पर्यायवाची, विलोम, मुहावरे
Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms
Vocabulary questions test three things: a word of similar meaning, a word of opposite meaning, and the meaning of an idiom. All three are decided by the context in the sentence, not by the dictionary entry alone.
Frequently asked synonyms
| Word | Synonym | Word | Synonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abandon | Desert, forsake | Brief | Short, concise |
| Candid | Frank, honest | Diligent | Hardworking |
| Enormous | Huge, immense | Fragile | Delicate, breakable |
| Genuine | Real, authentic | Hostile | Unfriendly |
| Obstinate | Stubborn | Prudent | Wise, careful |
| Rapid | Quick, swift | Vague | Unclear, indistinct |
Frequently asked antonyms
| Word | Antonym | Word | Antonym |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient | Modern | Barren | Fertile |
| Compulsory | Optional | Deny | Admit |
| Expand | Contract | Humble | Arrogant |
| Innocent | Guilty | Scarce | Abundant |
| Temporary | Permanent | Victory | Defeat |
Common idioms
- A piece of cake — very easy.
- Once in a blue moon — very rarely.
- Let the cat out of the bag — reveal a secret.
- Burn the midnight oil — work late into the night.
- At the eleventh hour — at the last moment.
- Turn a deaf ear — refuse to listen.
- A white elephant — a costly and useless possession.
- Hit the nail on the head — say exactly the right thing.
- In hot water — in trouble.
- Bury the hatchet — make peace after a quarrel.
One-word substitution and confusables
Two smaller vocabulary items also appear. One-word substitution asks for a single word in place of a phrase — a person who writes books is an author, one who cannot read or write is illiterate, a speech made without preparation is extempore. Confusable pairs are the other: stationary means standing still while stationery means writing material; principal is a head or chief while principle is a rule; advice is the noun and advise the verb.
How to answer safely
- Put the given word back into the sentence and read it aloud in your mind.
- Substitute each option and see which keeps the meaning unchanged.
- For an idiom, never take the literal meaning — that is always one of the wrong options.
- For antonyms, watch for an option that is merely a different word rather than an opposite.
- Where a word has more than one meaning, the sentence decides which is intended.
✗ 'A white elephant' means a rare animal. | ✓ It means a costly possession that is of no use.
✗ The antonym of 'scarce' is 'rare'. | ✓ 'Rare' is a synonym; the antonym is 'abundant' or 'plentiful'.
संकेत: idiom का अर्थ कभी शब्दशः नहीं लिया जाता; विकल्पों में शब्दार्थ वाला उत्तर सदा गलत होता है।
Vocabulary gives 2-3 questions in the English portion and they are the fastest marks available if the lists are prepared. The trap in idiom questions is always the literal meaning. In antonym questions the trap is an option that is a synonym of a related word rather than a true opposite, as with scarce and rare. Read the whole sentence before choosing, because CTET often gives a word that has two meanings and lets the context decide.
Frequently asked questions
How should idiom questions be answered?
By taking the figurative meaning, never the literal one. The literal reading is always offered as a wrong option. Reading the idiom inside a full sentence usually makes the intended meaning clear.
What is the meaning of 'burn the midnight oil'?
To work or study late into the night. It has nothing to do with oil or lamps in the literal sense, and the literal option is the standard distractor in an examination.
How can vocabulary be built for the exam?
By learning words in sentences rather than in lists, grouping synonyms and antonyms together, and revising a small set regularly. Words met in context are retained far longer than words memorised from a column.
60-second recap
- Synonym, antonym and idiom questions are decided by the sentence context.
- Never take the literal meaning of an idiom - it is always a distractor.
- A white elephant is a costly useless thing; a piece of cake is very easy.
- Scarce means rare; its antonym is abundant.
- Learn vocabulary in sentences, not in columns.
Ab isi chapter ke questions CTET Paper 1 mock test me practice karo — English grammar aur vocabulary ke sawaal wahin milenge.