Notes - Synonyms - NDA English

Synonyms (Similar Meanings)

Synonyms are words that have the same, or nearly the same, meaning as another word in a given context. In the NDA English paper, you will be given a sentence with an underlined word and asked to select the word nearest in meaning from the options.

Pro Tip: Do not just hunt for the dictionary definition. Synonyms depend heavily on context. For example, "fast" can mean "quick" (fast car) or "firmly fixed" (hold fast). Always substitute your chosen option into the original sentence to see if it makes sense.

Strategies to Solve Synonym Questions

Context is King: Always analyze how the word is used in the specific sentence provided.
Degree of Meaning: Sometimes multiple options are technically synonyms, but one captures the exact intensity better. (e.g., 'angry' vs 'furious' for 'enraged').
Process of Elimination: Cross out clear antonyms or words that belong to a completely different context first.
Part of Speech Alignment: Ensure your chosen synonym matches the grammatical function (noun, verb, adjective) of the original word.

Important High-Frequency Words

Below is a curated list of high-frequency synonym words often asked in NDA and CDS defense exams.

Adjective Affluent
Synonym: Wealthy, Prosperous, Rich
Meaning: Having a great deal of money.
Adjective Benevolent
Synonym: Kind, Generous, Altruistic
Meaning: Well meaning and kindly.
Verb Coerce
Synonym: Force, Compel, Pressure
Meaning: Persuade to do something by using force or threats.
Adjective Dexterous
Synonym: Skillful, Adept, Nimble
Meaning: Showing or having skill, especially with the hands.
Noun Enigma
Synonym: Mystery, Puzzle, Riddle
Meaning: A person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand.
Verb Fabricate
Synonym: Construct, Forge, Invent
Meaning: Invent (something) in order to deceive.
Adjective Gullible
Synonym: Credulous, Trusting, Naive
Meaning: Easily persuaded to believe something.
Noun Havoc
Synonym: Devastation, Destruction, Ruin
Meaning: Widespread destruction or devastation.
Verb Incite
Synonym: Provoke, Urge, Instigate
Meaning: Encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).
Adjective Jubilant
Synonym: Joyful, Triumphant, Ecstatic
Meaning: Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
Adjective Lethargic
Synonym: Sluggish, Inactive, Apathetic
Meaning: Affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic.
Adjective Meticulous
Synonym: Careful, Conscientious, Exact
Meaning: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.
Adjective Notorious
Synonym: Infamous, Disreputable
Meaning: Famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.
Adjective Optimistic
Synonym: Hopeful, Positive, Upbeat
Meaning: Hopeful and confident about the future.
Noun Pinnacle
Synonym: Peak, Zenith, Apex, Summit
Meaning: The most successful point; the culmination.
Adjective Resilient
Synonym: Tough, Flexible, Buoyant
Meaning: Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
Adjective Scrutinize
Synonym: Examine, Inspect, Analyze
Meaning: Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Adjective Tenacious
Synonym: Persistent, Determined, Firm
Meaning: Tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely.
Adjective Voracious
Synonym: Insatiable, Greedy, Ravenous
Meaning: Wanting or devouring great quantities of food or having a very eager approach to an activity.
Adjective Zealous
Synonym: Fervent, Ardent, Passionate
Meaning: Having or showing zeal (great energy or enthusiasm).

Practice Questions - Synonyms - NDA English

Practice Questions: Synonyms

Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words or groups of words. Select the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word.

Practice Set (20 Questions)

1. The king was a very benevolent ruler.

(a) cruel
(b) kind
(c) arrogant
(d) wealthy

Answer: (b) kind

'Benevolent' means well meaning and kindly. Someone who is kind is compassionate and generous, making it the perfect synonym.

2. She handled the delicate situation in a very dexterous manner.

(a) clumsy
(b) skillful
(c) slow
(d) hasty

Answer: (b) skillful

'Dexterous' means showing or having skill, especially with the hands, but also mentally swift. 'Skillful' is the nearest synonym.

3. The true motive behind his actions remains an enigma.

(a) truth
(b) mystery
(c) fear
(d) certainty

Answer: (b) mystery

'Enigma' refers to a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. 'Mystery' captures this exact meaning.

4. He was accused of trying to fabricate evidence against the defendant.

(a) destroy
(b) forge
(c) present
(d) uncover

Answer: (b) forge

'Fabricate' means to invent or concoct (something), typically with deceitful intent. 'Forge', meaning to produce a copy or fake, is the closest synonym here.

5. Scammers often target gullible individuals.

(a) wealthy
(b) intelligent
(c) naive
(d) stubborn

Answer: (c) naive

'Gullible' describes someone who is easily persuaded to believe something; credulous. 'Naive' (showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment) is synonymous.

6. The earthquake wreaked havoc on the coastal town.

(a) devastation
(b) magic
(c) miracles
(d) peace

Answer: (a) devastation

'Havoc' means widespread destruction. 'Devastation' perfectly mirrors this severe level of damage.

7. The rebel leader tried to incite the crowd.

(a) pacify
(b) provoke
(c) educate
(d) entertain

Answer: (b) provoke

'Incite' means to encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior). To 'provoke' means to stimulate or give rise to an action/emotion (often a strong or angry one/reaction) in someone.

8. The fans were jubilant after the massive victory.

(a) depressed
(b) triumphant
(c) anxious
(d) indifferent

Answer: (b) triumphant

'Jubilant' means feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph. 'Triumphant' is its closest equivalent.

9. The hot weather made everyone feel lethargic.

(a) energetic
(b) active
(c) sluggish
(d) thirsty

Answer: (c) sluggish

'Lethargic' means affected by lethargy; slow, apathetic, and lacking energy. 'Sluggish' is the best synonym.

10. He kept meticulous records of his expenses.

(a) careless
(b) brief
(c) false
(d) careful

Answer: (d) careful

'Meticulous' means showing great attention to detail; very precise. 'Careful' is the nearest word.

11. The city is notorious for its traffic jams.

(a) famous
(b) infamous
(c) loved
(d) respected

Answer: (b) infamous

'Notorious' means widely and unfavorably known. 'Infamous', meaning known for some bad quality or deed, is its exact synonym. 'Famous' is typically positive.

12. At the pinnacle of her career, she decided to retire.

(a) nadir
(b) beginning
(c) peak
(d) end

Answer: (c) peak

'Pinnacle' is the most successful point or the culmination of something. 'Peak' serves as the best synonym.

13. Children are often incredibly resilient when facing trauma.

(a) fragile
(b) vulnerable
(c) tough
(d) stubborn

Answer: (c) tough

'Resilient' means able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. 'Tough' captures this endurance.

14. The auditor will scrutinize the financial reports.

(a) examine
(b) praise
(c) ignore
(d) discard

Answer: (a) examine

'Scrutinize' means to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

15. His tenacious grip prevented the object from falling.

(a) loose
(b) weak
(c) firm
(d) gentle

Answer: (c) firm

'Tenacious' means tending to keep a firm hold of something. 'Firm' is the direct synonym.

16. She has a voracious appetite for classic literature.

(a) tiny
(b) insatiable
(c) limited
(d) slow

Answer: (b) insatiable

'Voracious' means wanting or devouring great quantities of something; having a very eager approach. 'Insatiable' (impossible to satisfy) is strongly synonymous.

17. They were zealous supporters of the political movement.

(a) indifferent
(b) apathetic
(c) fervent
(d) mild

Answer: (c) fervent

'Zealous' means having or showing huge zeal or passion. 'Fervent' means having or displaying a passionate intensity.

18. The negotiations proved to be quite an arduous task.

(a) easy
(b) difficult
(c) fast
(d) enjoyable

Answer: (b) difficult

'Arduous' involves or requires strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.

19. He gave an explicit set of instructions.

(a) vague
(b) long
(c) clear
(d) ambiguous

Answer: (c) clear

'Explicit' means stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.

20. The document was an authentic piece of history.

(a) fake
(b) genuine
(c) forged
(d) modern

Answer: (b) genuine

'Authentic' means of undisputed origin; real. 'Genuine' means truly what something is said to be.

Previous Year Questions - Synonyms - NDA English

Synonyms (Previous Year Questions)

Directions: The following 20 questions are compiled from previous years' NDA English question papers. These highlight the actual difficulty level and context-based vocabulary tested by UPSC.

Important PYQs

NDA 2023 (II)

1. He is known for his impeccable manners.

(a) flawless
(b) polite
(c) respectful
(d) strange

Answer: (a) flawless

'Impeccable' means (of behavior, performance, or appearance) in accordance with the highest standards; faultless. 'Flawless' is the exact synonym.

NDA 2023 (I)

2. She displayed a lackadaisical approach to her studies.

(a) enthusiastic
(b) careless
(c) energetic
(d) focused

Answer: (b) careless

'Lackadaisical' means lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy. 'Careless' or 'lazy' is synonymous in this context.

NDA 2022 (II)

3. His argument was entirely specious.

(a) truthful
(b) sound
(c) deceptive
(d) logical

Answer: (c) deceptive

'Specious' refers to superficially plausible, but actually wrong. A 'deceptive' argument misleads someone, acting as the closest synonym.

NDA 2022 (I)

4. The politician delivered an eloquent speech.

(a) boring
(b) confused
(c) articulate
(d) short

Answer: (c) articulate

'Eloquent' means fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing. 'Articulate' (having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently) is perfectly synonymous.

NDA 2021 (II)

5. The task was formidable enough to scare the team.

(a) easy
(b) intimidating
(c) useless
(d) appealing

Answer: (b) intimidating

'Formidable' means inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable. 'Intimidating' accurately reflects this trait.

NDA 2021 (I)

6. The lawyer's questioning was highly pertinent to the case.

(a) relevant
(b) strange
(c) irrelevant
(d) slow

Answer: (a) relevant

'Pertinent' means relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite.

NDA 2020 (I & II)

7. The disease caused debilitating weakness in the patient.

(a) strengthening
(b) empowering
(c) weakening
(d) improving

Answer: (c) weakening

'Debilitating' (of a disease or condition) means making someone very weak and infirm. 'Weakening' is the direct synonym.

NDA 2019 (II)

8. His supercilious attitude annoyed his peers.

(a) arrogant
(b) humble
(c) friendly
(d) supportive

Answer: (a) arrogant

'Supercilious' means behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others. 'Arrogant' is a direct synonym.

NDA 2019 (I)

9. The situation is highly precarious.

(a) stable
(b) secure
(c) dangerous
(d) calm

Answer: (c) dangerous

'Precarious' means not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse (uncertain/dangerous).

NDA 2018 (II)

10. He showed a callous disregard for their feelings.

(a) sensitive
(b) caring
(c) unfeeling
(d) passionate

Answer: (c) unfeeling

'Callous' means showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others ('unfeeling').

NDA 2018 (I)

11. A sudden and lucrative contract saved the company.

(a) profitable
(b) expensive
(c) risky
(d) complicated

Answer: (a) profitable

'Lucrative' means producing a great deal of profit ('profitable').

NDA 2017 (II)

12. The rules must be strictly observed.

(a) rigidly
(b) loosely
(c) mildly
(d) occasionally

Answer: (a) rigidly

'Strictly' indicates adherence to rules in a rigid or inflexible manner ('rigidly').

NDA 2017 (I)

13. His work was done with impeccable precision.

(a) inaccurate
(b) faultless
(c) slow
(d) rushed

Answer: (b) faultless

'Impeccable' means flawless or faultless. (This word is highly repeated in NDA papers).

NDA 2016 (II)

14. The treaty proved to be very propitious.

(a) bad
(b) confusing
(c) favorable
(d) illegal

Answer: (c) favorable

'Propitious' means giving or indicating a good chance of success; 'favorable'.

NDA 2016 (I)

15. The speech had a profound impact on the youth.

(a) shallow
(b) deep
(c) boring
(d) negative

Answer: (b) deep

'Profound' means very great or intense ('deep' impact).

NDA 2015 (II)

16. His habits were quite peculiar.

(a) strange
(b) normal
(c) familiar
(d) average

Answer: (a) strange

'Peculiar' means strange or odd; unusual.

NDA 2015 (I)

17. They offered a very lucrative job deal. (Repeated concept)

(a) beneficial
(b) useless
(c) strict
(d) temporary

Answer: (a) beneficial

'Lucrative' (producing profit). Among the options, 'beneficial' is the nearest contextual synonym indicating a positive, profitable deal.

NDA 2014 (II)

18. The negotiations were incredibly tedious.

(a) exciting
(b) tiresome
(c) fast
(d) violent

Answer: (b) tiresome

'Tedious' means too long, slow, or dull ('tiresome' or 'boring').

NDA 2014 (I)

19. He was known for being highly indolent.

(a) lazy
(b) active
(c) smart
(d) honest

Answer: (a) lazy

'Indolent' means wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.

NDA 2013 (II)

20. Her magnanimous gesture won everyone's heart.

(a) generous
(b) selfish
(c) small
(d) violent

Answer: (a) generous

'Magnanimous' means generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person ('generous').

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