with the overwhelming
💡 Explanation: The passive structure requires the past participle, hence ‘balanced with’ instead of ‘balance with’.
68. Spot the error:
The World Cup will also be etch in memory for a plethora of missteps.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. will also be etch
💡 Explanation: In passive voice, ‘be’ must be followed by the past participle ‘etched’.
69. Spot the error:
The Supreme Court has moved the footpath from the margins of municipal housekeeping to the centers of constitutional rights.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. of municipal housekeeping to the centers
💡 Explanation: It should be ‘centre’ to signify the specific singular focal point of constitutional rights.
70. Spot the error:
At the heart of democratic disposition is tolerance of dissent and uphold of the rule of law.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. uphold of the rule of law.
💡 Explanation: To maintain grammatical parallelism with ‘tolerance’, the noun/gerund ‘upholding’ must be used instead of ‘uphold’.
SECTION I/10: SPELLING TEST
71. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Authoritarianism
💡 Explanation: Authoritarianism means the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority.
72. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Plethora
💡 Explanation: Plethora means a large or excessive amount of something.
73. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Breathlessness
💡 Explanation: Breathlessness is the condition of feeling out of breath; panting.
74. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Colleague
💡 Explanation: A colleague is a person with whom one works in a profession or business.
75. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Encroachment
💡 Explanation: Encroachment means intrusion on a person’s territory or rights.
SECTION J/10: CLOZE TEST
Directions (Questions 76-80): Read the passage below and fill in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options provided.
“These are not failures of (76)______ alone; (77)______, they are (78)______ by the (79)______ environment. A city that makes walking difficult (80)______ prescribes sedentary living.”
76. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (76).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. willpower
💡 Explanation: ‘Willpower’ refers to self-control or resolve, contrasting personal effort with environmental constraints.
77. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (77).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. rather
💡 Explanation: ‘Rather’ acts as an adverb to introduce an alternative or more accurate perspective.
78. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (78).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. exacerbated
💡 Explanation: ‘Exacerbated’ means to make a problem or bad situation worse, inflame or compound.
79. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (79).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. built
💡 Explanation: ‘Built environment’ refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity.
80. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (80).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. quietly
💡 Explanation: ‘Quietly’ means silently, implicitly, or indirectly, demonstrating how the environment enforces habits.
Test Completed
You have completed today’s Editorial Words Daily Vocabulary Test.