07 October 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Hegemony – it means leadership or dominance of one group over others, and it is a favourite in Banking and SSC reading passages. The Nobel Prize editorial on optogenetics is a must-read for science and current affairs, and the Supreme Court editorial explains why the right to vote is under debate.

Editorial 1: Good, Not Good Enough: On India and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Laboured
Synonym: Struggled | Antonym: Cruised
Example: The old truck laboured up the steep hill.

2. Hegemony
Synonym: Dominance | Antonym: Subordination
Example: The young team ended the champions’ hegemony.

3. Rookie
Synonym: Novice | Antonym: Veteran
Example: The rookie pilot landed the plane smoothly.

4. Propelling
Synonym: Driving | Antonym: Hindering
Example: Strong winds were propelling the boat ahead.

5. Postmortem
Synonym: Review | Antonym: Forecast
Example: The coach held a postmortem after the lost match.

6. Embarrassment
Synonym: Humiliation | Antonym: Pride
Example: He blushed with embarrassment at his mistake.

7. Debutants
Synonym: Newcomers | Antonym: Veterans
Example: Ten debutants joined the national squad this year.

8. Revamped
Synonym: Overhauled | Antonym: Neglected
Example: The school library was revamped last summer.

9. Noticeable
Synonym: Marked | Antonym: Negligible
Example: There was a noticeable change in her handwriting.

10. Outshone
Synonym: Surpassed | Antonym: Lagged
Example: The new batter outshone every senior player.

Idioms

1. Reality check
Meaning: A wake-up call

2. Hog the limelight
Meaning: Take all attention

3. Live up to one’s billing
Meaning: Meet expectations

Editorial 2: Bird Islands: On India’s Bustard Conservation Programme

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Teetered
Synonym: Wobbled | Antonym: Steadied
Example: The cup teetered at the edge of the table.

2. Brink
Synonym: Verge | Antonym: Centre
Example: The company was on the brink of closing.

3. Pomp
Synonym: Splendour | Antonym: Simplicity
Example: The festival opened with great pomp and music.

4. Prized
Synonym: Treasured | Antonym: Despised
Example: She kept her grandmother’s prized silver ring.

5. Opprobrium
Synonym: Disgrace | Antonym: Praise
Example: The decision drew public opprobrium.

6. Straying
Synonym: Wandering | Antonym: Staying
Example: Straying cattle blocked the village road.

7. Stoking
Synonym: Fuelling | Antonym: Dousing
Example: His remarks were stoking fear among villagers.

8. Travails
Synonym: Hardships | Antonym: Comforts
Example: The book describes the travails of migrant workers.

9. Overflow
Synonym: Spill | Antonym: Contain
Example: Heavy rain made the river overflow its banks.

10. Symbolism
Synonym: Tokenism | Antonym: Substance
Example: Critics said the plan offered symbolism, not results.

Idioms

1. On the brink of
Meaning: Very close to

2. Give way to
Meaning: Be replaced by

Editorial 3: Nobel Prize for Medicine: A Single Cell, a Flash of Light

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Instinctively
Synonym: Intuitively | Antonym: Deliberately
Example: She instinctively stepped back from the fire.

2. Inaugurating
Synonym: Launching | Antonym: Concluding
Example: The mayor is inaugurating the new bridge today.

3. Illumination
Synonym: Lighting | Antonym: Darkness
Example: Lamps gave soft illumination to the hall.

4. Intimidating
Synonym: Daunting | Antonym: Reassuring
Example: The tall gate looked intimidating to visitors.

5. Breakthrough
Synonym: Advance | Antonym: Setback
Example: Doctors announced a breakthrough in cancer treatment.

6. Precise
Synonym: Exact | Antonym: Vague
Example: Give me precise directions to the station.

7. Preference
Synonym: Liking | Antonym: Aversion
Example: My preference is tea over coffee.

8. Consciousness
Synonym: Awareness | Antonym: Unawareness
Example: He regained consciousness after an hour.

9. Complexities
Synonym: Intricacies | Antonym: Simplicity
Example: The lawyer explained the complexities of the case.

10. Reside
Synonym: Dwell | Antonym: Depart
Example: Many students reside in the hostel.

Idioms

1. Shed light on
Meaning: Make clearer

Editorial 4: Delhi Is Now Working for Peace in Russia-Ukraine

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Restraint
Synonym: Self-control | Antonym: Recklessness
Example: Both sides showed restraint during the talks.

2. Advocacy
Synonym: Support | Antonym: Opposition
Example: Her advocacy for clean water won wide praise.

3. Warring
Synonym: Fighting | Antonym: Peaceful
Example: The warring tribes finally signed a truce.

4. Even-handed
Synonym: Impartial | Antonym: Biased
Example: The judge was even-handed with both parties.

5. Immediate
Synonym: Instant | Antonym: Delayed
Example: The doctor gave the patient immediate care.

6. De-escalation
Synonym: Easing | Antonym: Escalation
Example: The talks led to a de-escalation of tensions.

7. Constantly
Synonym: Continually | Antonym: Rarely
Example: The phone was constantly ringing all morning.

8. Warned
Synonym: Cautioned | Antonym: Reassured
Example: The guide warned us about the slippery path.

9. Disrupted
Synonym: Upset | Antonym: Organised
Example: Heavy rain disrupted train services.

10. Shortages
Synonym: Scarcities | Antonym: Surpluses
Example: Water shortages hit the city every summer.

Idioms

1. Would do well to
Meaning: Should do

2. Build on
Meaning: Use as a base

3. Step into
Meaning: Begin a role

Editorial 5: The Knock on the Supreme Court’s Door

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Gravity
Synonym: Seriousness | Antonym: Triviality
Example: The judge stressed the gravity of the crime.

2. Peril
Synonym: Danger | Antonym: Safety
Example: The climbers were in great peril.

3. Sanctity
Synonym: Sacredness | Antonym: Profanity
Example: We must respect the sanctity of the vote.

4. Affirming
Synonym: Upholding | Antonym: Denying
Example: The court issued a judgment affirming her rights.

5. Inclusiveness
Synonym: Openness | Antonym: Exclusivity
Example: The school is known for its inclusiveness.

6. Transformational
Synonym: Revolutionary | Antonym: Minor
Example: The new law brought transformational change.

7. Detaching
Synonym: Separating | Antonym: Attaching
Example: She is detaching the cable from the laptop.

8. Burden
Synonym: Load | Antonym: Relief
Example: The loan became a burden on the family.

9. Reassuring
Synonym: Comforting | Antonym: Alarming
Example: The doctor’s reassuring words calmed the patient.

10. Shifted
Synonym: Moved | Antonym: Kept
Example: The office shifted to a new building.

Idioms

1. Benefit of the doubt
Meaning: Give trust

2. Go back on
Meaning: Break a promise

3. At all costs
Meaning: No matter what

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. India LABOURED to 21 gold medals after a slow start at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Struggled
(B) Cruised
(C) Raced
(D) Glided
(E) Celebrated

Answer: A

Meaning: Laboured means moved or worked with great effort and difficulty.
Logic: ‘Struggled’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Cruised, Raced and Glided suggest ease or speed, and Celebrated does not describe effort.

Q2. Hunters, royal ones included, PRIZED the Great Indian Bustard. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Hated
(B) Ignored
(C) Treasured
(D) Feared
(E) Pitied

Answer: C

Meaning: Prized means valued very highly.
Logic: ‘Treasured’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Hated and Ignored are opposite in sense, while Feared and Pitied do not mean valued.

Q3. A single cell, INSTINCTIVELY moving towards light, held the key to the brain’s secrets. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Slowly
(B) Carefully
(C) Reluctantly
(D) Intuitively
(E) Deliberately

Answer: D

Meaning: Instinctively means naturally, without thinking.
Logic: ‘Intuitively’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Deliberately and Carefully are opposite in sense, and Slowly and Reluctantly do not mean unthinking.

Q4. Seventeen-year-old ROOKIE recurve archer Kumkum Mohod beat the Korean women’s hegemony. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Novice
(B) Beginner
(C) Newcomer
(D) Amateur
(E) Veteran

Answer: E

Meaning: Rookie means a beginner or new member in a field.
Logic: ‘Veteran’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Novice, Beginner, Newcomer and Amateur are all near-synonyms, not opposite.

Q5. Identify the correctly spelt word among the options below.

(A) Oprobrium
(B) Opprobrium
(C) Opprobreum
(D) Oppropium
(E) Opporbrium

Answer: B

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Opprobrium’, meaning harsh public criticism or disgrace.
Logic: standard English spelling, with a double ‘p’ and ‘-ium’.
Elimination: the remaining options drop, swap or substitute letters.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Laboured (Struggled) | Hegemony (Dominance) | Rookie (Novice) | Propelling (Driving) | Postmortem (Review) | Embarrassment (Humiliation) | Debutants (Newcomers) | Revamped (Overhauled) | Noticeable (Marked) | Outshone (Surpassed) | Teetered (Wobbled) | Brink (Verge) | Pomp (Splendour) | Prized (Treasured) | Opprobrium (Disgrace) | Straying (Wandering) | Stoking (Fuelling) | Travails (Hardships) | Overflow (Spill) | Symbolism (Tokenism) | Instinctively (Intuitively) | Inaugurating (Launching) | Illumination (Lighting) | Intimidating (Daunting) | Breakthrough (Advance) | Precise (Exact) | Preference (Liking) | Consciousness (Awareness) | Complexities (Intricacies) | Reside (Dwell) | Restraint (Self-control) | Advocacy (Support) | Warring (Fighting) | Even-handed (Impartial) | Immediate (Instant) | De-escalation (Easing) | Constantly (Continually) | Warned (Cautioned) | Disrupted (Upset) | Shortages (Scarcities) | Gravity (Seriousness) | Peril (Danger) | Sanctity (Sacredness) | Affirming (Upholding) | Inclusiveness (Openness) | Transformational (Revolutionary) | Detaching (Separating) | Burden (Load) | Reassuring (Comforting) | Shifted (Moved)

Idioms: Reality check, Hog the limelight, Live up to one’s billing, On the brink of, Give way to, Shed light on, Would do well to, Build on, Step into, Benefit of the doubt, Go back on, At all costs

=== 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.