CSS English vocabulary builder: 300 high-frequency words

This list gives 300 words at the level of the vocabulary tested in the CSS MPT screening test and in the Grammar and Vocabulary, Pairs of Words and comprehension sections of the compulsory English (Precis and Composition) paper of the FPSC CSS Competitive Examination. Each word comes with its part of speech, a plain-English meaning, an original example sentence, one synonym and one antonym. After the word tables there are five self-tests of 20 items each, with answers. They cover synonyms, antonyms, filling gaps from a word box, synonym-or-antonym pairs, and choosing between confusable words. A short pairs-of-words writing task with model answers follows them. The words also help with précis writing, comprehension and the essay paper.

How to use this list

• Learn 20 words a day. That covers the whole list in 15 days, which leaves time for revision before the exam.
• Cover the meaning column and try to explain each word yourself. Then say the example sentence aloud and make up a new one of your own.
• Learn the synonym and the antonym as a pair. In MCQ-style tests such as the MPT, the options often include both, so you must see which one the question wants.
• Take the self-tests only after you have worked through all 300 words, because every test draws on words from A to Z. Take one test every two or three days, and retake any test where you score below 17. Check your answers only after you have finished the whole exercise.
• Write the pairs-of-words task in full sentences. The compulsory paper expects written sentences, not ticked options.

Key idea: what the examiner is testing. In the compulsory paper, vocabulary is tested through using words and idioms correctly in sentences, writing sentences that show the difference between pairs of confusable words, and grouping words. It is also tested indirectly, through understanding a précis or comprehension passage and writing precise English. Synonym and antonym MCQs appear mainly in the MPT screening test and in older papers. A synonym must be the same part of speech as the given word and must fit the sense being tested. Always check the current FPSC syllabus and recent papers for the exact question formats and marks.

Key: n. = noun; v. = verb; adj. = adjective. Spellings are British (e.g. rancour, sombre, sceptical, jeopardise), which most Pakistani candidates use. Forms ending in -ize, such as jeopardize, are also correct British (Oxford) spelling. Whichever convention you choose, use it consistently.

Words A

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
abate	v.	become less strong	The monsoon rain abated by evening.	subside	intensify
aberration	n.	a departure from what is normal	One poor result was an aberration, not a trend.	anomaly	norm
abhor	v.	hate intensely	Most citizens abhor bribery in public offices.	detest	adore
abstain	v.	choose not to do something	Two members abstained from the vote.	refrain	indulge
abundant	adj.	existing in large amounts	Sindh has abundant sunshine for solar power.	plentiful	scarce
acquiesce	v.	agree quietly, often reluctantly	The tenants acquiesced in the rent increase.	consent	resist
acrimonious	adj.	angry and bitter	The debate turned acrimonious after an hour.	bitter	amicable
adamant	adj.	refusing to change one's mind	The minister was adamant that the dam would be built.	unyielding	flexible
adept	adj.	very skilled	She is adept at explaining hard ideas simply.	proficient	inept
admonish	v.	warn or scold firmly	The principal admonished the boys for skipping class.	reprimand	praise
adversity	n.	great difficulty or misfortune	The flood victims rebuilt their homes despite adversity.	hardship	prosperity
advocate	v.	publicly support	The report advocates free schooling for all girls.	champion	oppose
affluent	adj.	wealthy	Affluent families often send their children abroad.	prosperous	impoverished
alleviate	v.	make suffering or a problem less severe	Shade trees alleviate summer heat in cities.	ease	aggravate
altruism	n.	unselfish concern for others	The volunteers' altruism kept the clinic open.	selflessness	selfishness
ambiguous	adj.	having more than one possible meaning	The notice was ambiguous about the deadline.	equivocal	clear
ameliorate	v.	make a bad situation better	New wells ameliorated the village's water shortage.	improve	impair
animosity	n.	strong dislike or hostility	Old animosity between the clans resurfaced.	enmity	goodwill
apathy	n.	lack of interest or concern	Voter apathy kept turnout low.	indifference	enthusiasm
arbitrary	adj.	based on whim, not reason	Arbitrary transfers damage officers' morale.	capricious	reasoned
ardent	adj.	very enthusiastic	He is an ardent supporter of local cricket.	fervent	lukewarm
articulate	adj.	able to express ideas clearly	An articulate candidate impresses the interview panel.	fluent	incoherent
astute	adj.	quick to judge situations and gain advantage	An astute trader bought wheat before prices rose.	shrewd	naive
audacious	adj.	bold and willing to take risks	The audacious plan surprised even her allies.	daring	timid
austere	adj.	plain and without comfort; strict	The hostel rooms were austere but clean.	spartan	luxurious
avarice	n.	extreme greed for wealth	Avarice led the officer to accept bribes.	greed	generosity
averse	adj.	strongly disliking or opposed	He is not averse to working late.	opposed	eager

Words B–C

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
banal	adj.	dull and unoriginal	His speech was full of banal slogans.	trite	original
belligerent	adj.	hostile and eager to fight	The belligerent customer shouted at the cashier.	combative	peaceable
benevolent	adj.	kind and generous	A benevolent landlord waived rent during the lockdown.	charitable	malevolent
benign	adj.	gentle; not harmful	The doctor confirmed the lump was benign.	harmless	malignant
blatant	adj.	done openly and shamelessly	It was a blatant breach of traffic rules.	flagrant	subtle
bolster	v.	support or strengthen	Remittances bolstered the country's reserves.	reinforce	undermine
brevity	n.	shortness; use of few words	Brevity is the first virtue of a précis.	conciseness	verbosity
buoyant	adj.	cheerful and optimistic; tending to rise	Exporters were buoyant after the trade deal.	upbeat	despondent
burgeon	v.	grow or expand quickly	Online businesses have burgeoned in Lahore.	mushroom	dwindle
cajole	v.	persuade by flattery or gentle urging	She cajoled her brother into helping at the shop.	coax	force
callous	adj.	cruelly insensitive	His callous remark upset the grieving family.	heartless	compassionate
candid	adj.	honest and direct	The coach gave a candid assessment of the team.	frank	evasive
capricious	adj.	changing suddenly and unpredictably	Capricious weather damaged the wheat harvest.	fickle	steady
castigate	v.	criticise very severely	The editorial castigated the city for its broken roads.	rebuke	commend
caustic	adj.	sarcastic in a hurtful way	Her caustic review stung the young author.	scathing	mild
censure	n.	formal, strong disapproval	The officer faced censure for misusing funds.	condemnation	approval
chronic	adj.	lasting a long time or recurring often	Karachi suffers from chronic water shortages.	long-standing	acute
circumspect	adj.	cautious; weighing the risks	Be circumspect when sharing personal data online.	wary	reckless
clandestine	adj.	kept secret, often because illegal	Police raided a clandestine fireworks factory.	covert	public
coerce	v.	force someone by threats	No witness should be coerced into giving evidence.	compel	coax
cogent	adj.	clear, logical and convincing	She made a cogent case for tax reform.	compelling	unconvincing
coherent	adj.	logical and well connected	A coherent essay moves smoothly from point to point.	logical	muddled
complacent	adj.	too self-satisfied to notice danger	Leading teams often become complacent in the final overs.	smug	vigilant
comprehensive	adj.	including everything	The guide gives a comprehensive list of past topics.	thorough	partial
concede	v.	admit, often unwillingly	The candidate conceded defeat before midnight.	acknowledge	deny
concise	adj.	giving much information in few words	Keep your précis concise and accurate.	succinct	verbose
condone	v.	accept or overlook wrongdoing	Silence can seem to condone corruption.	excuse	condemn
conducive	adj.	helping something to happen	A quiet room is conducive to study.	favourable	detrimental
conspicuous	adj.	easily noticed	His red turban was conspicuous in the crowd.	noticeable	unobtrusive
contempt	n.	the feeling that something is worthless	He spoke of the rules with open contempt.	scorn	respect
contentious	adj.	likely to cause argument	Water sharing is a contentious issue between provinces.	controversial	undisputed
corroborate	v.	confirm with further evidence	CCTV footage corroborated the guard's account.	confirm	contradict
credible	adj.	able to be believed	The witness gave a credible explanation.	plausible	far-fetched
culpable	adj.	deserving blame	The inquiry found the contractor culpable for the collapse.	blameworthy	blameless
cursory	adj.	quick and not thorough	A cursory glance missed the error in line two.	superficial	painstaking
cynical	adj.	believing people act only from self-interest	Years of broken promises made voters cynical.	distrustful	idealistic

Words D

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
dearth	n.	a lack or shortage	There is a dearth of trained nurses in rural areas.	shortage	abundance
debilitate	v.	seriously weaken	Dengue can debilitate a patient for weeks.	enfeeble	strengthen
decorum	n.	polite, proper behaviour	Members must maintain decorum in the assembly.	propriety	impropriety
defer	v.	put off to a later time	The board deferred its decision until March.	postpone	expedite
deference	n.	polite respect	Students stood in deference to the visiting judge.	respect	disrespect
deleterious	adj.	causing harm	Smog has deleterious effects on children's lungs.	harmful	beneficial
delineate	v.	describe or mark out precisely	The agreement delineates the boundary along the river.	outline	obscure
denounce	v.	publicly condemn	Religious scholars denounced the attack on the school.	condemn	extol
deplete	v.	use up the supply of	Over-pumping has depleted groundwater in Quetta.	exhaust	replenish
deplore	v.	express strong disapproval of	We deplore violence against journalists.	decry	applaud
deride	v.	mock with contempt	Critics derided the plan as unrealistic.	ridicule	laud
despondent	adj.	without hope; low in spirits	The team was despondent after the loss.	dejected	hopeful
destitute	adj.	extremely poor, lacking necessities	The earthquake left thousands destitute.	penniless	wealthy
deter	v.	discourage from acting	Heavy fines deter people from littering.	discourage	encourage
devious	adj.	sly and dishonest	He used devious methods to win the tender.	cunning	straightforward
dexterity	n.	skill, especially with the hands	Embroidery requires great dexterity.	deftness	clumsiness
diffident	adj.	shy; lacking self-confidence	The diffident student rarely spoke in class.	bashful	self-assured
diligent	adj.	hard-working and careful	Diligent revision beats last-minute cramming.	industrious	lazy
discern	v.	notice or understand, often with effort	It is hard to discern the truth among rumours.	perceive	overlook
discord	n.	disagreement; lack of harmony	Discord within the party weakened its campaign.	strife	harmony
disparity	n.	a great difference	The disparity between urban and rural schools is wide.	inequality	parity
disseminate	v.	spread information widely	Health workers disseminated advice on clean water.	circulate	suppress
docile	adj.	quiet and easily controlled	The docile buffalo followed the boy home.	submissive	unruly
dogmatic	adj.	insisting that one's opinions are certainly right	A dogmatic reader ignores evidence against his view.	opinionated	open-minded
dubious	adj.	doubtful; possibly dishonest	The website made dubious claims about quick profits.	questionable	reliable
durable	adj.	able to last a long time	Steel utensils are more durable than plastic ones.	long-lasting	perishable

Most often forgotten: look-alike pairs. Many wrong answers come from reading too fast.

• eminent (famous, respected) vs imminent (about to happen)
• deter (discourage) vs defer (postpone; also show respect, as in deference)
• deplete (use up) vs deplore (strongly disapprove of)
• illicit (illegal) vs elicit (draw out a reply or reaction)
• ingenious (clever, inventive) vs ingenuous (innocent, too trusting)
• credible (believable) vs credulous (too ready to believe)
• tentative (not yet fixed) vs tenacious (holding on firmly)
• elusive (hard to catch or achieve) vs evasive (deliberately avoiding a question or commitment)

Worked example: pairs of words in sentences. The pairs-of-words question asks you to use each word in a sentence that shows the difference in meaning.
eminent / imminent: The eminent jurist chaired the inquiry. / A storm is imminent, so fishermen stayed ashore.
Each sentence must make the meaning clear from its context. A sentence such as "He is eminent" is correct English, but it does not show what the word means, so it earns little credit.

Words E–F

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
eccentric	adj.	unusual in behaviour	The eccentric professor lectured in slippers.	odd	conventional
efficacy	n.	ability to produce the intended result	Trials tested the efficacy of the new vaccine.	effectiveness	ineffectiveness
elated	adj.	extremely happy	She was elated to see her name on the merit list.	jubilant	crestfallen
eloquent	adj.	fluent and persuasive	His eloquent speech moved the audience.	articulate	inarticulate
elusive	adj.	hard to find, catch or achieve	Lasting peace has proved elusive in the region.	unattainable	achievable
embellish	v.	decorate; add untrue details to a story	He embellished the story to impress his friends.	exaggerate	understate
eminent	adj.	famous and highly respected	An eminent economist chaired the commission.	distinguished	unknown
empirical	adj.	based on observation or experiment	The claim needs empirical evidence, not opinion.	observational	theoretical
endorse	v.	publicly approve or support	Three parties endorsed the independent candidate.	back	reject
enervate	v.	drain of energy	The humid heat enervated the labourers.	weaken	invigorate
enigmatic	adj.	mysterious; hard to interpret	The minister gave an enigmatic smile.	puzzling	transparent
ephemeral	adj.	lasting a very short time	Social media fame is often ephemeral.	transient	permanent
equanimity	n.	calmness, especially under pressure	She accepted the result with equanimity.	composure	agitation
equitable	adj.	fair and impartial	River water must be shared in an equitable way.	fair	biased
eradicate	v.	destroy completely	Pakistan aims to eradicate polio.	eliminate	establish
erratic	adj.	not regular or predictable	Erratic power supply damages electrical goods.	inconsistent	regular
erudite	adj.	having great knowledge from study	The erudite scholar quoted Rumi from memory.	scholarly	ignorant
exacerbate	v.	make a problem worse	Deforestation exacerbates flooding.	aggravate	mitigate
exemplary	adj.	so good that it serves as a model	The nurse was honoured for exemplary service.	admirable	deplorable
exonerate	v.	officially clear of blame	The court exonerated the driver.	acquit	convict
explicit	adj.	stated clearly and fully	The rules give explicit instructions on word limits.	unambiguous	implicit
extol	v.	praise enthusiastically	Tourists extol the beauty of Hunza.	acclaim	disparage
extravagant	adj.	spending or using too much	The extravagant wedding cost millions.	lavish	frugal
facetious	adj.	joking about serious matters at the wrong time	His facetious reply annoyed the interviewer.	flippant	serious
fallacy	n.	a mistaken belief or faulty argument	It is a fallacy that rich countries have no poverty.	misconception	truth
fastidious	adj.	very attentive to detail and cleanliness	A fastidious editor checks every comma.	fussy	slovenly
feasible	adj.	possible and practical to do	Engineers judged the bridge feasible within the budget.	viable	impracticable
flamboyant	adj.	showy and confident	The flamboyant batsman loved to hit sixes.	dashing	understated
flourish	v.	grow or develop well	Small industries flourish when power is reliable.	thrive	wither
formidable	adj.	impressive and hard to overcome	The team faced a formidable opponent in the final.	daunting	feeble
fortitude	n.	courage in pain or trouble	The patient bore her illness with fortitude.	endurance	cowardice
frivolous	adj.	not serious; silly	The court dismissed the frivolous complaint.	trivial	weighty
frugal	adj.	careful with money; economical	A frugal student can save from a small stipend.	thrifty	wasteful
futile	adj.	pointless; having no effect	Arguing with the umpire was futile.	fruitless	worthwhile

Words G–I

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
garrulous	adj.	talking too much about trivial things	The garrulous passenger talked all the way to Multan.	loquacious	taciturn
grandiose	adj.	made to look impressive but unrealistic in scale	The grandiose scheme was never funded.	overambitious	modest
gratuitous	adj.	unnecessary and unjustified	The film was criticised for gratuitous violence.	unwarranted	justified
gregarious	adj.	fond of company; sociable	Gregarious people enjoy group projects.	outgoing	reclusive
gullible	adj.	easily fooled	Gullible investors lost money in the fake scheme.	credulous	discerning
hackneyed	adj.	overused and no longer fresh	Avoid hackneyed openings in your essay.	clichéd	fresh
haphazard	adj.	lacking order or plan	Haphazard construction blocked the drains.	unsystematic	methodical
haughty	adj.	arrogantly superior	The haughty clerk ignored the elderly man.	arrogant	humble
heinous	adj.	utterly wicked	Kidnapping a child is a heinous crime.	atrocious	admirable
hinder	v.	get in the way of	Load-shedding hinders students' studies.	impede	facilitate
hypocrisy	n.	claiming standards one does not follow	Preaching thrift while living lavishly is hypocrisy.	insincerity	sincerity
ignominious	adj.	causing public shame	The team suffered an ignominious defeat.	humiliating	honourable
illicit	adj.	forbidden by law or custom	Customs seized illicit cigarettes at the border.	unlawful	legitimate
imminent	adj.	about to happen	Forecasters warned of imminent heavy rain.	impending	distant
impartial	adj.	treating all sides equally	An umpire must remain impartial.	neutral	partisan
impeccable	adj.	without any fault	She speaks impeccable English.	flawless	flawed
imperative	adj.	absolutely necessary	It is imperative that you reach the centre early.	vital	unnecessary
impetuous	adj.	acting quickly without thought	An impetuous decision cost him the job.	rash	deliberate
implicit	adj.	suggested but not stated directly	There was an implicit threat in his words.	implied	explicit
incessant	adj.	never stopping	Incessant honking makes traffic stressful.	ceaseless	intermittent
incisive	adj.	sharp and clear in thinking	The panel asked incisive questions.	penetrating	vague
incongruous	adj.	out of place; not fitting	A glass tower looks incongruous in the old city.	discordant	fitting
indefatigable	adj.	never tiring	The indefatigable volunteer worked through the night.	tireless	flagging
indolent	adj.	lazy	Indolent workers slowed the whole project.	slothful	industrious
induce	v.	persuade or cause	Low prices induced shoppers to buy in bulk.	prompt	dissuade
inevitable	adj.	certain to happen	Some delay was inevitable in the rain.	unavoidable	avoidable
infallible	adj.	never wrong	No textbook is infallible.	unerring	fallible
ingenious	adj.	clever and original	An ingenious pump runs on bicycle power.	inventive	unimaginative
inherent	adj.	existing as a natural part	Every investment carries inherent risk.	intrinsic	extrinsic
innate	adj.	present from birth	She has an innate talent for music.	inborn	acquired
innocuous	adj.	harmless; not offensive	His innocuous joke was misunderstood.	inoffensive	harmful
insipid	adj.	lacking flavour or interest	The hostel dal was insipid.	bland	flavourful
integrity	n.	honesty and strong moral principles	Voters want leaders of integrity.	probity	corruption
intrepid	adj.	fearless; adventurous	Intrepid climbers attempted K2 in winter.	dauntless	cowardly
intricate	adj.	having many detailed parts	Intricate truck art covers the lorry's sides.	elaborate	simple
irascible	adj.	easily made angry	The irascible shopkeeper argued with every customer.	irritable	placid
irrevocable	adj.	impossible to change or undo	Once signed, the decision is irrevocable.	irreversible	reversible

Words J–L

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
jeopardise	v.	put in danger	Cheating could jeopardise your career.	endanger	safeguard
jovial	adj.	cheerful and friendly	Our jovial driver sang the whole way.	merry	morose
judicious	adj.	showing good judgement	Judicious use of fertiliser raised yields.	prudent	unwise
kindle	v.	light a fire; arouse a feeling	A good teacher kindles curiosity.	ignite	extinguish
laconic	adj.	using very few words	His laconic reply was simply "No."	terse	long-winded
lament	v.	express grief or regret	Elders lament the loss of old traditions.	mourn	rejoice
languid	adj.	slow and relaxed; lacking energy	We spent a languid afternoon by the river.	listless	vigorous
latent	adj.	present but not yet active or visible	The course unlocked her latent talent.	hidden	manifest
laudable	adj.	deserving praise	The clean-up drive was a laudable effort.	commendable	shameful
lethargic	adj.	sluggish and drowsy	Heavy meals make students lethargic.	torpid	energetic
lucid	adj.	clear and easy to understand	Her lucid notes made revision easy.	intelligible	obscure
lucrative	adj.	producing much profit	Software exports are a lucrative sector.	profitable	loss-making
ludicrous	adj.	so absurd as to be laughable	A seaport in Islamabad is a ludicrous idea.	absurd	sensible

Words M–O

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
magnanimous	adj.	generous, especially to a rival	The magnanimous winner praised his opponent.	big-hearted	petty
malevolent	adj.	wishing harm to others	Malevolent rumours spread about the family.	malicious	benevolent
malleable	adj.	easily shaped or influenced	Gold is a malleable metal.	pliable	rigid
mandatory	adj.	required by rule	Helmets are mandatory for motorcyclists.	compulsory	optional
meagre	adj.	small in amount; inadequate	Daily-wage workers live on meagre incomes.	scanty	ample
mediocre	adj.	of only average quality	A mediocre essay merely repeats the question.	second-rate	excellent
meticulous	adj.	extremely careful with detail	Meticulous record-keeping saved the audit.	precise	sloppy
mitigate	v.	make less severe	Early warning systems mitigate flood damage.	lessen	worsen
momentous	adj.	of great importance	Independence in 1947 was a momentous event.	historic	insignificant
mundane	adj.	ordinary and dull	Filing reports is mundane but necessary.	everyday	extraordinary
munificent	adj.	very generous	A munificent donor funded the new library.	bountiful	miserly
myopic	adj.	lacking foresight (literally, short-sighted)	Cutting the education budget is a myopic policy.	short-sighted	far-sighted
naive	adj.	lacking experience; too trusting	It is naive to believe every forwarded message.	inexperienced	worldly
nefarious	adj.	wicked; criminal	Smugglers used the port for nefarious purposes.	villainous	righteous
negligent	adj.	failing to take proper care	The negligent guard left the gate open.	remiss	conscientious
negligible	adj.	too small to matter	The price change was negligible.	minimal	substantial
nonchalant	adj.	calm and unconcerned	He looked nonchalant despite the pressure.	blasé	anxious
notorious	adj.	famous for something bad	The road is notorious for accidents.	infamous	reputable
novice	n.	a beginner	As a novice, she practised on short passages.	beginner	expert
nurture	v.	care for and help to grow	Parents nurture a child's confidence.	foster	neglect
obdurate	adj.	stubbornly refusing to change	The obdurate official rejected every appeal.	obstinate	amenable
obliterate	v.	destroy completely	The landslide obliterated the mountain road.	demolish	preserve
obscure	adj.	not well known; unclear	The quotation came from an obscure poet.	little-known	famous
obsequious	adj.	too eager to please or obey	The obsequious assistant agreed with everything.	servile	assertive
obsolete	adj.	no longer in use; out of date	Fax machines are almost obsolete.	outdated	current
ominous	adj.	suggesting that something bad will happen	Ominous clouds gathered over the valley.	threatening	promising
onerous	adj.	heavy and burdensome	Filing tax returns should not be an onerous task.	burdensome	effortless
opaque	adj.	not see-through; hard to understand	The tender process was opaque.	murky	transparent
opulent	adj.	rich and luxurious	The hotel lobby was opulent.	luxurious	squalid
ostentatious	adj.	showy, designed to impress	The ostentatious display of wealth offended villagers.	pretentious	modest
ostracise	v.	exclude from a group	Classmates ostracised the boy who reported bullying.	shun	welcome
overt	adj.	done openly	There was overt pressure on the witness.	open	covert

Words P–Q

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
palpable	adj.	so strong it can almost be felt	Tension in the exam hall was palpable.	tangible	imperceptible
paramount	adj.	more important than anything else	Passenger safety is paramount.	supreme	minor
parochial	adj.	narrow in outlook; local	Parochial politics ignores national needs.	provincial	cosmopolitan
parsimonious	adj.	extremely unwilling to spend	The parsimonious uncle never paid for tea.	stingy	generous
partisan	adj.	strongly favouring one side	Partisan reporting misleads viewers.	one-sided	even-handed
paucity	n.	the presence of too little	A paucity of evidence weakened the case.	scarcity	plenty
pedantic	adj.	too concerned with minor rules and details	The pedantic critic counted commas and ignored the argument.	nit-picking	easy-going
perfunctory	adj.	done as a routine, without care	The inspector made a perfunctory check.	half-hearted	thorough
perilous	adj.	full of danger	Mountain roads can be perilous in winter.	hazardous	safe
pernicious	adj.	harmful, often gradually	Rote learning has a pernicious effect on thinking.	destructive	wholesome
perpetual	adj.	never ending or changing	The city lives in perpetual traffic.	everlasting	temporary
persevere	v.	keep going despite difficulty	Candidates who persevere often pass at the second attempt.	persist	quit
pertinent	adj.	relevant to the matter	Include only pertinent facts in a précis.	relevant	irrelevant
pervasive	adj.	spreading widely through something	Mobile phones have a pervasive influence on youth.	widespread	localised
placate	v.	calm someone who is angry	The manager placated the customer with a refund.	appease	provoke
plethora	n.	a very large amount, often too much	A plethora of apps compete for attention.	surfeit	dearth
pragmatic	adj.	dealing with things practically	A pragmatic approach solves problems step by step.	practical	idealistic
precarious	adj.	not secure; likely to fall or fail	The shack stood in a precarious position on the slope.	shaky	secure
prevalent	adj.	widespread at a particular time	Anaemia is prevalent among young women.	common	uncommon
pristine	adj.	in original, unspoilt condition	The pristine lakes of Neelum Valley draw tourists.	unspoilt	contaminated
procrastinate	v.	keep delaying something that must be done	If you procrastinate, the syllabus will overwhelm you.	delay	act
prolific	adj.	producing a great deal	A prolific writer, she published a novel every year.	productive	unproductive
propensity	n.	a natural tendency	He has a propensity to exaggerate.	inclination	aversion
provocative	adj.	causing anger or a strong reaction	The provocative post started a quarrel.	inflammatory	soothing
prudent	adj.	wise and careful about the future	It is prudent to save part of every salary.	sensible	reckless
pugnacious	adj.	eager to argue or fight	The pugnacious anchor interrupted every guest.	quarrelsome	conciliatory
pusillanimous	adj.	cowardly; lacking courage	A pusillanimous response emboldened the bully.	spineless	brave
quandary	n.	uncertainty about what to do	She was in a quandary over which offer to accept.	dilemma	certainty
quell	v.	put an end to, usually by force	Police quelled the riot within hours.	crush	incite
querulous	adj.	complaining in a peevish way	The querulous passenger grumbled about everything.	peevish	contented
quintessential	adj.	representing the most typical example of something	Chai is the quintessential Pakistani drink.	archetypal	atypical
quixotic	adj.	idealistic but unrealistic	His quixotic plan was to end poverty in a year.	impractical	realistic

Words R–S

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
rampant	adj.	spreading without control	Rampant inflation eroded people's savings.	unchecked	controlled
rancour	n.	long-lasting bitterness	He left the firm without rancour.	resentment	goodwill
rapport	n.	a close, friendly understanding	The teacher built a strong rapport with her class.	affinity	estrangement
rational	adj.	based on reason	Make a rational choice, not an emotional one.	reasonable	illogical
recalcitrant	adj.	stubbornly uncooperative	Recalcitrant landowners refused to pay tax.	intractable	cooperative
reconcile	v.	restore friendly relations	Elders reconciled the two families.	reunite	alienate
redundant	adj.	no longer needed	Cut redundant words from your précis.	surplus	required
refute	v.	prove to be false	The data refuted the minister's claim.	disprove	confirm
relinquish	v.	give up willingly	The founder relinquished control of the company.	surrender	retain
remorse	n.	deep regret for wrongdoing	The accused showed no remorse.	contrition	shamelessness
reprehensible	adj.	deserving strong criticism	Mocking disabled people is reprehensible.	disgraceful	praiseworthy
resilient	adj.	able to recover quickly	Resilient communities rebuilt after the floods.	hardy	fragile
reticent	adj.	not revealing one's thoughts readily	He was reticent about his salary.	reserved	forthcoming
robust	adj.	strong and healthy; sturdy	The economy needs a robust tax base.	sturdy	frail
rudimentary	adj.	basic; not developed	The village clinic had only rudimentary equipment.	elementary	advanced
ruthless	adj.	without pity	A ruthless landlord evicted the widow.	merciless	merciful
sagacious	adj.	wise and shrewd	A sagacious elder settled the dispute.	wise	foolish
salient	adj.	most noticeable or important	List the salient points of the passage.	prominent	peripheral
sanguine	adj.	optimistic, especially in difficulty	She was sanguine about her chances.	optimistic	pessimistic
sceptical	adj.	doubting that something is true	Economists were sceptical of the growth forecast.	doubtful	credulous
scrupulous	adj.	careful to do what is honest and correct	A scrupulous accountant never fudges figures.	principled	dishonest
scrutinise	v.	examine very closely	Examiners scrutinise every answer for relevance.	inspect	skim
serene	adj.	calm and peaceful	The lake at dawn was serene.	tranquil	turbulent
solace	n.	comfort in sorrow	Poetry gave him solace after his father's death.	consolation	anguish
sombre	adj.	dark or serious in mood	The nation was sombre after the tragedy.	gloomy	cheerful
sporadic	adj.	happening at irregular intervals	Sporadic firing was heard at night.	occasional	frequent
spurious	adj.	false or fake	The article made spurious links between vaccines and illness.	bogus	genuine
squander	v.	waste foolishly	He squandered his inheritance on cars.	waste	conserve
stagnant	adj.	not moving or growing	Stagnant water breeds mosquitoes.	static	flowing
stringent	adj.	strict and precise	Stringent rules govern the sale of pesticides.	rigorous	lax
substantiate	v.	give evidence to prove	You must substantiate every allegation.	support	invalidate
superfluous	adj.	more than is needed	Remove superfluous adjectives from your draft.	unnecessary	essential
surreptitious	adj.	done secretly	He took a surreptitious look at his phone.	stealthy	open
sycophant	n.	a person who flatters to gain favour	The boss surrounded himself with sycophants.	toady	critic

Words T–Z

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example	Synonym	Antonym
taciturn	adj.	saying very little	The taciturn farmer nodded but said nothing.	uncommunicative	talkative
tangible	adj.	real; able to be touched or measured	The reform produced tangible benefits.	concrete	abstract
tedious	adj.	long and boring	Copying notes by hand is tedious.	monotonous	exciting
temperate	adj.	mild; showing self-control	Murree has a temperate summer climate.	mild	extreme
tenacious	adj.	holding firmly; persistent	The tenacious lawyer pursued the case for years.	persistent	irresolute
tentative	adj.	not certain or fixed	The dates are tentative until confirmed.	provisional	definite
tenuous	adj.	very weak or slight	The link between the two events is tenuous.	flimsy	strong
trepidation	n.	fear about what may happen	She opened the result with trepidation.	apprehension	confidence
ubiquitous	adj.	found everywhere	Rickshaws are ubiquitous in our cities.	omnipresent	rare
unanimous	adj.	agreed by everyone	The resolution passed by a unanimous vote.	united	divided
unprecedented	adj.	never done or known before	The heatwave caused unprecedented demand for electricity.	unparalleled	commonplace
urbane	adj.	polished and courteous	The urbane diplomat charmed his hosts.	suave	boorish
usurp	v.	take power wrongly or by force	The younger brother tried to usurp the throne.	seize	abdicate
utilitarian	adj.	designed to be useful rather than attractive	The office furniture was purely utilitarian.	functional	decorative
vacillate	v.	keep changing one's mind	He vacillated between law and medicine.	waver	decide
valid	adj.	logically sound; legally acceptable	Bring a valid CNIC to the exam centre.	sound	void
venerate	v.	regard with great respect	Villagers venerate the old shrine.	revere	despise
verbose	adj.	using more words than needed	Verbose answers waste the examiner's time.	wordy	concise
vigilant	adj.	watchful for danger	Stay vigilant against phishing messages.	watchful	careless
vindicate	v.	prove right or clear of blame	The results vindicated the coach's choices.	justify	discredit
virulent	adj.	extremely harmful; bitterly hostile	A virulent strain of flu spread quickly.	deadly	harmless
volatile	adj.	liable to change suddenly	Fuel prices remain volatile.	unstable	stable
voracious	adj.	wanting great quantities of something	She is a voracious reader of history.	insatiable	reluctant
wary	adj.	cautious about possible danger	Be wary of offers that sound too good.	cautious	trusting
whimsical	adj.	playfully unusual	The children's book has whimsical drawings.	playful	serious
wily	adj.	clever at deceiving	The wily fox escaped the trap.	crafty	artless
wistful	adj.	sadly longing for something	She gave a wistful look at her old school.	yearning	content
zealous	adj.	full of enthusiasm for a cause	Zealous volunteers cleaned the beach.	passionate	indifferent
zenith	n.	the highest point	Her career reached its zenith with the award.	peak	nadir

Most often forgotten: prepositions that go with these words. Usage questions check these as closely as meanings.

Word	Preposition	Example
conducive	to	conducive to learning
averse	to	averse to risk
adept	at / in	adept at negotiation
abstain	from	abstain from voting
acquiesce	in (formal) / to	acquiesce in a decision
deference	to	in deference to elders
contempt	for	contempt for the law
disparity	between / in	disparity between regions
propensity	for / to	a propensity for exaggeration

Worked example: choosing a synonym in three steps. Choose the word closest in meaning to ASTUTE: (a) astonished (b) shrewd (c) naive (d) honest.

1. Recall the meaning: astute means quick to judge a situation and turn it to your advantage.
2. Remove the traps: (a) only looks like the word, because both begin with "ast"; (c) is the antonym; (d) describes character, not sharpness of judgement.
3. Check the part of speech and test it in a sentence: both words are adjectives, and "A shrewd trader bought wheat before prices rose" keeps the meaning of "An astute trader bought wheat before prices rose". Answer: (b).

Self-test 1: Synonyms [20]

Choose the word closest in meaning to the word in bold.

1. abate: (a) intensify (b) abandon (c) subside (d) debate
2. cogent: (a) convincing (b) confused (c) hidden (d) talkative
3. dearth: (a) death (b) surplus (c) wealth (d) shortage
4. ephemeral: (a) heavenly (b) short-lived (c) permanent (d) urgent
5. frugal: (a) fruitful (b) thrifty (c) wasteful (d) fragile
6. garrulous: (a) talkative (b) aggressive (c) gloomy (d) silent
7. impeccable: (a) guilty (b) impatient (c) cheap (d) flawless
8. laconic: (a) lazy (b) wordy (c) terse (d) lacking
9. meagre: (a) scanty (b) average (c) generous (d) meaningful
10. obdurate: (a) obedient (b) enduring (c) obstinate (d) outdated
11. paucity: (a) purity (b) plenty (c) pause (d) scarcity
12. querulous: (a) curious (b) peevish (c) questioning (d) quiet
13. rancour: (a) resentment (b) reward (c) rank (d) regret
14. sanguine: (a) sanitary (b) sad (c) optimistic (d) calm
15. tenuous: (a) tense (b) flimsy (c) tenfold (d) lasting
16. ubiquitous: (a) unique (b) ugly (c) rare (d) omnipresent
17. venerate: (a) revere (b) ventilate (c) vary (d) mock
18. wily: (a) weak (b) willing (c) crafty (d) wild
19. zenith: (a) lowest point (b) peak (c) direction (d) calm
20. exonerate: (a) exaggerate (b) exhaust (c) accuse (d) acquit

Answers: 1 (c) 2 (a) 3 (d) 4 (b) 5 (b) 6 (a) 7 (d) 8 (c) 9 (a) 10 (c) 11 (d) 12 (b) 13 (a) 14 (c) 15 (b) 16 (d) 17 (a) 18 (c) 19 (b) 20 (d). Traps: "questioning" in 12 is a look-alike; querulous comes from Latin queri, to complain, not from "query". "Sanitary" in 14 only looks like the word. Sanguine once also meant "blood-red", but in modern use and in exams it means optimistic.

Self-test 2: Antonyms [20]

Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in bold.

1. abundant: (a) plentiful (b) scarce (c) abrupt (d) wealthy
2. benevolent: (a) kind (b) beneficial (c) valiant (d) malevolent
3. candid: (a) evasive (b) sweet (c) brave (d) honest
4. deleterious: (a) harmful (b) delicious (c) beneficial (d) deliberate
5. eminent: (a) imminent (b) unknown (c) famous (d) evident
6. futile: (a) worthwhile (b) fertile (c) useless (d) futuristic
7. hinder: (a) obstruct (b) hide (c) delay (d) facilitate
8. impartial: (a) neutral (b) complete (c) partisan (d) fair
9. lucid: (a) clear (b) lucky (c) obscure (d) bright
10. mandatory: (a) optional (b) manual (c) compulsory (d) legal
11. novice: (a) beginner (b) expert (c) student (d) novelist
12. obsolete: (a) outdated (b) absolute (c) broken (d) current
13. placate: (a) appease (b) provoke (c) place (d) plead
14. prudent: (a) wise (b) proud (c) prudish (d) reckless
15. rudimentary: (a) advanced (b) rude (c) elementary (d) basic
16. serene: (a) tranquil (b) serious (c) turbulent (d) clear
17. stringent: (a) lax (b) strict (c) harsh (d) sharp
18. taciturn: (a) silent (b) talkative (c) tactful (d) tired
19. vigilant: (a) watchful (b) violent (c) vain (d) careless
20. zealous: (a) passionate (b) jealous (c) indifferent (d) zany

Answers: 1 (b) 2 (d) 3 (a) 4 (c) 5 (b) 6 (a) 7 (d) 8 (c) 9 (c) 10 (a) 11 (b) 12 (d) 13 (b) 14 (d) 15 (a) 16 (c) 17 (a) 18 (b) 19 (d) 20 (c). Trap: most items include a synonym among the options (e.g. "plentiful", "kind"). It is the opposite of what the question asks for.

Self-test 3: Fill the gap [20]

Fill each gap with one word from the box. Use each word once and change its form if needed (e.g. add -d or -ed).

acquiesce, adamant, alleviate, ambiguous, brevity, complacent, conducive, corroborate, disparity, eradicate, exacerbate, inevitable, jeopardise, lucrative, meticulous, pertinent, precarious, scrutinise, sporadic, tentative

1. Two independent witnesses were able to ______ the victim's statement.
2. Blocked drains will only ______ the flooding when the rains come.
3. The instructions were so ______ that half the class answered the wrong question.
4. A calm, well-lit room is ______ to concentration.
5. Include only facts that are ______ to the question.
6. After weeks of protest, the council finally ______ in the residents' demands.
7. The campaign aims to ______ illiteracy from the district within ten years.
8. The ______ between what men and women earn remains large.
9. Missing the deadline could ______ your whole application.
10. Perched on the edge of the eroded riverbank, the hut was in a ______ position.
11. With a strict word limit, ______ matters more than ornament.
12. The exam dates are ______ and may still change.
13. Cheap medicines can ______ the suffering of poor patients.
14. Having won three times, the champions became ______ and lost to a weaker side.
15. The accountant was ______ in checking every receipt.
16. Given rising fuel costs, a fare increase was ______.
17. Apart from a few ______ showers, the week will stay dry.
18. She was ______ that she would not withdraw her complaint.
19. Mobile phone repair has become a ______ trade in small towns.
20. The committee will ______ each proposal before funding it.

Answers: 1 corroborate 2 exacerbate 3 ambiguous 4 conducive 5 pertinent 6 acquiesced 7 eradicate 8 disparity 9 jeopardise 10 precarious 11 brevity 12 tentative 13 alleviate 14 complacent 15 meticulous 16 inevitable 17 sporadic 18 adamant 19 lucrative 20 scrutinise

Self-test 4: Synonym or antonym? [20]

Write S if the two words are synonyms and A if they are antonyms. Some pairs use words that are not in the tables, so think about the meaning rather than recalling a column.

1. austere – lavish
2. castigate – rebuke
3. exacerbate – aggravate
4. acrimonious – amicable
5. candid – forthright
6. lethargic – sprightly
7. bolster – undermine
8. nefarious – villainous
9. obscure – renowned
10. ephemeral – fleeting
11. enigmatic – transparent
12. innate – acquired
13. reticent – reserved
14. placate – pacify
15. meticulous – slapdash
16. volatile – unstable
17. gregarious – reclusive
18. wistful – yearning
19. parochial – cosmopolitan
20. spurious – genuine

Answers: 1 A 2 S 3 S 4 A 5 S 6 A 7 A 8 S 9 A 10 S 11 A 12 A 13 S 14 S 15 A 16 S 17 A 18 S 19 A 20 A

Self-test 5: Fill the gap: choose the correct word [20]

Fill each gap with the correct word from the brackets.

1. Heavy rain is (eminent / imminent), so the match may be called off.
2. Doctors tested the (efficacy / equanimity) of the new treatment.
3. A (tentative / tenacious) defender refused to give up the ball.
4. The notice was (implicit / explicit): "Write no more than 300 words."
5. The long siege (depleted / deplored) the town's food stocks.
6. Customs officers seized (illicit / elicit) drugs at the airport.
7. A (prolific / pervasive) author, he wrote forty books.
8. Heavy fines are meant to (deter / defer) reckless drivers.
9. The rules are so (stringent / stagnant) that few firms qualify.
10. An (eminent / imminent) historian wrote the foreword to the book.
11. His (callous / cogent) treatment of the injured dog shocked the neighbours.
12. Religious leaders (depleted / deplored) the attack on the market.
13. Their agreement is only (tentative / tenacious); nothing has been signed.
14. The (frugal / frivolous) family saved enough to buy a house.
15. Her silence carried an (implicit / explicit) criticism of the plan.
16. The hearing was (deterred / deferred) until next month.
17. The (diffident / dogmatic) boy blushed whenever he was asked to speak.
18. The smell of smoke was (pervasive / prolific) throughout the building.
19. Lawyers must (substantiate / squander) their claims with documents.
20. The (ingenious / ingenuous) engineer designed a pump that runs on sunlight.

Answers: 1 imminent 2 efficacy 3 tenacious 4 explicit 5 depleted 6 illicit 7 prolific 8 deter 9 stringent 10 eminent 11 callous 12 deplored 13 tentative 14 frugal 15 implicit 16 deferred 17 diffident 18 pervasive 19 substantiate 20 ingenious (ingenuous means innocent and too trusting, not clever).

Scoring guide: 17–20 in a test means the words are secure; 12–16 means revise the words you missed and retest in three days; below 12 means go back to the tables and use each word in two sentences of your own.

Pairs of words: use each pair in sentences [5]

Use each pair in two sentences of your own that show the difference in meaning. Each sentence must make the meaning clear from its context. Model answers follow, but any sentences that clearly show both meanings are correct.

1. credible / credulous
2. ingenious / ingenuous
3. illicit / elicit
4. deter / defer
5. deplete / deplore

Model answers:

1. The witness's account was credible because the CCTV footage matched it. / Credulous shoppers believed an advert that promised weight loss in a week.
2. An ingenious farmer built a drip-irrigation system from old plastic bottles. / The ingenuous newcomer gave his PIN to a caller who claimed to be from the bank.
3. Forest guards seized illicit timber cut from a protected area. / The teacher's question failed to elicit a single answer from the class.
4. Speed cameras deter drivers from racing on the motorway. / The university deferred the exams by two weeks because of the floods.
5. Overfishing has depleted fish stocks along the Makran coast. / Rights groups deplore the use of child labour in brick kilns.

Common mistakes

• Judging by sound or root. Querulous does not mean "questioning". Sanguine almost always means optimistic; its old sense of "blood-red" is rare and literary. Enervate means weaken, not energise. Learn the meaning itself; do not guess it from the look of the word.
• Picking the synonym in an antonym question. In MCQ-style tests such as the MPT, the options often include both. Underline the word opposite or similar in the question before you choose.
• Ignoring the part of speech. An adjective needs an adjective: the synonym of frugal is thrifty, not thrift.
• Choosing a related word instead of an opposite. The antonym of frugal is wasteful or extravagant, not poor. Being poor is about how much money you have, not how you spend it.
• Mixing up look-alikes: eminent/imminent, deter/defer, deplete/deplore, illicit/elicit, ingenious/ingenuous, credible/credulous, elusive/evasive.
• Wrong preposition: write conducive to, averse to, abstain from, contempt for. "Conducive for" and "abstain to" are errors.
• Mixed spelling. Choose one convention and keep to it. This list uses British forms such as rancour, sombre, meagre, sceptical, jeopardise and ostracise. Do not switch between British and American spellings in one answer.
• Showing off in essays and précis. A hard word used in the wrong sense costs more than a plain word used correctly. In a précis, brevity and clarity are the aim, not rare vocabulary.
• Learning lists without sentences. A word you have only seen in a list is easily forgotten. Write your own sentence for every word you get wrong in a self-test.