CSS 2011 — Synonyms & Antonyms (Solved) — English (Precis & Composition)

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Full option sets survive for only two 2011 questions (Chronicle, Laconic). For the rest, each question shows the word and the correct answer. The widely shared online list has several wrong answers for this year (e.g. "Concord = variance", "Aplomb = complication"); those are corrected here from the dictionary.

(a) Synonyms

1. CHRONICLE

(A) Daily ritual (B) Widely held belief (C) Account of events (D) None of these

✅

Answer: (C) Account of events

Urdu: تاریخی واقعات کا روزنامچہ، تواریخ
Meaning (n./v.): a factual written account of events in the order they happened; to record
Synonyms: record, account, annals, history, narrative, register
Antonyms: fiction, fabrication, myth
Sentences:
1. Tuzk-e-Babri chronicles the life of Emperor Babur.
2. The diary chronicles the siege day by day.

2. LACONIC

(A) Concise (B) Weekly (C) Circular (D) None of these

✅

Answer: (A) Concise

Urdu: مختصر گو، کم الفاظ میں
Meaning (adj.): using very few words
Synonyms: concise, brief, terse, succinct, pithy, curt
Antonyms: verbose, wordy, loquacious, long-winded, garrulous
Sentences:
1. His laconic reply was simply "No."
2. Jinnah was known for laconic, precise statements.

3. BUFFET

✅

Answer: Strike / batter

Urdu: تھپیڑے مارنا، زد میں لینا؛ (اسم) بوفے کھانا
Meaning (v.): (of wind or waves) to strike repeatedly and violently; (n.) a self-service meal
Synonyms: strike, batter, hit, pound, lash, knock
Antonyms: shelter, protect, caress, calm
Sentences:
1. Strong winds buffeted the boats near Gwadar.
2. The economy has been buffeted by rising oil prices.

4. CONCORD

✅

Answer: Agreement / harmony

Urdu: ہم آہنگی، اتفاق، موافقت
Meaning (n.): agreement or harmony between people or groups; (grammar) agreement of subject and verb
Synonyms: agreement, harmony, accord, unity, consensus, amity
Antonyms: discord, variance, disagreement, conflict, strife
Sentences:
1. The two provinces signed a water concord.
2. Subject-verb concord is tested in sentence correction.
Correction: the online list gives "variance", which is actually the antonym.

5. EPITAPH

✅

Answer: Tombstone inscription

Urdu: کتبۂ قبر، لوحِ مزار کی عبارت
Meaning (n.): a phrase written in memory of a person who has died, especially on a tombstone
Synonyms: inscription, commemoration, elegy, memorial, obituary
Antonyms: (none)
Sentences:
1. Ghalib's epitaph is carved at his tomb in Delhi.
2. "He served humanity" was the only epitaph he wanted.
Trap: epithet = a descriptive nickname; epigraph = a quotation at the start of a book.

6. APLOMB

✅

Answer: Self-assurance / poise

Urdu: خود اعتمادی، اطمینان، سکون
Meaning (n.): self-confidence or assurance, especially in a demanding situation
Synonyms: poise, composure, self-assurance, confidence, sangfroid, calmness
Antonyms: awkwardness, nervousness, confusion, embarrassment, diffidence
Sentences:
1. She answered the interview panel with aplomb.
2. The young captain handled the pressure with aplomb.
Correction: the online list gives "complication", which is wrong.

7. MISOPEDIA

✅

Answer: Hatred of children

Urdu: بچوں سے نفرت
Meaning (n.): hatred of children, especially one's own (Greek misos = hate + pais = child)
Synonyms: hatred of children, child aversion
Antonyms: love of children, philoprogenitiveness
Sentence: Psychologists link some neglect cases to misopedia.
Root tip: mis(o)- = hatred, as in misogyny, misanthrope.

8. FILIAL

✅

Answer: Of a son or daughter

Urdu: اولاد کی (اطاعت/محبت)، فرزندانہ
Meaning (adj.): relating to or due from a son or daughter
Synonyms: of offspring, devoted, dutiful, respectful (as a child)
Antonyms: parental, unfilial, undutiful
Sentences:
1. Caring for aged parents is a filial duty in our culture.
2. He showed great filial love to his mother.

9. SHINGLE

✅

Answer: Pebbly beach

Urdu: ساحل کے گول پتھر، سنگریزے والا ساحل
Meaning (n.): a mass of small rounded pebbles on a seashore; also a roof tile or a small signboard
Synonyms: pebbles, gravel, stones, shale; (roof) tile
Antonyms: sand, fine sand
Sentences:
1. Waves rolled over the shingle at the beach.
2. The young lawyer hung out his shingle in Lahore.

10. MÉNAGE

✅

Answer: Household

Urdu: گھرانہ، گھر کے افراد
Meaning (n.): the members of a household
Synonyms: household, family, home, establishment, domestic unit
Antonyms: individual, stranger
Sentences:
1. The joint family was a lively ménage of twenty people.
2. The novel portrays the ménage of a feudal lord.

(b) Antonyms

11. FLAGITIOUS

✅

Answer: Virtuous / good

Urdu: شرمناک، سنگین جرم والا
Meaning (adj.): criminal; villainous
Synonyms: villainous, wicked, heinous, atrocious, nefarious, criminal
Antonyms: virtuous, good, meritorious, honourable, righteous
Sentences:
1. Child trafficking is a flagitious crime.
2. He led a virtuous life of service.
🔁 Also asked in 2014.

12. CURB

✅

Answer: Encourage / unleash

Urdu: روکنا، قابو میں رکھنا
Meaning (v./n.): to restrain or keep in check
Synonyms: restrain, check, control, restrict, limit, rein in
Antonyms: encourage, unleash, free, foster, stimulate
Sentences:
1. The State Bank raised rates to curb inflation.
2. New laws aim to curb smuggling.

13. CONSCIENTIOUS

✅

Answer: Negligent / profligate

Urdu: فرض شناس، ایماندار، ذمہ دار
Meaning (adj.): wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly
Synonyms: diligent, dutiful, careful, meticulous, painstaking, scrupulous
Antonyms: negligent, careless, irresponsible, profligate, slapdash
Sentences:
1. A conscientious officer checks every file himself.
2. He is a profligate spender with no savings.
🔁 Also asked in 2010.

14. BRACE

✅

Answer: Weaken / discourage

Urdu: سہارا دینا، تیار کرنا، مضبوط کرنا
Meaning (v.): to make stronger or firmer with support; to prepare oneself for something difficult
Synonyms: support, strengthen, reinforce, steady, prepare, fortify
Antonyms: weaken, discourage, dishearten, loosen, undermine
Sentences:
1. Karachi braced for the cyclone.
2. Steel beams brace the old bridge.

15. HYPOCRISY

✅

Answer: Sincerity

Urdu: منافقت، ریاکاری، دوہرا معیار
Meaning (n.): claiming to have moral standards or beliefs that one's own behaviour does not conform to
Synonyms: insincerity, duplicity, double standards, pretence, sanctimony, falseness
Antonyms: sincerity, honesty, genuineness, integrity, candour
Sentences:
1. Preaching austerity from a luxury car is sheer hypocrisy.
2. Her sincerity won the voters' trust.

16. ONEROUS

✅

Answer: Easy / effortless

Urdu: گراں، بوجھل، دشوار
Meaning (adj.): involving a great deal of effort, trouble or difficulty
Synonyms: burdensome, heavy, arduous, taxing, demanding, oppressive
Antonyms: easy, effortless, light, simple, undemanding
Sentences:
1. The IMF imposed onerous conditions on the loan.
2. Collecting taxes from traders is an onerous task.

17. BRUSQUE

✅

Answer: Courteous / gentle

Urdu: روکھا، درشت
Meaning (adj.): abrupt or offhand in speech or manner
Synonyms: curt, blunt, abrupt, gruff, short, rude
Antonyms: courteous, polite, gentle, gracious, smooth
Sentences:
1. His brusque manner put people off.
2. The nurse was gentle and courteous with patients.
🔁 Asked in 2011, 2014 and 2023-S.

18. ANNIHILATE

✅

Answer: Create / augment

Urdu: نیست و نابود کرنا، مکمل تباہ کرنا
Meaning (v.): to destroy utterly; to defeat completely
Synonyms: destroy, obliterate, eradicate, wipe out, exterminate, crush
Antonyms: create, build, augment, preserve, restore
Sentences:
1. Nuclear war could annihilate entire cities.
2. Pakistan annihilated the opposing team by ten wickets.

19. DIPLOMATIC

✅

Answer: Tactless / bungling

Urdu: سفارتی؛ مصلحت پسند، خوش اسلوب
Meaning (adj.): having or showing skill in dealing with people tactfully; relating to diplomacy
Synonyms: tactful, discreet, politic, judicious, sensitive, subtle
Antonyms: tactless, bungling, clumsy, undiplomatic, blunt
Sentences:
1. She gave a diplomatic answer to avoid offence.
2. His tactless remark caused a row.

Sources: CSS Exam Desk list · CSSPrep 2011 MCQs (search listing)