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A-3 — Apathy to Axiom (56 words)

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Letter A, part 3: 56 words, from Apathy to Axiom.

1. APATHY (n.)

  • Urdu: بے حسی، لاتعلقی
  • Meaning: lack of interest or concern
  • Synonyms: indifference, unconcern, passivity, lethargy
  • Antonyms: enthusiasm, interest, passion, concern
  • Use: Public apathy allowed the problem to grow.

2. APHORISM (n.)

  • Urdu: قولِ زریں، کہاوت
  • Meaning: a short, pithy statement of a general truth
  • Synonyms: maxim, saying, adage, proverb, epigram
  • Antonyms: (no true antonym)
  • Use: "Knowledge is power" is a famous aphorism.

3. APLOMB (n.)

  • Urdu: خود اعتمادی، سکون
  • Meaning: self-confidence in a demanding situation
  • Synonyms: poise, composure, assurance, confidence, sangfroid
  • Antonyms: awkwardness, nervousness, diffidence
  • Use: She handled the hostile press with aplomb.
  • 🔁 CSS 2011

4. APOCRYPHAL (adj.)

  • Urdu: مشکوک، غیر مستند، من گھڑت
  • Meaning: of doubtful authenticity, though widely circulated
  • Synonyms: doubtful, dubious, unverified, fictitious, legendary
  • Antonyms: authentic, genuine, verified, true
  • Use: The story of the king's secret tunnel is apocryphal.

5. APOSTATE (n.)

  • Urdu: مرتد، منحرف
  • Meaning: a person who renounces a belief or principle
  • Synonyms: defector, deserter, renegade, turncoat, heretic
  • Antonyms: loyalist, believer, follower, adherent
  • Use: Party loyalists called him an apostate after he switched sides.

6. APPALL (v.)

  • Urdu: ہولا دینا، صدمہ پہنچانا
  • Meaning: to greatly dismay or horrify
  • Synonyms: horrify, shock, dismay, outrage, sicken
  • Antonyms: delight, please, reassure
  • Use: The footage of the attack appalled the nation.
  • 🔁 CSS 2026

7. APPARITION (n.)

  • Urdu: بھوت، آسیب، سایہ
  • Meaning: a ghost or ghostlike image
  • Synonyms: ghost, phantom, spectre, spirit, vision
  • Antonyms: reality, substance, body
  • Use: The villagers claimed to see an apparition near the well.

8. APPEASE (v.)

  • Urdu: راضی کرنا، ٹھنڈا کرنا
  • Meaning: to pacify by giving in to demands
  • Synonyms: placate, pacify, mollify, conciliate
  • Antonyms: provoke, anger, enrage, antagonise
  • Use: The company raised wages to appease the union.

9. APPEND (v.)

  • Urdu: منسلک کرنا، آخر میں جوڑنا
  • Meaning: to add something to the end of a document
  • Synonyms: attach, add, affix, annex, tack on
  • Antonyms: remove, detach, delete, subtract
  • Use: Please append your CV to the application.

10. APPOSITE (adj.)

  • Urdu: برمحل، موزوں
  • Meaning: apt in the circumstances
  • Synonyms: apt, fitting, pertinent, relevant, appropriate
  • Antonyms: inappropriate, irrelevant, inapt, unsuitable
  • Use: He ended with an apposite couplet from Ghalib.

11. APPRAISE (v.)

  • Urdu: جائزہ لینا، قیمت لگانا
  • Meaning: to assess the value or quality of
  • Synonyms: assess, evaluate, judge, estimate, gauge
  • Antonyms: ignore, disregard, neglect
  • Use: The jeweller appraised the necklace.
  • Trap: apprise = inform.

12. APPREHENSIVE (adj.)

  • Urdu: فکر مند، خائف
  • Meaning: anxious that something bad will happen
  • Synonyms: anxious, worried, uneasy, fearful, nervous
  • Antonyms: confident, calm, relaxed, assured
  • Use: She was apprehensive about the interview.

13. APPRISE (v.)

  • Urdu: مطلع کرنا، آگاہ کرنا
  • Meaning: to inform or tell someone
  • Synonyms: inform, notify, advise, brief, tell
  • Antonyms: conceal, withhold, hide
  • Use: Please apprise me of any changes to the schedule.

14. APPROBATION (n.)

  • Urdu: منظوری، پسندیدگی
  • Meaning: approval or praise
  • Synonyms: approval, praise, endorsement, sanction, acclaim
  • Antonyms: disapproval, condemnation, censure, criticism
  • Use: The plan received the board's approbation.
  • 🔁 CSS 2016 (approbate)

15. APPROPRIATE (v./adj.)

  • Urdu: مناسب؛ اپنے قبضے میں لینا
  • Meaning: (adj.) suitable; (v.) to take for one's own use
  • Synonyms: suitable, fitting, proper; seize, commandeer
  • Antonyms: inappropriate, unsuitable; return, give up
  • Use: The officer appropriated public funds for private use.

16. APT (adj.)

  • Urdu: موزوں، قابل، مائل
  • Meaning: appropriate; having a tendency; quick to learn
  • Synonyms: suitable, fitting, likely, inclined, clever
  • Antonyms: inappropriate, unlikely, slow
  • Use: "Iron lady" was an apt title for her.

17. ARABLE (adj.)

  • Urdu: قابلِ کاشت
  • Meaning: (of land) suitable for growing crops
  • Synonyms: cultivable, farmable, fertile, tillable
  • Antonyms: barren, infertile, arid, uncultivable
  • Use: Urban sprawl is eating up arable land around Lahore.

18. ARBITER (n.)

  • Urdu: ثالث، منصف
  • Meaning: a person who settles a dispute or has final authority
  • Synonyms: judge, arbitrator, referee, umpire, mediator
  • Antonyms: disputant, party, litigant
  • Use: The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of the constitution.

19. ARBITRARY (adj.)

  • Urdu: من مانی، بے ضابطہ
  • Meaning: based on random choice or personal whim rather than reason
  • Synonyms: random, capricious, whimsical, unreasonable, despotic
  • Antonyms: reasoned, rational, systematic, fair
  • Use: Arbitrary arrests violate fundamental rights.

20. ARCANE (adj.)

  • Urdu: پراسرار، دقیق
  • Meaning: understood by few; mysterious
  • Synonyms: esoteric, obscure, mysterious, recondite
  • Antonyms: common, known, familiar
  • Use: Few understand the arcane rules of cricket's DLS method.

21. ARCHAIC (adj.)

  • Urdu: قدیم، متروک
  • Meaning: very old or old-fashioned
  • Synonyms: obsolete, antiquated, outdated, ancient, bygone
  • Antonyms: modern, current, contemporary, new
  • Use: "Thou" is an archaic form of "you".

22. ARDENT (adj.)

  • Urdu: پرجوش، سرگرم
  • Meaning: very enthusiastic or passionate
  • Synonyms: passionate, fervent, zealous, eager, fervid
  • Antonyms: apathetic, indifferent, lukewarm, cool
  • Use: He was an ardent supporter of women's education.

23. ARDUOUS (adj.)

  • Urdu: کٹھن، دشوار
  • Meaning: involving great effort
  • Synonyms: difficult, strenuous, laborious, gruelling, onerous
  • Antonyms: easy, effortless, simple
  • Use: CSS preparation is an arduous journey.

24. ARISTOCRACY (n.)

  • Urdu: اشرافیہ، امرا کا طبقہ
  • Meaning: the highest class in society, usually hereditary nobility
  • Synonyms: nobility, gentry, elite, upper class, peerage
  • Antonyms: proletariat, masses, commoners, working class
  • Use: The French Revolution ended the power of the aristocracy.

25. ARROGANT (adj.)

  • Urdu: مغرور، متکبر
  • Meaning: having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance
  • Synonyms: haughty, conceited, proud, supercilious, overbearing
  • Antonyms: humble, modest, meek, unassuming
  • Use: The arrogant officer ignored the complaints.

26. ARTICULATE (adj./v.)

  • Urdu: صاف گو، واضح بیان
  • Meaning: able to express ideas clearly
  • Synonyms: eloquent, fluent, lucid, expressive
  • Antonyms: inarticulate, incoherent, tongue-tied
  • Use: She articulated the demands of the farmers.

27. ARTIFICE (n.)

  • Urdu: چال، حیلہ، مکاری
  • Meaning: clever devices or tricks used to deceive
  • Synonyms: trickery, cunning, deception, ruse, stratagem
  • Antonyms: honesty, sincerity, candour, artlessness
  • Use: He won the deal by artifice, not merit.

28. ARTISAN (n.)

  • Urdu: کاریگر، دستکار
  • Meaning: a skilled worker who makes things by hand
  • Synonyms: craftsman, craftsperson, artificer, smith, technician
  • Antonyms: amateur, novice, unskilled worker
  • Use: Multan's artisans are famous for blue pottery.

29. ASCENDANCY (n.)

  • Urdu: غلبہ، بالادستی
  • Meaning: a position of dominant power or influence
  • Synonyms: dominance, supremacy, control, power, hegemony
  • Antonyms: subordination, inferiority, weakness, decline
  • Use: China's economic ascendancy has reshaped Asia.

30. ASCETIC (adj./n.)

  • Urdu: زاہد، تارکِ دنیا
  • Meaning: practising severe self-discipline and avoiding pleasures
  • Synonyms: austere, abstemious, self-denying, frugal
  • Antonyms: hedonistic, epicurean, indulgent
  • Use: The dervish lived an ascetic life in the hills.
  • 🔁 CSS 2014

31. ASCRIBE (v.)

  • Urdu: منسوب کرنا
  • Meaning: to attribute something to a cause or source
  • Synonyms: attribute, assign, credit, impute, blame
  • Antonyms: dissociate, disclaim
  • Use: He ascribed his success to his mother's prayers.

32. ASPERSION (n.)

  • Urdu: بہتان، کیچڑ اچھالنا
  • Meaning: an attack on someone's reputation
  • Synonyms: slander, slur, smear, defamation, calumny
  • Antonyms: praise, compliment, commendation, tribute
  • Use: Please don't cast aspersions on my honesty.

33. ASPIRE (v.)

  • Urdu: تمنا رکھنا، آرزو کرنا
  • Meaning: to direct one's hopes towards achieving something
  • Synonyms: aim, desire, hope, strive, seek
  • Antonyms: abandon, give up, disregard
  • Use: Thousands aspire to join the civil service every year.

34. ASSAIL (v.)

  • Urdu: حملہ کرنا، سخت تنقید کرنا
  • Meaning: to attack violently or criticise strongly
  • Synonyms: attack, assault, criticise, lambaste, besiege
  • Antonyms: defend, protect, praise, support
  • Use: Critics assailed the budget as anti-poor.

35. ASSIDUOUS (adj.)

  • Urdu: محنتی، لگن سے کام کرنے والا
  • Meaning: showing great care and perseverance
  • Synonyms: diligent, industrious, sedulous, meticulous, persistent
  • Antonyms: negligent, lazy, careless, indolent
  • Use: Assiduous preparation is the key to CSS success.

36. ASSIMILATE (v.)

  • Urdu: جذب کرنا، ہضم کرنا، گھل مل جانا
  • Meaning: to absorb information or integrate into a culture
  • Synonyms: absorb, integrate, digest, incorporate, adapt
  • Antonyms: reject, exclude, segregate, isolate
  • Use: Refugees gradually assimilated into local society.

37. ASSUAGE (v.)

  • Urdu: تسکین دینا
  • Meaning: to make an unpleasant feeling less intense
  • Synonyms: soothe, ease, relieve, allay, alleviate
  • Antonyms: aggravate, intensify, exacerbate
  • Use: Nothing could assuage the mother's grief.
  • 🔁 CSS 2023-S, 2024

38. ASTUTE (adj.)

  • Urdu: زیرک، ہوشیار
  • Meaning: able to assess situations accurately
  • Synonyms: shrewd, sharp, canny, perceptive, insightful
  • Antonyms: stupid, naive, obtuse
  • Use: An astute investor bought when prices were low.
  • 🔁 CSS 2015, 2024

39. ASYLUM (n.)

  • Urdu: پناہ، سیاسی پناہ؛ پاگل خانہ
  • Meaning: protection granted to a refugee; (dated) a mental hospital
  • Synonyms: refuge, sanctuary, shelter, haven, protection
  • Antonyms: exposure, danger, expulsion
  • Use: The journalist sought asylum abroad.

40. ATONE (v.)

  • Urdu: کفارہ ادا کرنا، تلافی کرنا
  • Meaning: to make amends for a wrong
  • Synonyms: make amends, expiate, compensate, redeem, repent
  • Antonyms: offend, sin, transgress
  • Use: He tried to atone for his mistakes through charity.

41. ATROPHY (v./n.)

  • Urdu: سوکھ جانا، کمزور پڑ جانا
  • Meaning: to waste away through lack of use
  • Synonyms: waste away, wither, decline, degenerate, shrivel
  • Antonyms: grow, strengthen, flourish, develop
  • Use: Without practice, language skills atrophy.

42. ATTENUATE (v.)

  • Urdu: کمزور کرنا، پتلا کرنا
  • Meaning: to reduce the force or effect of
  • Synonyms: weaken, reduce, diminish, dilute, thin
  • Antonyms: strengthen, intensify, increase, amplify
  • Use: Trees attenuate the noise from the motorway.

43. AUDACIOUS (adj.)

  • Urdu: جرأت مند، بے باک
  • Meaning: bold and daring; impudent
  • Synonyms: bold, daring, fearless, brazen, intrepid
  • Antonyms: timid, cautious, meek
  • Use: It was an audacious raid in broad daylight.

44. AUDIBLE (adj.)

  • Urdu: سنائی دینے والا
  • Meaning: able to be heard
  • Synonyms: hearable, perceptible, clear, distinct, loud
  • Antonyms: inaudible, silent, muffled
  • Use: Her voice was barely audible over the noise.

45. AUGMENT (v.)

  • Urdu: اضافہ کرنا، بڑھانا
  • Meaning: to make greater by adding to it
  • Synonyms: increase, boost, enlarge, supplement, enhance
  • Antonyms: decrease, reduce, diminish, curtail
  • Use: He tutors in the evening to augment his income.

46. AUSPICIOUS (adj.)

  • Urdu: مبارک، نیک شگون
  • Meaning: indicating a good chance of success
  • Synonyms: favourable, promising, propitious, fortunate, lucky
  • Antonyms: inauspicious, ominous, unfavourable, unlucky
  • Use: The new year began on an auspicious note.

47. AUSTERE (adj.)

  • Urdu: سادہ، سخت
  • Meaning: severe; without comforts
  • Synonyms: severe, strict, spartan, plain, frugal
  • Antonyms: luxurious, lavish, ornate, indulgent
  • Use: The Quaid led an austere personal life.

48. AUTHORITARIAN (adj.)

  • Urdu: آمرانہ، مطلق العنان
  • Meaning: favouring strict obedience to authority at the expense of freedom
  • Synonyms: autocratic, dictatorial, despotic, tyrannical, totalitarian
  • Antonyms: democratic, liberal, permissive, egalitarian
  • Use: The authoritarian regime silenced the press.

49. AUTOCRAT (n.)

  • Urdu: مطلق العنان حکمران، آمر
  • Meaning: a ruler with absolute power
  • Synonyms: dictator, despot, tyrant, absolute ruler, autarch
  • Antonyms: democrat, servant, subordinate
  • Use: The autocrat ruled without parliament for a decade.

50. AVARICE (n.)

  • Urdu: لالچ، حرص
  • Meaning: extreme greed for wealth
  • Synonyms: greed, cupidity, rapacity, covetousness
  • Antonyms: generosity, liberality, charity
  • Use: Avarice is at the root of corruption.

51. AVER (v.)

  • Urdu: یقین سے کہنا، دعویٰ کرنا
  • Meaning: to state or assert to be the case
  • Synonyms: assert, declare, affirm, maintain, claim
  • Antonyms: deny, contradict, retract, disavow
  • Use: The witness averred that she had seen the accused.

52. AVERSE (adj.)

  • Urdu: مخالف، بیزار
  • Meaning: having a strong dislike of or opposition to
  • Synonyms: opposed, reluctant, unwilling, hostile, disinclined
  • Antonyms: eager, keen, willing, inclined
  • Use: Our family is not averse to female education.
  • 🔁 CSS 2015

53. AVID (adj.)

  • Urdu: شوقین، پرجوش
  • Meaning: having a keen interest in or enthusiasm for
  • Synonyms: keen, eager, enthusiastic, passionate, ardent
  • Antonyms: indifferent, apathetic, uninterested
  • Use: He is an avid reader of Urdu novels.

54. AVOW (v.)

  • Urdu: اعتراف کرنا، علانیہ اعلان کرنا
  • Meaning: to assert or confess openly
  • Synonyms: declare, affirm, profess, acknowledge, admit
  • Antonyms: deny, disavow, repudiate, conceal
  • Use: He avowed his loyalty to the constitution.

55. AWRY (adj./adv.)

  • Urdu: ٹیڑھا، بگڑا ہوا
  • Meaning: away from the expected course; askew
  • Synonyms: amiss, wrong, askew, crooked, astray
  • Antonyms: straight, right, as planned
  • Use: The plan went awry at the last minute.
  • 🔁 CSS 2017

56. AXIOM (n.)

  • Urdu: مسلمہ حقیقت، اصولِ موضوعہ
  • Meaning: a statement accepted as self-evidently true
  • Synonyms: principle, truism, maxim, postulate, dictum
  • Antonyms: paradox, absurdity, hypothesis
  • Use: It is an axiom that knowledge is power.