01 October 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Stalemate – it means a situation where neither side can win, and it often appears in Banking and SSC passages on diplomacy and conflict. The editorial on J&K Statehood is a must-read for polity and federalism, and the Delhi winter-plan editorial explains why clean air needs more than bans.

Editorial 1: State of Anticipation: On J&K Statehood

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Erstwhile
Synonym: Former | Antonym: Current
Example: The erstwhile palace is now a museum.

2. Autonomy
Synonym: Self-rule | Antonym: Dependence
Example: Universities want more autonomy in framing courses.

3. Restoration
Synonym: Revival | Antonym: Removal
Example: The restoration of the old fort took five years.

4. Unprecedented
Synonym: Unparalleled | Antonym: Common
Example: The city saw unprecedented rainfall this week.

5. Tumultuous
Synonym: Turbulent | Antonym: Calm
Example: The country went through a tumultuous decade.

6. Shunned
Synonym: Avoided | Antonym: Embraced
Example: Villagers shunned the harmful practice after the campaign.

7. Reciprocated
Synonym: Returned | Antonym: Ignored
Example: She reciprocated his kindness with a warm letter.

8. Scarred
Synonym: Wounded | Antonym: Healed
Example: The town remains scarred by the old flood.

9. Predicate
Synonym: Base | Antonym: Detach
Example: Do not predicate your plans on a single loan.

10. Drift
Synonym: Stray | Antonym: Anchor
Example: Old friends often drift apart after college.

Idioms

1. Order of the day
Meaning: Very common then

2. High time
Meaning: Long overdue

3. A say in the matter
Meaning: Right to decide

Editorial 2: Silver Lining: On India at the Chess Olympiad

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Dispiriting
Synonym: Discouraging | Antonym: Encouraging
Example: The team’s early exit was dispiriting for fans.

2. Commendable
Synonym: Praiseworthy | Antonym: Blameworthy
Example: Her honesty in the matter was commendable.

3. Feat
Synonym: Accomplishment | Antonym: Failure
Example: Climbing the peak alone was a remarkable feat.

4. Seeded
Synonym: Ranked | Antonym: Unranked
Example: The seeded player lost in the first round.

5. Anticipated
Synonym: Expected | Antonym: Unexpected
Example: The anticipated rain finally arrived in the evening.

6. Crucial
Synonym: Vital | Antonym: Trivial
Example: The last over proved crucial for the result.

7. Inched
Synonym: Crept | Antonym: Rushed
Example: Prices inched up through the week.

8. Deserving
Synonym: Worthy | Antonym: Unworthy
Example: The prize went to a deserving student.

9. Debut
Synonym: Launch | Antonym: Farewell
Example: He scored a century on his debut.

10. Persistence
Synonym: Perseverance | Antonym: Surrender
Example: Persistence helped her clear the exam.

Idioms

1. Live up to
Meaning: Meet expectations

2. No small feat
Meaning: Big achievement

3. Top billing
Meaning: Top position

Editorial 3: Fat Dogs of Delhi, Unite

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Aeons
Synonym: Ages | Antonym: Moment
Example: It felt like aeons before the results came.

2. Optimistic
Synonym: Hopeful | Antonym: Pessimistic
Example: The coach is optimistic about the next match.

3. Elation
Synonym: Joy | Antonym: Gloom
Example: There was elation in the village after the win.

4. Phenomenon
Synonym: Occurrence | Antonym: Rarity
Example: Online shopping is now a global phenomenon.

5. Innocuously
Synonym: Harmlessly | Antonym: Harmfully
Example: The quarrel began innocuously over a small joke.

6. Portly
Synonym: Plump | Antonym: Slim
Example: A portly guard dozed near the gate.

7. Corpulent
Synonym: Obese | Antonym: Thin
Example: The doctor advised the corpulent man to walk daily.

8. Posthumously
Synonym: After death | Antonym: In life
Example: The soldier was awarded the medal posthumously.

9. Divisive
Synonym: Polarising | Antonym: Unifying
Example: Leaders should avoid divisive speeches during festivals.

10. Rhetoric
Synonym: Oratory | Antonym: Plain speech
Example: Voters want action, not empty rhetoric.

Idioms

1. Silver lining
Meaning: Hopeful side

2. Gear up for
Meaning: Get ready

Editorial 4: US, Iran and the Missing Endgame

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Endgame
Synonym: Conclusion | Antonym: Beginning
Example: Neither side has a clear endgame for the talks.

2. Annihilate
Synonym: Obliterate | Antonym: Preserve
Example: The storm threatened to annihilate the crops.

3. Leverage
Synonym: Advantage | Antonym: Weakness
Example: The union used the strike as leverage.

4. Potent
Synonym: Powerful | Antonym: Weak
Example: Social media is a potent tool for change.

5. Rebounded
Synonym: Recovered | Antonym: Slumped
Example: Sales rebounded after the festival season.

6. Chokehold
Synonym: Stranglehold | Antonym: Release
Example: A few firms have a chokehold on the market.

7. Battering
Synonym: Pounding | Antonym: Protection
Example: The coast took a battering from the cyclone.

8. Concessions
Synonym: Compromises | Antonym: Demands
Example: Both sides made concessions to end the strike.

9. Deadlock
Synonym: Standstill | Antonym: Breakthrough
Example: The talks ended in deadlock again.

10. Stalemate
Synonym: Impasse | Antonym: Resolution
Example: The border dispute remains in a stalemate.

Idioms

1. Play hardball
Meaning: Act tough

2. Cut a deal
Meaning: Make a deal

3. Sooner or later
Meaning: Eventually

Editorial 5: Delhi Has a Winter Plan, but Clean Air Needs More Than Bans

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Dreaded
Synonym: Feared | Antonym: Welcome
Example: The dreaded exam results were finally out.

2. Staggered
Synonym: Spaced out | Antonym: Simultaneous
Example: Schools adopted staggered timings to reduce crowding.

3. Arsenal
Synonym: Stockpile | Antonym: Shortage
Example: Patience is the best weapon in a teacher’s arsenal.

4. Mitigating
Synonym: Easing | Antonym: Worsening
Example: Trees play a role in mitigating urban heat.

5. Fragmented
Synonym: Divided | Antonym: Unified
Example: A fragmented opposition helped the ruling party.

6. Undoing
Synonym: Downfall | Antonym: Salvation
Example: Overconfidence proved to be his undoing.

7. Coincide
Synonym: Concur | Antonym: Diverge
Example: The sale will coincide with the festival.

8. Endeavour
Synonym: Effort | Antonym: Neglect
Example: Cleaning the river is a long-term endeavour.

9. Coercion
Synonym: Compulsion | Antonym: Persuasion
Example: The confession was taken under coercion.

10. Groundswell
Synonym: Surge | Antonym: Decline
Example: There is a groundswell of support for the new park.

Idioms

1. Set the ball rolling
Meaning: Get started

2. Have one’s task cut out
Meaning: Face a hard task

3. In the same vein
Meaning: Similarly

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. The ERSTWHILE State of J&K was carved into two Union Territories in 2019. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Former
(B) Previous
(C) Old
(D) Earlier
(E) Current

Answer: E

Meaning: Erstwhile means former, or existing earlier.
Logic: ‘Current’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Former, Previous, Old and Earlier are all near-synonyms of erstwhile, not opposite.

Q2. Finishing second to Uzbekistan in the Chess Olympiad should not be DISPIRITING for India. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Encouraging
(B) Depressing
(C) Discouraging
(D) Disheartening
(E) Saddening

Answer: A

Meaning: Dispiriting means causing a loss of hope or enthusiasm.
Logic: ‘Encouraging’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Depressing, Discouraging, Disheartening and Saddening are all near-synonyms, not opposite.

Q3. Identify the correctly spelt word among the options below.

(A) Phenomenen
(B) Phenominon
(C) Phenomenon
(D) Phenomanon
(E) Phennomenon

Answer: C

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Phenomenon’, meaning a notable fact or event.
Logic: standard English spelling, ending in ‘-non’.
Elimination: the remaining options substitute or double letters.

Q4. (A) The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly / (B) passed a resolution / (C) seeking the restoration / (D) of full Statehood. Identify the segment containing the grammatical error.

(A) (A)
(B) (B)
(C) (C)
(D) (D)
(E) No error

Answer: E

Meaning: all four segments are grammatically correct.
Logic: tense, agreement and structure are consistent throughout.
Elimination: no segment contains an error, so the correct answer is ‘No error’.

Q5. India’s show at the Chess Olympiad, with six individual medals, is no doubt COMMENDABLE. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Shameful
(B) Ordinary
(C) Praiseworthy
(D) Poor
(E) Doubtful

Answer: C

Meaning: Commendable means deserving praise.
Logic: ‘Praiseworthy’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Shameful and Poor are opposite in sense, while Ordinary and Doubtful do not convey praise.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Erstwhile (Former) | Autonomy (Self-rule) | Restoration (Revival) | Unprecedented (Unparalleled) | Tumultuous (Turbulent) | Shunned (Avoided) | Reciprocated (Returned) | Scarred (Wounded) | Predicate (Base) | Drift (Stray) | Dispiriting (Discouraging) | Commendable (Praiseworthy) | Feat (Accomplishment) | Seeded (Ranked) | Anticipated (Expected) | Crucial (Vital) | Inched (Crept) | Deserving (Worthy) | Debut (Launch) | Persistence (Perseverance) | Aeons (Ages) | Optimistic (Hopeful) | Elation (Joy) | Phenomenon (Occurrence) | Innocuously (Harmlessly) | Portly (Plump) | Corpulent (Obese) | Posthumously (After death) | Divisive (Polarising) | Rhetoric (Oratory) | Endgame (Conclusion) | Annihilate (Obliterate) | Leverage (Advantage) | Potent (Powerful) | Rebounded (Recovered) | Chokehold (Stranglehold) | Battering (Pounding) | Concessions (Compromises) | Deadlock (Standstill) | Stalemate (Impasse) | Dreaded (Feared) | Staggered (Spaced out) | Arsenal (Stockpile) | Mitigating (Easing) | Fragmented (Divided) | Undoing (Downfall) | Coincide (Concur) | Endeavour (Effort) | Coercion (Compulsion) | Groundswell (Surge)

Idioms: Order of the day, High time, A say in the matter, Live up to, No small feat, Top billing, Silver lining, Gear up for, Play hardball, Cut a deal, Sooner or later, Set the ball rolling, Have one’s task cut out, In the same vein

=== FAQ === Q1. What is the Editorial and Vocabulary course on MockToOfficer? A1. It is a daily course that teaches vocabulary from real newspaper editorials. Each day you get new words with synonyms, antonyms and example sentences, plus key idioms, a 5-question quiz and a downloadable PDF. Q2. Which exams is this Vocabs course useful for? A2. It helps with the English sections of banking and other competitive exams, such as IBPS, SBI, RRB and SSC. The words come from the editorials these exams draw on, so you learn them in context. Q3. How should I use the daily post and PDF to remember the words? A3. Read the words in the post, attempt the 5-question quiz without looking at the answers, then check the explanations. Download the PDF and revise it once a day. Regular daily practice works better than long, occasional sessions.