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CSS 2009 — Synonyms & Antonyms (Solved)

ℹ️

The 2009 option sets did not survive online, so each question shows the word and the correct answer. The circulating list mislabels a few answers (e.g. it gives antonyms as synonyms for Radical and Cajole); these are corrected here.

(a) Synonyms

1. OBSCURE

✅

Answer: Unclear / vague

  • Urdu: مبہم، غیر واضح؛ گمنام
  • Meaning (adj.): not discovered or known about; not clearly expressed
  • Synonyms: unclear, vague, ambiguous, cryptic, unknown, little-known
  • Antonyms: clear, plain, obvious, famous, well-known
  • Sentences:
    1. The origin of the ritual is obscure.
    2. He rose from an obscure village to become a judge.

2. AMIABLE

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Answer: Affable / friendly

  • Urdu: خوش اخلاق، ملنسار
  • Meaning (adj.): having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner
  • Synonyms: affable, friendly, genial, cordial, pleasant, good-natured
  • Antonyms: unfriendly, hostile, surly, disagreeable, rude
  • Sentences:
    1. Our amiable neighbour always greets us.
    2. The talks were held in an amiable atmosphere.
  • Trap: don't confuse it with amicable (used of relations or agreements).

3. HOODWINK

✅

Answer: Deceive

  • Urdu: دھوکہ دینا، آنکھوں میں دھول جھونکنا
  • Meaning (v.): to deceive or trick
  • Synonyms: deceive, dupe, trick, fool, delude, con
  • Antonyms: enlighten, be honest with, level with, undeceive
  • Sentences:
    1. The fraudster hoodwinked investors with fake schemes.
    2. Voters cannot be hoodwinked forever.

4. GUILEFUL

✅

Answer: Crafty / disingenuous

  • Urdu: مکار، عیار، فریبی
  • Meaning (adj.): sly or cunning; deceitful
  • Synonyms: crafty, cunning, sly, wily, deceitful, disingenuous
  • Antonyms: guileless, honest, naive, sincere, artless
  • Sentences:
    1. The guileful broker cheated the farmers.
    2. Iago is the most guileful villain in Shakespeare.

5. OBSESSION

✅

Answer: Fixation / mania

  • Urdu: جنون، خبط، ذہن پر چھائی ہوئی بات
  • Meaning (n.): an idea or thought that continually preoccupies a person's mind
  • Synonyms: fixation, mania, compulsion, preoccupation, passion, craze
  • Antonyms: indifference, apathy, unconcern, detachment
  • Sentences:
    1. His obsession with cricket annoyed his teachers.
    2. The nation's obsession with degrees over skills must end.

6. RADICAL

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Answer: Fundamental / drastic

  • Urdu: بنیادی، جڑ سے؛ انتہا پسند
  • Meaning (adj.): relating to the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching; extreme in views
  • Synonyms: fundamental, drastic, thorough, sweeping, extreme, revolutionary
  • Antonyms: moderate, superficial, conservative, minor, middle-of-the-road
  • Sentences:
    1. The economy needs radical reform, not cosmetic change.
    2. Radical groups exploit poverty to recruit youth.
  • Correction: the online list shows "moderate" as the synonym, which is actually the antonym.

7. PRESUMPTIVE

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Answer: Probable / presumed

  • Urdu: مفروضہ، قیاسی، متوقع
  • Meaning (adj.): presumed in the absence of further information; probable
  • Synonyms: probable, presumed, likely, assumed, believable, plausible
  • Antonyms: certain, confirmed, proven, improbable
  • Sentences:
    1. He is the presumptive nominee of the party.
    2. The heir presumptive may lose the title if a son is born.

8. CAJOLE

✅

Answer: Coax / entice

  • Urdu: پھسلانا، خوشامد سے منانا
  • Meaning (v.): to persuade by flattery or gentle coaxing
  • Synonyms: coax, wheedle, entice, sweet-talk, beguile, inveigle
  • Antonyms: force, coerce, compel, bully, intimidate
  • Sentences:
    1. He cajoled his father into buying a motorbike.
    2. Diplomats cajoled both sides back to the table.
  • 🔁 Asked in 2009, 2013 and 2026.

9. SEPULTURE

✅

Answer: Burial

  • Urdu: تدفین، گور، مقبرہ
  • Meaning (n.): burial; interment
  • Synonyms: burial, interment, entombment, inhumation, funeral
  • Antonyms: exhumation, disinterment, cremation
  • Sentences:
    1. The martyrs were given sepulture in their village.
    2. Ancient Egyptians prepared elaborate sepulture for kings.

10. EXPOSE

✅

Answer: Reveal / uncover

  • Urdu: بے نقاب کرنا، ظاہر کرنا
  • Meaning (v.): to make something visible by uncovering it; to reveal the true nature of
  • Synonyms: reveal, uncover, disclose, unmask, lay bare, bring to light
  • Antonyms: conceal, hide, cover, shield, mask
  • Sentences:
    1. The journalist exposed the sugar scam.
    2. Children should not be exposed to violent content.

(b) Antonyms

11. PRESENTABLE

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Answer: Scruffy / untidy

  • Urdu: معقول نظر آنے والا، صاف ستھرا
  • Meaning (adj.): clean, smart or decent enough to be seen in public
  • Synonyms: neat, tidy, respectable, smart, decent, well-groomed
  • Antonyms: scruffy, untidy, unkempt, shabby, dishevelled
  • Sentences:
    1. Wear something presentable to the interview.
    2. He came to class looking scruffy and tired.

12. SALVATION

✅

Answer: Doom / damnation

  • Urdu: نجات، چھٹکارا، بچاؤ
  • Meaning (n.): deliverance from sin, harm or ruin
  • Synonyms: deliverance, rescue, redemption, saving, liberation, lifeline
  • Antonyms: doom, damnation, destruction, ruin, downfall
  • Sentences:
    1. Education is the salvation of the poor.
    2. The war spelled doom for the old empire.

13. PLAIN

✅

Answer: Obscure / ambiguous

  • Urdu: سادہ، واضح، صاف
  • Meaning (adj.): clear and easy to understand; simple, not decorated
  • Synonyms: clear, obvious, evident, simple, unadorned, straightforward
  • Antonyms: obscure, ambiguous, unclear, ornate, elaborate
  • Sentences:
    1. Write your précis in plain English.
    2. The poem's meaning is obscure to most readers.

14. ODIOUS

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Answer: Pleasing / delightful

  • Urdu: قابلِ نفرت، مکروہ
  • Meaning (adj.): extremely unpleasant; repulsive
  • Synonyms: revolting, repugnant, hateful, detestable, abhorrent, obnoxious
  • Antonyms: pleasing, delightful, charming, agreeable, lovely
  • Sentences:
    1. Child labour is an odious practice.
    2. The garden was a delightful place to rest.

15. INFLAME

✅

Answer: Calm / pacify

  • Urdu: بھڑکانا، اشتعال دلانا
  • Meaning (v.): to provoke or intensify strong feelings, especially anger
  • Synonyms: provoke, incite, arouse, enrage, agitate, stir up
  • Antonyms: calm, pacify, soothe, quell, placate
  • Sentences:
    1. Hate speech inflames sectarian tensions.
    2. The elders tried to calm the angry crowd.

16. TATTERED

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Answer: Neat / well-kept

  • Urdu: پھٹا پرانا، خستہ حال
  • Meaning (adj.): old and torn; in poor condition
  • Synonyms: ragged, torn, shabby, threadbare, worn-out, frayed
  • Antonyms: neat, new, well-kept, pristine, tidy
  • Sentences:
    1. The beggar wore a tattered shawl.
    2. The country's tattered economy needs repair.

17. ADVANCE

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Answer: Retreat / recede

  • Urdu: آگے بڑھنا، ترقی کرنا
  • Meaning (v.): to move forward; to make progress
  • Synonyms: proceed, progress, move forward, develop, gain ground
  • Antonyms: retreat, recede, withdraw, regress, decline
  • Sentences:
    1. The army advanced towards the border.
    2. Floodwaters receded after a week.

18. EXPAND

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Answer: Condense / contract

  • Urdu: پھیلانا، وسعت دینا
  • Meaning (v.): to become or make larger
  • Synonyms: enlarge, extend, widen, grow, swell, broaden
  • Antonyms: condense, contract, shrink, compress, reduce
  • Sentences:
    1. The company plans to expand into Central Asia.
    2. A précis condenses a passage to one-third.
  • 🔁 Also asked in 2008.

19. FICKLE

✅

Answer: Steady / constant

  • Urdu: متلون مزاج، بدلتا رہنے والا
  • Meaning (adj.): changing frequently, especially in loyalties or affections
  • Synonyms: capricious, changeable, inconstant, erratic, unpredictable, flighty
  • Antonyms: steady, constant, loyal, faithful, stable
  • Sentences:
    1. Fortune is fickle.
    2. He remained a constant friend through hard times.

Source: CSS Exam Desk list (corrected)