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SSC CGL vocabulary bank

The idioms, one-word substitutions, synonyms, antonyms and spellings that SSC keeps repeating, each with a one-line meaning. Search the lists, or switch to flashcards and mark what you know. Progress stays on this device.

Idioms & phrases (190)

Asked as “choose the meaning of the idiom” in every Tier 1 English section — usually 1-2 questions.

A
Above board
Honest and open; nothing hidden
The tender process was completely above board.
Achilles' heel
A weak or vulnerable point
Poor fielding has been the team’s Achilles’ heel.
Add fuel to the fire
Make a bad situation worse
His rude reply only added fuel to the fire.
All at sea
Completely confused
I was all at sea with the new software.
Apple of one's eye
A person who is very dear
The youngest son is the apple of his mother’s eye.
Apple-pie order
Perfect order
She keeps her files in apple-pie order.
At a stone's throw
Very near
The station is at a stone’s throw from our house.
At daggers drawn
Bitterly hostile to each other
The two brothers have been at daggers drawn over the property.
At one's wit's end
Completely puzzled; not knowing what to do
With the bills piling up, he was at his wit’s end.
At sixes and sevens
In total confusion or disorder
After the party the house was at sixes and sevens.
At the drop of a hat
Immediately, without hesitation
He will help you at the drop of a hat.
At the eleventh hour
At the last possible moment
The match was cancelled at the eleventh hour.
B
Back to the wall
In a desperate situation with no escape
With his back to the wall, he fought hard.
Bad blood
Ill feeling or hatred between people
There is bad blood between the two families.
Bag and baggage
With all one’s belongings
The tenant left bag and baggage.
Beat about the bush
Avoid coming to the point
Stop beating about the bush and tell me what happened.
Bell the cat
Undertake a dangerous task for the common good
Everyone complained, but no one would bell the cat.
Beside the point
Irrelevant
Whether he is rich is beside the point.
Between the devil and the deep sea
Caught between two equally dangerous choices
A bird's eye view
A general view from above; an overall picture
The tower gives a bird’s eye view of the city.
Bite the dust
Be defeated or killed
Three top seeds bit the dust in the first round.
A black sheep
A member who brings disgrace to a family or group
Every family has a black sheep.
A blessing in disguise
Something that seems bad but turns out to be good
Missing that train was a blessing in disguise.
Blow hot and cold
Keep changing one’s opinion; vacillate
He keeps blowing hot and cold about the job offer.
Blow one's own trumpet
Boast about oneself
He never misses a chance to blow his own trumpet.
Blue blood
Aristocratic or noble birth
Blue-eyed boy
A favourite person (of someone in authority)
He is the boss’s blue-eyed boy.
A bolt from the blue
A sudden and unexpected event
His resignation came as a bolt from the blue.
A bone of contention
The subject of a dispute
The river water is a bone of contention between the two states.
Break the ice
Ease tension; start a conversation
A joke helped break the ice at the meeting.
Bring to book
Punish; make someone answer for wrongdoing
The culprits will be brought to book.
Bring up
Raise (a child); mention (a topic)
She was brought up by her grandparents.
Build castles in the air
Daydream; make impractical plans
Instead of working, he builds castles in the air.
Burn one's boats
Take an irreversible step; leave no way to retreat
Burn the candle at both ends
Overwork oneself and exhaust one’s energy
Burn the midnight oil
Work or study late into the night
Before the exam she burnt the midnight oil.
Bury the hatchet
Make peace; end a quarrel
After years of rivalry, they buried the hatchet.
By hook or by crook
By any means, fair or foul
He wants the contract by hook or by crook.
By leaps and bounds
Very rapidly
Her English improved by leaps and bounds.
C
Call a spade a spade
Speak plainly and frankly
He calls a spade a spade, even to his seniors.
Call off
Cancel
The strike was called off.
Carry out
Perform; execute (a task or order)
The orders were carried out at once.
Carry the day
Win; be victorious
The home team carried the day.
Cast pearls before swine
Offer something valuable to those who cannot appreciate it
Cat and dog life
A life full of quarrels
The couple lead a cat and dog life.
A cat's paw
A person used as a tool by another
The clerk was only a cat’s paw in the fraud.
Chew the cud
Think deeply about something; ponder
A close shave
A narrow escape
The bus nearly hit him — it was a close shave.
A cock and bull story
An absurd, unbelievable story
Nobody believed his cock and bull story about the lost homework.
Cold feet
Loss of nerve just before an undertaking
He got cold feet before the interview.
Cool one's heels
Be kept waiting
We cooled our heels in the lobby for an hour.
Crocodile tears
False, insincere sorrow
The minister shed crocodile tears over the flood victims.
Cry over spilt milk
Regret what cannot be undone
The exam is over; there is no use crying over spilt milk.
Cut a sorry figure
Make a poor impression
Unprepared, he cut a sorry figure in the debate.
Cut corners
Do something cheaply or carelessly to save time or money
Cut no ice
Have no effect or influence
His excuses cut no ice with the teacher.
Cut the Gordian knot
Solve a difficult problem by a bold, direct action
D
A dark horse
A little-known competitor who does unexpectedly well
The newcomer proved to be a dark horse in the election.
Die in harness
Die while still working
Dog in the manger
Someone who stops others from using what he cannot use himself
Down in the dumps
Depressed; in low spirits
She has been down in the dumps since her pet died.
Draw the line
Set a limit beyond which one will not go
I help my friends, but I draw the line at lying.
A drop in the ocean
A very small amount compared with what is needed
The donation was a drop in the ocean.
E
Eat humble pie
Apologise humbly; admit one’s mistake
Proved wrong, he had to eat humble pie.
End in smoke
Come to nothing
All his grand plans ended in smoke.
F
Face the music
Face the consequences of one’s actions
He was caught cheating and had to face the music.
A far cry
Very different from; a long way from
This flat is a far cry from our old house.
A feather in one's cap
An achievement to be proud of
Winning the gold medal was a feather in her cap.
Feather one's nest
Enrich oneself, often dishonestly
The official feathered his nest while in office.
Fish in troubled waters
Take advantage of a confused situation
A fish out of water
Someone uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings
At the formal dinner he felt like a fish out of water.
Fly off the handle
Lose one’s temper suddenly
He flies off the handle at the slightest criticism.
French leave
Absence without permission
He took French leave and went to the match.
From hand to mouth
With just enough to survive
After losing his job, he lived from hand to mouth.
G
Get into hot water
Get into trouble
He got into hot water for missing the deadline.
Gift of the gab
The talent of speaking fluently and persuasively
A salesman needs the gift of the gab.
Give the cold shoulder
Treat someone with deliberate coldness
After the argument, she gave him the cold shoulder.
Give up
Stop doing; abandon
He gave up smoking last year.
Go to the dogs
Deteriorate; be ruined
The business went to the dogs under the new owner.
Grease the palm
Bribe
He tried to grease the clerk’s palm to speed up the file.
Greenhorn
An inexperienced person
H
Hand in glove
In close (often secret) partnership
The thieves were hand in glove with the guard.
Hang by a thread
Be in a very precarious state
The patient’s life hung by a thread.
Hang fire
Be delayed; remain undecided
The project has been hanging fire for months.
A hard nut to crack
A difficult problem or person to deal with
The new manager is a hard nut to crack.
Harp on the same string
Keep talking about the same subject
A Herculean task
A task needing enormous effort
Cleaning the river is a Herculean task.
Hit below the belt
Act unfairly
Mentioning his illness in the debate was hitting below the belt.
Hit the nail on the head
Say or do exactly the right thing
You hit the nail on the head with that analysis.
Hobson's choice
No real choice: take what is offered or nothing
Hold water
(Of an argument) be sound or valid
His alibi does not hold water.
Hue and cry
A loud public protest
The fare hike raised a hue and cry.
I
In a nutshell
In brief
In a nutshell, the plan failed.
In black and white
In writing
Get the promise in black and white.
In cold blood
Deliberately and cruelly
The prisoners were shot in cold blood.
In the doldrums
In low spirits; inactive or stagnant
The market has been in the doldrums all year.
In the long run
Eventually; over a long period
Honesty pays in the long run.
In the teeth of
In spite of; in direct opposition to
The bill was passed in the teeth of opposition.
Ins and outs
All the details
She knows the ins and outs of the tax system.
J
Jack of all trades
Someone who can do many kinds of work (but masters none)
K
Keep at arm's length
Avoid close contact with
She keeps flatterers at arm’s length.
Keep one's fingers crossed
Hope for a good outcome
Keep your fingers crossed for my result.
Keep the wolf from the door
Earn just enough to avoid hunger
Kill two birds with one stone
Achieve two aims with one action
By cycling to work I kill two birds with one stone — exercise and savings.
Kith and kin
Friends and relatives
All his kith and kin attended the wedding.
L
A laughing stock
An object of ridicule
His silly speech made him a laughing stock.
Leave in the lurch
Desert someone in difficulty
His partner left him in the lurch.
Leave no stone unturned
Make every possible effort
The police left no stone unturned to find the child.
Let the cat out of the bag
Reveal a secret carelessly
She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Lion's share
The largest part
The elder son got the lion’s share of the property.
Lock, stock and barrel
Completely; including everything
He sold the business lock, stock and barrel.
Look a gift horse in the mouth
Find fault with a gift
Look after
Take care of
Who will look after the children?
Look down upon
Regard as inferior; despise
Never look down upon the poor.
Lose face
Be humiliated; lose respect
M
Make a clean breast of
Confess fully
He made a clean breast of his crime.
Make a mountain of a molehill
Exaggerate a minor problem
It is a small scratch — don’t make a mountain of a molehill.
Make both ends meet
Live within one’s income
With prices rising, it is hard to make both ends meet.
Make hay while the sun shines
Make the most of a favourable opportunity
Man in the street
An ordinary person
The man in the street cares about prices, not policy jargon.
A man of letters
A scholar; a literary person
A man of straw
A person of no substance or weak character
Midas touch
The ability to make money from everything one does
Moot point
A debatable question
Whether the rule applies here is a moot point.
N
Neck and neck
Level with each other in a race or contest
The two runners were neck and neck at the finish.
Nine days' wonder
A short-lived sensation
Nip in the bud
Stop something at an early stage
The rebellion was nipped in the bud.
Null and void
Having no legal force
The contract was declared null and void.
O
Of no avail
Useless; without effect
All our efforts were of no avail.
On the horns of a dilemma
Facing two equally unpleasant choices
Once in a blue moon
Very rarely
He visits us once in a blue moon.
Out of the woods
Out of danger or difficulty
The patient is not out of the woods yet.
Over head and ears
Completely (e.g., in debt or in love)
He is over head and ears in debt.
P
Pay through the nose
Pay an excessive price
We paid through the nose for last-minute tickets.
Penny wise, pound foolish
Careful about small sums but wasteful with large ones
Pie in the sky
An unrealistic hope
Play second fiddle
Take a subordinate role
He refused to play second fiddle to his junior.
Pour oil on troubled waters
Calm a quarrel
The teacher poured oil on troubled waters between the boys.
Pull one's leg
Tease someone playfully
Don’t worry, I was only pulling your leg.
Pull strings
Use one’s influence secretly
He pulled strings to get the transfer.
Put a spoke in one's wheel
Obstruct someone’s plans
Put off
Postpone
The meeting has been put off till Monday.
Put the cart before the horse
Do things in the wrong order
Put up with
Tolerate
I cannot put up with his rudeness.
Q
Queer fish
A strange, eccentric person
R
Rain cats and dogs
Rain very heavily
It rained cats and dogs all night.
Rank and file
The ordinary members of a group
The rank and file of the party opposed the move.
Read between the lines
Understand the hidden meaning
Read between the lines — he is unhappy with the plan.
Red tape
Excessive official formality; bureaucratic delay
The file was stuck in red tape for months.
A red-letter day
A memorable, important day
The day she joined the IAS was a red-letter day for the family.
Ride roughshod over
Treat harshly, ignoring others’ feelings or rights
Rub salt into the wound
Make a painful situation worse
Run out of
Use up the supply of
We ran out of petrol on the highway.
S
Salt of the earth
A very good, honest person
Our village teacher was the salt of the earth.
See eye to eye
Agree fully
The partners don’t see eye to eye on expansion.
Show the white feather
Show cowardice
A slip of the tongue
An unintended mistake while speaking
Calling him by the wrong name was just a slip of the tongue.
Smell a rat
Suspect something is wrong
When the price was too low, I smelt a rat.
A snake in the grass
A hidden enemy; a treacherous person
Sow one's wild oats
Indulge in youthful follies
Spill the beans
Reveal a secret
Who spilled the beans about the exam paper?
Steal a march on
Gain an advantage by acting first
The rival firm stole a march on us by launching early.
A storm in a teacup
A great fuss over a trivial matter
The quarrel was a storm in a teacup.
Swan song
The last work or performance of a person
The final concert was the singer’s swan song.
T
Take the bull by the horns
Face a difficulty boldly
She took the bull by the horns and confronted her boss.
Take to one's heels
Run away
Seeing the police, the thief took to his heels.
Take with a pinch of salt
Accept with doubt
Take his stories with a pinch of salt.
Tall talk
Boastful talk
To the backbone
Thoroughly; completely
He is honest to the backbone.
A thorn in the flesh
A constant source of annoyance
The noisy neighbour is a thorn in my flesh.
Through thick and thin
In all circumstances, good or bad
She stood by him through thick and thin.
Throw cold water on
Discourage (a plan or idea)
The boss threw cold water on our proposal.
Throw in the towel
Admit defeat
Toe the line
Obey the rules
New members are expected to toe the line.
Tooth and nail
With all one’s strength
The villagers fought tooth and nail against the eviction.
Turn a deaf ear
Refuse to listen
He turned a deaf ear to our advice.
Turn down
Reject; refuse
She turned down the job offer.
Turn over a new leaf
Change one’s behaviour for the better
After the warning, he turned over a new leaf.
Turn the tables
Reverse the situation to gain the advantage
A late goal turned the tables on the visitors.
U
Under a cloud
Under suspicion
The officer retired under a cloud.
Under the weather
Slightly unwell
I am feeling a bit under the weather today.
Up to the mark
Of the required standard
His work is not up to the mark.
Ups and downs
Good and bad times
Every business has its ups and downs.
W
Wash one's dirty linen in public
Discuss private quarrels in public
Wear one's heart on one's sleeve
Show one’s feelings openly
A wet blanket
A person who spoils others’ enjoyment
A white elephant
A costly possession that is useless and expensive to maintain
The unused stadium has become a white elephant.
A wild goose chase
A hopeless, futile search
Looking for the ring on the beach was a wild goose chase.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
An enemy who pretends to be a friend
Y
Yeoman's service
Excellent and useful service
The volunteers did yeoman’s service during the floods.

One-word substitution (243)

SSC gives the description and asks for the word. Learn the families: -cide, -cracy, -logy, -phobia, -gamy.

A
Abattoir
A place where animals are slaughtered for food
Acrophobia
Fear of heights
Affidavit
A written statement made on oath
Agnostic
One who believes that God’s existence cannot be known
Agoraphobia
Fear of open or crowded public places
Alibi
A plea that one was elsewhere when a crime was committed
Alimony
Allowance paid to a spouse after divorce or separation
Altruist
One who selflessly cares for the welfare of others
Amateur
One who pursues an activity as a hobby, not as a profession
Ambidextrous
Able to use both hands equally well
Ambiguous
Having more than one possible meaning
Ambivalent
Having mixed or contradictory feelings
Amnesia
Loss of memory
Amnesty
A general pardon, especially for political offences
Amphibian
An animal that can live both on land and in water
Anachronism
Something placed in the wrong historical period
Anarchy
Absence of government; lawlessness
Anonymous
Of unknown name or authorship
Anthology
A collection of poems or other writings
Anthropology
Study of mankind, its origin and cultures
Antidote
A medicine that counteracts a poison
Apathy
Lack of interest or feeling
Apiary
A place where bees are kept
Apiculture
Rearing of bees
Arbitrator
A person appointed to settle a dispute
Archives
A place where public records are kept
Aristocracy
Government by nobles
Armistice
An agreement between warring sides to stop fighting
Arsenal
A place for storing weapons and ammunition
Ascetic
One who practises severe self-denial and avoids pleasures
Astronomy
Scientific study of stars, planets and other heavenly bodies
Atheist
One who does not believe in God
Audible
That can be heard
Autobiography
The life story of a person written by himself
Autocracy
Government by one person with absolute power
Autograph
A person’s own signature
Autopsy
Examination of a dead body to find the cause of death
Aviary
A place where birds are kept
B
Bibliophile
A lover or collector of books
Biennial
Happening once every two years
Bigamy
Marrying one person while still married to another
Bilateral
Involving two parties or sides
Biography
The life story of a person written by someone else
Biped
An animal with two feet
Bureaucracy
Government by officials
C
Calligraphy
The art of beautiful handwriting
Cannibal
One who eats the flesh of his own species
Carcass
The dead body of an animal
Carnivorous
Flesh-eating
Cartographer
One who draws or makes maps
Cavalry
Soldiers who fight on horseback
Celibacy
Abstaining from marriage
Cemetery
A place where the dead are buried
Centenarian
A person who is a hundred years old or more
Centenary
The hundredth anniversary
Charlatan
One who falsely claims special knowledge or skill
Chiropodist
One who treats ailments of the feet
Claustrophobia
Fear of closed spaces
Cobbler
One who mends shoes
Connoisseur
An expert judge in matters of taste, such as art or food
Contagious
(Of a disease) spreading by contact
Contemporary
Belonging to the same period of time
Contraband
Goods imported or exported illegally
Convent
A residence of nuns
Cosmopolitan
One who is at home in all countries; free from national prejudice
Credulous
Ready to believe anything
Crematorium
A place where dead bodies are burnt
Cynic
One who believes people act only out of self-interest
D
Democracy
Government by the people
Dilettante
One who dabbles in an art or subject without serious study
Diurnal
Active during the day
Dormitory
A large sleeping room with many beds
E
Edible
Fit to be eaten
Egotist
One who talks too much about himself
Elegy
A poem of mourning for the dead
Eligible
Fit or qualified to be chosen
Emigrant
One who leaves his own country to settle in another
Endemic
(Of a disease) regularly found in a particular area
Entomology
Study of insects
Ephemeral
Lasting a very short time
Epicure
One who is fond of refined food and drink
Epidemic
A disease spreading widely in a community at the same time
Epilogue
A concluding section of a play or book
Epitaph
Words inscribed on a tomb
Equinox
The time when day and night are of equal length
Etymology
Study of the origin and history of words
Euphemism
A mild word used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one
Euthanasia
Painless killing of a patient with an incurable disease; mercy killing
Extempore
Spoken or done without preparation
F
Fanatic
One filled with excessive, unreasoning zeal for a belief
Fatalist
One who believes that all events are decided by fate
Feasible
That can be done; practicable
Fortnight
A period of fourteen days
Fratricide
Killing of one’s brother
G
Garrulous
Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
Genocide
Deliberate killing of a whole race or group
Gerontocracy
Government by old people
Glossary
A list of difficult words with meanings, usually at the end of a book
Glutton
One who eats too much
Granary
A storehouse for grain
Gregarious
Fond of company
H
Hangar
A shelter for housing aircraft
Hedonist
One who believes pleasure is the chief aim of life
Herbivorous
Plant-eating
Heretic
One who holds beliefs opposed to accepted religious doctrine
Homicide
Killing of a human being
Honorary
Holding a post without pay
Horticulture
Art of cultivating gardens (fruits, vegetables, flowers)
Hydrophobia
Fear of water (a symptom of rabies)
Hypochondriac
One who constantly worries about imaginary illnesses
I
Iconoclast
One who attacks cherished beliefs or traditions
Illegible
That cannot be read (handwriting)
Illiterate
Unable to read or write
Immigrant
One who comes into a foreign country to settle there
Impeccable
Free from fault; flawless
Impostor
One who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive
Impregnable
That cannot be captured by attack
Incognito
With one’s identity concealed
Incorrigible
That cannot be corrected or reformed
Indefatigable
Never getting tired
Indelible
That cannot be erased or removed
Inevitable
That cannot be avoided
Inexorable
That cannot be stopped or changed by persuasion
Infallible
Incapable of making mistakes
Infanticide
Killing of an infant
Infantry
Soldiers who fight on foot
Infirmary
A place for the care of the sick, especially in an institution
Inflammable
Easily set on fire
Insectivorous
Insect-eating
Insolvent
Unable to pay one’s debts
Insomnia
Inability to sleep
Invincible
That cannot be conquered
Irreparable
That cannot be repaired
Irrevocable
That cannot be revoked or changed
K
Kennel
A shelter for dogs
Kleptocracy
Government by thieves or corrupt rulers
L
Laconic
Using very few words
Lapidary
One who cuts and polishes precious stones
Loquacious
Very talkative
M
Manuscript
A handwritten book or document
Martyr
One who dies or suffers for a cause
Matricide
Killing of one’s mother
Mausoleum
A large, magnificent tomb
Mediocre
Of ordinary, average quality
Menagerie
A collection of wild animals kept for exhibition
Mercenary
One who works only for money, especially a hired soldier
Mint
A place where coins are made
Misanthrope
One who hates mankind
Misogamist
One who hates marriage
Misogynist
One who hates women
Monarchy
Rule by a king or queen
Monastery
A residence of monks
Monogamy
Practice of having only one spouse at a time
Monologue
A long speech by one person
Mortuary
A place where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation
Mutiny
A revolt by soldiers or sailors against their officers
N
Nepotism
Favouring one’s relatives in appointments
Nocturnal
Active at night
Nomad
One who wanders from place to place with no fixed home
Nonagenarian
A person in his or her nineties
Nostalgia
A longing for the past
Novice
A beginner in some activity
Numismatist
One who studies or collects coins
Nyctophobia
Fear of darkness
O
Oasis
A fertile spot in a desert with water
Obituary
A notice of a person’s death, often with a short biography
Observatory
A place for observing stars and planets
Obsolete
No longer in use
Octogenarian
A person in his or her eighties
Oligarchy
Government by a few people
Omnipotent
All-powerful
Omnipresent
Present everywhere
Omniscient
All-knowing
Omnivorous
Eating both plants and animals
Ophthalmologist
A doctor who specialises in eye diseases
Optimist
One who looks at the bright side of things
Orchard
A garden of fruit trees
Ornithology
Study of birds
P
Paediatrician
A doctor who specialises in children’s diseases
Palaeontology
Study of fossils and ancient life
Panacea
A remedy for all diseases or problems
Pandemic
A disease spread over a whole country or the world
Panorama
A wide, unbroken view of a whole region
Parody
An imitation of a work written for humour
Pathology
Study of diseases
Patricide
Killing of one’s father
Pedant
One who makes a needless show of learning
Pedestrian
One who travels on foot
Perennial
Lasting throughout the year or for a very long time
Pessimist
One who looks at the dark side of things
Philanthropist
One who loves mankind and gives generously to help others
Philatelist
One who collects postage stamps
Philistine
One who is indifferent or hostile to art and culture
Pilgrim
One who travels to a holy place
Pisciculture
Rearing of fish
Plagiarism
Copying another’s work and passing it off as one’s own
Plutocracy
Government by the wealthy
Polyandry
Practice of a woman having more than one husband at a time
Polygamy
Practice of having more than one spouse at a time
Polyglot
One who speaks many languages
Polygyny
Practice of a man having more than one wife at a time
Posterity
All future generations
Posthumous
Occurring after death (e.g., a book published after the author died)
Potable
Fit for drinking
Prologue
An introductory section of a play or poem
Pseudonym
A fictitious name used by a writer
Pugilist
One who fights with fists; a boxer
Q
Quack
One who falsely claims medical knowledge
Quadruped
An animal with four feet
R
Recluse
One who lives alone, away from society
Refugee
One who flees to another country for safety
Regicide
Killing of a king
S
Sanatorium
A place for the treatment and recovery of long-term patients
Sceptic
One who doubts accepted opinions or claims
Sedition
Speech or action inciting rebellion against the state
Seismology
Study of earthquakes
Sericulture
Rearing of silkworms
Sinecure
A paid job with little or no work
Soliloquy
Speaking one’s thoughts aloud when alone, especially in a play
Somnambulist
One who walks in his sleep
Somniloquist
One who talks in his sleep
Sororicide
Killing of one’s sister
Stable
A shelter for horses
Stoic
One who is indifferent to pleasure and pain
T
Taciturn
Habitually silent; reserved in speech
Tangible
That can be touched
Taxidermist
One who stuffs the skins of dead animals to make them look lifelike
Teetotaller
One who never drinks alcohol
Theocracy
Government by religious leaders
Thesaurus
A book of synonyms and related words
Traitor
One who betrays his country or friends
Treason
Betrayal of one’s country
U
Unanimous
With everyone in agreement
Unilateral
Done by one side only
Utopia
An imaginary place or state of perfection
Uxoricide
Killing of one’s wife
V
Ventriloquist
One who speaks so that the voice seems to come from elsewhere
Verbatim
Word for word
Verbose
Using more words than needed
Veteran
One with long experience in a field
Viticulture
Cultivation of grapes
W
Wardrobe
A cupboard for keeping clothes
X
Xenophobia
Fear or hatred of foreigners

Synonyms (151)

Each headword with 2-3 synonyms that show up as options. The rarer the headword, the likelier SSC repeats it.

A
Abandon
Leave completely
desertforsakerelinquish
Abate
Become less intense
subsidediminishlessen
Abhor
Hate intensely
detestloathedespise
Abject
Extremely bad or hopeless
wretchedmiserablepitiful
Abstain
Keep oneself from doing something
refrainforgodesist
Abundant
Existing in large quantity
plentifulamplecopious
Accord
Agreement
agreementharmonyconcord
Acumen
Ability to make good judgements
shrewdnessinsightsharpness
Adamant
Refusing to change one’s mind
unyieldingobstinateinflexible
Adversity
A difficult or unpleasant situation
misfortunehardshipcalamity
Affluent
Having plenty of money
wealthyrichprosperous
Aggravate
Make a problem worse
worsenintensifyexacerbate
Alacrity
Brisk and cheerful readiness
eagernessreadinesspromptness
Allay
Reduce fear or suspicion
calmsoothealleviate
Ambiguous
Open to more than one meaning
vagueequivocalunclear
Ameliorate
Make something better
improvebetteramend
Amiable
Having a friendly manner
friendlypleasantgenial
Animosity
Strong dislike or ill will
hostilityenmityantagonism
Apathy
Lack of interest or enthusiasm
indifferenceunconcernlethargy
Arduous
Needing great effort
difficultstrenuouslaborious
Audacious
Willing to take bold risks
bolddaringfearless
Austere
Strict in manner; simple and without luxury
severesternplain
B
Banal
Lacking originality
commonplacetritehackneyed
Benevolent
Well-meaning and kindly
kindcharitablegenerous
Brevity
Use of few words; shortness
concisenessbriefnessterseness
Brittle
Hard but easily broken
fragilebreakabledelicate
Brusque
Rudely short in manner
curtbluntabrupt
C
Callous
Showing cruel disregard for others
heartlessinsensitiveunfeeling
Candid
Truthful and straightforward
frankopenoutspoken
Capricious
Given to sudden changes of mood
ficklewhimsicalerratic
Castigate
Criticise severely
reprimandrebukechastise
Celestial
Of the sky or heaven
heavenlydivineethereal
Clandestine
Kept secret, often because illicit
secretcovertsurreptitious
Cogent
(Of an argument) clear and logical
convincingcompellingpersuasive
Commodious
Having plenty of space
spaciousroomycapacious
Complacent
Uncritically satisfied with oneself
self-satisfiedsmugcontented
Conceal
Keep from sight or knowledge
hidecoverdisguise
Concise
Giving much information in few words
briefsuccinctterse
Consolidate
Make stronger or more solid
strengthenreinforceunite
Contempt
The feeling that something is worthless
scorndisdainderision
Credulous
Too ready to believe things
gulliblenaivetrusting
Cursory
Done quickly without attention to detail
hastysuperficialperfunctory
D
Dearth
A scarcity of something
scarcityshortagelack
Debacle
A sudden and humiliating failure
fiascocollapsedisaster
Decorum
Proper and polite behaviour
proprietyetiquettedignity
Deplete
Reduce the quantity of
exhaustdrainuse up
Deride
Express contempt for
mockridiculescoff
Diligent
Showing care and effort in work
industrioushardworkingassiduous
Discern
Recognise or notice
perceivedistinguishdetect
Dismal
Causing gloom; depressing
gloomydrearycheerless
Docile
Easily managed or controlled
obedientsubmissivetractable
E
Eccentric
Unconventional and slightly strange
oddpeculiarquirky
Emancipate
Set free from restriction
liberatefreerelease
Eminent
Respected and well known
distinguishedrenownedfamous
Enigma
Something hard to understand
mysterypuzzleriddle
Enormous
Very large
hugeimmensevast
Ephemeral
Lasting a very short time
transientfleetingmomentary
Eradicate
Destroy completely
eliminateuprootexterminate
Erudite
Having great knowledge
learnedscholarlyknowledgeable
Exonerate
Declare free from blame
acquitabsolveclear
Exorbitant
(Of a price) unreasonably high
excessiveextravagantsteep
F
Fallacy
A mistaken belief
misconceptionerrordelusion
Fastidious
Very attentive to detail; hard to please
fussymeticulousfinicky
Feeble
Lacking strength
weakfrailinfirm
Feign
Pretend to be affected by
pretendfakesimulate
Ferocious
Savagely fierce
fiercesavageviolent
Fortitude
Courage in pain or adversity
courageenduranceresilience
Frugal
Careful in spending
thriftyeconomicalsparing
Futile
Incapable of producing a result
uselessvainfruitless
G
Garrulous
Excessively talkative
talkativeloquaciouschatty
Gratify
Give pleasure to
pleasesatisfydelight
Gregarious
Fond of company
sociableoutgoingcompanionable
H
Hamper
Hold back progress
hinderobstructimpede
Haughty
Arrogantly superior
arrogantprouddisdainful
Hilarious
Extremely amusing
funnycomicaluproarious
Hostile
Showing opposition or dislike
unfriendlyantagonisticbelligerent
I
Imminent
About to happen
impendingapproachingforthcoming
Impeccable
Without fault
flawlessfaultlessperfect
Impetuous
Acting without thought
rashimpulsivehasty
Incessant
Continuing without pause
ceaselessconstantunending
Incite
Encourage violent or unlawful behaviour
provokeinstigatestir up
Indolent
Avoiding activity or effort
lazyidleslothful
Inept
Lacking skill
incompetentclumsyunskilled
Innate
Present from birth
inborninherentnatural
Insolent
Showing a rude lack of respect
rudeimpudentdisrespectful
J
Jeopardy
Danger of loss or harm
dangerperilrisk
Jubilant
Feeling great happiness
joyfulexultanttriumphant
L
Laudable
Deserving praise
praiseworthycommendableadmirable
Lethargic
Lacking energy
sluggishinactivedrowsy
Lucid
Easy to understand
clearintelligibletransparent
Lucrative
Producing much profit
profitablegainfulremunerative
M
Magnanimous
Generous, especially to a rival
generousnoblebig-hearted
Malevolent
Wishing harm to others
maliciousspitefulevil
Meticulous
Showing great attention to detail
carefulprecisepainstaking
Mitigate
Make less severe
alleviateeaselessen
Morose
Bad-tempered and silent
sullengloomysulky
Mundane
Dull; lacking interest
ordinaryroutinecommonplace
Myriad
A very great number
countlessinnumerablemultitudinous
N
Nefarious
(Of an act) wicked or criminal
wickedvillainousevil
Negligent
Failing to take proper care
carelessneglectfulremiss
Novice
A person new to an activity
beginnerlearnertyro
O
Obliterate
Destroy utterly
destroyerasewipe out
Obsolete
No longer in use
outdatedoutmodedarchaic
Obstinate
Refusing to change one’s opinion
stubbornheadstrongobdurate
Opulent
Rich and luxurious
luxuriouslavishsumptuous
Ostentatious
Designed to impress others
showypretentiousflamboyant
Ostracise
Shut out from a group
excludebanishboycott
P
Pacify
Quell anger or agitation
calmappeaseplacate
Paucity
The presence of something in small quantity
scarcitydearthshortage
Perilous
Full of danger
dangeroushazardousrisky
Placid
Not easily upset
calmtranquilserene
Plausible
Seeming reasonable or probable
crediblebelievablereasonable
Ponder
Think about carefully
considercontemplatereflect
Pragmatic
Dealing with things sensibly
practicalrealisticsensible
Prudent
Acting with care for the future
wisecautiousjudicious
Q
Quell
Put an end to, usually by force
suppresssubduecrush
R
Rancour
Long-lasting bitterness
bitternessresentmentspite
Rebuke
Express sharp disapproval
reprimandreproachscold
Rectify
Put right
correctamendremedy
Reluctant
Unwilling and hesitant
unwillinghesitantloath
Remorse
Deep regret for a wrong
regretrepentancecontrition
Renowned
Known and admired by many
famouscelebratedeminent
Reticent
Not revealing one’s thoughts readily
reservedtaciturnuncommunicative
Rudimentary
Involving only basic principles
basicelementaryfundamental
S
Sagacious
Having keen judgement
wiseshrewdjudicious
Scanty
Small or insufficient in amount
meagreinsufficientsparse
Scrutinise
Examine closely
examineinspectstudy
Shrewd
Having sharp practical judgement
astutecleversharp
Sombre
Dark or serious in mood
gloomydarkgrave
Spurious
Not genuine
fakecounterfeitfalse
Squander
Waste in a foolish way
wastedissipatefritter away
Stringent
(Of rules) strict and precise
strictrigoroussevere
Superficial
Existing only on the surface
shallowsurface-levelcursory
Sycophant
One who flatters to gain advantage
flatterertoadybootlicker
T
Tacit
Understood without being stated
impliedunspokenunderstood
Tedious
Too long and dull
boringmonotonoustiresome
Timid
Lacking courage or confidence
shyfearfuldiffident
Trivial
Of little value or importance
insignificantpettytrifling
U
Ubiquitous
Found everywhere
omnipresentpervasiveuniversal
V
Valiant
Showing courage
bravecourageousheroic
Vanquish
Defeat thoroughly
defeatconquerovercome
Venerate
Regard with great respect
revereworshiphonour
Verbose
Using more words than needed
wordylong-windedprolix
Vex
Make annoyed or worried
annoyirritatetrouble
Vigilant
Keeping careful watch for danger
watchfulalertwary
Vindictive
Having a strong wish for revenge
revengefulspitefulvengeful
Vivacious
Attractively lively
livelyspiritedanimated
W
Wane
Become weaker or smaller
declinedecreasefade
Wary
Feeling or showing caution
cautiouscarefulwatchful
Z
Zeal
Great energy for a cause
enthusiasmpassionfervour
Zenith
The highest point
peaksummitpinnacle

Antonyms (118)

Word → opposite. The meaning is given so you can reason out the opposite when options differ.

A
Abate
Become less intense
intensifyaugment
Abhor
Hate intensely
admireadore
Accord
Agreement
discorddisagreement
Acquit
Declare not guilty
convictcondemn
Advance
Move forward
retreatrecede
Adversity
Hardship; misfortune
prosperityfortune
Affluent
Wealthy
impoverishedindigent
Ally
A partner or supporter
enemyfoe
Amateur
A non-professional
professionalexpert
Ancestor
A person from whom one is descended
descendant
Animosity
Strong hostility
friendshipgoodwill
Arrogant
Having an exaggerated sense of importance
humblemodest
Artificial
Made by humans; not natural
naturalgenuine
Ascend
Go up
descend
Assent
Agreement or approval
dissentrefusal
Audacious
Bold and daring
timidcautious
B
Barren
Unable to produce crops or fruit
fertileproductive
Benevolent
Kind and well-meaning
malevolentcruel
C
Candid
Frank and honest
evasiveguarded
Cautious
Careful to avoid risk
recklessrash
Chaos
Complete disorder
orderharmony
Clarity
Clearness
obscurityvagueness
Commend
Praise formally
criticisecondemn
Compulsory
Required by rule
optionalvoluntary
Conceal
Hide
revealdisclose
Conceit
Excessive pride in oneself
modestyhumility
Concord
Harmony or agreement
discordconflict
Consolidate
Strengthen
weakenfragment
Contract
Become smaller
expandenlarge
Cordial
Warm and friendly
hostileunfriendly
Courteous
Polite and respectful
rudediscourteous
Credulous
Too ready to believe
scepticalsuspicious
D
Dearth
Scarcity
abundanceplenty
Deliberate
Done on purpose
accidentalunintentional
Deny
State that something is untrue
affirmadmit
Destructive
Causing great damage
constructivecreative
Deteriorate
Become worse
improverecover
Detest
Dislike intensely
adorelove
Diligent
Hardworking
lazyindolent
Diminish
Make or become less
increaseaugment
E
Emigrate
Leave one’s country to settle abroad
immigrate
Eminent
Famous and respected
obscureunknown
Enormous
Very large
tinyminute
Ephemeral
Short-lived
permanenteternal
Eradicate
Destroy completely
establishimplant
Exclude
Keep out
includeadmit
Exodus
A mass departure
influxarrival
Exonerate
Clear from blame
accuseincriminate
Extravagant
Spending too much
frugalthrifty
F
Feeble
Weak
strongrobust
Fragile
Easily broken
sturdystrong
Frequent
Happening often
rareoccasional
G
Generous
Giving freely
stingymiserly
Genuine
Real; authentic
fakespurious
Gloomy
Dark or depressing
cheerfulbright
Gradual
Taking place slowly
suddenabrupt
Gregarious
Fond of company
unsociablereserved
H
Hamper
Hinder
facilitateassist
Heterogeneous
Made of different kinds
homogeneousuniform
Hostile
Unfriendly
friendlyamicable
Humility
Modest view of one’s importance
pridearrogance
I
Inferior
Lower in rank or quality
superior
Inflate
Fill with air; increase
deflate
J
Jubilant
Joyful and triumphant
dejectedsorrowful
K
Kindle
Set on fire; arouse
extinguishquench
Knowledge
Awareness gained by learning
ignorance
L
Lenient
Tolerant; not strict
strictsevere
Lethargic
Sluggish
energeticactive
Liberty
Freedom
slaverybondage
Lofty
High; noble
lowlyhumble
Loquacious
Very talkative
taciturnreticent
Lucid
Clear
obscurevague
M
Malicious
Intending harm
benevolentkind
Merit
Quality of being good
demeritfault
Meticulous
Very careful
carelesssloppy
Mortal
Subject to death
immortal
N
Negligent
Careless
carefulattentive
Novice
Beginner
expertveteran
O
Obedient
Willing to obey
defiantdisobedient
Obstinate
Stubborn
flexibleamenable
Opaque
Not letting light through
transparentclear
Optimist
One who expects the best
pessimist
Orthodox
Following traditional beliefs
unorthodoxunconventional
Ostentatious
Showy
modestunpretentious
P
Pacify
Calm down
provokeagitate
Permanent
Lasting for ever
temporarytransient
Placid
Calm
agitatedturbulent
Prolific
Producing much
unproductivebarren
Prudent
Wise and careful
rashimprudent
Q
Quell
Suppress
inciteprovoke
R
Rational
Based on reason
irrationalabsurd
Reluctant
Unwilling
willingeager
Rigid
Stiff; unbending
flexiblepliable
Robust
Strong and healthy
frailweak
S
Sanguine
Optimistic
pessimisticgloomy
Scanty
Insufficient
plentifulabundant
Sincere
Honest in feeling
insincerehypocritical
Spendthrift
One who wastes money
misersaver
Stagnant
Not flowing; inactive
flowingmoving
Superficial
On the surface only
profounddeep
Sympathy
Feeling of pity or understanding
antipathyindifference
T
Tactful
Sensitive in dealing with others
tactlessblunt
Tedious
Boring
interestingexciting
Timid
Lacking courage
boldbrave
Tranquil
Peaceful
turbulentagitated
Triumph
A great victory
defeatfailure
Trivial
Of little importance
significantimportant
U
Uniform
Always the same
varieddiverse
V
Vague
Unclear
definiteprecise
Valiant
Brave
cowardlytimid
Vanity
Excessive pride in oneself
modestyhumility
Verbose
Wordy
conciselaconic
Vertical
Upright
horizontal
Vigilant
Watchful
carelessnegligent
W
Wax
(Of the moon) grow larger
wane
Wisdom
Good judgement
follyfoolishness
Z
Zeal
Great enthusiasm
apathyindifference
Zenith
The highest point
nadir

Commonly misspelt words (99)

SSC asks “select the correctly spelt word”. Each entry shows the right spelling and the trap variant.

A
✓ Accommodate✗ Accomodate
Provide space or lodging for
✓ Achieve✗ Acheive
Succeed in doing
✓ Acquaintance✗ Aquaintance
A person one knows slightly
✓ Acquire✗ Aquire
Obtain
✓ Address✗ Adress
Where someone lives; speak to
✓ Aggressive✗ Agressive
Ready to attack or confront
✓ Apparent✗ Apparant
Clearly visible; seeming
✓ Argument✗ Arguement
An exchange of opposing views
B
✓ Beginning✗ Begining
The start
✓ Believe✗ Beleive
Accept as true
✓ Bureaucracy✗ Beaurocracy
Government by officials
✓ Business✗ Buisness
Trade; commercial activity
C
✓ Calendar✗ Calender
A chart of days and months
✓ Cemetery✗ Cemetary
A burial ground
✓ Changeable✗ Changable
Likely to change
✓ Colleague✗ Collegue
A fellow worker
✓ Commemorate✗ Comemorate
Recall and honour publicly
✓ Commitment✗ Committment
Dedication; a promise
✓ Committee✗ Commitee
A group appointed for a task
✓ Connoisseur✗ Connoisuer
An expert judge of taste
✓ Conscience✗ Concience
Inner sense of right and wrong
✓ Conscientious✗ Conscientous
Careful and diligent
✓ Conscious✗ Concious
Aware; awake
✓ Consensus✗ Concensus
General agreement
D
✓ Definitely✗ Definately
Without doubt
✓ Desperate✗ Desparate
Feeling hopeless; in great need
✓ Dilemma✗ Dilemna
A situation of difficult choice
✓ Disappear✗ Dissapear
Go out of sight
✓ Disappoint✗ Dissapoint
Fail to meet hopes
✓ Discipline✗ Disipline
Training to obey rules
E
✓ Embarrass✗ Embarass
Make someone feel awkward
✓ Entrepreneur✗ Enterpreneur
One who starts a business
✓ Environment✗ Enviroment
Surroundings
✓ Exaggerate✗ Exagerate
Overstate
✓ Existence✗ Existance
The state of being
F
✓ Fascinate✗ Facinate
Attract strongly
✓ Fluorescent✗ Flourescent
Giving off bright light
✓ Foreign✗ Foriegn
Of another country
G
✓ Gauge✗ Guage
Measure; a measuring device
✓ Government✗ Goverment
The body that governs a state
✓ Grammar✗ Grammer
Rules of a language
✓ Guarantee✗ Garantee
A formal assurance
H
✓ Handkerchief✗ Handkerchef
A small square of cloth
✓ Harass✗ Harrass
Trouble persistently
✓ Height✗ Heighth
Measurement from bottom to top
✓ Hierarchy✗ Heirarchy
A system of ranks
✓ Humorous✗ Humourous
Funny
✓ Hygiene✗ Hygeine
Practices that keep one healthy
I
✓ Immediately✗ Immediatly
At once
✓ Independent✗ Independant
Free from outside control
✓ Indispensable✗ Indispensible
Absolutely necessary
✓ Intelligence✗ Inteligence
Ability to learn and understand
✓ Irresistible✗ Irresistable
Too strong to resist
K
✓ Knowledge✗ Knowlege
Facts and skills acquired
L
✓ Liaison✗ Liason
Communication or link between groups
✓ Library✗ Libary
A collection of books
✓ Lieutenant✗ Leiutenant
A junior military officer
M
✓ Maintenance✗ Maintainance
Upkeep
✓ Mediterranean✗ Mediteranean
The sea between Europe and Africa
✓ Millennium✗ Millenium
A period of a thousand years
✓ Miniature✗ Miniture
A very small version of something
✓ Mischievous✗ Mischievious
Playfully troublesome
✓ Misspell✗ Mispell
Spell wrongly
N
✓ Necessary✗ Neccessary
Needed
✓ Noticeable✗ Noticable
Easily seen
O
✓ Occasion✗ Occassion
A particular event or time
✓ Occurred✗ Occured
Happened
✓ Occurrence✗ Occurence
An incident or event
P
✓ Parallel✗ Paralell
Side by side and equally distant
✓ Parliament✗ Parliment
The national legislature
✓ Perseverance✗ Perseverence
Persistence despite difficulty
✓ Personnel✗ Personel
People employed in an organisation
✓ Pneumonia✗ Pnuemonia
A lung infection
✓ Possession✗ Posession
Something owned
✓ Privilege✗ Priviledge
A special right or advantage
✓ Pronunciation✗ Pronounciation
The way a word is spoken
Q
✓ Questionnaire✗ Questionaire
A set of printed questions
R
✓ Receive✗ Recieve
Get or be given
✓ Recommend✗ Reccomend
Suggest as suitable
✓ Reference✗ Refrence
A mention; a source
✓ Relevant✗ Relevent
Closely connected to the matter
✓ Rendezvous✗ Rendevous
A meeting at an agreed place
✓ Restaurant✗ Restaurent
A place to buy and eat meals
✓ Rhythm✗ Rythm
A regular repeated pattern of sound
S
✓ Schedule✗ Schedual
A plan of times
✓ Separate✗ Seperate
Set apart
✓ Sergeant✗ Sargeant
A non-commissioned officer
✓ Siege✗ Seige
Surrounding a place to capture it
✓ Silhouette✗ Silhouete
A dark outline against a light background
✓ Successful✗ Sucessful
Achieving the desired aim
✓ Supersede✗ Supercede
Take the place of
✓ Surprise✗ Suprise
An unexpected event
T
✓ Threshold✗ Threshhold
A doorway; a starting point
✓ Tomorrow✗ Tommorow
The day after today
✓ Tyranny✗ Tyrrany
Cruel and oppressive rule
U
✓ Unnecessary✗ Unneccessary
Not needed
V
✓ Vacuum✗ Vaccum
A space empty of matter
W
✓ Weird✗ Wierd
Strange
✓ Withhold✗ Withold
Refuse to give

801 entries across 5 lists. Meanings are short study notes, not dictionary entries — when an option in the exam is a closer fit, trust the context of the sentence. Flashcard progress is saved in this browser only.