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Confusing Word

20 words from this day's editorials with Hindi meaning

Read the words first, then the editorial: you will meet them in the text and remember them. Tap a word for its dictionary page.

Predilection (noun)

A preference or special liking for something; a tendency to choose one thing over others. रुचि/झुकाव

Synonyms: Preference, Inclination, Fondness, Partiality

Antonyms: Aversion, Dislike, Indifference, Repugnance

Example: She has a predilection for classical music over pop songs.

Compendium (noun)

A collection of concise but detailed information about a subject. संग्रह

Synonyms: Collection, Anthology, Digest, Summary

Antonyms: Expansion, Elaboration, Dispersal, Fragmentation

Example: This book is a compendium of important laws and case studies.

Extort (verb)

Force someone to give money or something valuable by threatening or intimidating them. उगाही करना

Synonyms: Blackmail, Coerce, Extract, Wrest

Antonyms: Donate, Give, Grant, Offer

Example: The gang tried to extort money from local shopkeepers.

Insular (adjective)

Narrow-minded; not interested in ideas or cultures from outside one’s own group. संकीर्ण

Synonyms: Narrow-minded, Parochial, Isolated, Provincial

Antonyms: Open-minded, Cosmopolitan, Broad-minded, Worldly

Example: His insular attitude made it hard for him to accept new viewpoints.

Miscreant (noun)

A person who behaves badly or breaks the law. दुष्ट व्यक्ति

Synonyms: Villain, Rogue, Criminal, Wrongdoer

Antonyms: Law-abider, Virtuous person, Good citizen, Saint

Example: The police arrested the miscreant who was vandalizing the street lights.

Arraign (verb)

Call or bring (someone) before a court to answer a criminal charge; accuse formally. अदालत में आरोप लगाकर पेश करना

Synonyms: Indict, Accuse, Charge, Impeach

Antonyms: Acquit, Exonerate, Clear, Vindicate

Example: The suspect was arraigned in court on charges of fraud.

Arbiter (noun)

A person who has the power to judge or decide a dispute; an authority who settles disagreements. निर्णायक/मध्यस्थ

Synonyms: Judge, Umpire, Referee, Mediator

Antonyms: Participant, Contestant, Litigant, Rival

Example: The committee head acted as the arbiter in the disagreement between the two teams.

Curmudgeon (noun)

A bad-tempered, old-fashioned person who complains a lot. चिड़चिड़ा व्यक्ति

Synonyms: Grump, Grouch, Miser, Complainer

Antonyms: Cheerful person, Optimist, Amiable person, Pleasant person

Example: The curmudgeon next door grumbles about every little noise.

Disingenuous (adjective)

Not honest or sincere; pretending to be harmless or truthful while actually being deceptive. कपटपूर्ण

Synonyms: Insincere, Deceitful, Dishonest, Pretended

Antonyms: Sincere, Candid, Honest, Frank

Example: His disingenuous apology sounded polite, but he clearly did not mean it.

Incommensurate (adjective)

Not equal in size, degree, or value; not comparable. असमान

Synonyms: Disproportionate, Unequal, Incompatible, Mismatched

Antonyms: Proportionate, Equivalent, Comparable, Commensurate

Example: The punishment was incommensurate with the minor mistake.

Panache (noun)

Stylish confidence and flair. दमक

Synonyms: Flair, Swagger, Elegance, Style

Antonyms: Awkwardness, Shyness, Timidity, Plainness

Example: She delivered the speech with panache, winning the audience instantly.

Grandiose (adjective)

Overly large or impressive in appearance, often unrealistically so. भव्य

Synonyms: Pretentious, Magnificent, Pompous, Extravagant

Antonyms: Modest, Humble, Simple, Unassuming

Example: He made grandiose claims about his success, but had little proof to support them.

Frenzy (noun)

A state of wild excitement or uncontrolled activity. उन्माद

Synonyms: Hysteria, Mania, Agitation, Turmoil

Antonyms: Calmness, Composure, Tranquility, Serenity

Example: The crowd went into a frenzy when the final goal was scored.

Ossify (verb)

Become rigid or hard; to turn into bone-like hardness or become inflexible. अस्थिमय हो जाना

Synonyms: Harden, Solidify, Calcify, Rigidify

Antonyms: Soften, Loosen, Melt, Flex

Example: Over time, the flexible policy began to ossify into rigid rules.

Bastion (noun)

A stronghold or a place that strongly defends or supports a belief, system, or cause. गढ़

Synonyms: Stronghold, Fortress, Citadel, Bulwark

Antonyms: Weakness, Vulnerability, Exposure, Fragility

Example: The university became a bastion of free thought and debate.

Tautology (noun)

Unnecessary repetition of the same idea in different words. अनावश्यक पुनरुक्ति

Synonyms: Redundancy, Repetition, Pleonasm, Verbosity

Antonyms: Brevity, Conciseness, Succinctness, Economy

Example: Saying free gift is a tautology because a gift is already free.

Expatriate (noun)

A person who lives outside their native country. प्रवासी

Synonyms: Emigrant, Exile, Immigrant, Foreigner

Antonyms: Native, Resident, Local, Citizen

Example: As an expatriate, he missed his hometown traditions during festivals.

Crescendo (noun)

A gradual increase in loudness, intensity, or strength. चरमोत्कर्ष

Synonyms: Climax, Peak, Build-up, Intensification

Antonyms: Decline, Decrease, Diminution, Fade

Example: The music rose to a crescendo that filled the entire hall.

Sequester (verb)

To isolate or keep apart; sometimes to take possession of something officially. अलग-थलग करना

Synonyms: Isolate, Segregate, Seclude, Impound

Antonyms: Release, Integrate, Unite, Return

Example: The judge ordered the jury to be sequestered during the trial.

Cadence (noun)

A rhythmic flow or sequence of sounds or movements. लय

Synonyms: Rhythm, Beat, Tempo, Flow

Antonyms: Discord, Irregularity, Disruption, Arrhythmia

Example: The cadence of his speech made the message more powerful and memorable.

The editorial

Source: Confusing Word · 23 Jan 2026

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Quick quiz: 5 questions on these words

Synonyms and antonyms, the way exams ask them. Answers show as you tap.

1. Synonym of Cadence

2. Antonym of Frenzy

3. Synonym of Insular

4. Antonym of Predilection

5. Synonym of Miscreant

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