08 September 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Word Power

Date: 08-Sep-2026

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All words from today’s editorials, in one place.

EDITORIAL 1: STEADY GAZE

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Devastation	Severe and overwhelming destruction	Destruction	Restoration
Simple Example: Nepal continues to reel from the devastation caused by the Bhote Koshi deluge.
Deluge	A severe flood or overwhelming downpour	Flood	Drought
Simple Example: The Bhote Koshi deluge in Nepal has claimed 1,344 lives.
Precursor	A thing that precedes and signals the approach of something else	Forerunner	Aftermath
Simple Example: Such satellites can help identify precursors to glacier-breaks and avalanches.
Temperamental	Unpredictable or erratic in behaviour	Volatile	Stable
Simple Example: ISRO’s success does not soften the temperamental nature of launches.
Consecutive	Following one after another without interruption	Successive	Intermittent
Simple Example: Two consecutive failures of the PSLV were both traced to the third stage.
Workhorse	A reliable machine or system that sees heavy, sustained use	Mainstay	Underperformer
Simple Example: The PSLV has been the agency’s workhorse since the 1990s.
Infallibility	The quality of being incapable of error	Perfection	Fallibility
Simple Example: Dependability, the editorial cautions, is not the same as infallibility.
Hallmark	A distinguishing feature or characteristic	Trademark	Anomaly
Simple Example: A single launch should not be treated as the hallmark of institutional credibility.
Setback	An event that delays or hinders progress	Reversal	Breakthrough
Simple Example: The successful launch comes after a series of setbacks for the agency.
Cadence	The rhythmic flow or regular pace of a sequence of events	Rhythm	Irregularity
Simple Example: The usefulness of its payloads, and the cadence of its launches, should be ISRO’s calling card.

Idioms

Idiom	Actual Meaning	Simple Meaning
Calling card	A distinctive characteristic by which a person or organisation is readily recognised	A well-known feature people associate you with

EDITORIAL 2: BOGGED DOWN

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Retaliatory	Done in return for an attack or injury received	Retributive	Conciliatory
Simple Example: The escalation continued with retaliatory strikes on Iranian oil tankers.
Blockade	The isolation of a place by hostile forces to cut off supplies or access	Siege	Access
Simple Example: The U.S. tightened its Navy’s blockade of Iran’s ports.
Chokehold	A position of complete control over something	Stranglehold	Release
Simple Example: Iran still maintains its chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz.
Escalation	An increase in the intensity or seriousness of a conflict	Intensification	De-escalation
Simple Example: The attacks mark another phase of escalation in the six-month-long war.
Assertive	Confident and forceful in pursuing one’s position	Confident	Timid
Simple Example: Despite its economic woes, Iran has emerged more assertive.
Gridlock	A situation of complete blockage or deadlock	Deadlock	Progress
Simple Example: The U.S. seeks to trap Iran in an economic gridlock.
Risk-averse	Reluctant to take risks; cautious	Cautious	Reckless
Simple Example: The more the U.S. pressures Iran, the less risk-averse Tehran appears to be.
Vowed	Solemnly promised or declared an intention	Pledged	Reneged
Simple Example: Iran vowed to expand its strikes against U.S. ships.
Spiralling	Increasing rapidly and moving out of control	Escalating	Stabilising
Simple Example: As both sides seek escalation dominance, the war risks spiralling out of control.
Revive	To restore to life, activity or vigour	Resuscitate	Terminate
Simple Example: Mr. Trump must accept he has lost this war and return to reviving the MoU.

Idioms

Idiom	Actual Meaning	Simple Meaning
Tit-for-tat	Retaliation in kind, an equivalent action given in return for one received	Doing back to someone what they did to you
Crossed a red line	Exceeded a limit considered unacceptable, provoking a serious response	Did something that should never be done

EDITORIAL 3: MOSCOW-KYIV TO DELHI, CONNECT THE DOTS

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Proactive	Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty	Anticipatory	Reactive
Simple Example: A more proactive role for India in the push for peace is welcome.
Momentum	The impetus gained by a developing process or course of events	Impetus	Stagnation
Simple Example: New Delhi should build on this momentum to press for a settlement.
Deterrence	The discouraging of an action through fear of the consequences	Dissuasion	Encouragement
Simple Example: The earlier visit was meant as a deterrence effort, warning the Kremlin against invasion.
Reset	A fresh start or restoration of relations after a period of difficulty	Restart	Continuation
Simple Example: For all the talk of a reset since the Trump-Putin summit at Anchorage, tensions persist.
Intensified	Increased in force, severity or extent	Escalated	Diminished
Simple Example: Russia has intensified its drone and missile strikes on Ukraine.
Disruption	Disturbance or interruption of an ongoing process	Interruption	Continuity
Simple Example: The disruption to energy infrastructure has been severe enough to affect fuel sales.
Sabotage	Deliberate damage or destruction carried out to hinder an opponent	Subversion	Protection
Simple Example: A series of suspected acts of sabotage are being investigated across Europe.
Imperative	Of vital importance; an essential requirement	Necessity	Option
Simple Example: The imperative is to bring Moscow and Kyiv back to the table.
Relentlessly	Persistently and without let-up	Unremittingly	Sporadically
Simple Example: Ukraine has relentlessly targeted Russian energy infrastructure.
Competing	Rivalling or conflicting with one another	Rival	Complementary
Simple Example: The U.S. is caught up in the competing demands of two conflicts.

Idioms

Idiom	Actual Meaning	Simple Meaning
In the thick of	Deeply involved in the most active or intense part of an activity	Right in the middle of something busy or difficult

Test Yourself — 5 Questions

Answer all before you scroll down — then comment your score below!

Q1. Nepal continues to reel from the DEVASTATION caused by the Bhote Koshi deluge, the editorial notes. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Destruction   (B) Restoration   (C) Renewal   (D) Reconstruction   (E) Preservation

Answer: A

Meaning: Devastation means severe and overwhelming destruction. Logic: ‘Destruction’ is its closest synonym. Elimination: Restoration, Renewal, Reconstruction and Preservation all denote rebuilding or protecting, the opposite sense.

Q2. The escalation continued with RETALIATORY strikes on Iranian oil tankers, the editorial notes. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Conciliatory   (B) Placatory   (C) Amicable   (D) Retributive   (E) Peaceable

Answer: D

Meaning: Retaliatory means done in return for an attack or injury received. Logic: ‘Retributive’ is its closest synonym. Elimination: Conciliatory, Placatory, Amicable and Peaceable all suggest making peace, the opposite sense.

Q3. (A) India has recently been in the thick of diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, with a series of high-level engagements taking place, / (B) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with Putin at the SCO summit were part of this outreach, / (C) Jaishankar’s trip to Kyiv saw President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thank India for its commitment to ending the war, calling it unjust, / (D) New Delhi should now build on this momentum and use its access to both Moscow and Kyiv to press harder for a negotiated settlement. 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: subject-verb agreement, tense and structure are consistent throughout. Elimination: no segment contains an error, so the correct answer is ‘No error’.

Q4. Identify the correctly spelt word among the options below.

(A) Precursor   (B) Precersor   (C) Precursour   (D) Preccursor   (E) Precursorr

Answer: A

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Precursor’, meaning a thing that precedes and signals the approach of something else. Logic: standard English spelling. Elimination: the remaining options substitute, add or double letters.

Q5. The U.S. tightened its Navy’s ______ of Iran’s ports, the editorial notes. Select the option that best fits the blank in the sentence.

(A) access   (B) opening   (C) welcome   (D) invitation   (E) blockade

Answer: E

Meaning: Blockade means the isolation of a place by hostile forces to cut off supplies or access. Logic: ‘blockade’ fits the sense of a naval force restricting Iran’s ports. Elimination: access, opening, welcome and invitation all suggest allowing entry, the opposite sense.

How many did you get right? Comment your score below — we read every one!

Quick Recap — Today’s Words

Devastation (Destruction) | Deluge (Flood) | Precursor (Forerunner) | Temperamental (Volatile) | Consecutive (Successive) | Workhorse (Mainstay) | Infallibility (Perfection) | Hallmark (Trademark) | Setback (Reversal) | Cadence (Rhythm) | Retaliatory (Retributive) | Blockade (Siege) | Chokehold (Stranglehold) | Escalation (Intensification) | Assertive (Confident) | Gridlock (Deadlock) | Risk-averse (Cautious) | Vowed (Pledged) | Spiralling (Escalating) | Revive (Resuscitate) | Proactive (Anticipatory) | Momentum (Impetus) | Deterrence (Dissuasion) | Reset (Restart) | Intensified (Escalated) | Disruption (Interruption) | Sabotage (Subversion) | Imperative (Necessity) | Relentlessly (Unremittingly) | Competing (Rival)

Idioms: Calling card, Tit-for-tat, Crossed a red line, In the thick of

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