compulsory · CSS study notes

B-2 / C-1 — Bucolic to Clandestine (50 words)

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The end of letter B and the start of C: 50 words, from Bucolic to Clandestine.

1. BUCOLIC (adj.)

Urdu: دیہاتی، دیہی، چرواہوں کی زندگی کا
Meaning: relating to the pleasant aspects of country life
Synonyms: rural, rustic, pastoral, idyllic, countrified
Antonyms: urban, metropolitan, industrial
Use: The film shows the bucolic charm of Punjab's villages.

2. BUFFOON (n.)

Urdu: مسخرہ، بے وقوف
Meaning: a ridiculous but amusing person; a clown
Synonyms: clown, jester, fool, joker, idiot
Antonyms: sage, genius, intellectual
Use: He played the buffoon to hide his nervousness.

3. BULWARK (n.)

Urdu: فصیل، حصار، مضبوط سہارا
Meaning: a defensive wall; a protection or support
Synonyms: rampart, bastion, fortification, safeguard, buttress
Antonyms: weakness, vulnerability, liability
Use: A free press is a bulwark of democracy.
🔁 CSS 2014

4. BUMPTIOUS (adj.)

Urdu: خود پسند، خود سر
Meaning: irritatingly self-assertive
Synonyms: self-important, cocky, pushy, arrogant, conceited
Antonyms: modest, humble, meek, self-effacing
Use: The bumptious intern kept correcting his seniors.

5. BUNGLE (v.)

Urdu: بگاڑ دینا، بے ڈھنگے پن سے کرنا
Meaning: to carry out a task clumsily or incompetently
Synonyms: botch, mishandle, mess up, fumble, spoil
Antonyms: succeed, accomplish, perfect, manage well
Use: Officials bungled the relief operation.

6. BUOYANT (adj.)

Urdu: تیرنے والا؛ پر امید، خوش باش
Meaning: able to float; cheerful and optimistic; (economy) strong
Synonyms: floating, cheerful, optimistic, upbeat, thriving
Antonyms: sinking, depressed, gloomy, sluggish
Use: The stock market remained buoyant after the budget.

7. BUREAUCRACY (n.)

Urdu: افسر شاہی، نوکر شاہی
Meaning: a system of government run by officials; excessive procedure
Synonyms: officialdom, administration, civil service, red tape
Antonyms: simplicity, informality, deregulation
Use: Pakistan's bureaucracy needs reform.

8. BURGEON (v.)

Urdu: تیزی سے بڑھنا
Meaning: to grow or increase rapidly
Synonyms: flourish, boom, thrive, expand, proliferate
Antonyms: decline, shrink, wither, dwindle
Use: The burgeoning population strains resources.

9. BURNISH (v.)

Urdu: چمکانا، پالش کرنا
Meaning: to polish by rubbing; to enhance a reputation
Synonyms: polish, shine, buff, enhance, brighten
Antonyms: tarnish, dull, blacken, damage
Use: The PR campaign aimed to burnish his image.

10. BUTTRESS (n./v.)

Urdu: پشتہ، سہارا؛ تقویت دینا
Meaning: a support built against a wall; to strengthen
Synonyms: support, reinforce, bolster, prop up, strengthen
Antonyms: weaken, undermine, erode
Use: The report buttresses the case for reform.

11. BYZANTINE (adj.)

Urdu: نہایت پیچیدہ، الجھا ہوا (نظام)
Meaning: excessively complicated and detailed; devious
Synonyms: complex, convoluted, labyrinthine, intricate, tortuous
Antonyms: simple, straightforward, clear
Use: The tax refund process is byzantine.

12. CABAL (n.)

Urdu: خفیہ سازشی ٹولہ
Meaning: a secret political group or faction
Synonyms: clique, faction, junta, coterie, conspiracy
Antonyms: (no true antonym)
Use: A cabal of generals plotted the coup.

13. CACOPHONY (n.)

Urdu: بے سرا شور
Meaning: a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Synonyms: din, racket, discord, noise, clamour
Antonyms: harmony, silence, euphony
Use: A cacophony of car horns filled the street.
🔁 CSS 2026

14. CAJOLE (v.)

Urdu: پھسلانا، خوشامد سے منانا
Meaning: to persuade by flattery
Synonyms: coax, wheedle, lure, sweet-talk, entice
Antonyms: coerce, force, bully
Use: She cajoled her father into letting her study abroad.
🔁 CSS 2009, 2013, 2026

15. CALAMITY (n.)

Urdu: آفت، مصیبت، سانحہ
Meaning: an event causing great damage or distress
Synonyms: disaster, catastrophe, tragedy, misfortune, cataclysm
Antonyms: blessing, boon, fortune, godsend
Use: The 2022 floods were a national calamity.

16. CALLOUS (adj.)

Urdu: سنگ دل، بے حس
Meaning: showing a cruel disregard for others
Synonyms: heartless, cruel, insensitive, unfeeling, cold
Antonyms: compassionate, caring, sympathetic
Use: The officer's callous remarks angered the victims.

17. CALUMNY (n.)

Urdu: بہتان، جھوٹا الزام
Meaning: a false statement made to damage someone's reputation
Synonyms: slander, defamation, libel, smear, aspersion
Antonyms: praise, commendation, compliment, tribute
Use: He was the victim of a calumny campaign.

18. CAMARADERIE (n.)

Urdu: یارانہ، بھائی چارہ، رفاقت
Meaning: mutual trust and friendship among people who spend time together
Synonyms: friendship, comradeship, fellowship, brotherhood, solidarity
Antonyms: enmity, hostility, animosity, rivalry
Use: There was great camaraderie among the cadets.

19. CANDID (adj.)

Urdu: صاف گو، کھرا
Meaning: truthful and straightforward
Synonyms: frank, honest, open, forthright, blunt
Antonyms: evasive, guarded, secretive, deceitful
Use: Thank you for your candid feedback.

20. CANDOUR (n.)

Urdu: صاف گوئی
Meaning: the quality of being open and honest
Synonyms: frankness, honesty, openness, sincerity, directness
Antonyms: evasiveness, deceit, guile, secrecy
Use: She spoke with candour about her failures.
🔁 CSS 2026

21. CANNY (adj.)

Urdu: ہوشیار، سمجھدار
Meaning: shrewd, especially in money or business
Synonyms: shrewd, astute, clever, savvy, sharp
Antonyms: foolish, naive, gullible
Use: A canny trader stocks up before Eid.
🔁 CSS 2014

22. CANTANKEROUS (adj.)

Urdu: چڑچڑا، جھگڑالو
Meaning: bad-tempered and uncooperative
Synonyms: grumpy, irritable, quarrelsome, crabby, irascible
Antonyms: good-natured, genial, easy-going, amiable
Use: The cantankerous old man scolded the children.

23. CAPITULATE (v.)

Urdu: ہتھیار ڈالنا، ہار ماننا
Meaning: to surrender or give in
Synonyms: surrender, yield, submit, give in, concede
Antonyms: resist, defy, fight, hold out
Use: The government capitulated to the protesters' demands.

24. CAPRICIOUS (adj.)

Urdu: متلون مزاج
Meaning: given to sudden changes of mood
Synonyms: fickle, whimsical, erratic, unpredictable
Antonyms: steady, consistent, stable
Use: The capricious boss changed the deadline three times.
🔁 CSS 2007

25. CAPTIOUS (adj.)

Urdu: نکتہ چیں، عیب جو
Meaning: tending to find fault
Synonyms: critical, carping, nitpicking, fault-finding
Antonyms: tolerant, uncritical, approving
Use: The captious critic disliked everything.
🔁 CSS 2006

26. CARDINAL (adj.)

Urdu: بنیادی، اہم ترین
Meaning: of the greatest importance; fundamental
Synonyms: fundamental, principal, chief, primary, essential
Antonyms: minor, secondary, subsidiary, trivial
Use: Honesty is a cardinal virtue for a civil servant.

27. CARICATURE (n.)

Urdu: خاکہ، مضحکہ خیز تصویر
Meaning: a picture or description exaggerating features for comic effect
Synonyms: cartoon, parody, satire, lampoon, mockery
Antonyms: realistic portrait, accurate depiction
Use: The newspaper printed a caricature of the minister.

28. CARNAGE (n.)

Urdu: قتلِ عام، خون ریزی
Meaning: the killing of a large number of people
Synonyms: slaughter, massacre, bloodshed, butchery, bloodbath
Antonyms: peace, preservation, rescue
Use: The bomb blast left a scene of carnage.

29. CASTIGATE (v.)

Urdu: سخت سرزنش کرنا
Meaning: to reprimand severely
Synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, chastise, censure, berate
Antonyms: praise, commend, applaud
Use: The report castigated the police for inaction.

30. CATALYST (n.)

Urdu: محرک، عمل انگیز
Meaning: something that causes an important change
Synonyms: stimulus, spark, trigger, impetus
Antonyms: obstacle, hindrance, deterrent
Use: The 1940 Resolution was a catalyst for the freedom movement.

31. CATASTROPHE (n.)

Urdu: تباہی، سانحہ، آفت
Meaning: an event causing great and sudden damage
Synonyms: disaster, calamity, cataclysm, tragedy, debacle
Antonyms: triumph, success, blessing
Use: Climate change could bring catastrophe to coastal cities.

32. CAUSTIC (adj.)

Urdu: جلانے والا؛ تلخ و طنزیہ
Meaning: chemically corrosive; sarcastic in a hurtful way
Synonyms: corrosive, biting, acerbic, scathing, cutting
Antonyms: mild, soothing, kind
Use: His caustic comments offended the panel.

33. CAVALIER (adj.)

Urdu: لاپروا، بے نیاز، متکبرانہ
Meaning: showing a lack of proper concern; offhand
Synonyms: offhand, casual, careless, indifferent, dismissive
Antonyms: careful, concerned, serious, respectful
Use: His cavalier attitude to safety caused the accident.

34. CENSURE (v./n.)

Urdu: مذمت، سرزنش
Meaning: to express strong disapproval, especially formally
Synonyms: condemn, criticise, reprimand, rebuke, denounce
Antonyms: praise, commend, approve, endorse
Use: Parliament passed a motion of censure against the minister.
🔁 CSS 2015 (antonym of praise)

35. CEREBRAL (adj.)

Urdu: ذہنی، عقلی، دماغی
Meaning: intellectual rather than emotional; relating to the brain
Synonyms: intellectual, rational, analytical, academic, brainy
Antonyms: emotional, instinctive, visceral, physical
Use: Chess is a cerebral game.

36. CHAGRIN (n.)

Urdu: خفگی، شرمندگی، ملال
Meaning: annoyance or distress at having failed or been humiliated
Synonyms: annoyance, vexation, embarrassment, mortification, irritation
Antonyms: delight, pleasure, satisfaction, pride
Use: To his chagrin, his rival won the award.

37. CHARLATAN (n.)

Urdu: عطائی، دھوکے باز
Meaning: a person falsely claiming special skill
Synonyms: quack, fraud, impostor, swindler, mountebank
Antonyms: expert, professional, genuine article
Use: The charlatan sold fake medicines.
🔁 CSS 2019

38. CHASM (n.)

Urdu: گہری کھائی، وسیع خلیج
Meaning: a deep crack in the earth; a profound difference
Synonyms: gulf, abyss, gorge, rift, divide
Antonyms: bridge, connection, agreement, similarity
Use: There is a chasm between the rich and the poor.

39. CHAUVINIST (n./adj.)

Urdu: تعصب پسند، انتہا پسند قوم پرست
Meaning: a person with excessive support for their own group or sex
Synonyms: jingoist, bigot, sexist, nationalist, partisan
Antonyms: egalitarian, liberal, feminist, internationalist
Use: A male chauvinist opposed women joining the police.

40. CHICANERY (n.)

Urdu: چالبازی، فریب
Meaning: the use of trickery for a purpose
Synonyms: trickery, deception, fraud, duplicity, skulduggery
Antonyms: honesty, integrity, fairness
Use: Legal chicanery delayed the verdict for years.

41. CHIDE (v.)

Urdu: ڈانٹنا، ملامت کرنا
Meaning: to scold or rebuke mildly
Synonyms: scold, rebuke, reproach, reprimand, admonish
Antonyms: praise, commend, compliment
Use: The teacher chided him for arriving late.

42. CHIMERA (n.)

Urdu: وہم، خیالِ خام، سراب
Meaning: an illusion or impossible hope
Synonyms: illusion, fantasy, pipe dream, delusion, mirage
Antonyms: reality, fact, certainty
Use: A corruption-free society seemed a chimera.
🔁 CSS 2016

43. CHOLERIC (adj.)

Urdu: غصیلا، تند مزاج
Meaning: bad-tempered or irritable
Synonyms: irascible, irritable, short-tempered, testy, hot-headed
Antonyms: calm, placid, easy-going, good-humoured
Use: The choleric colonel shouted at everyone.

44. CHRONIC (adj.)

Urdu: دائمی، پرانا، مستقل
Meaning: persisting for a long time or constantly recurring
Synonyms: persistent, long-standing, lingering, habitual, perennial
Antonyms: acute, temporary, occasional, brief
Use: Karachi suffers from chronic water shortages.

45. CIRCUMLOCUTION (n.)

Urdu: گول مول بات، طولِ کلام
Meaning: the use of many words where fewer would do
Synonyms: verbosity, wordiness, periphrasis, beating about the bush
Antonyms: directness, conciseness, brevity, succinctness
Use: Avoid circumlocution in a précis.

46. CIRCUMSPECT (adj.)

Urdu: محتاط، دور اندیش
Meaning: wary and cautious
Synonyms: cautious, careful, prudent, guarded, wary
Antonyms: rash, reckless, careless
Use: Be circumspect about sharing personal data online.

47. CIRCUMVENT (v.)

Urdu: چکمہ دینا، بچ نکلنا، راستہ نکالنا
Meaning: to find a way around an obstacle or rule
Synonyms: evade, bypass, avoid, dodge, sidestep
Antonyms: confront, obey, comply, face
Use: Smugglers circumvent customs through the desert routes.

48. CLAIRVOYANT (adj./n.)

Urdu: غیب دان، مستقبل بین
Meaning: claiming to see the future or beyond normal senses
Synonyms: psychic, prophetic, visionary, seer, oracle
Antonyms: unperceptive, blind, sceptic
Use: You don't need to be clairvoyant to see the crisis coming.

49. CLAMOUR (n./v.)

Urdu: شور و غوغا، زوردار مطالبہ
Meaning: a loud noise; a strong public demand
Synonyms: din, uproar, outcry, demand, racket
Antonyms: silence, quiet, calm, hush
Use: There is a growing clamour for electoral reform.

50. CLANDESTINE (adj.)

Urdu: خفیہ، چوری چھپے
Meaning: kept secret, often because illicit
Synonyms: covert, secret, surreptitious, underground, furtive
Antonyms: open, overt, transparent, public
Use: The spies held clandestine meetings.
🔁 CSS 2023