14 October 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Wrested – it means took something away by force or effort, and it often appears in Banking and SSC reading passages. The by-election editorial is key for Polity and the anti-defection law, the Economics Nobel editorial is useful for questions on inflation and policy, and the Starlink editorial matters for science, technology and communications.

Editorial 1: Winning, Differently: On the Bypoll Results in Three States

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Bypolls
Synonym: By-elections | Antonym: General elections
Example: Bypolls were held to fill the five vacant seats.

2. Vacated
Synonym: Quit | Antonym: Occupied
Example: The minister vacated his office after the verdict.

3. Wrested
Synonym: Seized | Antonym: Surrendered
Example: The challenger wrested the title from the reigning champion.

4. Defected
Synonym: Deserted | Antonym: Stayed loyal
Example: Two councillors defected to the rival party before the vote.

5. Renominated
Synonym: Re-selected | Antonym: Dropped
Example: The party renominated the sitting member for the same seat.

6. Honeymoon
Synonym: Grace period | Antonym: Backlash
Example: The new manager enjoyed a honeymoon with the staff.

7. Sweep
Synonym: Landslide | Antonym: Setback
Example: The team completed a clean sweep of the series.

8. Resigned
Synonym: Quit | Antonym: Continued
Example: The director resigned after the audit report came out.

9. Solid
Synonym: Firm | Antonym: Flimsy
Example: She built a solid base of loyal readers.

10. Mar
Synonym: Spoil | Antonym: Enhance
Example: Heavy rain threatened to mar the opening ceremony.

Idioms

1. Loaves and fishes
Meaning: Perks of holding office

2. No holds barred
Meaning: Without any limits

Editorial 2: How to Keep Economy on Even Keel

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Fluctuations
Synonym: Swings | Antonym: Stability
Example: Fuel price fluctuations upset the household budget.

2. Stagnant
Synonym: Sluggish | Antonym: Thriving
Example: Stagnant wages hurt the family’s savings.

3. Revitalise
Synonym: Rejuvenate | Antonym: Drain
Example: The grant will revitalise the old textile mill.

4. Remedy
Synonym: Cure | Antonym: Aggravation
Example: Rest is the best remedy for tiredness.

5. Insight
Synonym: Perception | Antonym: Ignorance
Example: Her insight into markets impressed the panel.

6. Shocks
Synonym: Jolts | Antonym: Reassurances
Example: Oil shocks pushed up prices across the country.

7. Swing
Synonym: Oscillate | Antonym: Stabilise
Example: Moods swing quickly during the exam season.

8. Unemployment
Synonym: Joblessness | Antonym: Employment
Example: Rising unemployment worries young graduates.

9. Puzzle
Synonym: Riddle | Antonym: Answer
Example: Rising prices alongside slow growth remain a puzzle.

10. Recipe
Synonym: Formula | Antonym: Guesswork
Example: Steady practice is the recipe for exam success.

Idioms

1. On an even keel
Meaning: Steady and balanced

Editorial 3: Starlink’s Promises and Risks Call for a Fine Balance

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Oligarchs
Synonym: Magnates | Antonym: Commoners
Example: Reformers accused the oligarchs of controlling the market.

2. Clearances
Synonym: Approvals | Antonym: Rejections
Example: The plant waited months for environmental clearances.

3. Connectivity
Synonym: Linkage | Antonym: Isolation
Example: Better connectivity helps hill villages reach markets.

4. Affordability
Synonym: Cheapness | Antonym: Costliness
Example: Affordability decides whether farmers buy the new device.

5. Licensees
Synonym: Permit holders | Antonym: Licensors
Example: All licensees must follow the security rules.

6. Mindful
Synonym: Conscious | Antonym: Heedless
Example: Be mindful of the deadline while planning your work.

7. Spurring
Synonym: Stimulating | Antonym: Hindering
Example: Low rates are spurring demand for housing loans.

8. Denied
Synonym: Refused | Antonym: Granted
Example: The bank denied the loan to the applicant.

9. Gains
Synonym: Benefits | Antonym: Losses
Example: The farmers reported steady gains this season.

10. Scenarios
Synonym: Situations | Antonym: Realities
Example: Planners prepared scenarios for floods and droughts.

Idioms

1. Strike a balance
Meaning: Find a fair middle position

2. Hold up
Meaning: Stay valid when tested

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. Identify the correctly spelt word among the options below.

(A) Bypolls
(B) Bipolls
(C) Bypolss
(D) Byepols
(E) Bypolles

Answer: A

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Bypolls’, meaning elections held to fill seats that fall vacant midterm.
Logic: ‘by’ plus ‘polls’, with a double ‘l’.
Elimination: the remaining options change or add letters.

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

(A) Flucuations
(B) Fluctuasions
(C) Flutuations
(D) Fluctuations
(E) Fluctuatons

Answer: D

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Fluctuations’, meaning frequent rises and falls.
Logic: ‘fluctuat-‘ plus ‘-ions’, keeping ‘ct’.
Elimination: the remaining options drop or change letters.

Q3. Nandigram and Thattanchavady were VACATED by the Chief Ministers. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Quit
(B) Occupied
(C) Left
(D) Abandoned
(E) Emptied

Answer: B

Meaning: Vacated means left empty by giving up a post or place.
Logic: ‘Occupied’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Quit, Left, Abandoned and Emptied are all near-synonyms, not opposite.

Q4. The editorial warns against prolonged periods of slow or STAGNANT growth. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Thriving
(B) Sluggish
(C) Static
(D) Dormant
(E) Idle

Answer: A

Meaning: Stagnant means not growing, moving or developing.
Logic: ‘Thriving’ is its closest antonym.
Elimination: Sluggish, Static, Dormant and Idle are all near-synonyms, not opposite.

Q5. The editorial says the BJP WRESTED Rejinagar in the West Bengal by-election. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Seized
(B) Surrendered
(C) Lost
(D) Handed
(E) Gifted

Answer: A

Meaning: Wrested means took something away by force or effort.
Logic: ‘Seized’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Surrendered, Lost, Handed and Gifted are opposite in sense.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Bypolls (By-elections) | Vacated (Quit) | Wrested (Seized) | Defected (Deserted) | Renominated (Re-selected) | Honeymoon (Grace period) | Sweep (Landslide) | Resigned (Quit) | Solid (Firm) | Mar (Spoil) | Fluctuations (Swings) | Stagnant (Sluggish) | Revitalise (Rejuvenate) | Remedy (Cure) | Insight (Perception) | Shocks (Jolts) | Swing (Oscillate) | Unemployment (Joblessness) | Puzzle (Riddle) | Recipe (Formula) | Oligarchs (Magnates) | Clearances (Approvals) | Connectivity (Linkage) | Affordability (Cheapness) | Licensees (Permit holders) | Mindful (Conscious) | Spurring (Stimulating) | Denied (Refused) | Gains (Benefits) | Scenarios (Situations)

Idioms: Loaves and fishes, No holds barred, On an even keel, Strike a balance, Hold up