| Fallacy: A belief or argument deceptive in appearance or meaning |
| The fallacy of their assumptions regarding the success of this project has landed them in the mess they are facing now. |
| Foremost: First |
| The foremost requirement for a radio compere’s job is a pleasant voice, coupled with the ability to modulate it suitably according to situational demands. |
| Guise: Appearance |
| The ancient kings used to visit their kingdom in the guise of a common man to learn about the problems being faced by their subjects. |
| Neutralize: To make ineffective, nullify |
| The anti-poison given by the doctor to the patient was meant to neutralize the effect of the snake-bite on the patient. |
| Permanent: Long lasting |
| Such ad hoc measures will not lead to any lasting peace in the valley, we must try to do something which ensures permanent peace in the once-beautiful "Home of Gods". |
| Prominent: Widely known |
| Subhash Bose and JL Nehru were two prominent proponents of the concept of complete freedom when the rest were talking of limited self-rule. |
| Remedy: To right a wrong |
| The announcement of an extraordinary budgetary allocation for the North-East states was done with a view to remedying the prevailing imbalance. |
| Fallacy: A belief or argument deceptive in appearance or meaning |
| The fallacy of their assumptions regarding the success of this project has landed them in the mess they are facing now. |
| Ambiguity: Unclear or doubtful in meaning |
| The ambiguity in her statement itself was the reason that every newspaper had interpreted it in a different manner and had led to great confusion. |
| Amiable: Agreeable |
| The amiable anchorperson was successful in creating a family-like atmosphere because of his friendly and courteous manners. |
| Anguish: Agony |
| The anguish over the separation from her boyfriend was only temporary; she forgot all the pain and sorrow within a few months. |
| Astute: Wise, shrewd |
| The Ambanis, being astute businessmen, know how to spot and make use of good business opportunities. |
| Calamity: Disaster |
| The Godhra killings are not only a big calamity for all those concerned, but also are a blot on our so-called secular face. |
| Cessation: Stopping |
| The cessation of the war between the PLO and Israel has been brought about by the US pressure and not because of any agreement between the warring parties. |
| Commodious: Roomy |
| The auditorium is so commodious that you can accommodate even 5000 people, while you expect a total strength of just 2000 for the seminar. |
| Fortuitous: Lucky |
| A fortuitous meeting with a holy man in Hardwar changed his life forever and he became a thoroughly spiritual man. |
| Imminent: About to happen, impending |
| The fall of the company was imminent as such; the new CEO was simply made a scapegoat to explain away the failure. |
| Inevitable: Certain to happen, ineluctable, imminent, inescapable, unavoidable |
| The fall of the government was inevitable once it had lost majority in the House. |
| Intermittent: Periodic |
| Such intermittent displays of patriotism at times of crises are what give us faith in the inherent goodness of the Indians. |
| Menace: To show an intent to harm |
| The AIDS menace is hovering over the Asian and African countries like a Damocle’s sword. |
| Pervasive: Spread throughout |
| The all-pervasive problem of slums in Indian metros requires a thoughtful policy and sincere implementation for its removal. |
| Stalwart: Unyielding |
| That the current public mood is strongly against the BJP is proved by the electoral defeats of some of the party stalwarts like SikandarBakht, LK Advani and AB Vajapyee. |
| Stringent: Strict |
| The committee feels that it has not been able to find a suitable candidate because the conditions prescribed are too stringent and they feel that they should be relaxed if we have to fill the post. |
| Admonish: Warn, reprove |
| The admonishment they got from the warden for creating uproar in the hostel mess was enough to “tighten” their loose screws. |
| Ambivalence: Lack of clarity, ambiguity |
| Such ambivalence of the party over an important national issue is confusing; it must come out with a clear-cut stand on the matter. |
| Anachronism: Something or someone misplaced in time |
| Someone justifying or promoting the cursed practice of sati will be taking the society back to medieval times and will certainly be an anachronism in these modern, progressive times. |
| Aplomb: Poise, composure |
| The great aplomb with which Sonia Gandhi braved the tragedy of her husband's death belied her inner turmoil. |
| Assiduous: Diligent |
| The assiduous hard work put in by the director is obvious in each frame of the movie, it appears as if there could be no better way of presenting it. |
| Catastrophe: A great, often sudden calamity |
| The flood was a catastrophe. |
| Chaste: Pure |
| Such a chaste soul and such a wayward son! Destiny has strange things in store for us. |
| Decrement: Waste, decrease |
| The decrement in the number of people purchasing rations from the fair-price shops is not an indication that people have suddenly become rich, rather it points to unavailability of rations and loss of faith in the system. |
| Fervor: Glowing ardor, intensity of felling |
| The fervour with which Joshila has been participating in all these activities strongly suggests that he is very much in love with this new idea. |
| Fetter: To bind |
| The fetters of superstition and ignorance keep us Indians from progressing further in today's atmosphere. |
| Grubby: Dirty |
| The beggar’s grubby clothes suggested that neither had he changed nor had he had a bath. |
| Mettlesome: Full of vigor and stamina, spirited |
| Such politically incorrect but economically sensible decisions require great courage and I hardly find anybody mettlesome enough to take such risks. |
| Penchant: Strong inclination, liking |
| The Bollywood film-makers have great penchant for including “ZindaJalaaDoonga”, “Tukde-TukdeKarKe.” type of front bencher-targetted dialogues in their movies. |
| Pious: Devout |
| The government has been quite swift in declaring Amritsar a holy city, but it remains to be seen if the pious status of the city can be maintained. |
| Pristine: Characteristic of earlier times, primitive unspoiled |
| The beauty of the once-pristine Himalayas has been spoilt by the mountaineering teams, which leave tonnes of garbage and other litter every time they trek. |
| Renegade: Deserter |
| The army has decided to take back all those renegade soldiers who had deserted it in the wake of Operation Blue Star. |
| Skeptic: Doubter |
| Such skeptics are always bound to doubt the truth of even the most genuine schemes meant to help the poor people. |
| Sleazy: Cheap |
| Such magazines survive on carrying sleazy articles and photos peeping into the private lives of film-stars. |
