19 October 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Antithetical – it means directly opposed to something, and it often appears in Banking and SSC reading passages. The Jantar Mantar editorial is key for Polity and the right to protest, the Russian diesel editorial matters for International Relations and sanctions, and the France editorial is useful for understanding public debt and pension costs.

Editorial 1: Out of Site: On Jantar Mantar Denotification, Protests and Democracy

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Denotified
Synonym: Delisted | Antonym: Notified
Example: The authorities denotified the old ground as an approved site for rallies.

2. Spacious
Synonym: Roomy | Antonym: Cramped
Example: The spacious hall comfortably seated all the exam candidates.

3. Inconvenience
Synonym: Nuisance | Antonym: Convenience
Example: The road closure caused serious inconvenience to daily travellers.

4. Extended
Synonym: Stretched | Antonym: Curtailed
Example: The deadline was extended by a week after repeated requests.

5. Antithetical
Synonym: Contradictory | Antonym: Compatible
Example: Secrecy is antithetical to the idea of open government.

6. Deliberation
Synonym: Debate | Antonym: Haste
Example: The bill passed only after long deliberation in the committee.

7. Proximity
Synonym: Closeness | Antonym: Distance
Example: The school’s proximity to the station suits working parents.

8. Sought
Synonym: Requested | Antonym: Refused
Example: The petitioners sought a stay on the new order.

9. Trapped
Synonym: Cornered | Antonym: Freed
Example: Floodwater left several families trapped on their rooftops.

10. Challenging
Synonym: Disputing | Antonym: Accepting
Example: Several groups are challenging the new rule in the High Court.

Idioms

1. Hold water
Meaning: Be convincing or valid

Editorial 2: Double Standards: On the Trump Diesel Deal with Russia

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Hypocrisy
Synonym: Duplicity | Antonym: Sincerity
Example: Critics saw hypocrisy in a rule its makers ignored themselves.

2. Folly
Synonym: Foolishness | Antonym: Wisdom
Example: Ignoring the weather warning proved to be a costly folly.

3. Moralising
Synonym: Sermonising | Antonym: Condoning
Example: Nobody likes a coach who keeps moralising after every defeat.

4. Bombardment
Synonym: Shelling | Antonym: Peace
Example: The night-long bombardment forced thousands to flee the town.

5. Ceasefire
Synonym: Armistice | Antonym: Hostilities
Example: Both sides accepted a ceasefire after weeks of heavy fighting.

6. Temporarily
Synonym: Briefly | Antonym: Permanently
Example: The bridge was closed temporarily for urgent repair work.

7. Impose
Synonym: Enforce | Antonym: Lift
Example: The state may impose a fine on late payers.

8. Exposes
Synonym: Reveals | Antonym: Conceals
Example: The audit report exposes serious gaps in the scheme’s delivery.

9. Strategic
Synonym: Calculated | Antonym: Haphazard
Example: The firm made a strategic move into the rural market.

10. Willing
Synonym: Ready | Antonym: Reluctant
Example: Villagers were willing to help rebuild the damaged school.

Idioms

1. Double-edged sword
Meaning: Has good and bad effects

2. Bleed dry
Meaning: Drain of all resources

3. U-turn
Meaning: Complete change of plan

Editorial 3: Turn Down the Noise, Let Language Find Its Way in

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Inchoate
Synonym: Rudimentary | Antonym: Developed
Example: The plan was still inchoate and needed much more work.

2. Babble
Synonym: Prattle | Antonym: Silence
Example: The toddler began to babble happily in the car.

3. Ceaseless
Synonym: Incessant | Antonym: Intermittent
Example: Ceaseless rain flooded the low-lying streets of the town.

4. Vying
Synonym: Contending | Antonym: Cooperating
Example: Three firms are vying for the new metro contract.

5. Pontificating
Synonym: Preaching | Antonym: Listening
Example: Guests grew tired of him pontificating about politics at dinner.

6. Unshakeable
Synonym: Unwavering | Antonym: Wavering
Example: She kept an unshakeable faith in her team’s ability.

7. Hospitality
Synonym: Warmth | Antonym: Hostility
Example: The villagers’ hospitality made the visitors feel at home.

8. Accomplished
Synonym: Proficient | Antonym: Inept
Example: She is an accomplished singer with many awards.

9. Tempting
Synonym: Alluring | Antonym: Repellent
Example: The low price made the offer very tempting for buyers.

10. Courtesy
Synonym: Politeness | Antonym: Rudeness
Example: The clerk helped every visitor with patience and courtesy.

Idioms

1. In thrall to
Meaning: Under the control of

Editorial 4: In France, Student Protest Is Symptom and Warning

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Unexceptionable
Synonym: Unobjectionable | Antonym: Objectionable
Example: The committee’s demands were unexceptionable and quickly accepted.

2. Detained
Synonym: Held | Antonym: Released
Example: Police detained the suspect for questioning overnight.

3. Substitute
Synonym: Replacement | Antonym: Original
Example: A substitute teacher took the class in her absence.

4. Offloading
Synonym: Dumping | Antonym: Acquiring
Example: Investors kept offloading shares as the market kept falling.

5. Utopian
Synonym: Idealistic | Antonym: Realistic
Example: Critics called the manifesto a utopian dream without costing.

6. Widespread
Synonym: Extensive | Antonym: Limited
Example: Widespread rain eased the heat across the northern plains.

7. Apparent
Synonym: Evident | Antonym: Hidden
Example: It became apparent that the scheme lacked funds.

8. Upcoming
Synonym: Forthcoming | Antonym: Past
Example: Students are busy preparing for the upcoming board exams.

9. Injured
Synonym: Wounded | Antonym: Unharmed
Example: Two passengers were injured when the bus overturned.

10. Closures
Synonym: Shutdowns | Antonym: Openings
Example: Factory closures left hundreds of workers without jobs.

Idioms

1. Back down
Meaning: Give up a demand

2. Lame duck
Meaning: Leader with little power

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. The Delhi Police DENOTIFIED Jantar Mantar as a site where protests can be organised. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Delisted
(B) Notified
(C) Approved
(D) Recognised
(E) Authorised

Answer: A

Meaning: Denotified means officially removed from a notified or approved list.
Logic: ‘Delisted’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Notified, Approved, Recognised and Authorised are opposite in sense.

Q2. Identify the correctly spelt word among the options below.

(A) Hypocracy
(B) Hipocrisy
(C) Hypocrasy
(D) Hypocrisy
(E) Hypocrisey

Answer: D

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Hypocrisy’, meaning claiming to hold values one does not follow.
Logic: starts with ‘hypo-‘ and ends with ‘-crisy’.
Elimination: the remaining options change, drop or swap letters.

Q3. The editorial wants an alternative protest site that is SPACIOUS and open. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Roomy
(B) Ample
(C) Capacious
(D) Expansive
(E) Cramped

Answer: E

Meaning: Spacious means having plenty of room inside or around.
Logic: ‘Cramped’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Roomy, Ample, Capacious and Expansive are all near-synonyms, not opposite.

Q4. The editorial describes the US decisions as an act of FOLLY. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Wisdom
(B) Prudence
(C) Brilliance
(D) Foolishness
(E) Insight

Answer: D

Meaning: Folly means a foolish act or idea.
Logic: ‘Foolishness’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Wisdom, Prudence, Brilliance and Insight are opposite in sense.

Q5. Critics say the protests cause ______ to ordinary commuters. Select the option that best fits the blank in the sentence.

(A) rainbow
(B) pillow
(C) guitar
(D) inconvenience
(E) orchard

Answer: D

Meaning: inconvenience means trouble or difficulty caused to someone.
Logic: protests can cause trouble to people travelling.
Elimination: rainbow, pillow, guitar and orchard do not fit the sentence.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Denotified (Delisted) | Spacious (Roomy) | Inconvenience (Nuisance) | Extended (Stretched) | Antithetical (Contradictory) | Deliberation (Debate) | Proximity (Closeness) | Sought (Requested) | Trapped (Cornered) | Challenging (Disputing) | Hypocrisy (Duplicity) | Folly (Foolishness) | Moralising (Sermonising) | Bombardment (Shelling) | Ceasefire (Armistice) | Temporarily (Briefly) | Impose (Enforce) | Exposes (Reveals) | Strategic (Calculated) | Willing (Ready) | Inchoate (Rudimentary) | Babble (Prattle) | Ceaseless (Incessant) | Vying (Contending) | Pontificating (Preaching) | Unshakeable (Unwavering) | Hospitality (Warmth) | Accomplished (Proficient) | Tempting (Alluring) | Courtesy (Politeness) | Unexceptionable (Unobjectionable) | Detained (Held) | Substitute (Replacement) | Offloading (Dumping) | Utopian (Idealistic) | Widespread (Extensive) | Apparent (Evident) | Upcoming (Forthcoming) | Injured (Wounded) | Closures (Shutdowns)

Idioms: Hold water, Double-edged sword, Bleed dry, U-turn, In thrall to, Back down, Lame duck