Daily Vocabulary Test – 27 July 2026
✓ Editorials Covered: 3
✓ Total Questions: 80
✓ Difficulty: Tough–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. In the context of bilateral diplomacy, how is a ‘transactional’ approach defined?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Exchangeable, reciprocal, negotiated, or pragmatic
💡 Explanation: Transactional refers to actions that are exchangeable, reciprocal, negotiated, and pragmatic.
2. Which of the following best describes the ‘salami-slicing tactic’ in international relations?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Taking small, incremental actions that collectively produce a major result
💡 Explanation: Salami-slicing is a strategy of incremental encroachment or piecemeal annexation.
3. What does ‘myopia’ signify when assessing a nation’s strategic decisions?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. A lack of imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight
💡 Explanation: Myopia implies shortsightedness, narrow-mindedness, or a lack of foresight.
4. The term ‘unravelling’ in the context of an institution or system denotes:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Collapse, disintegration, falling apart, or breakdown
💡 Explanation: Unravelling means the collapse, disintegration, or breakdown of a system.
5. What does the practice of ‘gatekeeping’ involve?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Controlling access or regulating entry
💡 Explanation: Gatekeeping is the act of controlling access or regulating entry.
6. If a leader’s response is described as showing ‘pusillanimity’, what does it display?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Lack of courage or determination; timidity
💡 Explanation: Pusillanimity means cowardice, fearfulness, spinelessness, or lack of courage.
7. The term ‘capitulation’ in a geopolitical context means:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Surrender, submission, or yielding
💡 Explanation: Capitulation refers to surrender, submission, or giving in.
8. What does ‘disenchantment’ represent regarding a popular movement?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. A feeling of disappointment about something previously respected
💡 Explanation: Disenchantment is disillusionment, disappointment, or dissatisfaction.
9. When dependency is described as ‘asymmetric’, it is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Disproportionate, unequal, lopsided, or unbalanced
💡 Explanation: Asymmetric means disproportionate, unequal, or lopsided.
10. An ‘unprecedented’ political crisis is one that is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Never done or known before; unparalleled
💡 Explanation: Unprecedented means never done before, unparalleled, or unmatched.
11. What is the meaning of ‘rejuvenation’ in the context of institutional reform?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Revitalization, renewal, or restoration
💡 Explanation: Rejuvenation refers to revitalization, renewal, restoration, or revival.
12. A ‘tactical’ retreat implies a retreat that is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Strategic, calculated, planned, or diplomatic
💡 Explanation: Tactical means strategic, calculated, planned, or diplomatic.
13. Which of the following correctly defines ‘coercion’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Force, compulsion, intimidation, or pressure
💡 Explanation: Coercion refers to force, compulsion, intimidation, or pressure.
14. What does the term ‘monopoly’ signify?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. The exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity
💡 Explanation: Monopoly is the exclusive control, total control, or domination of trade/supply.
15. In political strategy, ‘expediency’ refers to:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Convenience, pragmatism, opportunism, or usefulness
💡 Explanation: Expediency implies convenience, pragmatism, opportunism, or usefulness.
SECTION B/10: SYNONYMS
16. Choose the closest synonym for ‘buffet’ (verb).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Afflict
💡 Explanation: Buffet means to afflict, trouble, or beset someone repeatedly; batter, strike.
17. Choose the closest synonym for ‘erratic’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Unpredictable
💡 Explanation: Erratic means unpredictable, inconsistent, changeable, variable.
18. Choose the closest synonym for ‘punitive’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Retaliatory
💡 Explanation: Punitive means intended as punishment; retaliatory, disciplinary.
19. Choose the closest synonym for ‘stymie’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Thwart
💡 Explanation: Stymie means to prevent or hinder the progress of; stop, hamper, thwart.
20. Choose the closest synonym for ‘hostility’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Antagonism
💡 Explanation: Hostility means hostile behavior or unfriendliness; aggression, antagonism, bitterness.
21. Choose the closest synonym for ‘relentless’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Unceasing
💡 Explanation: Relentless means continuous, non-stop, unceasing, persistent.
22. Choose the closest synonym for ‘coercion’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Intimidation
💡 Explanation: Coercion means force, compulsion, intimidation, pressure.
23. Choose the closest synonym for ‘mandate’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Authorization
💡 Explanation: A mandate is the authority to carry out a policy; authority, approval, endorsement, authorization.
24. Choose the closest synonym for ‘gruelling’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Arduous
💡 Explanation: Gruelling means extremely tiring and demanding; exhausting, punishing, rigorous, arduous.
25. Choose the closest synonym for ‘shell’ (noun).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Exterior
💡 Explanation: Shell refers to the outward form or structure without substance; framework, exterior, facade, husk.
SECTION C/10: ANTONYMS
26. Choose the antonym for ‘unreliable’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Dependable
💡 Explanation: Unreliable means untrustworthy or undependable. Dependable is the direct antonym.
27. Choose the antonym for ‘vulnerable’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Secure
💡 Explanation: Vulnerable means at risk or unprotected. Secure signifies being safe from danger.
28. Choose the antonym for ‘apolitical’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Partisan
💡 Explanation: Apolitical means not involved in politics. Partisan means prejudiced, biased, or highly involved politically.
29. Choose the antonym for ‘coherent’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Illogical
💡 Explanation: Coherent means logical and consistent. Illogical is its antonym.
30. Choose the antonym for ‘overt’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Concealed
💡 Explanation: Overt means undisguised, unconcealed, or blatant. Concealed is the opposite.
31. Choose the antonym for ‘naive’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Sophisticated
💡 Explanation: Naive means showing a lack of experience or unsophisticated. Sophisticated is the exact antonym.
32. Choose the antonym for ‘inflexible’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Accommodating
💡 Explanation: Inflexible means unwilling to change or compromise. Accommodating is its antonym.
33. Choose the antonym for ‘widespread’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: D. Confined
💡 Explanation: Widespread means extensive or prevalent. Confined (restricted/limited) serves as its antonym.
34. Choose the antonym for ‘unceremonious’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Dignified
💡 Explanation: Unceremonious means abrupt or undignified. Dignified is its direct antonym.
35. Choose the antonym for ‘defection’.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Loyalty
💡 Explanation: Defection means desertion or betrayal. Loyalty is its antonym.
SECTION D/10: IDIOMS & PHRASES
36. What is the meaning of the phrase ‘bide one’s time’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. To wait quietly for a good opportunity to do something
💡 Explanation: ‘Bide one’s time’ means to wait patiently, hold off, or sit tight for a good opportunity.
37. If an action serves to ‘open the floodgates to’ something, it:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Allows a new situation or activity to happen to a great degree
💡 Explanation: ‘Open the floodgates to’ means to release a torrent of, pave the way for, trigger, or unleash.
38. To ‘turn something back’ means to:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Restore, redirect, or bring something back to an earlier state
💡 Explanation: It means to restore, redirect, revert, or bring back to a guiding principle or earlier state.
39. The phrase ‘nothing short of’ is used to indicate that something is:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Tantamount to, exactly like, or absolutely
💡 Explanation: ‘Nothing short of’ means tantamount to, exactly like, absolutely, almost the same as.
40. What does the phrase ‘raise one’s floor’ mean?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. To increase the minimum level of base support or performance
💡 Explanation: ‘Raise one’s floor’ means to increase the baseline, elevate the minimum, or boost the foundation.
SECTION E/10: ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION
41. The restriction of the arbitrary exercise of power by subordinating it to well-defined and established laws is called:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Rule of law
💡 Explanation: Rule of law refers to legality, constitutionalism, and the restriction of arbitrary power.
42. A feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be is called:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Disillusionment
💡 Explanation: Disillusionment is disappointment, dissatisfaction, or disenchantment.
43. The principle of separation of the state from religious institutions is termed:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Secularism
💡 Explanation: Secularism ensures non-religiousness and equal treatment of all religions by the state.
44. A person sent as a diplomatic representative on a special mission is known as an:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Emissary
💡 Explanation: An emissary is an envoy, ambassador, representative, or delegate on a special mission.
45. The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit is called:
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Reciprocity
💡 Explanation: Reciprocity means mutual exchange, mutual benefit, trade-off, or cooperation.
SECTION F/10: FILL IN THE BLANKS
46. Realising that Washington is an _________ partner does not mean India must run into the arms of an actively hostile neighbour.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. unreliable
💡 Explanation: ‘Unreliable’ means untrustworthy, dubious, or unstable, fitting the context of questioning Washington’s partnership.
47. Beijing continues to aggressively assert _________ claims over the entire State of Arunachal Pradesh.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. absurd
💡 Explanation: ‘Absurd’ means wildly unreasonable, illogical, or preposterous.
48. A government that does not bend to the _________ of the people risks being broken.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. will
💡 Explanation: ‘Will’ refers to a deliberate or fixed desire, intention, or determination of the people.
49. Close to 20 lakh candidates were made to take the NEET again after _________ preparation that coincided with their school examinations.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. gruelling
💡 Explanation: ‘Gruelling’ implies extremely tiring, exhausting, punishing, or rigorous preparation.
50. The _________ of the Delhi police and the attempts to throttle the Internet around the protest venues only swelled their ranks.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. high-handedness
💡 Explanation: ‘High-handedness’ denotes arrogance, autocracy, bossiness, or tyranny.
51. China has systematically attempted to alter the Line of Actual Control through _________ tactics.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. salami-slicing
💡 Explanation: ‘Salami-slicing tactic’ is a strategy of taking small, incremental actions that collectively produce a major result.
52. India must accelerate its supply chain _________ and diversify its trade partnerships across Europe.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. resilience
💡 Explanation: ‘Resilience’ is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness, adaptability.
53. Instead of accepting _________ responsibility for the failures in the conduct of various examinations, he sought to present his stepping down as an attempt to prevent anti-national elements.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. moral
💡 Explanation: ‘Moral’ responsibility refers to an ethical, principled, right, or just obligation.
54. The protests, which have drawn support beyond Delhi, are _________ of Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. reminiscent
💡 Explanation: ‘Reminiscent’ means tending to remind one of something; evocative of or similar to.
55. The state must not take leave of _________ and common sense.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. logic
💡 Explanation: ‘Logic’ refers to reason, rationality, sense, or deduction.
SECTION G/10: WORD FORMATION
56. What is the verb form of the noun ‘resignation’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Resign
💡 Explanation: ‘Resign’ is the base verb form, meaning to voluntarily leave a job or position of office.
57. What is the adjective form of the noun ‘strategy’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Strategic
💡 Explanation: ‘Strategic’ is the adjective relating to the identification of long-term aims.
58. Which of the following is the noun form of the adjective ‘unreliable’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Unreliability
💡 Explanation: ‘Unreliability’ is the abstract noun denoting the state of being untrustworthy.
59. What is the noun form of the adjective ‘vulnerable’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Vulnerability
💡 Explanation: ‘Vulnerability’ is the noun representing the state of being exposed to risk.
60. What is the adverb form of the adjective ‘relentless’?
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Relentlessly
💡 Explanation: ‘Relentlessly’ is the adverb modifying an action done in an unceasing, non-stop manner.
SECTION H/10: SPOTTING THE ERROR
61. Read the following sentence to find if there is any grammatical error:
A government that do not bend to the will of the people risks being broken.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. do not bend to the will
💡 Explanation: The singular noun ‘government’ requires the singular auxiliary verb ‘does’ instead of ‘do’.
62. Spot the error:
The core flaw in the argument for a quick reset are the naive assumption that if India relaxes its economic guard, China will reciprocate.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. for a quick reset are
💡 Explanation: The subject ‘flaw’ is singular and thus takes the singular verb ‘is’, not ‘are’.
63. Spot the error:
China has weaponise its veto at the United Nations Security Council to shield Pakistan-based terrorist organisations.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. China has weaponise its veto
💡 Explanation: The present perfect tense uses ‘has’ followed by the past participle ‘weaponised’.
64. Spot the error:
The old toolkit of labelling any and every dissent as anti-national have been repurposed to tar the student agitation.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. have been repurposed to tar
💡 Explanation: The subject ‘toolkit’ is singular, therefore the auxiliary verb should be ‘has been’.
65. Spot the error:
It has reduced the proportion of its total Budget spend on school education at 50% and on higher education by 33%.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. spend on school education at 50%
💡 Explanation: It should be ‘spent’ (past participle modifying Budget) and the preposition ‘by 50%’ denotes the margin of reduction.
66. Spot the error:
With high-quality, affordable public education inaccessible, families in India has been forced to spend out of pocket to educate their children.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. families in India has been forced
💡 Explanation: ‘Families’ is a plural subject, requiring the plural verb ‘have been forced’.
67. Spot the error:
This is also part of the same narrative that prompt the Delhi Police to meet the protests with shock batons.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. of the same narrative that prompt
💡 Explanation: The past tense ‘prompted’ is required here as the action (meeting protests with batons) already happened.
68. Spot the error:
China respects power and exploit vulnerability, so India must not yield unconditionally.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. and exploit vulnerability,
💡 Explanation: To maintain subject-verb agreement with the singular ‘China’, the verb should be ‘exploits’.
69. Spot the error:
We does not have to ’tilt’ either way; we must instead develop the strength to walk straight.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. We does not have
💡 Explanation: The first person plural pronoun ‘We’ takes the plural auxiliary ‘do’, not ‘does’.
70. Spot the error:
The numbers tells a blunt story regarding India’s youth challenge.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. tells a blunt
💡 Explanation: The plural subject ‘numbers’ requires the plural verb ‘tell’, not ‘tells’.
SECTION I/10: SPELLING TEST
71. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Pusillanimity
💡 Explanation: Pusillanimity means a lack of courage or determination; cowardice.
72. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Manoeuvre
💡 Explanation: Manoeuvre means to carefully guide, manipulate, or act with flexibility.
73. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. Asymmetric
💡 Explanation: Asymmetric means disproportionate, unequal, lopsided.
74. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. Quintessentially
💡 Explanation: Quintessentially is used to emphasize the most perfect or typical example of a quality.
75. Choose the correctly spelled word.
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. Unceremonious
💡 Explanation: Unceremonious means abrupt, sudden, undignified, or discourteous.
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.
“A government that does not (76)______ to the will of the people (77)______ being broken. The resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister, after a (78)______ agitation by youth led by the satirically named Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), is more than just a (79)______ casualty of the “paper leaks” scandal. It is a seminal moment in the (80)______ of what political scientists describe as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-dominant party system in Indian democracy.”
76. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (76).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. bend
💡 Explanation: ‘Bend’ fits best, meaning to submit or yield to a force or authority (the will of the people).
77. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (77).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. risks
💡 Explanation: ‘Risks’ indicates exposing to a chance of loss or damage (being broken).
78. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (78).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: B. sustained
💡 Explanation: ‘Sustained’ describes a prolonged, continuous, unbroken public protest.
79. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (79).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: C. ministerial
💡 Explanation: ‘Ministerial’ describes the casualty related to a minister of the government.
80. Choose the most appropriate word for blank (80).
✓ Check Answer
✓ Correct Answer: A. unravelling
💡 Explanation: ‘Unravelling’ signifies the collapse, disintegration, or breakdown of the system.
Test Completed
You have completed today’s Editorial Words Daily Vocabulary Test.