The Hindu Editorial (Elusive peace) – May 14
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The Hindu Editorial (Elusive peace) – May 14, 2026:
- elusive (adjective) – difficult to find, achieve, or capture; evasive, slippery, intangible, unachievable.
- push for (phrasal verb) – demand, insist on, ask for, urge.
- negotiated (adjective) – agreed upon through formal discussions; brokered, mediated, bargained, arranged.
- settlement (noun) – agreement, deal, arrangement, resolution.
- Moscow Victory Day parade (proper noun) – an annual military parade held in Moscow, Russia, to commemorate the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
- come to a close (phrase) – come to an end; conclude, finish, terminate.
- willing (adjective) – ready, eager, prepared, disposed.
- talks (noun) – formal discussions intended to reach an agreement; negotiations, dialogue, diplomatic discussions, consultations.
- aim at (phrasal verb) – intend to achieve, direct towards, target, focus on.
- long-term (adjective) – lasting or extending over a long period; enduring, long-lasting, prolonged, sustained.
- peace deal (noun) – an agreement to end a war or conflict; peace treaty, armistice, peace agreement, settlement.
- comment (noun) – a remark expressing an opinion or reaction; statement, observation, remark, declaration.
- underscore (verb) – emphasize, highlight, underline, accentuate, draw attention to.
- face (verb) – confront, encounter, experience, tackle.
- domestically (adverb) – at home, internally, within a country.
- on the battlefield (phrase) – in the area where fighting takes place in a war; on the front line, in combat, in the war zone, on the ground.
- launch (verb) – start, begin, initiate, commence.
- drag into (phrasal verb) – force someone to become involved in a difficult or complex situation; embroil, entangle, involve, pull into.
- invasion (noun) – an instance of invading a country or region with an armed force; occupation, incursion, attack, offensive.
- do one’s best (phrase) – make the greatest possible effort to achieve something; try hard, strive, endeavor, give it one’s all.
- as soon as possible (phrase) – at the earliest, without delay, quickly, promptly.
- troops (noun) – soldiers, armed forces, military personnel, fighting forces.
- incremental (adjective) – gradual, step-by-step, phased, steady.
- advance (noun) – forward movement, progress, progression, headway.
- gain (noun) – acquisition, achievement, benefit, advantage.
- however (adverb) – nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, but.
- largely (adverb) – mostly, mainly, predominantly, primarily.
- stall (verb) – halt, stop, come to a standstill, pause.
- frontline (noun) – the most forward line of an armed force’s area of combat; front, vanguard, combat zone, forward area.
- barely (adverb) – hardly, scarcely, only just, almost not.
- carry out (phrasal verb) – conduct, perform, execute, implement.
- devastating (adjective) – highly destructive or damaging; ruinous, disastrous, catastrophic, crippling.
- drone (noun) – an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); pilotless aircraft, unmanned plane, remote-controlled aircraft.
- missile (noun) – a weapon that is self-propelled or directed by remote control, carrying conventional or nuclear explosive; projectile, guided weapon, explosive device.
- strike (noun) – attack, air strike, assault, bombing.
- the public (noun) – ordinary people in general; the people, citizens, populace, general population.
- insulate (verb) – protect, shield, safeguard, defend.
- consequence (noun) – result, outcome, effect, repercussion.
- no longer (phrase) – not anymore, not now, nevermore, in the past.
- the case (noun) – the actual situation, the truth, reality, fact.
- capable of (adjective) – having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve a specified thing; able to, competent to, equal to, fit for.
- deep inside (phrase) – far into, well within, deep within, in the interior of.
- territory (noun) – land, area, region, domain.
- deepening (adjective) – increasing, growing, intensifying, worsening.
- gloom (noun) – a state of depression or despondency; sadness, despair, melancholy, misery.
- fuel (verb) – stimulate, boost, encourage, intensify.
- public (adjective) – relating to or involving people in general; popular, collective, general, widespread.
- frustration (noun) – the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something; dissatisfaction, disappointment, annoyance, vexation.
- approval rating (noun) – a percentage determined by a polling which indicates the percentage of respondents to an opinion poll who approve of a particular person or program; popularity index, support level, public backing, favorable rating.
- hardline (adjective) – uncompromising, strict, extreme, inflexible.
- nationalist (adjective) – relating to a person or group who strongly identifies with their own nation and vigorously supports its interests; patriotic, chauvinistic, loyalist, traditionalist.
- section (noun) – part, division, segment, faction.
- add to (phrasal verb) – increase, augment, enhance, magnify.
- Kremlin (proper noun) – the executive administration of the Russian government; Russian government, Moscow, the Russian leadership, the central authority of Russia.
- so far (phrase) – until now, up to this point, thus far, to date.
- rule out (phrasal verb) – eliminate, reject, dismiss, exclude.
- lasting (adjective) – enduring, long-lasting, permanent, stable.
- ceasefire (noun) – a temporary halt to fighting agreed upon by conflicting parties; truce, armistice, cessation of hostilities, suspension of fighting.
- seek (verb) – ask for, request, try to obtain, pursue.
- comprehensive (adjective) – complete, thorough, exhaustive, all-inclusive.
- peace agreement (noun) – a formal treaty ending a conflict; peace accord, treaty, pact, settlement.
- remain (verb) – continue to be, stay, abide, endure.
- neutral (adjective) – not supporting or helping either side in a conflict; impartial, non-aligned, unbiased, uninvolved.
- withdraw (verb) – pull out, retreat, leave, pull back.
- Donbas region (proper noun) – a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine, which has been the center of conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists since 2014; eastern Ukraine territory, conflict zone, disputed area.
- sanctions (noun) – penalties, punishments, restrictions, embargoes.
- security arrangement (noun) – a formal or informal agreement designed to guarantee protection or defense; security pact, defense mechanism.
- Moscow (proper noun) – used to refer to the Russian government or its leadership; the Kremlin, Russian administration, Russian authorities, the Russian regime.
- NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) (organization) – an intergovernmental military alliance established in 1949, designed to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means; transatlantic alliance.
- amplify (verb) – magnify, increase, intensify, heighten.
- unchecked (adjective) – uncontrolled, unhindered, unrestrained, uncurbed.
- eastward (adverb) – towards the east; moving east, heading east, in an easterly direction.
- expansion (noun) – growth, extension, enlargement, spreading out.
- cling to (phrasal verb) – stick to, adhere to, hold on to, remain attached to.
- maximalist (adjective) – extreme, uncompromising, hardline, absolute.
- seemingly (adverb) – apparently, on the face of it, outwardly, ostensibly.
- endless (adjective) – unlimited, infinite, never-ending, boundless.
- swift (adjective) – quick, rapid, fast, speedy.
- forces (noun) – troops, military, armed forces, soldiers.
- capture (verb) – seize, occupy, take over.
- at a tremendous cost (phrase) – involving a great deal of loss, damage, or expense; at a heavy price, with huge sacrifices, with severe consequences, expensively.
- tremendous (adjective) – massive, huge, immense, colossal.
- cost (noun) – price, sacrifice, loss, penalty.
- It is time that (phrase) – used to indicate that something should be done now; high time, the right moment, overdue, necessary now.
- shift focus from (phrase) – change attention away from; redirect attention, alter priority, move away from, turn away from.
- endpoint (noun) – conclusion, final stage, finish, termination.
- withstand (verb) – resist, hold out against, endure, survive.
- Kyiv (proper noun) – the capital of Ukraine, often used to refer to the Ukrainian government or its leadership; the Ukrainian administration, Ukrainian authorities, the Ukrainian regime, Ukraine.
- lack (verb) – be without, need, be short of, require.
- realistic (adjective) – practical, pragmatic, sensible, rational.
- mounting (adjective) – increasing, growing, rising, escalating.
- retain (verb) – keep, maintain, preserve, hold on to.
- military capacity (noun) – armed strength, defense capability, combat readiness, military power.
- inflict (verb) – impose, force, administer, deliver.
- drag on (phrasal verb) – continue for too long, persist, linger, prolong.
- continent (noun) – used to refer to Europe in this context; the European landmass, Europe, mainland Europe, European territory.
- leave (verb) – cause to be in a particular state, result in, make, keep.
- dependent (adjective) – reliant, resting, contingent, conditional.
- even as (phrase) – at the very time that; while, exactly when, just as, during.
- Washington (proper noun) – used to refer to the US government or its leadership; the White House, the US administration, the American government, the Biden administration.
- drift away (phrasal verb) – gradually lose interest or withdraw; distance oneself, move away, detach, fade.
- conflict (noun) – war, battle, clash, fighting.
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.
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On May 9, speaking to reporters after the Moscow Victory Day parade, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said the war with Ukraine was “coming to a close”, and, for the first time since the war began in February 2022, indicated that he would be willing to… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-2 for The Hindu Editorial (Elusive peace) – May 14, 2026.