SSC CGL one word substitution
472 entries. The exam gives a description and asks for the single word. Learn them in families (-cide, -cracy, -logy, -phobia, -gamy) and test yourself with the flashcards.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Abattoir | A place where animals are slaughtered for food | |
| Abdicate | To give up a throne or high office formally | |
| Abduct | To take a person away illegally by force | |
| Absentee | A person who is not present where he is expected to be | |
| 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 | |
| Altimeter | An instrument that measures height above sea level | |
| Altruist | One who selflessly cares for the welfare of others | |
| Amateur | One who pursues an activity as a hobby, not as a profession | |
| Ambassador | An official who represents his country in a foreign land | |
| 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 | |
| Amputate | To cut off a limb by surgery | |
| Anachronism | Something placed in the wrong historical period | |
| Anaesthetic | A substance that makes a person unable to feel pain | |
| Anarchy | Absence of government; lawlessness | |
| Anecdote | A short, amusing story about a real person or event | |
| Anglophile | One who admires England and its culture | |
| 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 | |
| Aphorism | A short pithy statement of a general truth | |
| Apiary | A place where bees are kept | |
| Apiculture | Rearing of bees | |
| Aquarium | A glass tank or building for keeping fish and water animals | |
| Arachnophobia | An intense fear of spiders | |
| Arbitrator | A person appointed to settle a dispute | |
| Arboretum | A place where trees are grown for study and display | |
| Archaeologist | One who studies ancient remains and artefacts | |
| Archaeology | The study of human history through ancient remains | |
| 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 | |
| Arsonist | One who deliberately sets fire to property | |
| Ascetic | One who practises severe self-denial and avoids pleasures | |
| Assassin | One who murders a prominent person for political or ideological reasons | |
| Astrologer | One who claims to foretell events by studying the stars | |
| Astronaut | One who travels in outer space | |
| Astronomy | Scientific study of stars, planets and other heavenly bodies | |
| Atheist | One who does not believe in God | |
| Atlas | A book of maps | |
| Audible | That can be heard | |
| Auditorium | A large hall where an audience sits | |
| Autobiography | The life story of a person written by himself | |
| Autocracy | Government by one person with absolute power | |
| Autocrat | A ruler who holds 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 | |
| Ballad | A poem or song that tells a story | |
| Barbarian | An uncivilised or savage person | |
| Barometer | An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure | |
| Barracks | Buildings in which soldiers live | |
| Belligerent | One who is engaged in or eager for a fight or war | |
| Bibliography | A list of books on a subject or used for a work | |
| Bibliomania | An excessive passion for collecting books | |
| Bibliophile | A lover or collector of books | |
| Biennial | Happening once every two years | |
| Bigamy | Marrying one person while still married to another | |
| Bigot | One who is stubbornly and intolerantly attached to his own opinions | |
| Bilateral | Involving two parties or sides | |
| Bilingual | Able to speak two languages | |
| Biography | The life story of a person written by someone else | |
| Biped | An animal with two feet | |
| Blasphemy | Speech that shows disrespect for God or sacred things | |
| Botany | The study of plants | |
| Brewery | A place where beer is made | |
| Bureaucracy | Government by officials | |
| Cacophony | A harsh, unpleasant mixture of sounds | |
| Calligraphy | The art of beautiful handwriting | |
| Cannibal | One who eats the flesh of his own species | |
| Carcass | The dead body of an animal | |
| Cardiologist | A doctor who specialises in diseases of the heart | |
| Carnage | The killing of a large number of people | |
| 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 | |
| Cenotaph | A monument to those who are buried elsewhere | |
| Centenarian | A person who is a hundred years old or more | |
| Centenary | The hundredth anniversary | |
| Charlatan | One who falsely claims special knowledge or skill | |
| Chauffeur | A person employed to drive a private car | |
| Chiropodist | One who treats ailments of the feet | |
| Choreographer | One who designs and arranges dance movements | |
| Chronology | The arrangement of events in the order of their occurrence | |
| Clairvoyant | One who claims to see the future or things beyond normal senses | |
| 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 | |
| Coroner | An official who investigates deaths that seem unnatural | |
| Cosmology | The study of the origin and structure of the universe | |
| Cosmopolitan | One who is at home in all countries; free from national prejudice | |
| Credulous | Ready to believe anything | |
| Cremate | To burn a dead body to ashes | |
| Crematorium | A place where dead bodies are burnt | |
| Criminology | The study of crime and criminals | |
| Crypt | An underground room beneath a church, often used for burials | |
| Cryptogram | A piece of writing in code or cipher | |
| Cynic | One who believes people act only out of self-interest | |
| Cynophobia | An intense fear of dogs | |
| Cynosure | A person or thing that is the centre of attraction | |
| Debut | The first public appearance of a performer | |
| Decade | A period of ten years | |
| Demagogue | A political leader who gains support by appealing to people’s emotions and prejudices | |
| Democracy | Government by the people | |
| Dermatologist | A doctor who treats skin diseases | |
| Despot | A ruler who exercises absolute power cruelly | |
| Dialogue | A conversation between two or more people | |
| Dilettante | One who dabbles in an art or subject without serious study | |
| Dipsomaniac | One with an uncontrollable craving for alcohol | |
| Dispensary | A place where medicines are prepared and given out | |
| Diurnal | Active during the day | |
| Dockyard | A place where ships are built or repaired | |
| Dormitory | A large sleeping room with many beds | |
| Dynasty | A line of rulers from the same family | |
| Ecology | The study of living things in relation to their environment | |
| 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 | |
| Elocution | The art of clear and expressive speaking | |
| Embalm | To preserve a dead body with chemicals | |
| Embezzle | To steal money that has been placed in one’s trust | |
| Emigrant | One who leaves his own country to settle in another | |
| Encyclopaedia | A book or set of books giving information on many subjects | |
| Endemic | (Of a disease) regularly found in a particular area | |
| Endogamy | The custom of marrying within one’s own group or clan | |
| Entomology | Study of insects | |
| Ephemeral | Lasting a very short time | |
| Epic | A long poem telling of the deeds of heroes | |
| Epicentre | The point on the earth’s surface directly above the origin of an earthquake | |
| Epicure | One who is fond of refined food and drink | |
| Epidemic | A disease spreading widely in a community at the same time | |
| Epigram | A short, witty saying | |
| 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 | |
| Eulogy | A speech or writing praising someone, usually the dead | |
| Euphemism | A mild word used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one | |
| Euphony | A pleasant, sweet-sounding quality of words | |
| Euthanasia | Painless killing of a patient with an incurable disease; mercy killing | |
| Exhume | To dig out a buried body | |
| Exile | A person forced to live away from his own country | |
| Exogamy | The custom of marrying outside one’s own group or clan | |
| Expatriate | A person who lives outside his native country | |
| Extempore | Spoken or done without preparation | |
| Extrovert | An outgoing, sociable person | |
| Fable | A short story with a moral, often with animals as characters | |
| Fanatic | One filled with excessive, unreasoning zeal for a belief | |
| Fatalist | One who believes that all events are decided by fate | |
| Fauna | All the animals of a particular region | |
| Feasible | That can be done; practicable | |
| Filicide | The killing of one’s own child | |
| Flora | All the plants of a particular region | |
| Fortnight | A period of fourteen days | |
| Foundry | A place where metal is melted and cast | |
| Fratricide | Killing of one’s brother | |
| Fugitive | One who runs away to escape arrest or danger | |
| Fungicide | A substance used to kill fungus | |
| Garrison | Troops stationed in a town or fort to defend it | |
| Garrulous | Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters | |
| Genealogy | The study or record of the descent of a family | |
| Genocide | Deliberate killing of a whole race or group | |
| Geriatrics | The branch of medicine dealing with old people | |
| 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 | |
| Golden jubilee | The fiftieth anniversary of an event | |
| Granary | A storehouse for grain | |
| Graphology | The study of handwriting to judge character | |
| Gregarious | Fond of company | |
| Gynaecologist | A doctor who specialises in women’s health and reproduction | |
| Hallucination | Seeing or hearing things that are not really there | |
| Hangar | A shelter for housing aircraft | |
| Hedonist | One who believes pleasure is the chief aim of life | |
| Hematology | The study of blood and its diseases | |
| Herbarium | A collection of dried plants kept for study | |
| Herbicide | A substance used to kill unwanted plants | |
| Herbivorous | Plant-eating | |
| Heretic | One who holds beliefs opposed to accepted religious doctrine | |
| Hermit | One who lives alone, away from society, usually for religious reasons | |
| Hibernation | The state of passing the winter in a sleep-like condition | |
| 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 | |
| Hypocrite | One who pretends to have virtues he does not possess | |
| Hypothesis | A supposition put forward as a basis for reasoning or investigation | |
| Ichthyology | The study of fish | |
| Iconoclast | One who attacks cherished beliefs or traditions | |
| Idolatry | The worship of idols | |
| Illegible | That cannot be read (handwriting) | |
| Illiterate | Unable to read or write | |
| Immigrant | One who comes into a foreign country to settle there | |
| Immortal | One who will never die; living forever | |
| Impassable | That cannot be travelled across or through | |
| Impeccable | Free from fault; flawless | |
| Impostor | One who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive | |
| Impregnable | That cannot be captured by attack | |
| Inaccessible | That cannot be reached or approached | |
| Inaudible | That cannot be heard | |
| Incognito | With one’s identity concealed | |
| Incomparable | That cannot be compared with anything else; beyond comparison | |
| Incorrigible | That cannot be corrected or reformed | |
| Incurable | That cannot be cured | |
| Indefatigable | Never getting tired | |
| Indelible | That cannot be erased or removed | |
| Indigenous | Originating in or native to a particular place | |
| Indomitable | That cannot be subdued or defeated | |
| Inedible | Not fit to be eaten | |
| Inevitable | That cannot be avoided | |
| Inexhaustible | That cannot be used up | |
| Inexorable | That cannot be stopped or changed by persuasion | |
| Inexplicable | That cannot be explained | |
| 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 | |
| Inimitable | That cannot be imitated | |
| Insatiable | That can never be satisfied | |
| Insecticide | A substance used to kill insects | |
| Insectivorous | Insect-eating | |
| Insolvent | Unable to pay one’s debts | |
| Insomnia | Inability to sleep | |
| Insomniac | A person who cannot sleep | |
| Insurmountable | That cannot be overcome | |
| Intangible | That cannot be touched | |
| Intelligentsia | The class of educated people regarded as intellectual leaders | |
| Interminable | Endless and tiresome | |
| Introvert | A shy person who is absorbed in his own thoughts | |
| Invincible | That cannot be conquered | |
| Invisible | That cannot be seen | |
| Invulnerable | That cannot be wounded or harmed | |
| Irrefutable | That cannot be denied or disproved | |
| Irreparable | That cannot be repaired | |
| Irrevocable | That cannot be revoked or changed | |
| Itinerant | One who travels from place to place, especially for work | |
| Jingoist | One who is aggressively patriotic and favours a warlike foreign policy | |
| Kennel | A shelter for dogs | |
| Kleptocracy | Government by thieves or corrupt rulers | |
| Kleptomania | A mental urge to steal | |
| Kleptomaniac | One who has an uncontrollable urge to steal | |
| Laconic | Using very few words | |
| Lapidary | One who cuts and polishes precious stones | |
| Lexicographer | One who compiles a dictionary | |
| Lighthouse | A tower with a powerful light to guide ships | |
| Linguist | One skilled in languages or the study of language | |
| Loquacious | Very talkative | |
| Lullaby | A soothing song sung to make a child sleep | |
| Manuscript | A handwritten book or document | |
| Martyr | One who dies or suffers for a cause | |
| Masochist | One who gets pleasure from his own suffering | |
| Matinee | An afternoon performance of a play or film | |
| Matriarchy | A society in which women hold the power | |
| Matricide | Killing of one’s mother | |
| Mausoleum | A large, magnificent tomb | |
| Mediocre | Of ordinary, average quality | |
| Megalomania | A delusion of one’s own greatness and power | |
| Megalomaniac | One who has an exaggerated sense of his own importance and power | |
| Menagerie | A collection of wild animals kept for exhibition | |
| Mendicant | One who lives by begging | |
| Mentor | An experienced and trusted adviser who guides a younger person | |
| Mercenary | One who works only for money, especially a hired soldier | |
| Meritocracy | A system in which people rise through ability rather than birth or wealth | |
| Meteorology | The study of weather and climate | |
| Metropolis | The chief or capital city of a country or region | |
| Mint | A place where coins are made | |
| Misanthrope | One who hates mankind | |
| Miser | One who hoards money and hates spending it | |
| 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 | |
| Monotheism | The belief in one God | |
| Mortuary | A place where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation | |
| Mutiny | A revolt by soldiers or sailors against their officers | |
| Mycology | The study of fungi | |
| Mysophobia | An abnormal fear of dirt and germs | |
| Mythology | A collection of traditional stories about gods and heroes | |
| Narcissist | One who has an excessive admiration for himself | |
| Neologism | A newly coined word or expression | |
| Nepotism | Favouring one’s relatives in appointments | |
| Neurologist | A doctor who specialises in the nervous system | |
| Nocturnal | Active at night | |
| Nomad | One who wanders from place to place with no fixed home | |
| Nonagenarian | A person in his or her nineties | |
| Nonentity | A person of no importance | |
| Nostalgia | A longing for the past | |
| Novice | A beginner in some activity | |
| Numerology | The belief in the mystical meaning of numbers | |
| Numismatist | One who studies or collects coins | |
| Nyctophobia | Fear of darkness | |
| 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 | |
| Obstetrician | A doctor who specialises in childbirth | |
| Ochlocracy | Government by the mob | |
| Octogenarian | A person in his or her eighties | |
| Oculist | A doctor who specialises in eye diseases | |
| Odometer | An instrument that records the distance travelled by a vehicle | |
| Oligarchy | Government by a few people | |
| Omnipotent | All-powerful | |
| Omnipresent | Present everywhere | |
| Omniscient | All-knowing | |
| Omnivorous | Eating both plants and animals | |
| Oncology | The study and treatment of cancer | |
| Ophthalmologist | A doctor who specialises in eye diseases | |
| Optimist | One who looks at the bright side of things | |
| Orator | A skilled and eloquent public speaker | |
| Orchard | A garden of fruit trees | |
| Ornithology | Study of birds | |
| Orphan | A child whose parents are both dead | |
| Orphanage | A home for children who have lost their parents | |
| Orthodontist | A dentist who corrects irregularly placed teeth | |
| Pacifist | One who is opposed to war and violence | |
| Paediatrician | A doctor who specialises in children’s diseases | |
| Palaeontology | Study of fossils and ancient life | |
| Palindrome | A word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards | |
| 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 | |
| Pantry | A small room where food and kitchen items are stored | |
| Parable | A simple story told to teach a moral or spiritual lesson | |
| Parasite | One who lives at the expense of others | |
| Parody | An imitation of a work written for humour | |
| Pathology | Study of diseases | |
| Patriarchy | A society in which men hold the power | |
| Patricide | Killing of one’s father | |
| Patriot | One who loves and supports his country | |
| Patron | One who gives financial or other support to an artist or cause | |
| Pauper | A very poor person | |
| Pedant | One who makes a needless show of learning | |
| Pedestrian | One who travels on foot | |
| Pedometer | An instrument that counts the steps a person takes | |
| Penology | The study of punishment of crime and prison management | |
| Perennial | Lasting throughout the year or for a very long time | |
| Periscope | A tube with mirrors for seeing over or around obstacles, used in submarines | |
| Pessimist | One who looks at the dark side of things | |
| Pesticide | A substance used to kill pests that harm crops | |
| 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 | |
| Philology | The study of language, especially its historical development | |
| Photophobia | An abnormal sensitivity to or dislike of light | |
| Pickpocket | A thief who steals from people’s pockets | |
| 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 | |
| Planetarium | A building where the movement of stars and planets is shown on a dome | |
| 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 | |
| Polytheism | The belief in many gods | |
| Posterity | All future generations | |
| Posthumous | Occurring after death (e.g., a book published after the author died) | |
| Potable | Fit for drinking | |
| Prodigy | A young person with exceptional talent | |
| Proletariat | The working class | |
| Prologue | An introductory section of a play or poem | |
| Protege | A person guided and supported by an older, influential one | |
| Pseudonym | A fictitious name used by a writer | |
| Psychiatrist | A doctor who treats mental illness | |
| Pugilist | One who fights with fists; a boxer | |
| Pyromania | A mental urge to set fires | |
| Pyromaniac | One who has an uncontrollable urge to set things on fire | |
| Pyrophobia | An abnormal fear of fire | |
| Quack | One who falsely claims medical knowledge | |
| Quadruped | An animal with four feet | |
| Quarantine | Isolation imposed on people or animals to stop the spread of disease | |
| Quarry | A place from which stone is dug out | |
| Quorum | The minimum number of members needed for a meeting to be valid | |
| Raconteur | A person who tells stories in an entertaining way | |
| Radiologist | A doctor who uses X-rays and scans to diagnose diseases | |
| Recluse | One who lives alone, away from society | |
| Refectory | The dining hall in a monastery or college | |
| Referendum | A direct vote by all the people on one political question | |
| Refugee | One who flees to another country for safety | |
| Regicide | Killing of a king | |
| Renegade | One who deserts his party, faith or cause | |
| Reservoir | A large artificial lake for storing water | |
| Ruminant | An animal that chews the cud | |
| Sadist | One who gets pleasure from causing pain to others | |
| Sanatorium | A place for the treatment and recovery of long-term patients | |
| Satire | The use of ridicule and humour to expose faults and foolishness | |
| Sceptic | One who doubts accepted opinions or claims | |
| Scribe | A person who copies out documents by hand | |
| Secular | Not connected with any religion | |
| Sedition | Speech or action inciting rebellion against the state | |
| Seismograph | An instrument that records earthquake tremors | |
| Seismology | Study of earthquakes | |
| Seminary | A college where priests are trained | |
| Sericulture | Rearing of silkworms | |
| Sibling | A brother or a sister | |
| Silo | A tall tower or pit for storing grain | |
| Silver jubilee | The twenty-fifth anniversary of an event | |
| Sinecure | A paid job with little or no work | |
| Smuggler | One who secretly and illegally brings goods in or out of a country | |
| Sociology | The study of human society and social behaviour | |
| 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 | |
| Sonnet | A poem of fourteen lines with a fixed rhyme scheme | |
| Sororicide | Killing of one’s sister | |
| Speleology | The study and exploration of caves | |
| Spinster | An unmarried woman, especially an older one | |
| Stable | A shelter for horses | |
| Stoic | One who is indifferent to pleasure and pain | |
| Suffrage | The right to vote in elections | |
| Suicide | The act of killing oneself | |
| Taciturn | Habitually silent; reserved in speech | |
| Tangible | That can be touched | |
| Tannery | A place where animal hides are turned into leather | |
| Taxidermist | One who stuffs the skins of dead animals to make them look lifelike | |
| Technocracy | Government by technical experts | |
| Teetotaller | One who never drinks alcohol | |
| Theocracy | Government by religious leaders | |
| Theology | The study of God and religious belief | |
| Thesaurus | A book of synonyms and related words | |
| Toxicology | The study of poisons | |
| Traitor | One who betrays his country or friends | |
| Treason | Betrayal of one’s country | |
| Triennial | Happening once every three years | |
| Truant | A pupil who stays away from school without permission | |
| Tycoon | A wealthy and powerful businessman | |
| Tyrannicide | The killing of a tyrant | |
| Ubiquitous | Present everywhere at the same time | |
| Unanimous | With everyone in agreement | |
| Unilateral | Done by one side only | |
| Unintelligible | That cannot be understood | |
| Unprecedented | Having no earlier example; never done before | |
| Usurper | One who seizes power or a position illegally | |
| Utopia | An imaginary place or state of perfection | |
| Uxoricide | Killing of one’s wife | |
| Vandal | One who wilfully damages public or private property | |
| Vegetarian | One who does not eat meat or fish | |
| 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 | |
| Veto | The power to reject a decision or a proposed law | |
| Virology | The study of viruses | |
| Virtuoso | A person with outstanding skill, especially in music | |
| Viticulture | Cultivation of grapes | |
| Wardrobe | A cupboard for keeping clothes | |
| Widower | A man whose wife has died and who has not remarried | |
| Xenophobia | Fear or hatred of foreigners | |
| Zoology | The study of animals |
Meanings are short study notes written for revision, not dictionary entries. When an option in the exam fits the sentence better, trust the sentence.