29 September 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Deference – it means respectful acceptance of another’s judgment, and it often appears in Banking and SSC passages on courts and institutions. The editorial on the ECI and the SIR is a must-read for polity, and the monsoon editorial explains why El Nino matters for food prices.

Editorial 1: In Need of an Overhaul: On the ECI’s Response and the SIR

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Concedes
Synonym: Admits | Antonym: Denies
Example: He finally concedes that the plan had flaws.

2. Implicitly
Synonym: Tacitly | Antonym: Explicitly
Example: Her silence implicitly accepted the proposal.

3. Remorse
Synonym: Regret | Antonym: Indifference
Example: The driver showed no remorse after the crash.

4. Marauded
Synonym: Rampaged | Antonym: Protected
Example: The stray herd marauded through the farms.

5. Emboldened
Synonym: Encouraged | Antonym: Discouraged
Example: The early win emboldened the young team.

6. Permissive
Synonym: Lenient | Antonym: Strict
Example: A permissive rule often invites misuse.

7. Onerous
Synonym: Burdensome | Antonym: Easy
Example: The form demanded onerous paperwork from farmers.

8. Reminiscent
Synonym: Suggestive | Antonym: Unrelated
Example: The old station is reminiscent of colonial times.

9. Deference
Synonym: Submission | Antonym: Defiance
Example: The junior staff showed deference to the chief.

10. Travesty
Synonym: Mockery | Antonym: Tribute
Example: The rigged trial was a travesty of justice.

Idioms

1. Run roughshod over
Meaning: Ignore others’ rights

2. Brush aside
Meaning: Dismiss quickly

3. Get away with
Meaning: Escape punishment

Editorial 2: New Equilibrium: On U.S.-China Ties

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Recalibrate
Synonym: Readjust | Antonym: Maintain
Example: The firm will recalibrate its plans after the budget.

2. Accorded
Synonym: Granted | Antonym: Denied
Example: The veteran was accorded a warm welcome.

3. Modest
Synonym: Moderate | Antonym: Substantial
Example: The shop made a modest profit this year.

4. Reciprocal
Synonym: Mutual | Antonym: One-sided
Example: The two schools signed a reciprocal exchange deal.

5. Reaffirmed
Synonym: Reasserted | Antonym: Retracted
Example: The coach reaffirmed his faith in the captain.

6. Deferred
Synonym: Postponed | Antonym: Expedited
Example: The exam was deferred by a week.

7. Beset
Synonym: Plagued | Antonym: Untroubled
Example: The project was beset by delays.

8. Predicated
Synonym: Founded | Antonym: Unfounded
Example: The plan is predicated on steady rainfall.

9. Bulwark
Synonym: Safeguard | Antonym: Weakness
Example: A free press is a bulwark of democracy.

10. Stark
Synonym: Striking | Antonym: Subtle
Example: The two reports show a stark difference.

Idioms

1. Roll out the red carpet
Meaning: Welcome lavishly

2. On the surface
Meaning: At first glance

3. Open to question
Meaning: Debatable

Editorial 3: AI Safety Cannot Be Left to Silicon Valley

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Autonomously
Synonym: Independently | Antonym: Dependently
Example: The robot cleans the floor autonomously.

2. Asymmetry
Synonym: Imbalance | Antonym: Symmetry
Example: There is an asymmetry of information between buyer and seller.

3. Catastrophic
Synonym: Disastrous | Antonym: Beneficial
Example: The dam failure had catastrophic results.

4. Disrupt
Synonym: Interrupt | Antonym: Facilitate
Example: Heavy rain may disrupt train services.

5. Confidential
Synonym: Private | Antonym: Public
Example: Keep your bank password confidential.

6. Deceit
Synonym: Dishonesty | Antonym: Honesty
Example: The merchant’s deceit cost him his customers.

7. Oversight
Synonym: Supervision | Antonym: Neglect
Example: The project needs strict oversight.

8. Embedded
Synonym: Ingrained | Antonym: Detached
Example: Safety checks are embedded in the design.

9. Scrutinise
Synonym: Examine | Antonym: Overlook
Example: Auditors scrutinise the accounts every year.

10. Calibrated
Synonym: Measured | Antonym: Reckless
Example: The bank took a calibrated approach to rates.

Idioms

1. Ring alarm bells
Meaning: Signal danger

2. To this effect
Meaning: Meaning this

Editorial 4: As Monsoon Falters, Keep Food Imports Open

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Cumulative
Synonym: Aggregate | Antonym: Individual
Example: The cumulative effect of small savings is large.

2. Markedly
Synonym: Noticeably | Antonym: Slightly
Example: Prices rose markedly after the storm.

3. Deficient
Synonym: Insufficient | Antonym: Adequate
Example: The soil here is deficient in nitrogen.

4. Skewed
Synonym: Distorted | Antonym: Balanced
Example: A small sample skewed the survey results.

5. Suppress
Synonym: Restrain | Antonym: Encourage
Example: Cold weather can suppress crop growth.

6. Brunt
Synonym: Impact | Antonym: Respite
Example: Coastal villages bore the brunt of the cyclone.

7. Efficacy
Synonym: Effectiveness | Antonym: Inefficacy
Example: Trials will test the vaccine’s efficacy.

8. Expeditious
Synonym: Prompt | Antonym: Sluggish
Example: The court promised an expeditious hearing.

9. Indemnity
Synonym: Compensation | Antonym: Liability
Example: Farmers received indemnity for their failed crops.

10. Shortfalls
Synonym: Deficits | Antonym: Surpluses
Example: The state faces shortfalls in grain supply.

Idioms

1. Follow suit
Meaning: Do the same

2. On top of
Meaning: In addition to

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. (A) The Election Commission’s press note / (B) concedes the complaints of / (C) two Election Commissioners, / (D) but only administrative ones. 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’.

Q2. As the U.S. and China RECALIBRATE ties, the implications for other nations are huge. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Abandon
(B) Freeze
(C) Ignore
(D) Readjust
(E) Sever

Answer: D

Meaning: Recalibrate means to adjust or reset something for new conditions.
Logic: ‘Readjust’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Abandon, Freeze, Ignore and Sever mean ending or halting ties, not adjusting them.

Q3. The press note also IMPLICITLY admits the flawed implementation of the Special Intensive Revision. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Explicitly
(B) Tacitly
(C) Indirectly
(D) Silently
(E) Quietly

Answer: A

Meaning: Implicitly means in a way that is suggested but not directly stated.
Logic: ‘Explicitly’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Tacitly, Indirectly, Silently and Quietly are all near-synonyms of implicitly, not opposite.

Q4. Beyond the optics, the concrete outcomes from the Trump-Xi talks were MODEST. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Limited
(B) Substantial
(C) Moderate
(D) Small
(E) Meagre

Answer: B

Meaning: Modest means limited in size or amount.
Logic: ‘Substantial’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Limited, Moderate, Small and Meagre are all near-synonyms of modest, not opposite.

Q5. The editorial finds no REMORSE in the ECI’s note for an exercise that struck lakhs of genuine electors off the rolls. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Regret
(B) Pride
(C) Indifference
(D) Satisfaction
(E) Defiance

Answer: A

Meaning: Remorse means deep regret for a wrong one has done.
Logic: ‘Regret’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Pride, Indifference, Satisfaction and Defiance all denote an absence of regret.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Concedes (Admits) | Implicitly (Tacitly) | Remorse (Regret) | Marauded (Rampaged) | Emboldened (Encouraged) | Permissive (Lenient) | Onerous (Burdensome) | Reminiscent (Suggestive) | Deference (Submission) | Travesty (Mockery) | Recalibrate (Readjust) | Accorded (Granted) | Modest (Moderate) | Reciprocal (Mutual) | Reaffirmed (Reasserted) | Deferred (Postponed) | Beset (Plagued) | Predicated (Founded) | Bulwark (Safeguard) | Stark (Striking) | Autonomously (Independently) | Asymmetry (Imbalance) | Catastrophic (Disastrous) | Disrupt (Interrupt) | Confidential (Private) | Deceit (Dishonesty) | Oversight (Supervision) | Embedded (Ingrained) | Scrutinise (Examine) | Calibrated (Measured) | Cumulative (Aggregate) | Markedly (Noticeably) | Deficient (Insufficient) | Skewed (Distorted) | Suppress (Restrain) | Brunt (Impact) | Efficacy (Effectiveness) | Expeditious (Prompt) | Indemnity (Compensation) | Shortfalls (Deficits)

Idioms: Run roughshod over, Brush aside, Get away with, Roll out the red carpet, On the surface, Open to question, Ring alarm bells, To this effect, Follow suit, On top of

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