21 September 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Debunks — it fits Banking and SSC passages where a writer disproves a popular belief, and it pairs neatly with the antonym Validates. The UPI MDR editorial is also worth a close read for Banking Awareness aspirants.

Editorial 1: Complex Priorities: On UPI Transactions, MDR Charges

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Dilute
Synonym: Weaken | Antonym: Strengthen
Example: Too much water will dilute the taste of the juice.

2. Preempt
Synonym: Forestall | Antonym: Provoke
Example: The bank raised security to preempt possible fraud.

3. Gradations
Synonym: Levels | Antonym: Uniformity
Example: The paint chart showed many gradations of blue.

4. Exempt
Synonym: Excused | Antonym: Liable
Example: Senior citizens are exempt from paying this fee.

5. Compliance
Synonym: Conformity | Antonym: Violation
Example: The firm hired an officer to ensure legal compliance.

6. Accrue
Synonym: Accumulate | Antonym: Diminish
Example: Interest will accrue on the deposit every quarter.

7. Surpluses
Synonym: Excesses | Antonym: Deficits
Example: The state used its budget surpluses to build roads.

8. Persists
Synonym: Continues | Antonym: Abandons
Example: If the fever persists, visit a doctor.

9. Complexity
Synonym: Intricacy | Antonym: Simplicity
Example: The complexity of the tax form confused many people.

10. Tweak
Synonym: Adjust | Antonym: Overhaul
Example: She made a small tweak to the design.

Idioms

1. Foot the bill
Meaning: To pay for something

Editorial 2: New Fault Lines: On Manipur’s Kuki-Zo-Naga Conflict

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Conflagration
Synonym: Upheaval | Antonym: Calm
Example: A small spark grew into a huge conflagration.

2. Traversed
Synonym: Crossed | Antonym: Stalled
Example: The travellers traversed the desert in three days.

3. Abating
Synonym: Subsiding | Antonym: Intensifying
Example: The storm is abating, so flights will resume soon.

4. Tentative
Synonym: Uncertain | Antonym: Definite
Example: They reached a tentative agreement on the schedule.

5. Boycotting
Synonym: Shunning | Antonym: Participating
Example: Students are boycotting the event to protest the new rule.

6. Defied
Synonym: Disobeyed | Antonym: Complied
Example: The driver defied the signal and was fined.

7. Blockades
Synonym: Barricades | Antonym: Passages
Example: Road blockades delayed the delivery of fresh vegetables.

8. Partisans
Synonym: Loyalists | Antonym: Neutrals
Example: Party partisans cheered loudly at the rally.

9. Dysfunctional
Synonym: Impaired | Antonym: Functional
Example: The dysfunctional lift forced everyone to use the stairs.

10. Deterred
Synonym: Discouraged | Antonym: Encouraged
Example: High fees deterred many people from applying.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

Editorial 3: At the Parthenon, a Reality Check for an Ancient Myth

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Debunks
Synonym: Disproves | Antonym: Validates
Example: The teacher debunks the popular myth with clear evidence.

2. Genesis
Synonym: Origin | Antonym: End
Example: The genesis of the idea was a small classroom chat.

3. Hearsay
Synonym: Rumour | Antonym: Fact
Example: The court does not accept hearsay as proof.

4. Flattering
Synonym: Complimentary | Antonym: Unflattering
Example: The review was flattering, but not entirely honest.

5. Subversive
Synonym: Disruptive | Antonym: Conformist
Example: The novel was banned for its subversive ideas.

6. Penchant
Synonym: Inclination | Antonym: Aversion
Example: He has a penchant for collecting old coins.

7. Discern
Synonym: Perceive | Antonym: Overlook
Example: It is hard to discern faces in the dark.

8. Microscopic
Synonym: Minute | Antonym: Enormous
Example: Microscopic bacteria can be seen only under a lens.

9. Fallacy
Synonym: Misconception | Antonym: Truth
Example: It is a fallacy that cramming guarantees high marks.

10. Legacy
Synonym: Heritage | Antonym: Erasure
Example: The old fort is a proud legacy of the city.

Idioms

1. Sleight of hand
Meaning: A clever trick

Editorial 4: West Bengal, an IPS Officer and the Politics of Greetings

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Alleged
Synonym: Claimed | Antonym: Proven
Example: The alleged thief was questioned by the police.

2. Opacity
Synonym: Secrecy | Antonym: Transparency
Example: The opacity of the process raised many doubts.

3. Envisaged
Synonym: Conceived | Antonym: Disregarded
Example: The founders envisaged a school open to every child.

4. Uphold
Synonym: Maintain | Antonym: Abandon
Example: Judges must uphold the law without fear or favour.

5. Eroded
Synonym: Weakened | Antonym: Strengthened
Example: Constant rain eroded the river bank.

6. Overbearing
Synonym: Domineering | Antonym: Deferential
Example: Her overbearing boss never listened to the team.

7. Lopsided
Synonym: Unbalanced | Antonym: Even
Example: The lopsided table wobbled whenever someone touched it.

8. Deepening
Synonym: Intensifying | Antonym: Easing
Example: The deepening crisis worried the whole town.

9. High-handedness
Synonym: Arrogance | Antonym: Fairness
Example: Staff resented the manager’s high-handedness in every meeting.

10. Expansive
Synonym: Extensive | Antonym: Narrow
Example: The hotel has an expansive garden by the lake.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

Editorial 5: Rates Must Reflect Inflation Risks

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Rationale
Synonym: Justification | Antonym: Confusion
Example: She explained the rationale behind the new rule.

2. Straightforward
Synonym: Simple | Antonym: Complicated
Example: The form was straightforward and took five minutes.

3. Fuelling
Synonym: Driving | Antonym: Curbing
Example: Rising demand is fuelling growth in online shopping.

4. Rallied
Synonym: Campaigned | Antonym: Acquiesced
Example: Residents rallied against the plan to cut the trees.

5. Hovering
Synonym: Lingering | Antonym: Plummeting
Example: Prices have been hovering near the same level for weeks.

6. Surpassing
Synonym: Exceeding | Antonym: Falling short of
Example: Surpassing every target, the team won the award.

7. Tightening
Synonym: Restricting | Antonym: Easing
Example: The bank is tightening rules on small loans.

8. Pegged
Synonym: Fixed | Antonym: Unfixed
Example: The fee was pegged at a fixed amount.

9. Uncomfortably
Synonym: Worryingly | Antonym: Comfortably
Example: The room was uncomfortably hot by noon.

10. Adjustments
Synonym: Modifications | Antonym: Constancy
Example: The coach made a few adjustments before the final.

Idioms

1. At odds with
Meaning: Not matching; disagreeing with

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. The Merchant Discount Rate charges announced for UPI transactions show how political considerations can DILUTE economic benefits, the editorial notes. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Weaken
(B) Strengthen
(C) Reinforce
(D) Intensify
(E) Fortify

Answer: A

Meaning: Dilute means to make weaker by adding something else.
Logic: ‘Weaken’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Strengthen, Reinforce, Intensify and Fortify all denote making something stronger, the opposite sense.

Q2. The everyday violence between the communities has been ABATING, the editorial notes, even as recovery remains incomplete. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Intensifying
(B) Subsiding
(C) Escalating
(D) Worsening
(E) Flaring

Answer: B

Meaning: Abating means becoming less intense or severe.
Logic: ‘Subsiding’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Intensifying, Escalating, Worsening and Flaring all denote something growing stronger, the opposite sense.

Q3. The mathematician’s new paper DEBUNKS the myth, the editorial reports. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Validates
(B) Confirms
(C) Disproves
(D) Endorses
(E) Substantiates

Answer: C

Meaning: Debunks means exposes the falseness of a widely held belief.
Logic: ‘Disproves’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Validates, Confirms, Endorses and Substantiates all denote supporting a claim, the opposite sense.

Q4. (A) In line with expectations, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, / (B) the rationale behind the decision, which all committee members supports, is straightforward, / (C) a healthy labour market gives policymakers greater space to tackle inflation, / (D) the European Central Bank also hiked interest rates by 25 basis points last week. Identify the segment containing the grammatical error.

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

Answer: B

Meaning: Subject-verb agreement error.
Logic: the plural subject ‘members’ requires ‘support’, not ‘supports’.
Elimination: segments A, C and D are grammatically correct.

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

(A) Preempt
(B) Pre-emt
(C) Preemt
(D) Preempty
(E) Preemtp

Answer: A

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Preempt’, meaning to take action to prevent something before it happens.
Logic: standard English spelling.
Elimination: the remaining options drop or misplace letters.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Dilute (Weaken) | Preempt (Forestall) | Gradations (Levels) | Exempt (Excused) | Compliance (Conformity) | Accrue (Accumulate) | Surpluses (Excesses) | Persists (Continues) | Complexity (Intricacy) | Tweak (Adjust) | Conflagration (Upheaval) | Traversed (Crossed) | Abating (Subsiding) | Tentative (Uncertain) | Boycotting (Shunning) | Defied (Disobeyed) | Blockades (Barricades) | Partisans (Loyalists) | Dysfunctional (Impaired) | Deterred (Discouraged) | Debunks (Disproves) | Genesis (Origin) | Hearsay (Rumour) | Flattering (Complimentary) | Subversive (Disruptive) | Penchant (Inclination) | Discern (Perceive) | Microscopic (Minute) | Fallacy (Misconception) | Legacy (Heritage) | Alleged (Claimed) | Opacity (Secrecy) | Envisaged (Conceived) | Uphold (Maintain) | Eroded (Weakened) | Overbearing (Domineering) | Lopsided (Unbalanced) | Deepening (Intensifying) | High-handedness (Arrogance) | Expansive (Extensive) | Rationale (Justification) | Straightforward (Simple) | Fuelling (Driving) | Rallied (Campaigned) | Hovering (Lingering) | Surpassing (Exceeding) | Tightening (Restricting) | Pegged (Fixed) | Uncomfortably (Worryingly) | Adjustments (Modifications)

Idioms: Foot the bill, Sleight of hand, At odds with

=== 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.