26 October 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Today’s Highlight: Today’s standout word is Unattainable – it means impossible to reach or achieve, and it often appears in Banking and SSC reading passages. The core industries editorial is key for economy and energy questions, the China tunnel-boring machine editorial is a handy read on trade and supply chains, and the UNEP climate editorial is useful for environment and international agreements.

Editorial 1: Canary in the Coal Mine: On India’s Core Industrial Sectors

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Blip
Synonym: Aberration | Antonym: Norm
Example: The dip in sales was just a blip, not a downturn.

2. Wane
Synonym: Fade | Antonym: Grow
Example: Public interest in the scheme began to wane after a year.

3. Propped
Synonym: Supported | Antonym: Undermined
Example: Government spending propped up demand during the slow months.

4. Statistical
Synonym: Numerical | Antonym: Anecdotal
Example: The statistical office releases price data every month.

5. Milder
Synonym: Gentler | Antonym: Harsher
Example: A milder winter reduced the demand for electricity.

6. Reserves
Synonym: Stockpiles | Antonym: Deficits
Example: The bank’s reserves covered the unexpected withdrawals.

7. Capping
Synonym: Concluding | Antonym: Opening
Example: Capping the festival, the band played a final song.

8. Aided
Synonym: Assisted | Antonym: Hindered
Example: Strong rains aided the growth of the crop.

9. Sudden
Synonym: Abrupt | Antonym: Gradual
Example: A sudden storm forced the match to stop.

10. Rapidly
Synonym: Swiftly | Antonym: Slowly
Example: Prices rose rapidly during the festival season.

Idioms

1. Eat into
Meaning: Slowly use up

Editorial 2: Tunnelling Through: On China’s Export Curbs on Tunnel-Boring Machines

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

1. Cornered
Synonym: Dominated | Antonym: Relinquished
Example: The firm cornered the local market within two years.

2. Overhead
Synonym: Running costs | Antonym: Income
Example: Moving to a smaller office cut the firm’s overhead sharply.

3. Prominent
Synonym: Eminent | Antonym: Obscure
Example: A prominent economist addressed the banking conference.

4. Configured
Synonym: Arranged | Antonym: Disordered
Example: The machine was configured to suit the soil conditions.

5. Declarations
Synonym: Statements | Antonym: Retractions
Example: Travellers must sign customs declarations at the airport.

6. Civilian
Synonym: Citizen | Antonym: Soldier
Example: The bridge serves both civilian and army traffic.

7. Capacity
Synonym: Volume | Antonym: Inability
Example: The new plant doubled the factory’s production capacity.

8. Geological
Synonym: Terrestrial | Antonym: Celestial
Example: A geological survey checked the soil before construction began.

9. Specialised
Synonym: Dedicated | Antonym: General
Example: Surgeons used specialised tools for the delicate operation.

10. Champions
Synonym: Leaders | Antonym: Losers
Example: State champions received trophies at the school ceremony.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

Editorial 3: When AI Vies for Literary Glory

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Vies
Synonym: Competes | Antonym: Cooperates
Example: Every young writer vies for a place on the shortlist.

2. Dazzle
Synonym: Astonish | Antonym: Bore
Example: The fireworks dazzle crowds every Diwali.

3. Craftsmanship
Synonym: Artistry | Antonym: Clumsiness
Example: The craftsmanship of the old temple doors was remarkable.

4. Upheaval
Synonym: Turmoil | Antonym: Stability
Example: The merger caused upheaval in the bank’s branches.

5. Gratification
Synonym: Satisfaction | Antonym: Disappointment
Example: Instant gratification makes saving money harder for young buyers.

6. Assistance
Synonym: Aid | Antonym: Hindrance
Example: The clerk offered assistance to the elderly customers.

7. Establishment
Synonym: Authorities | Antonym: Outsiders
Example: The literary establishment praised the debut novel.

8. Glory
Synonym: Honour | Antonym: Disgrace
Example: The team returned home covered in glory.

9. Rigour
Synonym: Strictness | Antonym: Laxity
Example: Her rigour in revision helped her clear the exam.

10. Inspiration
Synonym: Stimulus | Antonym: Discouragement
Example: A morning walk gave her the inspiration for a poem.

Idioms

1. After all
Meaning: Remember this fact

Editorial 4: On Climate, a Long Road Back to Paris

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

1. Unattainable
Synonym: Unreachable | Antonym: Achievable
Example: A perfect score seemed unattainable without daily practice.

2. Summon
Synonym: Muster | Antonym: Dismiss
Example: Leaders must summon the courage to cut emissions.

3. Demanding
Synonym: Taxing | Antonym: Easy
Example: The demanding schedule left little time for rest.

4. Futuristic
Synonym: Advanced | Antonym: Outdated
Example: The airport’s futuristic design drew many visitors.

5. Peak
Synonym: Culminate | Antonym: Decline
Example: Temperatures usually peak in May before the monsoon arrives.

6. Reductions
Synonym: Cuts | Antonym: Increases
Example: Price reductions attracted many buyers to the sale.

7. Implementation
Synonym: Execution | Antonym: Neglect
Example: Smooth implementation of the scheme needs trained staff.

8. Storage
Synonym: Warehousing | Antonym: Disposal
Example: Cold storage keeps vegetables fresh for weeks.

9. Emissions
Synonym: Discharges | Antonym: Absorptions
Example: City emissions fell when more people used metro trains.

10. Pact
Synonym: Treaty | Antonym: Disagreement
Example: The two nations signed a pact to protect forests.

Idioms

1. Writing on the wall
Meaning: Obvious warning sign

2. The jury is out
Meaning: Not yet decided

Test Yourself – 5 Questions

Q1. Public interest in the scheme began to WANE after the first year. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Fade
(B) Grow
(C) Swell
(D) Expand
(E) Surge

Answer: A

Meaning: Wane means to become weaker or smaller gradually.
Logic: ‘Fade’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Grow, Swell, Expand and Surge are opposite in sense.

Q2. A PROMINENT economist addressed the banking conference. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Obscure
(B) Unknown
(C) Minor
(D) Eminent
(E) Hidden

Answer: D

Meaning: Prominent means well known and important.
Logic: ‘Eminent’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Obscure, Unknown, Minor and Hidden are opposite in sense.

Q3. Government spending PROPPED up demand during the slow months. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Undermined
(B) Supported
(C) Toppled
(D) Weakened
(E) Dropped

Answer: B

Meaning: Propped means supported to stop something from falling.
Logic: ‘Supported’ is its closest synonym.
Elimination: Undermined, Toppled, Weakened and Dropped are opposite in sense.

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

(A) Configgured
(B) Configured
(C) Configurd
(D) Confiurged
(E) Configuered

Answer: B

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Configured’, meaning set up in a particular way for a purpose.
Logic: ‘configure’ plus ‘d’.
Elimination: the remaining options change, drop or swap letters.

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

(A) Statistical
(B) Statisticle
(C) Statistacal
(D) Stastistical
(E) Statisticall

Answer: A

Meaning: The correctly spelt word is ‘Statistical’, meaning relating to numbers collected and analysed.
Logic: ‘statistic’ plus ‘al’.
Elimination: the remaining options change, drop or swap letters.

Quick Recap – Today’s Words

Blip (Aberration) | Wane (Fade) | Propped (Supported) | Statistical (Numerical) | Milder (Gentler) | Reserves (Stockpiles) | Capping (Concluding) | Aided (Assisted) | Sudden (Abrupt) | Rapidly (Swiftly) | Cornered (Dominated) | Overhead (Running costs) | Prominent (Eminent) | Configured (Arranged) | Declarations (Statements) | Civilian (Citizen) | Capacity (Volume) | Geological (Terrestrial) | Specialised (Dedicated) | Champions (Leaders) | Vies (Competes) | Dazzle (Astonish) | Craftsmanship (Artistry) | Upheaval (Turmoil) | Gratification (Satisfaction) | Assistance (Aid) | Establishment (Authorities) | Glory (Honour) | Rigour (Strictness) | Inspiration (Stimulus) | Unattainable (Unreachable) | Summon (Muster) | Demanding (Taxing) | Futuristic (Advanced) | Peak (Culminate) | Reductions (Cuts) | Implementation (Execution) | Storage (Warehousing) | Emissions (Discharges) | Pact (Treaty)

Idioms: Eat into, After all, Writing on the wall, The jury is out